Aug 1: Support the M26 defendants

A letter from M26 defandant Steve Quester:

My codefendants and I are definitely asking that you
turn out for our sentencing on August 1. We'd like to
think that jail is off the table, but there are still
a handful of previous cases that Judge Stolz may
consider, even after our victory in the Court of
Appeals. Stolz will remember our huge turnout of
supporters at the (adjourned) April 2004 sentencing,
and a diminished but still large crowd at the May 2004
sentencing. If the courtroom is not overflowing on
August 1 2005, we're concerned that he may conclude
that our support among the public has waned. Our
attorney does not believe that public support for us
(or lack thereof) will affect his Stolz's decision,
but it's important to us that you demonstrate your
support with your presence nonetheless.

We will be sentenced at 9:30 A.M. on Monday, August 1,
2005, in New York City Criminal Court, 100 Centre
Street, Manhattan. Take the N, R, Q, J, M, W or Z
train to Canal Street. Ask a court officer to direct
you the courtroom where Judge Stolz is presiding that
morning. Alternately, go by the name of the case. It
was People v. Weitzman et al. Now it might be People
v. Banhart et al. (or Puccio, Smith, or Quester).

Peace,
Steve Quester

Here's the background on the case:

On March 26 2003, 16 peace and justice activists were
arrested at a protest in response to the invasion of
Iraq, the Israeli occupation of Palestine, and the
murder of human rights activist Rachel Corrie. They
were slapped with and convicted of excessive charges
that were unprecedented for non-violent civil
disobedience. The M26 defendants have been referred to
as "serial protesters" by the prosecution (and the
D.A, in a move widely contested by lawyers and civil
libertarians, was granted a court order to open
sealed case records--mostly dismissed, with no
criminal charges pressed--in order to establish this,
which is in clear violation of their supposed legal
rights) and have been disproportionately punished for
publicly voicing their dissent.

In late March 2004, all 16 defendants were convicted
on all charges brought against them. On May 12 2004,
12 of the 16 defendants were sentenced. Together they
received thousands of dollars in fines, sentences that
were unusually harsh for cases arising from
non-violent protest. The four defendants yet to be
sentenced are those who have been most viciously
targeted by the prosecution, and are at risk for jail
time as well as much steeper fines, due to their
involvement in queer, aids, abortion rights, and
anti-police brutality activism, in particular.

(photo by Fred Askew)