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Video journalist seeks to block federal grand jury subpoena
A freelance journalist asked a federal magistrate in San Francisco today to block a grand jury subpoena for his videotapes and notes on a clash between protesters and police last year.
March 31, 2006
Bay City News
Video journalist seeks to block federal grand jury subpoena
By Julia Cheever
SAN FRANCISCO (BCN) - A freelance journalist asked a federal magistrate in San Francisco today to block a grand jury subpoena for his videotapes and notes on a clash between protesters and police last year.
U.S. Magistrate Judge Maria-Elena James, after holding a hearing, said she will issue a written ruling later on the request by Josh Wolf for quashing of a federal grand jury subpoena.
The protest in the Mission District of San Francisco on July 8, 2005, concerned the Group of Eight summit meeting then being held in Scotland.
A police officer, Peter Shields, was injured when he was hit on the back of the head during the clash. Charges against three people are pending in San Francisco Superior Court in connection with the incident.
The subpoena served by the FBI requires Wolf to provide "all documents, writings and recordings related to protest activities conducted in San Francisco" between 6:30 p.m. and 11:59 p.m. on July 8 as well any cameras and recording devices that he used.
Wolf contends the demand violates his constitutional First Amendment right of free expression and goes beyond federal court doctrines on when journalists can be required to testify in a criminal investigation.
Dan Siegel, a lawyer for Wolf, argued before James that the FBI was on an illegal "fishing expedition" aimed at aiding the separate local investigation by San Francisco police and prosecutors.
Federal prosecutors have argued in court papers that federal investigators are entitled to look into a possible federal crime of attempting to damage Shields' patrol car with
fire or explosives, because the San Francisco Police Department receives some funding
from the federal government.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Jeffrey Finigan told James, "There is potential for a federal crime here and that's all that needs to be shown."
Siegel contended that any federal connection was "a thin thread" and said a smoke bomb and firecrackers used in the protest were not intended to set the patrol car on fire.
Outside of court, Wolf, 23, of San Francisco, said he believes that if the subpoena is allowed to stand, "that means that any journalist who covers anything related to a crime is essentially working as an investigator for the state."
Bay City News
Video journalist seeks to block federal grand jury subpoena
By Julia Cheever
SAN FRANCISCO (BCN) - A freelance journalist asked a federal magistrate in San Francisco today to block a grand jury subpoena for his videotapes and notes on a clash between protesters and police last year.
U.S. Magistrate Judge Maria-Elena James, after holding a hearing, said she will issue a written ruling later on the request by Josh Wolf for quashing of a federal grand jury subpoena.
The protest in the Mission District of San Francisco on July 8, 2005, concerned the Group of Eight summit meeting then being held in Scotland.
A police officer, Peter Shields, was injured when he was hit on the back of the head during the clash. Charges against three people are pending in San Francisco Superior Court in connection with the incident.
The subpoena served by the FBI requires Wolf to provide "all documents, writings and recordings related to protest activities conducted in San Francisco" between 6:30 p.m. and 11:59 p.m. on July 8 as well any cameras and recording devices that he used.
Wolf contends the demand violates his constitutional First Amendment right of free expression and goes beyond federal court doctrines on when journalists can be required to testify in a criminal investigation.
Dan Siegel, a lawyer for Wolf, argued before James that the FBI was on an illegal "fishing expedition" aimed at aiding the separate local investigation by San Francisco police and prosecutors.
Federal prosecutors have argued in court papers that federal investigators are entitled to look into a possible federal crime of attempting to damage Shields' patrol car with
fire or explosives, because the San Francisco Police Department receives some funding
from the federal government.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Jeffrey Finigan told James, "There is potential for a federal crime here and that's all that needs to be shown."
Siegel contended that any federal connection was "a thin thread" and said a smoke bomb and firecrackers used in the protest were not intended to set the patrol car on fire.
Outside of court, Wolf, 23, of San Francisco, said he believes that if the subpoena is allowed to stand, "that means that any journalist who covers anything related to a crime is essentially working as an investigator for the state."
For more information:
http://www.fbiwitchhunt.org
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Hey Josh. What can we do to help?
At this point, the most important thing to do is to talk to your friends and neighbors about how the grand jury system a vicious unconstitutional implementation of the law that is being used for political purposes. If you're a blogger, please write about what's going on; there's a lot of information on my website about what's going on that you can use as reference.
It is also a very good idea to educate yourself about the grand jury, to find out what you can do if you recieve a subpoena, and decide RIGHT NOW what you will do in the event that they come visit. And finally, the most important thing you should do if you find yourself facing the grand jury is to make their attempts as public as possible. The Grand Jury is based upon secrecy, allegedly to protect the accused, but if we as a community choose to scream at the top of our lungs, we can help reveal to the public what our government is trying to do with an essentially secretive court.
It is also a very good idea to educate yourself about the grand jury, to find out what you can do if you recieve a subpoena, and decide RIGHT NOW what you will do in the event that they come visit. And finally, the most important thing you should do if you find yourself facing the grand jury is to make their attempts as public as possible. The Grand Jury is based upon secrecy, allegedly to protect the accused, but if we as a community choose to scream at the top of our lungs, we can help reveal to the public what our government is trying to do with an essentially secretive court.
For more information:
http://www.joshwolf.net
Hey Josh nice job on that video. I missed that press conference, and regret missing it, but I will keep my eyes and ears open for any developments for this Grand Jury.
I am the one you talked to at the World Can't Wait protest. I will do what I can to help.
I loved your statement about the cameras and how everyone should document anything and everything they see happen. That was awesome. I try to preach that concept to everyone I talk to, and believe in the same idea. We share the same ideas. Way cool.
So far I haven't got caught up in that Grand Jury. I guess I slipped under the radar so to speak.
Well good luck and keep us posted. Come visit the public access channel sometime. I work almost every Saturday.
I am the one you talked to at the World Can't Wait protest. I will do what I can to help.
I loved your statement about the cameras and how everyone should document anything and everything they see happen. That was awesome. I try to preach that concept to everyone I talk to, and believe in the same idea. We share the same ideas. Way cool.
So far I haven't got caught up in that Grand Jury. I guess I slipped under the radar so to speak.
Well good luck and keep us posted. Come visit the public access channel sometime. I work almost every Saturday.
I would just like to say thank you very much to the person who posted that pic of me being choked by the cop. I think that it is important for the public to know that officer Sheilds was not the only victim of violence that night. My co-defendant and myself will be back in court on the 13th of April at 8:30 AM in Department 20 of the SF Hall of justice on 850 Bryant street. Please save the date give your solidarity, it will be much appreciated. The SF 3 will not be scapegoated or abused!
Earth First!
March 30, 2006
ENVIRONMENTAL ACTIVISTS JAILED AS GRAND JURY INDICTMENTS INCREASE
San Francisco, CA-As attorneys argue in federal court in San Francisco on
March 30 to quash a grand jury investigating a protest in San Francisco,
activists point to current trends that use secret grand juries to carry
out broad, politically-motivated sweeps of environmental and other
activists around the country.
In January, 11 people were indicted by a grand jury in Oregon
investigating acts of sabotage linked to the underground Earth Liberation
Front (ELF). Charges relate to alleged arsons at such targets as a ski
resort expansion into endangered lynx habitat and a facility for rounding
up wild horses for dog food. There were no injuries, but the FBI claims
millions of dollars in damage to property and calls the actions terrorism.
Two Washington state activists were added to the indictment in February,
and one person was indicted in a related grand jury in San Diego for a
public speech. A grand jury in Colorado investigating crimes by
environmental activists just began issuing subpoenas. A status hearing
regarding the 13 indictments from the Oregon grand jury scheduled for
April 3 in Eugene was postponed yesterday. More indictments and subpoenas
are expected, say attorneys in the case.
"Apparently, according to the FBI, the threat is greater than that posed
by neo-Nazis, systemically brutal and racist police forces, or Al-Q'aida,"
said Ben Rosenfeld, a civil rights attorney from San Francisco. "The
government's vendetta is a campaign in a broader witch hunt against
radical environmentalists and self-identified 'green anarchists' -- those
who merge ecology, animal rights, and anarchism in a vision of freedom and
sustainability for all living beings."
The FBI announced last year that ELF was their # 1 priority for domestic
terrorism and held a press conference in Washington DC with U.S. Attorney
General Alberto Gonzales to announce the indictments, where they dodged
questions about Osama bin Laden but called the environmentalists
"eco-terrorists". The FBI has help from groups like the American
Legislative Exchange Council, a conservative corporate lobby group.
A.L.E.C. has written model legislation stepping up the ante for acts of
property destruction committed against corporations. Legislation has been
introduced in 9 states seeking to categorize property destruction,
trespass or arson as acts of domestic terrorism.
Activists point to the fact that these politically motivated acts of
property destruction harmed no life, yet are being called terrorism even
as violent attacks by right wing zealots go unprosecuted. According to
the FBI's own 2003 statistics, 7400 hate crimes motivated by race,
ethnic, religious or sexual orientation occurred that year.
Information on these 'eco cases', as they are called, can be found on the
Civil Liberties Defense Center website at http://www.cldc.org./
A press packet of current related articles and background information is
available through 510-548-3113.
________________________________________
I am suspecting that some "law enforcement" officials are "feeding"
grand juries "slanted information".
Plausable course of action:
Isolate grand jury e-mail addresses and "feed" them "straight
information".
Example: CHAPTER TWENTY-FIVE
From reformed FBI, CIA and NSA agents
Evidence and documentation can be found at their web pages
http://www.copi.com/defrauding_america/chp_25.htm
Excerpt:
Every one of the criminal activities within these pages, and the U.S.
officials implicated in them, were protected by the deaths and false
charges by Justice Department prosecutors of whistleblowers, informants,
protesting citizens, and victims. Killing witnesses or informants is nothing
new. But these acts have greatly accelerated within the government of the
United States as the criminal acts against the American people have
accelerated.
End of excerpt from
"Defrauding America"
For a better understanding of government corruption, to
understand what actually happened in past government
scandals and their cover-ups, and to better comprehend
government corruption that has yet to surface, read the
second edition of Defrauding America. This unusual
650-page trade paperback is highly documented and
detailed. It was written by a former government
investigator, with the assistance of numerous deep-cover
CIA and other government personnel.
http://www.copi.com/defrauding_america/default.htm
Please note that the attached rtf files consist of an article explaining
the murders of biological weapons experts and the other is a list of their
names.
Regards,
The Toxic Reverend
Who arer the criminals ?
http://people.tribe.net/toxicreverend
March 30, 2006
ENVIRONMENTAL ACTIVISTS JAILED AS GRAND JURY INDICTMENTS INCREASE
San Francisco, CA-As attorneys argue in federal court in San Francisco on
March 30 to quash a grand jury investigating a protest in San Francisco,
activists point to current trends that use secret grand juries to carry
out broad, politically-motivated sweeps of environmental and other
activists around the country.
In January, 11 people were indicted by a grand jury in Oregon
investigating acts of sabotage linked to the underground Earth Liberation
Front (ELF). Charges relate to alleged arsons at such targets as a ski
resort expansion into endangered lynx habitat and a facility for rounding
up wild horses for dog food. There were no injuries, but the FBI claims
millions of dollars in damage to property and calls the actions terrorism.
Two Washington state activists were added to the indictment in February,
and one person was indicted in a related grand jury in San Diego for a
public speech. A grand jury in Colorado investigating crimes by
environmental activists just began issuing subpoenas. A status hearing
regarding the 13 indictments from the Oregon grand jury scheduled for
April 3 in Eugene was postponed yesterday. More indictments and subpoenas
are expected, say attorneys in the case.
"Apparently, according to the FBI, the threat is greater than that posed
by neo-Nazis, systemically brutal and racist police forces, or Al-Q'aida,"
said Ben Rosenfeld, a civil rights attorney from San Francisco. "The
government's vendetta is a campaign in a broader witch hunt against
radical environmentalists and self-identified 'green anarchists' -- those
who merge ecology, animal rights, and anarchism in a vision of freedom and
sustainability for all living beings."
The FBI announced last year that ELF was their # 1 priority for domestic
terrorism and held a press conference in Washington DC with U.S. Attorney
General Alberto Gonzales to announce the indictments, where they dodged
questions about Osama bin Laden but called the environmentalists
"eco-terrorists". The FBI has help from groups like the American
Legislative Exchange Council, a conservative corporate lobby group.
A.L.E.C. has written model legislation stepping up the ante for acts of
property destruction committed against corporations. Legislation has been
introduced in 9 states seeking to categorize property destruction,
trespass or arson as acts of domestic terrorism.
Activists point to the fact that these politically motivated acts of
property destruction harmed no life, yet are being called terrorism even
as violent attacks by right wing zealots go unprosecuted. According to
the FBI's own 2003 statistics, 7400 hate crimes motivated by race,
ethnic, religious or sexual orientation occurred that year.
Information on these 'eco cases', as they are called, can be found on the
Civil Liberties Defense Center website at http://www.cldc.org./
A press packet of current related articles and background information is
available through 510-548-3113.
________________________________________
I am suspecting that some "law enforcement" officials are "feeding"
grand juries "slanted information".
Plausable course of action:
Isolate grand jury e-mail addresses and "feed" them "straight
information".
Example: CHAPTER TWENTY-FIVE
From reformed FBI, CIA and NSA agents
Evidence and documentation can be found at their web pages
http://www.copi.com/defrauding_america/chp_25.htm
Excerpt:
Every one of the criminal activities within these pages, and the U.S.
officials implicated in them, were protected by the deaths and false
charges by Justice Department prosecutors of whistleblowers, informants,
protesting citizens, and victims. Killing witnesses or informants is nothing
new. But these acts have greatly accelerated within the government of the
United States as the criminal acts against the American people have
accelerated.
End of excerpt from
"Defrauding America"
For a better understanding of government corruption, to
understand what actually happened in past government
scandals and their cover-ups, and to better comprehend
government corruption that has yet to surface, read the
second edition of Defrauding America. This unusual
650-page trade paperback is highly documented and
detailed. It was written by a former government
investigator, with the assistance of numerous deep-cover
CIA and other government personnel.
http://www.copi.com/defrauding_america/default.htm
Please note that the attached rtf files consist of an article explaining
the murders of biological weapons experts and the other is a list of their
names.
Regards,
The Toxic Reverend
Who arer the criminals ?
http://people.tribe.net/toxicreverend
For more information:
http://people.tribe.net/toxicreverend
Hey Josh! I always run in to you at protests, I always expect to see you at them. I've been talking about this with people. I'm thankful for what your doing, I have lots of respect for you. let us all know if there's anything else we should do.
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