News from the liberterrain…
"Clearly, their show of violence was intended as a deterrent to other activists. Our record participation today proves that their attempt to intimidate has fallen flat." - Jim Babb, following a successful jury rights outreach in Philadelphia.
Julian Heicklen and Joann Ellis
What Babb calls a "show of violence" is a reference to what libertarians across the country has called a "mugging" and a "kidnapping" Tuesday in Allentown PA when jury rights activist George Donnelly was severely manhandled and arrested by US Marshals for attempting to video record a confrontation between another Marshal and a jury rights activist.
When Jim Babb and the man he calls the "Legendary Jury Rights Activist" Julian Heicklen returned to the Philadelphia federal courthouse on Friday to distribute Fully Informed Jury Association literature they were joined by "a record number" of Philadelphia area activists."
Babb saw the turnout as "an awakening of interest in jury rights education."
"We had a record number of participants passing out pamphlets," Babb reported in a message to fellow libertarians and jury rights supporters. "We had enough volunteers to cover all the entrances and video and photograph the progress. Some were on site, others were observing from a distance."
GEORGE DONNELLY has posted "A Million Thankyous"
on his blog Arm your Mind for Liberty and is "currently
recuperating from the relatively mild torture tactics
deployed against me" in federal prison.
Background articles on Donnelly
mugging and kidnapping:
In their first outreach trip to Philadelphia on April 8 ("FIJA activists harassed, threatened in Philadelphia") George Donnelly was confronted by an officer who, Donnelly reported at the time, "threatened to shove my camera down my throat."
During a return trip to the same location on April 29 the official law enforcers (17 state officers were visible) hung back while security guards were allowed to harass the activists ("Rent-a-cops threaten FIJA outreach in Philly").
Rebecka Heise (right)
Again, Donnelly was singled out because of his camcorder.
But during Friday's event, Babb reports, "The Federal Marshals and Homeland Security were generally on their best behavior. They took some pictures of us, but thankfully, chose not to verbally harass or assault anyone this time. We distributed several hundred pamphlets unimpeded."
Donnelly was unable to attend Friday's demonstration "due to his house arrest" following the incident in Allentown, Babb said. At this writing no further information on Donnelly's legal situation is available.
Babb concluded, "Many new faces were eager to fill in. A growing list of similar events are in the works."
(all photos by Jim Babb)
From left: Rebecka Heise, Michael Salvi,
Fernando Antonio Salguero and Julian Heicklen
A Facebook group called "Friends of George Donnelly" has been created by friends and supporters.
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Comments
This is one of the more peaceful of those "unintended consequences" we hear about. The thugs never know when their actions will trigger the less peaceful.
Jury nullification can squash the government and put it in its proper place- BELOW the people.
My highest respect and thanks to these wonderful folks for "putting their necks on the chopping block" to educate jurists who SHOULD HAVE BEEN PROPERLY EDUCATED DECADES AGO.
That's great news. Before long, these people may have the jury rights stuff as together as we do in Keene, NH. We regularly get 4-10 people to show up to hand up lit in a town of 23,000 people.
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