 |
|
|
|||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|
|||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|
|
Press Releases R2K LEGAL COLLECTIVE MEDIA ADVISORY FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: March 12, 2001 CONTACT: Kris Hermes, R2K Legal Collective (215) 925-6791; Kate Sorensen, ACT UP Philadelphia (215) 476-3585; Lawrence Krasner, R2K Lawyer (215) 636-9500 http://www.r2klegal.org PRESS CONFERENCE: MONDAY, MARCH 12th AT 3:00PM ANNOUNCING THE VERDICT FROM KATE SORENSEN'S RNC FELONY TRIAL-- TO BE HELD AT 1199-C, THE PHILADELPHIA CHAPTER OF THE HOSPITAL AND HEALTH-CARE WORKERS UNION (1319 LOCUST STREET) The first RNC Felony trial held in Room 707 of the Criminal Justice Center in front of a jury of Sorensen's peers will finish Monday, March 12th after three days of testimony and legal arguments Kate Sorensen of ACT UP Philadelphia, and a defendant from the GOP Convention protest initially slapped with $1 million bail, ends her jury trial Monday. Sorensen is defending herself against charges of "Riot," "Risking Catastrophe," "Criminal Mischief," and "Conspiracy." Sorensen longtime proponent of nonviolent direct action was originally charged with ten felonies and ten misdemeanors. Who: Kate Sorensen and her lawyer, Lawrence Krasner, will speak on the significance of the verdict from her trial. They will be joined by a variety of community and civic leaders who will also comment on the trial and what the verdict means to activism in, and for the city of Philadelphia. Labor leaders and other community leaders from Philadelphia are standing in solidarity with Kate Sorensen and other activists arrested last summer during the RNC protests. They aim to underscore the importance of dissent and people's right to speak out against injustice. What: During Sorensen's trial, prosecution witnesses blamed her for most of the violence and property destruction that occurred on August 1st, the day of mass arrests. Defense witnesses including Henry Nicholas of Philadelphia's Hospital and Health-Care Workers Union elaborated on Sorensen's role as a safety monitor that day, and as an organizer for a universal health care march on July 29th. When: Monday, March 12th at 3:00PM Where: 1319 Locust Street at 1199CPhiladelphia's Hospital and Health-Care Workers Union Why: Kate Sorensen, a long-time organizer and member of the AIDS activist group, ACT UP Philadelphia, was arrested on August 1, 2000, held on $1 million bail, later reduced to $100,000, and kept in jail for ten days. Sorensen was originally charged with ten misdemeanors and ten felonies. All of the misdemeanors and six felony charges were discharged in pretrial hearings. She is now facing four felony charges: riot, risking catastrophe, criminal mischief, and conspiracy. Due to the high level of Sorensen's bail, and claims by law enforcement that she was a "ringleader," her story is particularly compelling. Her case is another form of over-reaction by law enforcement and the judicial system. Sorensen's case is indicative of the over-prosecution of hundreds of activists that have already had over one thousand charges thrown out due to acquittal, dismissal, or withdrawal for lack of evidence. --030-- |
|
|
|||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Fair Use Notice of copyrighted material contained in this website.