Thanks for all the supporters who came to the pre-trial hearing for the Port Protesters. [We were even mentioned in the Olympian article!]. For some information on how the trial for the Port Protesters went see the Olympian article posted at Commondreams http://www.commondreams.org/headlines06/1004-12.htm

The Olympian left out quite a bit of an interesting tidbit. The prosecutor is clearly having trouble keeping up with the cases and continues to get herself more and more in over her head. Her response to the Necessity Defense was minor at best and really only textbook complaint. The defendant side of mainly the pro-se's [meaning the protesters who are representing themselves in court] were articulate and persuasive, so much so that even some of the public defenders weighed in in favor of it even though they were not there for that reason. Judge Dubisson also agreed that the prosecutor has been less than adequate in filing motions, providing discovery evidence and responding to the defendant's motions. Dubisson refused to hear any motion that the prosecutor filed late and threatened to court-order her to provide materials and opportunity to the defendants. The judge also ordered the prosecution to stop using bogus addresses to mail correspondence to the defendants and to instead use the court-verified addresses which are for that purpose.

The prosecutor should drop charges or she's gonna lose big because she was almost laughed out of court yesterday!

The court is also pursuing separate Riot charges against:

>  SLOBODKIN, MATHEW C25339TC RIOT

>  KEESLER, JOSEPH DANIEL C25340TC RIOT

If you would like to come to support these cases, come Tuesday, 10/12/06 at 1:30pm to District Court. Wear red to show your solidarity. Otherwise, be well-behaved, quiet and civil to not complicate the cases at this point.

Directions to the court are on the website:
http://www.co.thurston.wa.us/distcrt/ and the names of our protesters will be printed on the dockets for the court room number they are expected to be in. Look when you get there.

Come witness the process. For background see my article in the latest Works In Progress www.olywip.org If you wish to donate to the Legal Defense Fund, see below.
  -- pat

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