Legal System

By TINI TRAN, Associated Press April 29, 2008

BEIJING - A Chinese court on Tuesday sentenced 30 people, including six monks, to jail terms ranging from three years to life in prison for their alleged roles in deadly riots in the Tibetan capital last month, state media reported.

The Intermediate People's Court of Lhasa announced the sentences at an open session, state media reported. The trial was the first since the mid-March riots.  read more »

By TOM HAYS, Associated Press April 25, 2008

NEW YORK - Civil rights leaders demanded a federal investigation and vowed to march through the streets in protest after three police officers were cleared of all charges Friday in the killing of an unarmed man cut down in a hail of 50 bullets on his wedding day.  read more »

Urgent ELP! Bulletin (27th of March 2008)

Dear friends

An American 17 year old youth, Michael Sykes, has been arrested accused of setting fire to two newly constructed houses. The cops have told the media that Michael has admitted the arson attack saying he did it in protest against urban sprawl. The cops also state he has admitted to torching a supermarket and a string of vandalisms, including damaging an 80-foot utility pole, painting an anarchist symbol and burning the American flag.

Despite the cops claim that Michael has admitted these offences he has pleaded not guilty in court and has been remanded into custody.

Please send letters of support to:

Michael W. Sykes
100 East 2nd St
Monroe  read more »

Urgent ELP! Bulletin (11th of March 2008)

News is coming in of a number of raids/arrests involving American environmentalists.

The raids appear to be linked to an arson at Michigan State University in 1999 and another arson at a logging site in 2000. Both arsons where claimed at the time by the Earth Liberation Front.

Well known American Earth First! activist, Frank Ambrose, (who has been wrongfully accused of ELF actions in the past) told ELP he has been charged on three counts of arson and conspiracy to commit arson. Other people listed in the indictment include Marie Mason, Aren Berthwick, Stephanie Sultz, and an "un-named participant known to the grand jury."  read more »

By Mike Carter Seattle Times staff reporter

TACOMA — A 32-year-old violin teacher from California was found guilty this morning of two counts of arson for the 2001 fire at the University of Washington's Center for Urban Horticulture.

A federal jury found that Briana Waters, a former Olympia resident, was among a group of ecosaboteurs who torched the center in the predawn hours of May 21, 2001, causing about $1.5 million in damage. The center was later rebuilt at a cost of about $7 million.  read more »

by Civil Rights Outreach Committee February 28, 2008

(Eugene, OR)- This morning at 9:00am in Lane County Circuit Court the re-sentencing hearing for Jeffrey Luers took place in front of Judge Billings. This followed an Oregon court of appeals ruling in February 2007 that Luers original sentence of 22 years 8 months by Judge Lyle Velure was illegal, and the appeals court remanded the case back to Lane County Circuit Court for re-sentencing. Following the appeals court decision, negotiations have resulted in the decision today to reduce Luers sentence to 10 years, bringing his release date to late December 2009.  read more »

On Monday November 5th 2007, a 76 year old retired school teacher reported to DC Superior Court to begin serving a 7 day jail sentence.

Jammers and creatives,
Today is our big moment in court. Ever since the first issue of
Adbusters was published seventeen years ago we've been fighting to
break the corporate monopoly on access to the airwaves. After
countless delays, and over $100,000 spent on legal fees, we've
arrived at a critical juncture in the case. At issue is our
freedom of speech on the most powerful social communications
medium of our time, television.

Below is a copy of our press release as well as a sneak preview of
an article that will appear in the upcoming issue of Adbusters (on
newsstands February 18th). Please give us your support by getting
the word out there.  read more »

By PAUL SHUKOVSKY P-I REPORTER Dec. 30, 2007

An attorney for a woman facing trial for allegedly participating in the 2001 firebombing of the Center for Urban Horticulture at the University of Washington has accused the government of "egregious prosecutorial misconduct."

Briana Waters, 32, of Berkeley, Calif., is one of five people allegedly linked to the Earth Liberation Front to be charged with setting the facility ablaze in what they thought would be a blow against genetic engineering of plants. The fire destroyed years of botanical research. The UW spent $7 million to rebuild the facility.  read more »

Dec. 21, 2007

WASHINGTON (AFP) — The Lakota Indians, who gave the world legendary warriors Sitting Bull and Crazy Horse, have withdrawn from treaties with the United States, leaders said Wednesday.

"We are no longer citizens of the United States of America and all those who live in the five-state area that encompasses our country are free to join us," long-time Indian rights activist Russell Means told a handful of reporters and a delegation from the Bolivian embassy, gathered in a church in a run-down neighborhood of Washington for a news conference.  read more »