Opening Statement given by Susan Crane in DC Superior Court, January 16, 2008, where 31 peace activists are on trial for participating in a die-in in the US Capitol Crypt.

Good Afternoon Judge Keary, co-defendants, members of the court:

On September 20, 2007 I went to the US Capitol along with about 100 companions, some of whom are here today. Some were war veterans, some from different faith traditions including Buddhists, some gold star mothers against the war. We went to Capitol with the idea of showing the human suffering of war, with the idea of saying that the rivers of blood that are flowing in Iraq and Afghanistan start here, in Washington DC, here in the United States capitol.

Some of us went inside the Capitol building. Evidence will show that each person read the name of someone who had been killed in the warmaking—some Iraqi, some American—and then lay on the floor in a shirt soaked with simulated blood.

Evidence will show that we have brought our concerns to congress (who, according to all the laws of the land, are supposed to represent us) —that we talked to our congress people, we wrote letters to them to request/demand that they stop funding this murder—but still the war and killing rages on.

You will hear testimony about how we believe that this war is illegal under international law, and how under international law and US law, we had a right and a responsibility to go to the Capitol Crypt and speak up.

Testimony will show that under the US Constitution, the treaties that the US has signed become the supreme law of the land, to be upheld in every court by every judge. You will hear testimony that we believed we were upholding the Geneva Conventions, the Nuremburg principles, and the UN Charter. By upholding these tenets of international law, we were upholding US law.

Testimony will show that some of us were motivated by our faith, a faith that teaches us to love our enemies.

Testimony will show that the use of depleted uranium munitions, which cause cancer and birth defects in Iraq , as well as in towns here in the US where the munitions are made, is a war crime. More, depleted uranium is responsible for sickness and suffering of our own soldiers and vets, and for birth defects of their children.

According to the War Crimes section of Title 18, it is a war crime if the Geneva convention 12 August 1949 or sections of the Hague conventions that the U.S. is a party to are violated. These conventions govern conduct of international armed conflict.

The use of depleted uranium, a radioactive and chemical poison that indiscriminately disables and kills civilians is a war crime. The abuse of civilians in occupied territories is a war crime.The abuse of prisoners of war is a war crime (e.g. at Guantanamo ). Indiscriminate killing of civilians, through bombs or by depleted uranium, is a war crime.

According to 18 USC Sec 4, we are guilty of a felony if we don't speak out about felonies that we see are being committed.

In this courtroom, there is a lot of talk about the rule of law, and the necessity to obey the law. We say, O.K., let's get back to the rule of law. We don't want to stand by and watch while the people of Iraq are poisoned, slaughtered, subjugated and humiliated. The UN has declared this war an illegal and criminal war. I ask you, judge, to listen to our testimony. There is no question that we were justified in going to the US Capitol, and having an orderly demonstration to say NO to this war and occupation in Iraq . In the words from my faith tradition: No More War, War Never Again.