05/07/02 - Darryl Cherney Takes the Stand

Contact: Jean Eisenhower or Steve Christianson 510-663-6330;
http://www.judibari.org for background and photos. Artist renderings from the
courtroom available.

Darryl Cherney Takes the Stand
Judi Bari Video Testimony Coming Soon
Defendant Special Agent Walter Hemje Admits FBI Had No Evidence Against
Judi and Darryl

Oakland, California – Plaintiff Darryl Cherney began his testimony today, provoking laughter numerous times as he talked about his early involvement
with Earth First! and meeting of co-plaintiff Judi Bari. His testimony will continue on Tuesday morning.

Co-plaintiff Judi Bari’s testimony will follow, in the form of a one-and-a-half-hour video deposition given five weeks before her death in 1997—despite FBI attempts to delay it. The video is expected to begin by noon Tuesday. Judi’s testimony will wrap up the plaintiff’s witnesses. Reporters should arrive by 8:00 am, as the courtroom was packed today and many were turned away.

Today, FBI Special Agent Walter Hemje confessed at the end of his testimony that the FBI had no evidence to connect either Judi or Darryl to the bombing, even though Judi and Darryl would remain the “only suspects.” Also on the stand today, Judi’s initial attorney, Susan Jordan, testified about her difficulty encouraging the FBI to investigate the death threats
Judi and others had received.

FBI and Oakland PD witnesses are expected to be completed early next week and followed by closing arguments. The jury’s decision will likely fall near the twelfth anniversary of the bombing, May 24, 1990.

To receive these media releases by email, please contact our office at 510-663-6330 or send a message to media [at] judibari.org.

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Additional note: Darryl completed his testimony on May 7th and ten minutes of Judi's deposition was shown. The rest of Judi's deposition will be shown in the morning of May 8th, 2002.