Feature Archives

On June 4th, convicted Green Scare/Operation Backfire defendant Daniel McGowan was sentenced to 7 years of prison with 3 years of supervised probation. He was the ninth of ten defendants to be sentenced by U.S. District Judge Ann Aiken in the past two weeks. McGowan was one of only four defendants to refuse to name names and implicate others who took part in similar actions. Another non-cooperating co-defendant, Jonathan Paul, faces sentencing in the next few weeks.

The first of at least two bail hearings for the San Francisco 8 took place on Monday, June 18th. A large crowd gathered in front of the SF Courthouse at 850 Bryant Street at 8 am Monday morning calling for the release of the SF 8 and the dropping of all charges. The San Francisco 8 have called for a national movement to demand the reopening of hearings into COINTELPRO, which was responsible for government harassment, persecution, and long-term imprisonment of members of organizations such as the Black Panther Party. A Night of Solidarity with the SF8 will be held on July 1st in San Francisco.

The ACLU said in a press conference held in San Jose on May 30th that a lawsuit against Jeppesen Dataplan, a subsidiary of Boeing Co., was being filed under the Alien Tort Statute, which permits aliens to bring claims in the United States for violations of the law of nations or a United States treaty. The statute recognizes international norms accepted among civilized nations that are violated by acts such as enforced disappearance, torture and other inhuman treatment.

The Central California Criminal Justice Committee is working to establish an Independent Police Auditor in Fresno. Momentum is building as the Tuesday, June 5 Fresno City Council meeting approaches where this issue will be discussed. Funding for an IPA is in the mayor’s proposed budget, but a majority of city council members have indicated they are opposed to greater transparency in the police department.

Filipino organizations, youth groups, and a growing movement for police accountability rallied outside the San José Superior Court Hall of Justice on May 16th, demanding justice for Marlo, Romel, and Marilou Custodio. The Custodios are three Evergreen Valley residents who are being charged with resisting arrest during a February 5th incident. The Custodio Family and other community organizations are charging the San José Police Department with police brutality and racial profiling.

Three Mother’s Day events took place in Fresno today. The Catholic Workers held a vigil for peace and to end the war in Iraq on a busy street corner in North Fresno. The Raging Grannies sang songs of peace and held a silent vigil at Woodward Park. Prison Moratorium Project members were at the Fresno County Jail in downtown Fresno demanding alternatives to incarceration.

On Thursday, May 17th, oral arguments were heard in federal court in Philadelphia on what could be the last appeal of death-row journalist Mumia Abu-Jamal, who is known as the "Voice of the Voiceless." Bay Area supporters of Mumia held rallies in San Francisco and San Jose. Mumia Abu-Jamal has been on death row in Pennsylvania for 25 years.