Charges against the David Price Six Dropped
Chapel Hill, NC - May 16, 2007. On Friday, February 16th 2007, six students visited Congressman David Price’s home office as part of a coordinated national effort to pressure Congress to cut off funding for the illegal war on Iraq. 30 minutes after their arrival, the first of the David Price Six was arrested. The six students were charged with first degree trespassing for the ‘crime’ of exercising their first amendment rights to seek a redress of grievances from their Congressperson (1).
The David Price Six visited Representative Price, a self-proclaimed ‘anti-war’ democrat for several reasons. First, Rep. Price has supported the Iraq War by funding its continuation for the last 4 years. Second, Rep. Price continues to fund the occupation despite the overwhelming majority of Iraqi civilians, U.S. service people and 4th district constituents who want the troops out now. Third, Price’s leadership on the war is weak. Of the Iraq-related legislation that Rep. Price has submitted to Congress, one resolution calls upon President Bush to submit a withdrawal plan. The other calls for an investigation into the fraudulent use of war funds by corporations like Bechtel and Haliberton. President Bush will not end this war nor will chasing down mismanaged war funds. It is Rep. Price’s duty to represent the will of the people and bring the troops home now using his constitutionally protected right to withhold funding for the illegal war on Iraq.
With over 300 Iraqi civilians and 3 U.S. service people are dying every day bringing the death toll to over 655,000 Iraqi civilians and 3,400 U.S. service people, Rep. Price’s ‘leadership’ is ineffective at best.
On Monday, May 7th 2007, The David Price Six stood trial. 100 supporters carrying signs which read ‘Put Price on Trial!’ and ‘Solidarity with the Six!’ showed up for a pre-trial rally (2). Tyneisha Bowens representing NC State SDS and Raleigh Fight Imperialism Stand Together, Sammy Slade from the Orange County Democratic Party and Jessica Rapchik of Antioch-SDS spoke out in support of the six defendants. Statements of solidarity from UNC-Ashville SDS and World Can’t Wait were also read. Sara Joseph, one of the David Price Six, closed out the rally with a strong message of resistance against the Bush regime, Rep. Price and other anti-war democrats who continue to fund the criminal war on Iraq.
Following the rally, the crowd packed the courtroom in support of the David Price Six. District Court Judge Alonzo Coleman presided over the trial. The six’s lawyers, Geeta Kapur and Al McSurely, intended to submit several lines of defense. First, that the David Price Six were exercising their constitutionally protected right to talk to Congressman Price about the Iraq War and his complicity in it. Second, the six’s lawyers intended to use a necessity defense which essentially means that the defendants broke a small law in order to prevent a larger crime from occurring. To support these legal defenses, the David Price Six intended to take the stand to speak out against the Iraq Occupation and Rep. David Price’s role in its continuation. Dr. Sarah Shields, renowned Middle Eastern historian and UNC faculty member, was also scheduled to testify as an expert witness.
District attorney Jim Woodall began the legal proceedings by arguing to amend the David Price Six’s arrest warrant. The six’s legal representative, Geeta Kapur, opposed this amendment to fix what she termed a ‘fatal flaw’ in the warrant. The judge allowed the amendment. Geeta also argued for a frank dismissal of the charges because the ‘victim’, Rep. David Price, sent the D.A. a letter requesting that the charges be dropped*. The D.A. opposed this line of argument vigorously. Regardless, in Judge Colman’s words, the charges were dropped ‘in the name of justice’ (2).
The verdict was met with cheers from supporters. The dismissal of all charges brought against the David Price Six signifies a good day for justice and a small, but important victory for the people. This trial also illustrates the need for more and more people to engage in civil disobedience to resist the ongoing violence being visited upon the Iraqi people by the U.S. government.
The David Price Six are deeply grateful to the support provided by their lawyers, Dr. Shields, UNC students and the anti-war community of the 4th district and beyond. If you would like to support the Six’s legal costs please contact tamaratalATgmail.com.
2 http://www.newsobserver.com/102/story/571923.html
* Contrary to media representation, it is in the opinion of this author that Rep. David Price wanted the charges dropped to suppress opposition to his policies on Iraq not because he ‘deeply sympathized’ with the David Price Six. Voting against war funding would characterize true sympathy and solidarity with the Six’s political message.
Original post by Tamara Tal and reposted by Radical Blogs
