Before the terrorist attacks on September 11, Earth First! organizers Judi Bari and Darryl Cherney's trial against the FBI and Oakland Police Department for civil rights abuses was set to begin October 1, 2001. In the aftermath, the case was delayed six months. When the trial finally commences on April 8, the bombing case will have become more relevant than ever.
Lately there has been a lot of action on the legal front, with the final leg of trial preparation well underway. Politically, a great grassroots coalition of activists has big plans for the first day in court, as well as throughout the six-week trial, and volunteers are needed. Finally, with civil rights protections practically caving in around us-disasters like the Patriot Act, mass detentions, and discussions about rolling back the Attorney General guidelines that restrict the FBI's tampering with political groups-there has never been a better time to focus attention on the FBI's rights abuses in this bombing case, as well as historically.
The countdown to trial has begun, and lawyers for both sides are busy wrangling over issues like jury questionnaires and instructions, trial exhibits, witness lists, and offers of proof. Basically, they're making arguments to the judge to clarify issues for trial, and doing what they can to undermine the other side's case ahead of time. There will be one more hearing in Oakland before Judge Claudia Wilkens to resolve everything (yeah, right!), and then we show up on April 8 and start picking a jury. The trial is scheduled to last for six weeks, wrapping up with final arguments sometime after mid-May (8:30 am to 1:30 pm, Monday-Thursday).
Meanwhile, in the real world, Bay Area and North Bay activists have teamed up to form the Judi Bari Solidarity Committee, and have big plans. In addition to kicking off the trial with a huge solidarity rally in Oakland on April 8 (details to be announced), organizers are planning teach-ins every Thursday evening of the trial in the Bay Area. The first of these events will be a talk by COINTELPRO scholar Ward Churchill in San Francisco on April 11, at New College on Valencia Street. Organizers will be coordinating housing and car-pooling for people to come pack the courtroom. There is also an ambitious door-to-door canvass planned to get the word out about the case locally. If you have wanted to do something to help with the case but couldn't figure out how, now is your chance! Call the MEC for information about plugging in-we need you!
As we have said before, there is no way we could have made it to the eve of trial without you. MEC members, and the movement for environmental and social justice on the North Coast, have kept this case alive through twelve years of vigilance. Thanks to you, the terrorist attack against Judi Bari, Darryl Cherney, and Earth First! will not be forgotten. We won't stop until we find the bombers and expose the FBI and Oakland Police Department for their cynical handling of the attempted murder of our comrades. The six-month delay meant six more months of unexpected bills, which have left us strapped at the most expensive phase of this process. Please consider making a donation now toward court costs-hopefully we won't have to ask too many more times. (Make checks out to Earth First!, earmarked for the bombing case, and send them to 106 W. Standley Street, Ukiah, CA 95482.)
Thank you. Justice for Judi!
Copyright Mendocino Environmental Center 2002
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