greenpeace case tossed out

[Guest guest]

Federal Case Against Greenpeace Thrown Out of Court

 

The U.S. government's unusual criminal suit against Greenpeace USA

was rather unceremoniously booted from federal court yesterday by

U.S. District Judge Adalberto Jordan. In a rare "directed verdict,"

the judge found the group not guilty midway through the trial, after

the prosecution had presented its case but before the group's lawyers

presented any defense. The case revolved around two members of

Greenpeace who boarded a ship near the Port of Miami-Dade to protest

its load of Amazonian mahogany. In a highly atypical move,

government prosecutors sought to indict not just the individual

protesters but the group itself under an obscure 1872 law -- not

enforced in over a century -- that prohibits "sailor mongering," or

boarding ships in an attempt to lure sailors ashore to brothels and

bars. Because the decision did not go to jury, the government cannot

appeal. The case, said Greenpeace Executive Director John

Passacantando, "showed the extent to which the government will go to

criminalize free speech.'"

 

straight to the source: The Miami Herald, Jay Weaver, 20 May 2004

<http://www.gristmagazine.com/cgi-bin/forward.pl?forward_id=2483>

 

straight to the source: MSNBC.com, 19 May 2004

<http://www.gristmagazine.com/cgi-bin/forward.pl?forward_id=2484>

[Guest guest]

In a message dated 5/21/04 9:30:05 AM Pacific Daylight Time, Heartwork writes:

 

That was good news. Hopefully they will think twice about prosecuting in the future.

 

yeah, but prolly not, especially with the murdermonkeys in charge these days

one case down, but 50,000 still to go

welcome to 1984

 

cheers

fraggle

[Guest guest]

That was good news. Hopefully they will think twice about prosecuting in the future.

 

Jo

 

greenpeace case tossed out

Federal Case Against Greenpeace Thrown Out of Court