Has the National Lawyers Guild condemned the police abuse at the KPFA
station headquaters?
Jim "Republicans are not allowed to commit police abuse but Democrats and
'progressives' (Is there any real difference between Democrats and
'progressives'?) are allowed to team up with the police and commit police abuse
without complaint." D.
------------------------------------------------------
National Lawyers Guild Condemns Fabrications of Ramsey County Sheriff Bob
Fletcher and Preventative Detention Arrests
The Minnesota Chapter of the National Lawyers Guild condemns the coordinated
raids carried out by Ramsey County Sheriff Bob Fletcher against citizens
planning to engage in demonstrations at the Republican National Convention.
The primary prop used by Sheriff Fletcher in his afternoon press conference,
where he displayed items seized in three early morning raids conducted in south
Minneapolis, were three buckets of alleged urine. As shown by inventory sheets
left by law enforcement, these buckets were seized at 2301 23rd Avenue South in
Minneapolis, MN. Two buckets contain grey water and were being used to flush
toilets, to conserve water, in the upstairs bathroom. Both were identified in
the inventory as "unidentified liquid." The third bucket, as shown by inventory
sheets, was seized from illegal apartment over a garage in the rear. This
apartment has been occupied for several years by a person unconnected to the
house occupants or the RNC. No bathroom was in the illegal apartment and urine
was collected in a bucket. This was listed as "unidentified yellow liquid" in
the inventory sheets.
Bruce Nestor, chapter President of the Minnesota National Lawyers Guild, was
present at both locations during the execution of the search warrants. "Police
seized political literature, cellphones, computers, cameras, personal diaries,
and many common household items such as paint, rope, and roofing nails. These
items are present in almost any home in south Minneapolis and are not evidence
of a crime," said Nestor. "Seizing boxes of political literature shows the
motive of these raids was political. Sheriff Fletcher has staged a publicity
stunt, violated constitutional rights, and misrepresented what was seized
during the raids," he said. Another raid was carried out the evening before on
a political meeting hall in St. Paul. Inventory sheets for that raid show that
no contraband items were taken. Literature, computers, maps of St. Paul, and
banners were the vast majority of the items seized.
In addition, during the raids, four persons were arrested without arrest
warrants or formal charges. They are being held on probable cause holds for
"Conspiracy to Commit Riot," which will allow their detention until Wednesday,
September 3, 2008, at noon. Two other persons were also arrested without
warrants, off the streets of Minneapolis, one after she addressed a mass rally
of over 200 people at Powderhorn Park. "Conspiracy to commit riot was the
charge used against the Chicago 8 after the police riots in Chicago during the
1968 Democratic Convention," said Heidi Boghosian, Executive Director the
National Lawyers Guild. "Guild attorneys defended those charged in 1968 and we
will do so again now."
For More Information: Bruce Nestor: 612-659-9019
612-991-9488
Bruce D. Nestor
3547 Cedar Avenue South
Minneapolis, MN 55407
612-659-9019 - Phone
612-436-3664 - Fax
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Welcome to the SDS-MDS New Left Cafe Free Speech Zone.
This is a discussion list for members and supporters of Students for a
Democratic Society and Movement for a Democratic Society. Go to
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Please post no more than three messages a day to the NLC --- those who post
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