Grand Jury Resister Jailed

On Thursday (8/26), a federal grand jury presently convened in Seattle sent yet another political dissident to jail. This time, the dissident -and now federal prisoner- is Gina Lynn, a long-time animal activist from Southern California. Gina was jailed on contempt charges after refusing to answer questions based on her
constitutional rights under the First and Fifth Amendments.

Members of the Seattle-based grand jury exhibited a shocking lack of understanding of the importance of these constitutionally-protected rights. One juror even went so far as to challenge Gina to explain her reasoning for refusing to answer on the basis of the First Amendment. Gina quietly explained how the First Amendment protects free speech and privacy as well as freedom of association, but the thick-headed juror simply responded that Gina is "completely misinformed."

States Gina, "It has never been my intention to cooperate with this political witch hunt, and I remain firm in my principled resistance to these secretive probes. Their aim is to disrupt and destroy political movements such as ours. I will not be a willing participant."

Since being jailed for exercising her constitutionally-protected rights, Gina has been refusing food in protest. Please join her in taking a stand for civil liberties.

WHAT YOU CAN DO:

* Donate to Gina's Support Fund.

Gina is most concerned about the well-being of her companion animals while she's in jail, and she'd rather have donations toward their care than anything else. Her dog Jude has cancer, so money to help cover any necessary medical care for her is one of the most pressing needs.

Checks and money orders should be made out to Gina Lynn and sent to:

Gina Lynn Support Fund
c/o Allison Lance Watson
PO Box 3241
Friday Harbor, WA 98250

* Send letters of support to Gina!

Gina Lynn
25998-044, Unit DA
FDC SeaTac
2425 South 200th Street
SeaTac, WA 98198

Gina can also receive books. Please email
<https://mail.resist.ca/src/compose.php?send_to=FreeGina%40rock.com>FreeGina [at] rock.com
if you'd like to send her a book so that we can ensure she doesn't receive any duplicates or books she's already read. We can also help you select books that may be of interest to her.

* Call the jail

SeaTac Federal Detention Center: (206) 870-5700

BACKGROUND:
A federal grand jury in Seattle has been convened to investigate the animal right movement in the Pacific Northwest. They have harassed and subpoenaed activists, denied them their constitutionally-guaranteed rights and thrown them in jail for
refusing to cooperate with this sort of repressive behavior.

The grand jury system, long since abolished in most democratic nations, denies individuals their most fundamental civil rights and poses a grave threat to the constitutional rights of every American. The grand jury is the antithesis of all that is democratic and has no place in a free society. Within grand jury proceedings, individuals are denied the presence of legal counsel and can even be
denied the right to Fifth Amendment protections from self-incrimination. . As such, simply asserting one's right to remain silent can and all too often does result in indefinite imprisonment.