Felony Trial for GLN's Andy Thayer Set for Tuesday, May 5
GLN permalink posted March 27, 2009
The felony trial of GLN co-founder Andy Thayer has been re-set a few times now, but we're reasonably confident that the judge's latest date for the trial will indeed finally go forward as scheduled. The trial will begin with jury selection on the morning of Tuesday, May 5th, with opening arguments that afternoon at the Skokie Courthouse, 5600 Old Orchard Road, Room 107.
The trial arises from a January 2008 protest that Thayer participated in with GLNer Buddy Bell, and fellow anti-war activists Kevin Clark and Jeff Pickert. In January 2008 George W. Bush was visiting Chicago once again, feted by our own Mayor Richard M. Daley, Cardinal George, and a bevy of wealthy LaSalle Street businessmen.
After all the death and destruction caused by this man, it was just too sickening to behold. The criminal Bush wars continued, the extraordinary renditions, the torturous imprisonments at Guantanamo and elsewhere, and what was our mayor and the cardinal doing? WELCOMING the Bush war criminal-in-chief to our city!
Thayer, Bell, Clark and Pickert joined other activists in downtown Chicago, but not to welcome the Bastard-in-Chief, but to give him the "welcome" he deserved. The unindicted former President is not being investigated by the current holders of power in Washington, let alone charged, but anti-war activists were and are being prosecuted. Bell and Clark were found not guilty of misdemeanor Disorderly Conduct for the January 2008 action, while Pickert was found guilty and sentenced to community service.
Thayer was originally charged with a host of misdemeanor charges, plus two felony charges of aggravated battery on a police officer. Due to a procedural error by the prosecuting attorneys, they were forced to choose between either pursuing the misdemeanor charges against Thayer, or the felony counts. They chose the felony counts.
So GLN's Thayer is going on trial May 5th on charges that potentially carry a potential penalty of 7 years in prison and $25,000 in fines.
Please show your support by showing up at the Skokie courthouse the afternoon of Tuesday, May 5th when the opening arguments of Thayer's trial will be held. Thank you.
Funds are still urgently needed for Thayer's legal defense. If you can contribute, even a little bit, it will be very much appreciated. Only about $3000 of the $10,000 in legal fees have thus far been collected. To contribute to the legal defense fund, please write a check payable to "8th Day Center for Justice" (the fiscal sponsor for Thayer's legal defense fund), write "Bush Protesters Legal Defense" in the memo section of the check and mail it to:
