Court overturns Iraq war protester's (Cindy Sheehan) conviction

[sabra]

Source: Reuters

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - A U.S. appeals court on Friday overturned Iraq war protester Cindy Sheehan's conviction for demonstrating without a permit on the White House sidewalk in 2005 and ordered a new trial.

The unanimous three-judge panel ruled that Sheehan's conviction had been based on errors of law by the magistrate judge that eliminated the prosecutor's burden to show her criminal intent.

Sheehan had been assessed a $50 fine and $25 administrative fee following the trial and conviction.

On September 26, 2005, Sheehan and four other members of an anti-war group approached the northwest gate of the White House and requested a meeting with President George W. Bush to discuss the Iraq war.

After they were turned down, they walked a short distance and sat down on the White House sidewalk. By this time, more than 200 other people had assembled to protest the Iraq war.

Read more: http://news.yahoo.com/s/nm/20080111/pl_nm/usa_iraq_sheehan_dc_1

[jlake]

1. Good news!

[snappyturtle]

2. Ditto...good news! nt

[groovedaddy]

3. At least some judges will stand up for the rule of law

Not so sure about the jerk wads appointed by the assholes in power right now.

[mopinko]

11. and those appointed by their predecessors.

st ronnie stacked the courts pretty well. i still remember how hard it was to convince people that this was important. :eyes:

[groovedaddy]

13. speaking of "what's important" - check out this article by Joe Bagaent

http://www.worldnewstrust.com/commentary/ghosts-of-tim-leary-and-hunter-thompson-joe-bageant.html

[clixtox]

28. Thank you for the link...

What a fabulous essay! Amazing that Tim Leary turns out to be so prescient...

[patrice]

4. Yay! Mark one up for us! nt

[Maccagirl]

5. Finally-some good judical news!

I'm very happy for Ms. Sheehan and the other victims of intimidation.

[qb]

6. Good for her! Too bad our legal system has turned into a war between real judges...

and federalist society Bush buddies.

[Maccagirl]

9. Isn't this battle the real Reagan legacy

of St. Ronnie packing the courts with neocons that were indoctrinated at Liberty U. and Patrick Henry? Raygun (or at least his puppeteers) were "right" about where the real power lays. We've been paying for this since 1980.

[wtmusic]

7. Oh good, a new trial

Glad our priorities are straight here (how about a 'mistrial'). :eyes:

[frog92969]

15. Yeah, double jeapordy?

Or did we lose that one in a signing statement?

[joeglow3]

22. Doesn't a "mistrial" also result in a new trial??

[Blue_Tires]

8. k+r

[Judi Lynn]

10. Hooray for the appeals court!It's so unlikely they could actually prove "criminal intent,"after all.

It'll be good to get this stupid blotch off Cindy's record, won't it?

[ooglymoogly]

12. Excellent.!!! Now she should sue the shit out of the DC police and the DA

and whatever constabulary that interfered with her constitutionally god given right to protest the policies of this fraudulent government and for arresting her and the rest so treated.

[ronnykmarshall]

14. Good for Cindy!

[lonestarnot]

16. Most excellent!

:applause:

[babylonsister]

17. Some sanity prevailed! nt

[cureautismnow]

18. Yeah! The good guys and gals win for a change.

Arrest the arrestors instead.

[indepat]

19. The effin' courts have been prone interpret anything that displeases the WH is criminal

intent.

[MADem]

20. To even suggest that there's any 'criminal' intent in an obvious act of civil disobedience is lunacy

And to suggest that the prosecutor didn't even have to prove it is friken goofy.

Who was the judge? Alberto Gonzales in a wig and nose glasses?

[Demeter]

21. GO CINDY!

Now let's get those wheels of justice grinding!

[jeff30997]

23. Go Cindy Go Gooo!

[Mithreal]

24. Hooray for Cindy Sheehan and all war protesters

Fighting for freedom of speech is becoming a case of criminal intent nowadays. Hooray for the judges that overturned this as well, but ordering a new trial, gimme a break. The wheels of Justice need some grease.

[Myrina]

25. Excellent, and also a good example of the ridiculousness of Bushista ...

... their power manipulations and raw attemps to thwart people's Civil Rights have led to so many pointless arrests and court cases that they're almost solely responsible for the 'lawyer glut' and 'bottleneck in the court system' that Rethuglicans squeal about!

[orleans]

26. good. n/t

[EVDebs]

27. A new trial ? I thought GOP stood for fiscal conservatism. A WASTE of taxpayer $ to harass Cindy

How much is this travesty of justice costing the US taxpayer ? Inquiring minds want to know.