Pack The Court Wednesday! Briana To Take The Stand

Come Support Briana Waters - She Testifies Wednesday

author: Civil Rights Outreach Committee
e-mail:civilrightsoutreach@gmail.com

Briana Waters is expected to take the stand in her own defense as early as Wednesday, February 27, in Tacoma's federal courthouse (1717 Pacific Ave.). Ms. Waters is on trial for allegedly acting as a lookout during the arson of the University of Washington's Center for Urban Horticulture in 2001. Ms. Waters, a 32-year-old mother and violin teacher, steadfastly maintains her innocence.
Civil Rights Outreach Committee

If convicted, Waters faces a mandatory minimum sentence of 35 years in prison. This trial is another chapter in the federal government's "Operation Backfire," also dubbed the "Green Scare," in which the government has hounded the environmental activist community, overcharged a number of individuals, and branded them as terrorists, even though none of the events resulted in a single injury.

The prosecution rested its case against Ms. Waters on Friday, February 22, after two weeks. The government's case is not based upon any concrete or forensic evidence, but instead almost entirely relied on the testimony of two informants who confessed to setting the University of Washington fire and who will receive vastly reduced sentences in exchange for their testimony.

The defense began presenting its case on Monday, February 25, and is expected to conclude by the end of the week. The defense impeached several of the government's witnesses, including the informants, by demonstrating that their accounts are inconsistent and unreliable. "Several witnesses were clearly testifying in order to reduce or eliminate the government's threat of their own lengthy prison sentences," said attorney Lauren Regan of the Civil Liberties Defense Center of Eugene, Oregon.

The defendant who admitted to over a dozen arsons in the Oregon conspiracy, Jacob Ferguson, will receive no punishment at all as a result of his extensive cooperation with the government. Stan Meyerhoff, who admitted to playing a leadership role in setting numerous fires across the country was sentenced to approximately 10 years. Regan continued, "Waters, who is solely alleged to have held a radio as a lookout, faces three times the punishment of these much more serious arsonists simply because she has plead not guilty and exercised her constitutional right to a jury trial. Such severe punishment does not fit the alleged crime and once again demonstrates the government's true intentions in scaring the public into submission and apathy."

The government is placing politics before justice and community safety by charging Ms. Waters and her codefendants with Draconian criminal statutes that carry disproportionate punishments. Whether a person burns a building for personal gain or a stated political reason, the US Constitution ensures equal protection under the law. Both must be prosecuted and punished equally. Further, the government must not punish citizens for exercising their rights to a fair trial.

"Briana Waters is innocent, a victim of the government's rabid persecution of environmental activists under the guise of fighting terrorism. The idea that this nonviolent mom is facing 35 years behind bars for something she didn't do is outrageous," said Jim Flynn of the Civil Rights Outreach Committee. "Doesn't our government have more serious crimes and national security threats to prosecute than an alleged incident of property damage that did not physically harm anyone."

Copies of a press packet with current related articles and background information are available from civilrightsoutreach@gmail.com. For more information, go to http://www.cldc.org

Benefit For Briana Feb. 29!

Benefit Flyer! Print and Distribute

There will be a benefit for Briana Waters on Friday 2/29 in Olympia at the
Eagles Hall! It starts at 7pm in the Eagle's Ballroom. There will be live
music, great food and drinks, and a silent auction. The silent Auction
closes at 10pm. The music and dancing goes late night!

The bands are Citizen's Band, The Pasties, Magmatone. Later on the bands
are: Port of the Sun, The Cause of Thunder, and Doomhawk.

The Eagles Hall is located at 804 E 4th Ave. Directions from I-5: Take
Port of Olympia exit. Take Plum Street until 4th Ave. Located on the
corner of 4th and Plum.

Briana Waters is a loving mother who is in trial right now in Tacoma for
the politically motivated arson at the Center for Urban Horticulture at
University of Washington. This is an important case for Olympia. Come
find out why and support your community.

More information at:

www.olycivlib.org

www.supportbriana.org

www.portland.indymedia.org/en/topic/greenscare

Benefit For Briana Waters

Help Support Briana during her trial by joining us at the Eagles Hall Ballroom in Olympia (at 4th Ave. and Plum St.) on Friday, February 29 at 7 PM. Citizens Band will play and more bands will be announced. Also a Silent Auction for great stuff!!!

OlyCivLib Public Meeting Schedule

Olympia Civil Liberties Resource will hold public meetings in Olympia on Sundays throughout February and March, 2008. We are currently working on supporting Briana Waters throughout her trial, getting the word out about her trial and its implications to civil liberties for activists and everyone. If you want to support Briana or are just interested in learning more about this trial and its implications, you are welcome to attend.

Sundays throughout February and March
At Olympia Free School, 610 Columbia St. SW

Current schedule (check the online calendar for updates, see right side bar)

Feb. 10, 17, and 24, and March 9 at 4-6:30 PM

All other Sundays 7-8:30 PM

Lacey Phillabaum To Testify Today (Feb. 14)

Lacey Phillabaum is being called to testify against Briana Waters today, February 14th, as the last witness of the day. There is a chance her testimony will not be completed today and will resume Friday morning. Briana has asked for support in the courtroom if possible. If you can come to federal court in Tacoma, Washington, please plan to do so and spread the word. You will need picture id to enter the court, and cannot bring food, drinks, laptops or weapons etc. PLEASE dress appropriately for court or don't come anywhere near the courthouse (this is a jury trial, and how Briana's supporters present ourselves influences their opinion of her character). The CLDC website will be posting the first 2 days of court notes soon and regularly thereafter. http://www.cldc.org

Briana Waters Legal Updates and Information

Regular court updates and more information about Briana Waters' case are available on the website for Civil Liberties Defense Center here:

www.cldc.org/waters

Briana Waters Trial: First Day Update

From Seattle Indy Media:

Jury selection began at 9:00 am and what was expected to last only a few hours ended up taking most of the day. Unsurprisingly, most of Briana's supporters were not allowed in the courtroom during the jury selection until the overflow of jurors were eventually let go around 3:00pm and there was more room. After a short break Briana's supporters filled the audience area, along with various media outlets and trial sketch artists.

In the final hour several issues were resolved regarding the procedures of the trial, and it was determined that the Defense Attorneys would be provided the names of upcoming witnesses one day in advance. They will also be provided with a summary of what their testimony will be.

Find out who will be testifying the next day at the http://www.CLDC.org web site! Also keep checking Indymedia for important trial updates.

The schedule for tomorrow looks like:
9am-noon Opening Statements
12-1 lunch break
1pm-4Pm Taking the stand : FBI Agent J. Comrey, Glenn, Cooper, Phillips, and Rice

For many of us wishing to support Briana in her trial, what we think of as "appropriate dress" for court is going to be a bit different than what her jury will think of as normal. Therefore: IT IS ESSENTIAL, that if you want to support Briana, to show up in the most mainstream type of clothes you can find. Do NOT wear (all) black. No Patches. Piercings other than earrings should be taken out. Guys: If you're scruffy, now is a great time to shave!

When the jury is picked, they will consist of everyday, ordinary folks, the type of people you might run into wandering the halls of Wal-Mart or Costco. According to one lawyer I talked with, people on a jury feel reassured by seeing people who look like them. Anyone who looks different, or out of the norm, can be scary for people who don't see piercings or tattoos, etc. as a normal part of their church/school/bocce community. This isn't about us, it is about using our most adept skills of camouflage to show up as a diverse cross-section of upstanding citizens that the jury will recognize as their sons and daughters, or their kids' schoolteachers, or the guy at the D.M.V. In many ways the audience in the courtroom is a representation to the jury of Briana is and what she is about. Use your best judgment as to what this could look like for you.

Also, if you want to help out in this case but don't know if you can pass yourself off as something you're not, WE STILL NEED YOUR HELP! There are plenty of ways to get involved behind the scenes that are just as important! Please email olycivlib(at)riseup.net to find a way to help! Thanks!

Support Briana Waters FLYER! Copy and Distribute

Support Briana! Quarter-sheet double-sided flyers can be printed in color or black and white. If you cannot make double-sided flyers, just print page 2. Please cut into quartersheets and distribute widely!

SUPPORT BRIANA FLYER

Tacoma Court Logistics: Where To Eat

If you are going to be in Tacoma to support Briana Waters during her trial, here are some suggestions of where you can eat.

Below is a places that are closest to the federal courthouse in Tacoma, aren't too expensive, and have veg options. You can find most of the addresses on the veg guide below:

-India Mahal (close to courthouse, lunch buffet, veg-friendly)
-Galanga Thai (not cheap but close to courthouse)
-Tamarind Thai (a light-rail ride away from the courthouse)
-Taco del Mar & Subway (across from courthouse)

Indochine is also across from the courthouse, but is more expensive and not very veg-friendly.

The link below has a Word document of vegetarian/vegan restaurants in Tacoma and Olympia.

http://tacomafnb.kalistongue.com/vegguide.doc

Briana Waters Trial General Announcement

PLEASE REPOST AND FORWARD THIS ANNOUNCEMENT

Briana Waters' trial begins on Monday, February 11, 2008. Please be at the court at 9am. Dress and act respectful of the court. 1717 Pacific Ave, Tacoma. Judge Burgess starts on time.

The trial is expected to go for a month, Monday thru Friday 9am -4pm.

Briana Waters asks that there be NO rally or signs outside or inside of the courtroom. Our presence will be the support she needs. Please come dressed and leave the wacky at home. Anyone concerned with civil liberties should pay attention to this case.

Briana Waters has been indicted in the arson at the UW Center for Urban Horticulture, specifically for the alleged role as a lookout. Ms. Waters maintains her innocence and pleads not guilty. Briana Waters is facing a mandatory minimum of 35 years.

The case is built on the word of two informants, Jen Kolar and Lacey Phillabaum. Although, Ms. Waters attorneys, Robert Bloom and Neil Fox, filed a motion that the government concealed important information and created a fraudulent FBI report. The Judge Burgess has denied the motion in January. The Judge Burgess closed the pretrial, which is our fundamental right to an open and clear process in public court.

Now is the time that we must show up in the court room to support the transparency of our judicial system. It is more than our civil liberties at stake in this precedent setting case. We have seen more and more of our civil rights taken away and it is important for us to stand and bear witness to this trial.

Carpools are encouraged from Seattle.

Olympia Carpools leave daily from the Grocery Outlet Westside parking lot at 7:30 AM.

More information:

Support Briana Website (www.supportbriana.org)

Olympia Civil Liberties Resource (www.olycivlib.org)

Portland Indymedia Greenscare (portland.indymedia.org/en/topic/greenscare) (daily notes from court