FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
May 3, 2012
May 3, 2012
Harlem 28th Precinct STOP "Stop and Frisk" Defendants Testify at Trial on Day Three Thursday, May 3, More Defendants Will Testify
WHEN:
WHERE: WHAT: |
Thursday, May 3, 2012, starting at 9:30am
Manhattan Criminal Courthouse, 100 Centre Street, Room 535 Defendants take the stand to put "stop and frisk" on trial |
May 3, 2012 -- New York -- The New Freedom Fighters/Riders began taking the witness stand Wednesday in Manhattan Criminal Court on charges of disorderly conduct stemming from a mass arrest on October 21, 2011 at the NYPD's 28th Precinct.
The defense team presented motions asking the judge to dismiss charges against all 20 defendants on the basis that the prosecution had not proved that an offense had been committed, or that the defendants had committed an offense. Lengthy interchanges with the defense and the prosecution over case law pertaining to First Amendment protected activity, and the nature of "blocking" access ensued. Judge Robert M. Mandelbaum postponed a ruling on the motions.
Nine defendants testified, representing the diverse cross section of those arrested, including Harlem residents, students, clergy, protest organizers, and a person who found out about it only one day earlier. They were male and female, from 20's to 60's in age, of many racial and ethnic backgrounds. Each spoke to why they protested the NYPD's policy of "stop and frisk." Their reasons included having been stopped repeatedly themselves, having their children and neighbors stopped, questioned, and searched illegally, or simply believing that no one in a free society should have to endure this treatment by the police on a daily basis.
Carl Dix, who co-issued the call for "mass non-violent civil resistance" against the policy as a part of stopping mass incarceration, talked about being beaten by police at age 13, and of feeling that every time he leaves home, as a Black man, he is risking arrest.
John Hector, a young Black man who joined the action from Occupy Wall Street, related his history of being stopped and harassed by the NYPD since age 15, including after returning from four years in the US Navy. Young Black men being demeaned and threatened has to end, he said. "This isn't slavery days anymore." When asked if he felt he carried a particularly high risk of being arrested for engaging in political protest, he responded to a silent and riveted courtroom, "Yes. Young Black men are more arrestable than anyone else in the society. Obviously."
Jose LaSalle, a father from Spanish Harlem, said he received a flyer about the protest on October 20. Although he had never attended a political rally in the past, he decided to come because he wanted a photo of himself with Cornel West. But he was also intrigued, saying that he never knew "stop and frisk" was a policy; he thought it was just part of the culture that his people had to put up with. He too had stories about family members being stopped, including a son returning from SUNY Stonybrook just after graduation.
Rev. Stephen Phelps of The Riverside Church, and Rev. Earl Kooperkamp of St. Mary’s Episcopal Church in Harlem, told about the NYPD's treatment of their neighbors and parishioners, and the need to stand in solidarity with those being oppressed, and "grave concern over the destruction caused" by “stop and frisk.”
Students – including two from Columbia University -- and a social worker wanted to act to create public awareness of the practice, and make a visible statement in support of those targeted disproportionately by the NYPD.
The 28th Precinct had more than 8,700 stops in 2011, but defendants were not allowed to talk about that. The prosecutors representing the city are part of the "Occupy Wall Street" team, with responsibility for thousands of arrests since September. This is the first mass trial related to Occupy Wall Street, bringing in a steady stream of prosecutors, defense attorneys, press, and supporters of the defendants throughout the day.
On Thursday, May 3, more defendants will testify. This trial is expected to continue through Friday, May 4.
The campaign against Stop & Frisk was initiated by Carl Dix and Cornel West. The October 21st nonviolent civil disobedience action at the 28th Precinct in New York brought forward a new generation of Freedom Fighters/Riders, and was the first of three major direct actions in Manhattan, Brooklyn and Queens. This campaign against Stop & Frisk was carried out under the auspices of the Stop Mass Incarceration Network.
The Stop Mass Incarceration Network may be contacted at: [email protected]. It has also initiated the Bear Witness Project, which calls for people to submit their stories of encounters with law enforcement, racial profiling and of mass incarceration. This project will help break the silence and shame of racially-targeted mass incarceration and its interrelationship with the criminalization of Black and Latino peoples. To find out more: www.bearwitnessproject.tumblr.com. The website for the Network is www.stopmassincarceration.org.
-30-
Earlier Trial Press Releases:
May 2, 2012, Stop and Frisk Trial Day #3
May 1, 2012, Stop and Frisk Trial Day #2
Apr 26, 2012, Stop & Frisk Practice of NYPD to be Challenged at Trial of “New Freedom Fighters”
YouTube of the Monday 4/30/12 Press Conference:
http://youtu.be/c76zZn6B7VsSeO
4/30/12 Other Press Coverage:
http://www.dnainfo.com/new-york/20120430/central-harlem/trial-of-stop-frisk-opponents-has-rowdy-start
http://www.foxnews.com/us/2012/04/30/activists-on-trial-for-arrests-during-nypd-top-and-frisk-policy-protest/
http://abcnews.go.com/US/wireStory/activists-trial-arrests-nypd-protest-16243622?singlePage=true#.T59WMtWZiSo
http://www.nbcnewyork.com/news/local/Stop-and-Frisk-Arrested-22-Demonstrators-Group-Protest-Trial-Cornel-West-149430915.html
http://newyork.cbslocal.com/2012/04/30/activists-to-rally-ahead-of-trial-for-22-arrested-at-nypd-protest/
http://blackstarnews.com/news/135/ARTICLE/8158/2012-04-26.html
http://www.realclearpolitics.com/news/ap/politics/2012/Apr/29/22_person_trial_set_in_nyc_police_protest_arrests.html
http://www.ny1.com/content/top_stories/160294/protesters-of-stop-and-frisk-policy-to-appear-in-court
http://www.officer.com/news/10707700/activists-on-trial-for-arrests-during-nypd-protest
---
The Stop Mass Incarceration Network is a project of the Alliance for Global Justice, a 501c3 tax-exempt
organization. Tax-deductible contributions accepted online or checks made payable to the "Alliance for Global Justice," with "Mass Incarceration Network" in the memo line may be sent to:
Stop Mass Incarceration Network
c/o P.O. Box 941 Knickerbocker Station
New York City, New York 10002-0900
Phone: 866-841-9139 x2670 * Email: [email protected]
Web: www.stopmassincarceration.org
Twitter: @StopMassIncNet
The defense team presented motions asking the judge to dismiss charges against all 20 defendants on the basis that the prosecution had not proved that an offense had been committed, or that the defendants had committed an offense. Lengthy interchanges with the defense and the prosecution over case law pertaining to First Amendment protected activity, and the nature of "blocking" access ensued. Judge Robert M. Mandelbaum postponed a ruling on the motions.
Nine defendants testified, representing the diverse cross section of those arrested, including Harlem residents, students, clergy, protest organizers, and a person who found out about it only one day earlier. They were male and female, from 20's to 60's in age, of many racial and ethnic backgrounds. Each spoke to why they protested the NYPD's policy of "stop and frisk." Their reasons included having been stopped repeatedly themselves, having their children and neighbors stopped, questioned, and searched illegally, or simply believing that no one in a free society should have to endure this treatment by the police on a daily basis.
Carl Dix, who co-issued the call for "mass non-violent civil resistance" against the policy as a part of stopping mass incarceration, talked about being beaten by police at age 13, and of feeling that every time he leaves home, as a Black man, he is risking arrest.
John Hector, a young Black man who joined the action from Occupy Wall Street, related his history of being stopped and harassed by the NYPD since age 15, including after returning from four years in the US Navy. Young Black men being demeaned and threatened has to end, he said. "This isn't slavery days anymore." When asked if he felt he carried a particularly high risk of being arrested for engaging in political protest, he responded to a silent and riveted courtroom, "Yes. Young Black men are more arrestable than anyone else in the society. Obviously."
Jose LaSalle, a father from Spanish Harlem, said he received a flyer about the protest on October 20. Although he had never attended a political rally in the past, he decided to come because he wanted a photo of himself with Cornel West. But he was also intrigued, saying that he never knew "stop and frisk" was a policy; he thought it was just part of the culture that his people had to put up with. He too had stories about family members being stopped, including a son returning from SUNY Stonybrook just after graduation.
Rev. Stephen Phelps of The Riverside Church, and Rev. Earl Kooperkamp of St. Mary’s Episcopal Church in Harlem, told about the NYPD's treatment of their neighbors and parishioners, and the need to stand in solidarity with those being oppressed, and "grave concern over the destruction caused" by “stop and frisk.”
Students – including two from Columbia University -- and a social worker wanted to act to create public awareness of the practice, and make a visible statement in support of those targeted disproportionately by the NYPD.
The 28th Precinct had more than 8,700 stops in 2011, but defendants were not allowed to talk about that. The prosecutors representing the city are part of the "Occupy Wall Street" team, with responsibility for thousands of arrests since September. This is the first mass trial related to Occupy Wall Street, bringing in a steady stream of prosecutors, defense attorneys, press, and supporters of the defendants throughout the day.
On Thursday, May 3, more defendants will testify. This trial is expected to continue through Friday, May 4.
The campaign against Stop & Frisk was initiated by Carl Dix and Cornel West. The October 21st nonviolent civil disobedience action at the 28th Precinct in New York brought forward a new generation of Freedom Fighters/Riders, and was the first of three major direct actions in Manhattan, Brooklyn and Queens. This campaign against Stop & Frisk was carried out under the auspices of the Stop Mass Incarceration Network.
The Stop Mass Incarceration Network may be contacted at: [email protected]. It has also initiated the Bear Witness Project, which calls for people to submit their stories of encounters with law enforcement, racial profiling and of mass incarceration. This project will help break the silence and shame of racially-targeted mass incarceration and its interrelationship with the criminalization of Black and Latino peoples. To find out more: www.bearwitnessproject.tumblr.com. The website for the Network is www.stopmassincarceration.org.
-30-
Earlier Trial Press Releases:
May 2, 2012, Stop and Frisk Trial Day #3
May 1, 2012, Stop and Frisk Trial Day #2
Apr 26, 2012, Stop & Frisk Practice of NYPD to be Challenged at Trial of “New Freedom Fighters”
YouTube of the Monday 4/30/12 Press Conference:
http://youtu.be/c76zZn6B7VsSeO
4/30/12 Other Press Coverage:
http://www.dnainfo.com/new-york/20120430/central-harlem/trial-of-stop-frisk-opponents-has-rowdy-start
http://www.foxnews.com/us/2012/04/30/activists-on-trial-for-arrests-during-nypd-top-and-frisk-policy-protest/
http://abcnews.go.com/US/wireStory/activists-trial-arrests-nypd-protest-16243622?singlePage=true#.T59WMtWZiSo
http://www.nbcnewyork.com/news/local/Stop-and-Frisk-Arrested-22-Demonstrators-Group-Protest-Trial-Cornel-West-149430915.html
http://newyork.cbslocal.com/2012/04/30/activists-to-rally-ahead-of-trial-for-22-arrested-at-nypd-protest/
http://blackstarnews.com/news/135/ARTICLE/8158/2012-04-26.html
http://www.realclearpolitics.com/news/ap/politics/2012/Apr/29/22_person_trial_set_in_nyc_police_protest_arrests.html
http://www.ny1.com/content/top_stories/160294/protesters-of-stop-and-frisk-policy-to-appear-in-court
http://www.officer.com/news/10707700/activists-on-trial-for-arrests-during-nypd-protest
---
The Stop Mass Incarceration Network is a project of the Alliance for Global Justice, a 501c3 tax-exempt
organization. Tax-deductible contributions accepted online or checks made payable to the "Alliance for Global Justice," with "Mass Incarceration Network" in the memo line may be sent to:
Stop Mass Incarceration Network
c/o P.O. Box 941 Knickerbocker Station
New York City, New York 10002-0900
Phone: 866-841-9139 x2670 * Email: [email protected]
Web: www.stopmassincarceration.org
Twitter: @StopMassIncNet