125 lines
6.3 KiB
Plaintext
125 lines
6.3 KiB
Plaintext
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KIERAN KNUTSON'S TRIAL DELAYED FOR FIFTH TIME
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The trial of longtime Twin Cities anti-racist activist Kieran Frazier
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Knutson, accused of two felony accounts and facing up to ten years in
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prison and $20,000 in fines for an incident in which he defended himself
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from a neo-nazi, has been delayed yet again. The new trial date, the sixth,
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is January 30, 1995.
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The reason for the delay is the same as the last three delays: evidence the
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prosecution thinks is vital for its case against Kieran is still delayed in
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court.
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Two of the prosecution's subpoenas that are being challenged in court, both
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by the University of Minnesota student newspaper The Minnesota Daily. In
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one subpoena, the prosecution is trying to get a former Daily reporter to
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testify against Kieran. The reporter, Jesse Rosen, covered the October 22,
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1993 anti-racist demonstration where, six weeks later, Kieran was charged
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with assaulting a neo-nazi. Rosen has so far refused to accept the
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subpoena. The Daily lawyers who are defending Rosen argue that he is exempt
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from testifying because of Minnesota's Shield Laws, which supposedly protect
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journalists from testifying in court for events they covered. However, the
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Minnesota State Court of Appeals recently ruled that Rosen is not covered by
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the Shield Laws because he gave a statement to the police two weeks after
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the demonstration. The Daily has 30 days to decide whether or not to appeal
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the decision to the State Supreme Court. Although the Daily swore to take
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this case "all the way to the Supreme Court if necessary" a few months ago,
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they have not yet filed an appeal and will only tell the Minneapolis
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Anti-Fascist Defense Committee (the support group for Kieran) that they
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"haven't decided yet" whether or not they'll appeal.
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In the second subpoena, the prosecution is attempting to get from the Daily
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unpublished photographs of the demonstration to use against Kieran. The
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Daily has so far refused to hand over the photographs. This case was heard
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in the State Court of Appeals on November 29 (the same day Kieran's trial
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was supposed to begin), but the judges have 60 days to make a decision. In
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the past, decisions about these subpoenas have taken 45-60 days.
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The Anti-Fascist Defense Committee, a non-partisan group created to support
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Kieran politically, have expressed support for the Daily, not for the
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Daily's politics (it is a weak center-liberal student paper) and not because
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they fear the photos or reporter's testimony will hurt Kieran's case.
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Kieran acted in self-defense, and no photos or testimony will refute that.
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However, we agree with the Daily that this case could set a dangerous
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precedent: if the prosecution wins, any time the state wants to, they can
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get a photograph from anyone's camera, press photographer or bystander; or
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they can force a reporter to testify in any case they want. This will
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effectively make journalists an arm of the state in the state's unjust and
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racist "war on crime."
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The AFDC also believes the prosecution's desperate attempts to get evidence
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against Kieran proves the political motivations behind the trial. Militant
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anti-racist demonstrations and organizations at the University of Minnesota
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challenge the squeaky-clean liberal reputation of the University (and
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Minnesota) as a place for the free exchange of ideas and in which hateful
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ideas or organizations do not have any social power. After the October 22
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demo, the state found a scapegoat in Kieran, whose name was provided by the
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nazis he defended himself against that night. The nazis, Daniel Simmer and
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Amy Foreman, were released that night and are not being prosecuted, despite
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the fact that police found brass knuckles (an illegal weapon) in Simmer's
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possession that night. Six weeks later, Kieran was charged. His plea
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bargain was ridiculous (six months in the workhouse), forcing a trial.
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This,the delays, and the desperate attempts for evidence show that not only
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is the prosecution scrambling to make a credible case, they are also trying
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to suppress a militant anti-racist movement, on campus and elsewhere in the
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Twin Cities, by forcing activists to spend their time defending Kieran
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instead of organizing.
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The original trial date was April 12. It was delayed by the
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prosecution due to "scheduling conflicts." The next date, June 20,
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was also delayed. The third,fourth and fifth dates, August 2nd, October 3rd,
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and November 29, respectively, were delayed at the prosecution's request.
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The appeals over evidence could force the trial to get delayed for a sixth
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time; however, Kieran's lawyer Keith Ellison from the Legal Rights Center
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believes there is a good chance the trial will actually take place in
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January. The AFDC will be planning variou actions in support of Kieran and
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to put pressure on the County Attorney's office (the prosecution). We will
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keep you informed of specific actions you can help with.
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The courtroom was literally packed with Kieran supporters on November 29, as
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it has been for every trial date. The AFDC organized to pack the courtrooms
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and gave everyone "Fight Racism" buttons to signify support for Kieran.
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They also organized security for the event. No nazis or nazi sympathizers
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showed up.
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We will need people to pack the courtrooms for January 30. If
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you can make it, please get in touch so I can arrange housing for you.
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If you cannot make the trial, we could still use your support.
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Please continue to send petitions, letters, and postcards to the
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Hennepin County Attorney Mike Freeman's office, demanding that all
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charges against Kieran be dropped. Also, keep on calling their
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office and making the same demands. Ask to speak to Mike Freeman.
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[phone number and address listed below.]
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Also, the AFDC could use financial support. We have been organizing
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around this since January 1994 (we thought it would be all over in
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April!), and our finances have been getting stretched tighter and
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tighter with each trial delay. Make checks payable to "Love and Rage
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Supporters." Thanks.
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If you would like any information on the details of the case, please
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do not hesitate to write.
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Thanks for your support; the AFDC and Kieran really appreciate it.
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Fight Racism,
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joel for the AFDC
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Anti-Fascist Defense Committee
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PO Box 7075
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Mpls, MN 55407
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jolson@polisci.umn.edu
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County Attorney Mike Freeman
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C2000 Hennepin County Govt. Center
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300 S. 6th St.
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Minneapolis, MN 55415
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(612) 348-5550
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