13 found guilty in Federal District Court
July 18,2007
Witness Against Torture Walk in DC
ending at White House

Judge Robinson finds 13 peace activists guilty
US District Court, DC
July 18, 2007

On April 18, 2007, about 40 people, wearing orange jump suits and black hoods, walked from the US Federal Court in Washington DC to the Supreme Court, to Congress, to the Justice Department, ending up at the White House.

At the White House, about 12 chained themselves to the White House fence, and remained there until the Park Police came with large bolt cutters and cut the chains, placing them under arrest. Others who remained with them were arrested.

July 18, they went to court in Washington, and went to trial.

Judge Robinson denied motions to consolidate the trials, and denied motions to dismiss the charge.

The judge proceded to try each defendant in lightning fast trials that lasted from eight to fifteen minutes each. US Attorney Hart Edwards had Park Police identify each person from pictures the police had taken, and each defendant was given the opportunity to speak for three minutes about the state of their heart and mind when they were in front of the White House on April 18. After a couple of trials, the judge decided to silently read remarks that were written down.

Defendants were collectively able to read examples of torture, talk about international and national law that forbids torture, and talk about their faith which doesn't allow war and torture.

A short DVD of the action, made by Danny Burns, was submitted into evidence, and the judge and prosecutor said they would see it over the lunch break. The trials ended in the early afternoon.

Peter DeMott, Steve Baggarly, Bill Pickard, Nancy Gowen, Mike Walli, Tom Lewis, Mike Foley, Bill Streit, Tom Feagley, Emmett Jarrett, Susan Crane, Lindsay Hagerman, and Eve Tetaz were each found guilty of " stationary demonstation in a restricted zone" and were sentenced to time served and a mandatory $25. assessment fee.

(Statements of individual people will be posted as I recieve them)

(Jeremy Varon just welcomed a baby into his family, and had paid the fine. David Barrows also was part of the witness and had previously paid the fine.)

Witness Against Torture:

leaflet handed out to people
press release
images of the action