JR of Flashpoints court hearing for felony charges @ Oscar Grant demo

JR arrested at Oscar Grant protest
Sunday, February 22, 2009 11:40 AM
From:
"Chandra Hauptman"
To:
undisclosed-recipients
"Fellow KPFA programmer, JR, of Flashpoints Block Report and asst. editor of the SF Bayview Natl Black newspaper was recently arrested during the Oakland protests of the Bart station killing of Oscar Grant.

As JR was leaving the demo, he was tackled by police and arrested. Many of the others detained that night, known as the Oakland Hundred, were mostly charged with misdemenors. But JR despite the fact that he was covering the event as a professional journalist with camera and note book- was charged with a felony. This means three years in prison if he is found guilty.

We believe JR to be innocent of setting fires and causing physical damages, as he was professionally occupied covering the story. Either he was a scapegoat or it is a case of mistaken identity. People are showing their support by attending his hearing- this coming Monday, Feb 23 at 9am at the courthouse on 661 Washington Street in Oakland. A show of popular support may help preserve his freedom." – La Raza Chronicles-KPFA-fm.

-- Chandra Hauptman