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Huge free speech victory, for all who protest against Israel’s war on Iran

Here’s another example of a jury of ordinary people rejecting the government’s lies. Think how much different things would be if randomly selected residents instead of elected politicians constituted the legislature, as proposed by Question X calling for a Commonwealth Jury commonwealthjury.blogspot.com/ . —John Spritzler
 
----- Original Message -----
From: Souad Dajani
To: 
Sent: Wednesday, December 05, 2007 10:19 AM
Subject: FW: Huge free speech victory, for all who protest against Israel’s war on Iran —

Entire jury votes for free speech in Ann Arbor:
stoprapingpalestine.blogspot.com/2007/12/
entire-jury-votes-for-free-speech-in.html

The big losers are the police who followed “American Movement for Israel” ‘s orders:

This article was published just before the entire jury, by consensus, voted that Doctor Wilkerson is “Not Guilty”, on all charges—

Catherine Wilkerson trial underway
ARBOR UPDATE (Ann Arbor, Michigan)

On the Web at:
arborupdate.com/article/1576/catherine-wilkerson-trial-underway

This week, Doctor Catherine Wilkerson’s trial on charges of attempting to interfere with police and emergency medical personnel began in Washtenaw County 15th District Court. The charges stem from an incident during a November 30, 2006, talk at the University of Michigan; Wilkerson attempted to intervene in police handling of protester (and AU regular) Blaine Coleman, believing that Coleman, who appeared unconscious, was in danger of asphyxiation. Wilkerson and other protesters in January filed a complaint of police brutality regarding the incident; an Ann Arbor Police investigation found the officers did not act inappropriately.

More coverage and related links at:

1. It’s interesting that the charges only allege that Dr. Wilkerson “attempted” to assault/resist/obstruct the police and ambulance personnel, but doesn’t allege that such actually occurred. This shows that the UofM Police were acting as “thought police” when they determined the charges only a week after Wilkerson filed the police brutality complaint. The charges were not based on what Wilkerson actually did, but only on what she thought of doing, during the incident of two months prior. It would seem that Prosecutor Mackie must have noticed the seeming weakness of these charges of thoughtcrime when he tried to amend two additional counts at the late hour.
A similar policing of thought is evident in the Violent Radicalization and Homegrown Terrorism Prevention Act of 2007, which was recently passed by the House. The bill defines “homegrown terrorism” as the “planned” or “threatened” use of force to coerce the government or the people in the promotion of “political or social objectives.” That means that no force need actually have occurred as long as the government charges that the individual or group thought about doing it. This is very similar to the “attempted” felonies Dr. Wilkerson has been charged with.
The passage into law of US House Resolution 1955 will make prosecution of “thoughtcrimes” much easier and we won’t have to worry about troublemakers like Dr. Wilkerson any longer. Don’t you feel safer, already?

—Michael Schils Dec 3, 06:52 PM #
2. Why was the “American Movement for Israel” allowed to command the police? This was a huge victory for free speech.
The next time Israel’s cheerleaders hear someone say “Don’t Bomb Iran”, they can no longer call the cops to make them shut up.

—Tanter suggested nuking Iran Dec 3, 11:37 PM #
3. Tonight the anti-Zionist, anti-war forces in Ann Arbor had a huge victory.
Dr. Catherine Wilkerson, who was protesting a speech by Raymond Tanter (an open advocate of nuking Iran) and was targeted by the police and charged with attempting to obstruct the police, was found Not Guilty tonight at the 15th District Court of Ann Arbor. Dr. Wilkerson was merely trying to save the life of a man who was in danger of positional asphyxiation under the weight of two Ann Arbor police officers. –
—————————————————————
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Citizens of Ann Arbor have fought hard to expose campus Zionists and to diffuse their push for a war on Iran. Ann Arbor anti-war, anti-Zionist groups have spoken up against war on Iran, protested, been beaten by the police, hospitalized, imprisoned and much more. And tonight they finally won. The “American Movement for Israel”, which has been actively promoting the idea of an attack on Iran, now knows that on this campus they will not get away with ordering the police to attack peaceful protesters.

Next time the police will think twice before attacking peaceful protesters exercising their freedom of speech on the University of Michigan campus.

Congratulations to those who worked hard and long to save our freedom of speech and expression.

—Victory for Free Speech Dec 4, 12:49 AM #
4. A2 doctor found not guilty in lecture fracas case – 12/4/07, The Michigan Daily
—Michael Dec 4, 07:36 AM #

The “American Movement for Israel” instructed police to grab peaceful protesters, at their campus event which urged U.S. action against Iran.

So the police pounced on the anti-war protesters. Then the Prosecutors pounced on the protesters.
 
But the whole jury has just voted “Not Guilty”, in an Ann Arbor courtroom.
 
Everyone who lined up with the thuggishness of the “American Movement for Israel” has suffered a big defeat—

----------------------------------------------------
 
Huge victory for free speech:
stoprapingpalestine.blogspot.com/2007/12/
huge-victory-for-free-speech.html

Huge defeat for “American Movement for Israel”, and for all the police who followed its orders
stoprapingpalestine.blogspot.com/2007/12/
huge-victory-for-free-speech.html
 
The Michigan Daily

“A2 doctor found not guilty in lecture fracas case: “Wilkerson had been charged with police interference”

By Julie Rowe,
Michigan Daily Staff Reporter
December 4, 2007

On the Web at:
www.michigandaily.com/home/index.cfm?event=display
Article&ustory_id=5ffa525e-2b2a-4a1a-af5a-f90987cb65d9

 
The Ann Arbor doctor charged with two counts of attempting to interfere with police and emergency medical personnel at an event held in the Michigan League last year was found not guilty last night.

The jury deliberated for about four and a half hours after closing arguments ended yesterday.

The defense argued that Catherine Wilkerson, a physician at the Packard Community Clinic and a protester at the event, was acting as a physician, not a protester, when she criticized the treatment fellow protester Blaine Coleman received from police and paramedics.

Wilkerson and Coleman were protesting at an event sponsored by the American Movement for Israel.

Georgetown University Prof. Raymond Tanter discussed U.S. foreign policy in Iran. Protesters said that Tanter’s speech called for military action against Iran, which they opposed.

Prosecuting attorney Margaret Connors argued that Wilkerson’s actions were an attempt to create chaos during Coleman’s arrest, not out of concern for Coleman’s safety.

“They knew what they were doing,” Connors said of Wilkerson and Coleman. “They went there with an agenda; they went there to confront. She was acting as a protester confronting a situation, certainly not as a physician.”

In his final argument yesterday, Hugh Davis, Wilkerson’s attorney, cited Wilkerson’s testimony that she was only concerned for Coleman’s safety. Davis argued that Wilkerson’s actions saved Coleman from potentially serious consequences.

Wilkerson, who was identified by the court as an expert witness on emergency medicine, testified that officers put Coleman at risk for positional asphyxia ?- a condition she says is responsible for many deaths.

“I saw someone who was suffering and might have his life at risk,” Wilkerson said.

Numerous witnesses said Coleman, lying face down as police handcuffed him, stopped responding and appeared to be unconscious. Officer Mark West of the Department of Public Safety said he responded by turning Coleman over onto his back. DPS Sergeant Jan Conners said she then cradled Coleman’s head in her lap to stabilize his neck. Wilkerson said that she continued to check Coleman’s pulse and monitor his breathing.

West said he saw Coleman open his eyes periodically and he wasn’t sure whether Coleman was conscious.

Huron Valley Ambulance paramedics attempted to revive Coleman with ammonia inhalants when they arrived on the scene.

Wilkerson said she was “stunned” when she saw the paramedic use ammonia.

“I hadn’t seen that done in decades,” she said. Wilkerson said the paramedic then used two more capsules, which caused Coleman to spit and sputter.

Sol Metz, a defense witness, said during testimony that he saw a paramedic hold three ammonia capsules underneath Coleman’s nose. Metz said that the paramedic then cupped his hands around Coleman’s mouth and nose and said, “You don’t like that, do you?”

Wilkerson said she intervened at this point and called the paramedics actions “punitive” and lacking medical usefulness.

HVA personnel have stopped using ammonia inhalants since the incident; a move that HVA employees who testified at the trial admit was made in response to Wilkerson’s concerns.

During the prosecution’s final argument, Connors said police and paramedics told Wilkerson at least 12 times to calm down and move away from the scene. Connors said Wilkerson’s speech was disruptive and impeded the ability of officers and paramedics to do their jobs.

“It was about confrontation, not treatment,” Connors said. “The defendant kept interfering with HVA. Her voice was the loudest – she was a cheerleader for the crowd.”

During jury deliberations, Wilkerson said the First Amendment protected her actions.

“There is not a single word that she said that isn’t protected by the First Amendment,” said Davis, Wilkerson’s attorney. “This case is about the criminalization of free speech.”

_______________________________________

Comments:

AMI thuggishness

posted 12/04/07 @ 7:01 AM EST

So the American Movement for Israel had the police called, at the first sign of any dissent. The police and prosecution lined up with the American Movement for Israel, violently arresting and prosecuting all who dared say a word against war. They all lost— Israel’s enforcers all lost. Free speech, against war on Iran, won the day. Thuggishness against Palestine, thuggishness against Iran, thuggishness against simple free speech on campus… that is the essence of Zionism. And Zionism has lost again.

 
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