News from the liberterrain...
Julian Heicklen left little doubt last week that he is the godfather of jury rights outreach when he appeared at eight federal courthouses in the space of five days, from Monday through Friday, May 10 to 14, to distribute Fully Informed Jury Association (FIJA) educational materials.
Here's how it all went down (all quotes are Heicklen's):
Outreach Julian Heicklen and Jim Babb in Trenton NJ, May 10,
2010 (screenshot from Donnelly/Babb video)
Trenton NJ, May 10 - Jim Babb, George Donnelly and Heicklen begin distributing flyers. Federal marshals demand IDs. Activists demanded marshals' IDs. Verbal badminton ensues. Marshals and activists take turns photographing each other. The marshals eventually leave and 200 pamphlets are distributed.
Reading PA, May 11 – Heicklen flying solo. "No law enforcement personnel appeared. There was very little pedestrian traffic. I passed out five pamphlets and left after 25 minutes."
Allentown PA, May 11 –George Donnelly is gang tackled, arrested, and taken into custody. "These were six of the most obnoxious people I have ever met." All pamphleting stops while Heicklen and Babb try to find out where Donnelly is being held. Much of this outrage is documented in Libertarian News Examiner articles.
Johnstown PA, May 12 – Another solo foray by Heicklen. Overcast and gloomy weather, little pedestrian traffic. Guard takes a pamphlet but otherwise leaves him alone. Heicklen passes out a few pamphlets and leaves.
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OutrageGeorge Donnelly in Trenton NJ, May 10, 2010, the day
before his free speech rights are violently violated by the feds in
Allentown. (screenshot from Donnelly/Babb video)
George Donnelly is currently under house
arrest. To support, speak out, and help with
his defense visit these sites:
-
Friends of George Donnelly
June 4 march, rally and demonstration in Allentown
Donnelly Legal Defense Fund
Pittsburgh PA, May 12 – Heicklen is told by officers that it's okay to distribute literature and take pictures. "I told the officers that they were the first law enforcement officers that I had met that explained the law correctly." About 70 pamphlets get distributed.
Harrisburg PA, May 13 – A federal marshal "asked if I was Julian Heicklen." He identifies himself and tells Heicklen it is okay to hand out literature. "I informed him that he was the first federal marshal that had properly identified himself." He leaves and Heicklen passes out "about 40 pamphlets."
Philadelphia PA, May 14 - Federal officers show up, recognize Heicklen, welcome him back, and watch courteously from the sidelines. "Four young adults, whom I did not know" help distribute pamphlets. Three regular activists arrive and altogether they distribute 225 pamphlets. "Then I had a video interview with Jim Allen, who has a TV segment on a news program."
Wilmington DE, May 14 – A federal officer asks for a flyer and leaves. No further contact occurs. "There was not much pedestrian traffic, but I distributed about 40 pamphlets."
Trenton Marshals Interrogate Jury Rights Advocates; Hundreds of Pamphlets Distributed
(video by George Donnelly/Jim Babb, May 10, 2010, Trenton NJ)
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Comments
Any idea why we haven't heard from George Donnelly since he was assaulted by government goons? Was silence part of his bail agreement?
To the best of my knowledge (note that nothing I say is official) silence is a part of his bail agreement, and he has also been advised by an attorney not to talk about his experiences at this time.
I have the sad duty to report that handing out of pamphlets of any kind at all at the courthouses in California is strictly forbidden. Previous celebrations of Jury Rights Day saw to that.
"To the best of my knowledge (note that nothing I say is official) silence is a part of his bail agreement, and he has also been advised by an attorney not to talk about his experiences at this time."
Of course I don't blame GD for doing everything he can to mitigate the effects of being caught in the government's maw, but it's worth noting that this is yet another way that the gov rigs the game in its favor. When Jose Padilla was arrested, John "Ugly" Ashcroft held a press conference and spewed out all kinds of wild accusations, none ever backed up, which of course the sycophantic media echoed without question, while Padilla himself was held incommunicado, unable to respond. Yet another reason to hate government bozos and their cheating, lying ways!
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