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MANHATTAN---Finding that the prosecution had failed to prove each defendant guilty of each charge, Manhattan Criminal Court Judge Neil Ross found the 18 members of the Granny Peace Brigade not guilty of disorderly conduct following a seven day non-jury trial.
The 18 protestors, some of whom are in their 80s and 90s and some of whom were arrested in the 60s for protesting the Vietnam War, were on trial in Manhattan Criminal Court after being charged with two counts each of disorderly conduct, one for allegedly obstructing pedestrian traffic and blocking access and the other for "disobeying a lawful order to disperse" as they peacefully and politely protested outside a military recruiting station in Times Square last October.
Some used canes, others used walkers for their court appearance. All were united in refusing a plea bargain deal offered by DA Robert Morgenthau's office for a six months adjournment in contemplation of dismissal if there were no further arrests, saying they wanted to go to trial and all 18 testified.
Molly Klopot, 87, a retired social worker and one of the acquitted defendants, proclaimed that the verdict was "a victory for the Constitution and the Bill of Rights".
She added, "Patriots are not silent. You are forced to accept what you don't speak out against. Like Tom Paine, we have to go out there with the truth".
Judge Ross rendered his verdict less than an hour after the attorneys had made their closing statements. The judge said that the evidence produced did not show that the grandmothers had blocked pedestrian traffic and that people could have entered the recruiting station if they wished.
Norman Siegel, the women's attorney, said that "they are great Americans and they walk the shoes of great Americans who have made America the place that it is".
The women had gone to the recruiting station on Oct. 17, 2005, to enlist. When the recruiting station personnel locked the doors and refused them admittance, the woman sat down and began chanting, "We insist! We want to enlist". Witnesses say that while they refused to disperse, they were peaceful and polite and did not block access to the station. A side entrance to the recruiting station remained open and several witnesses said that personnel unlocked the front.
Siegel told Judge Neil Ross that their conduct was "orderly, respectful, justified, necessary and patriotic". He told the court that they had the right to protest and their intent was to "alert an apathetic public about the war in Iraq".
Three police officers have testified that the protesters refused to leave but were orderly in their protest. One NYPD lieutenant admitted that the women didn't block anyone's admittance to the recruiting office. 4-28-06
© 2006 North
Country Gazette
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