Political Persecution of Juanita Young- Trial on 7/18

POLITICAL PERSECUTION OF POLICE BRUTALITY ACTIVIST INTENSIFIES – TRIAL
FOR JUANITA YOUNG POSTPONED TO JULY 18TH

Two years ago, Juanita Young, mother of Malcolm Ferguson (killed by a
plainclothes cop in March 2000) and outspoken anti-police brutality
activist, was literally given a rude awakening on an early Saturday morning
by police officers and her landlord and informed that she was
trespassing, although she was never given an eviction notice. As her children
were told to "get the fuck out," Ms. Young, who is legally blind, rose
from her own bed to be handcuffed and aggressively pushed out of her
apartment and building, falling twice and injuring her arm.

Held for 35 hours and after a harrowing experience with the law
enforcement personnel who made it very distressingly clear to Ms. Young that
they knew who she was - that is, a prominent activist against police
brutality (one of the cops at the arrest commented to her, “No rallies for
you today.”) - Ms. Young was charged with "criminal trespassing." For
the last two years Ms. Young has had a total of sixteen court
appearances to date, and on May 24, 2005, Bronx Supreme Court Judge Steven L.
Barrett denied the Motion to Dismiss in the Interest of Justice that was
filed by Juanita Young's lawyers (the Law Office of Lynne F. Stewart.
Download a pdf file of the motion at http://october22-ny.org/Motion.pdf).
This despite how transparently bogus these charges are, with the DA's
refusal to drop the charges, his office's repeated offers of ACDs
(Adjournment Contemplating Dismissal), and the conspicuous fabrications in
the DA response to the motion exposing the deliberate persecution !
of Ms. Young for her activism work.

Juanita Young is not only a recognized leader who is steadfast in and
committed to the fight against injustice and police brutality, her
selfless dedication for justice is a galvanizing force for many others. As
an activist with the October 22nd Coalition to Stop Police Brutality and
other social justice organizations, Ms. Young continues to organize
many other families whose loved ones have been killed by law enforcement
and those who have been brutalized and those who suffer under the
post-9/11 escalation of police violence.

In no small part, Ms. Young's compelling qualities in the face of such
personal and emotional travails have inspired many supporters,
community activists, and even elected officials to rally behind her and her
family.

Your visible support is needed at the start of her trial to make clear
to the judge and the DA that we know this isn't just any old eviction
case and to demand that the charges get dropped. An outspoken activist
who has been experiencing a pattern of harassment by law enforcement
since they killed her son being tried for trespassing in her own home
reeks of the relentless pursuit to silence one whose voice brings strength
to the movement for social justice. HANDS OFF JUANITA YOUNG!

PACK THE COURT ON July 18, 2005 in support of Juanita Young!

ARGUMENTS BEGIN AT 10:00am
Bronx Supreme Court - Part 60 (4th floor – Judge Barrett's chamber)
851 Grand Concourse (off 161st Street), Bronx (4/D to 161st Street)

JOIN OCTOBER 22 COALITION AND THE JUSTICE COMMITTEE AT A PRESS
CONFERENCE BEFORE OPENING ARGUMENTS

9:00am in front of Bronx DA Robert Johnson’s office at 198 E. 161st
Street
Sign up to a shift to be in the courtroom to support Juanita during her
trial justicecommittee [at] hotmail.com or 212-614-5343


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