[sixties-l] Sara Olson's trial begins (fwd)

From: sixties@lists.village.virginia.edu
Date: Fri Oct 19 2001 - 19:16:44 EDT

  • Next message: sixties@lists.village.virginia.edu: "[sixties-l] Ohio Event to Celebrate 1960's Activism (fwd)"

    ---------- Forwarded message ----------
    Date: Thu, 18 Oct 2001 12:47:18 -0700
    From: radtimes <resist@best.com>
    Subject: Sara Olson's trial begins

    >From: "Block, Diana" <DBlock@sfghpeds.ucsf.edu>
    >Subject: Sara Olson's trial begins
    >Date: Tue, 16 Oct 2001
    >
    >Greetings all,
    >
    >Wanted to let friends know that I attended the opening day of Sara Olson's
    >trial yesterday. The L.A. Times article below gives a pretty good summary
    >of what went on in court. The Judge decided to deny a continuance because
    >he deemed the negative impact of 9/11 on juror impartiality "speculative"
    >- this even after attorney Shawn Chapman pointed out that CNN had been
    >running a news banner all day Sunday during its coverage of the crisis
    >that repeated again and again that Sara Jane Olson's trial for planting
    >bombs was to begin the next day, obviously linking the trial to all the
    >events which have transpired. However, Sara expected the denial and is
    >prepared to move forward with the trial. As she stated to the press
    >yesterday, and has said before, she has to put her hope in the ability of
    >twelve people to see through the lies of the state's case even in this
    >inflamed climate. Jury selection began yesterday.
    >
    >I was able to spend some time with Sara, Mary (the chair of her defense
    >committee) her mother and her daughter Sophie. They are all working very
    >hard, keeping their spirits up and are focused on getting the word out
    >about the case and building community support during the trial, trying to
    >overcome the enormous strain of doing this trial in the wake of September
    >11th. As her defense committee points out in a recent statement "It is
    >essential that progressives support Sara Olson's cause for many reasons.
    >First, as a consequence of the horrific attacks on the World Trade Center
    >and the Pentagon, the period ahead will surely produce obstacles to
    >persons and groups challenging the status quo that are far greater than at
    >present-and it's tough enough today to engage in such challenges. Indeed,
    >we will all have to unite instruggle to defend the very right to dissent
    >in this nation." They have opened an office in L.A. and you can contact
    >them at 8124 West 3rd St, #204, LA, CA 90048; 323-653-3610, I'm sure any
    >expression of support would be much appreciated at this time.
    >
    >Check out their website for lots of information about her case as well as
    >pictures and description of Sara's tour last summer, including events
    >sponsored by San Diego, Santa Cruz and Bay Area California Coalition for
    >Women Prisoners.
    >
    >http://www.saraolsondefense.org/
    >
    >http://www.saraolsondefense.org/Committee/Committee/caltour6.htm
    >
    >diana
    >
    >
    >http://www.latimes.com/templates/misc/printstory.jsp?slug=la%2D101601olson
    >
    >http://www.latimes.com/news/printedition/front/la-101601olson.story?coll=la%2Dhome%2Dtodays%2Dtimes

    >



    This archive was generated by hypermail 2b30 : Fri Oct 19 2001 - 19:26:02 EDT