Iowa Grand Jury to Jail Minneapolis Resisters Carrie Feldman and Scott DeMuth for 11 Mo.

Submitted by Twin Cities Indymedia on Tue, 11/17/2009 - 10:31

The federal government's Green Scare campaign took another depressing turn Tuesday morning as a federal district judge in Iowa ordered the detainment of Twin Cities activists Scott DeMuth and Carrie Feldman at a contempt hearing. As previously reported, DeMuth and Feldman were subpoenaed to a grand jury in Davenport, Iowa, compelling them to testify regarding a animal rights-related vandalism incident at the University of Iowa. These are the first reports from Iowa:

Feldman and Scott spoke to the local press and 30 to 40 supporters at a rally beforehand in Davenport, then refused to testify. At the contempt hearing, the judge offered both immunity, but they still refused to talk, and were taken away. The judge believes they will remain in jail until they comply or the jury ends (likely in 11 months).

Hoping to avoid detainment without any semblance of due process, Feldman's father testified at the contempt hearing that Feldman needs to not be incarcerated to care for her grandmother; DeMuth is studying as a PhD candidate. Since the federal prosecutor couldn't get Feldman to answer any questions, they used the opportunity to ask Feldman's father a bunch of odd leading questions. He was asked if Feldman was an anarchist, to which Feldman's public defender objected. The judge overruled the objection. The prosecutor presented a photo showing Feldman wearing something with an obscured "LF" on it and asked if it could mean "ALF" or "ELF." Also the prosecutor insinuated that a pet rat on her shoulder implied she was an animal lover or something — and thus, apparently, complicit in the vandalism?

http://tc.indymedia.org/2009/nov/iowa-federal-judge-orders-feldman-demuth-detained-indefinitely-contempt-towards-davenport



previous

Minnesota Activist Stands Up to Grand Jury Investigating Iowa U. ALF Raid in 2004 - http://www.indybay.org/newsitems/2009/10/18/18625991.php

Here’s the statement Carrie Feldman read to the grand jury:

First of all, I would like to state, unequivocally and most certainly for the record, that I have no intention of testifying before this grand jury. Based on information from the prosecutor indicating that I may be a target of this investigation, I am invoking my Fifth Amendment right against self-incrimination. But beyond that, I am refusing to cooperate based on a sincere belief that to do so would run counter to my deeply held convictions and values.

Grand juries were originally created to prevent arbitrary indictments, but are now used as a tool of the prosecution to gather information. Grand juries undercut basic rights supposedly granted in the Constitution by denying access to counsel and coercing testimony. They are now, and have been for some time, used to investigate and intimidate those who would express dissent.

This is only effective when we are complicit, when we are frightened, when we are divided. Today my voice may waver, as I stand alone in this room. But I know I speak with the voice of every one of my friends, loved ones, and comrades when I say this: We will not be intimidated. We will not cooperate. I have nothing more to say to you.