FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
November 15, 2012
November 15, 2012
Queens Jury Gets High Stakes Stop-and-Frisk Case
Queens Criminal Court 125-01 Queens Blvd. Room 118
Queens, NY -- Thursday morning at 10:00 am, the jury in the Queens stop-and-frisk case will be charged. Defendants Carl Dix, Jamel Mims, Morgan Rhodewalt and Bob Parsons are facing a potential one year stay on Rikers Island. The three week plus, politically charged trial has been a roller coaster ride which rode out Hurricane Sandy's dislocations, and saw the unprecedented arrest and expulsion of a juror, and the expulsion of one other.
Defendants asserted that the prosecution failed to make their case of Obstruction of Government Administration. Said Carl Dix, "They didn't put on any evidence that any police activity was obstructed or that any members of the public were denied access to the precinct by the protest last November 19."
This trial is the first of three groups of defendants who were involved with a November 19, 2011 nonviolent civil disobedience protest held at the NYPD's 103rd Precinct which were initiated by Carl Dix and professor Cornel West. Activists with the Stop Mass Incarceration Network say that nine others are awaiting their turn at Queens Criminal Court, as well as many others waiting for another stop-and-frisk protest case to be joined in Brooklyn Criminal Court for an action that was held at the 73rd Precinct on November 1, 2011.
An October 16 Associated Press overview of the heated discourse over stop-and-frisk observed that "courtroom clashes over stop-and-frisk have amplified the debate." SMIN activists say, ”what is being put on trial here is nothing less than the ability and right to stand up and say NO MORE to the racist policy of stop-and-frisk.” Said spokesperson Debra Sweet, "We hope for a verdict of not guilty on all counts."
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Defendants asserted that the prosecution failed to make their case of Obstruction of Government Administration. Said Carl Dix, "They didn't put on any evidence that any police activity was obstructed or that any members of the public were denied access to the precinct by the protest last November 19."
This trial is the first of three groups of defendants who were involved with a November 19, 2011 nonviolent civil disobedience protest held at the NYPD's 103rd Precinct which were initiated by Carl Dix and professor Cornel West. Activists with the Stop Mass Incarceration Network say that nine others are awaiting their turn at Queens Criminal Court, as well as many others waiting for another stop-and-frisk protest case to be joined in Brooklyn Criminal Court for an action that was held at the 73rd Precinct on November 1, 2011.
An October 16 Associated Press overview of the heated discourse over stop-and-frisk observed that "courtroom clashes over stop-and-frisk have amplified the debate." SMIN activists say, ”what is being put on trial here is nothing less than the ability and right to stand up and say NO MORE to the racist policy of stop-and-frisk.” Said spokesperson Debra Sweet, "We hope for a verdict of not guilty on all counts."
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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: 347-979-SMIN (7646) * Email: [email protected] * Facebook: stopmassincerationnetwork * Twitter: @StopMassIncNet
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: 347-979-SMIN (7646) * Email: [email protected] * Facebook: stopmassincerationnetwork * Twitter: @StopMassIncNet