Subject:
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Freedom in America (The Chicago 8)
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Newsgroups:
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lugnet.off-topic.debate
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Date:
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Wed, 25 Sep 2002 11:59:31 GMT
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Viewed:
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240 times
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A funny thing happened to some folks on their way to making public their
disenfranchisement from the then current political establishment in the year
1968.
The police infiltrated their groups (thereby abridging the free exercise of
the right to assemble) to gather information. Police actions came to a head
when they descended upon unarmed and non-violent demonstrators in riot gear.
Once the police's actions triggered an out of control riot situation, many
people were arrested including 8 individuals who were tried under federal
conspiracy and riot laws: Rennie Davis, Tom Hayden, Abbie Hoffman, Bobby
Seale, David Dellinger, John Froines, Lee Weiner, and Jerry Rubin. Many of
these people were leaders of the following political movements: the
National Mobilization to End the War in Vietnam (MOBE), the Youth
International Party (YIPPIES), the Black Panther Party, the Southern
Christian Leadership Conference. Amongst the celebrities in attendance were:
Phil Ochs, William S. Burroughs, Timothy Leary, Allen Ginsberg, Arlo
Guthrie, "Country Joe" McDonald, Pete Seeger, and Judy Collins; many of
these would later be called as witnesses for the defense during the ensuing
trial.
Interesting trial bits:
1) Black Panther defendant Bobby Seale continuously, and in increasingly
angry tones, insisted upon his right either to represent himself or to have
the trial continued until his own counsel of choice, Charles Garry (who was
hospitalized for gall bladder surgery at the time), could represent him.
Seale made frequent and bitter attacks on Judge Hoffman, calling him a
"fascist dog," a "pig," and a "racist"; but eventually the judge ordered
Seale shackled, bound, and gagged. Seale was made to participate in the
trial without counsel of choice and completely unable to defend himself. On
November 5, the judge severed Seale from the case and sentenced him to four
years in prison for contempt.
2) Defense witness Norman Mailer made the point that, "Left-wingers are
incapable of conspiracy because they're all egomaniacs." Abbie Hoffman made
a similar point, stating, "Conspiracy? Hell, we couldn't agree on lunch."
3) During jury deliberations, judge Hoffman sentenced each of the defendants
and the two defense attorneys, William Kunstler and Leonard Weinglass, to
lengthy prison terms on 159 specifications for criminal contempt. One
specification for Kunstler concerned an incident on February 3 when he said
"I am going to turn back to my seat with the realization that everything I
have learned throughout my life has come to naught, that there is no meaning
in this court, there is no law in this court." The Seventh Circuit Court of
Appeals later reversed all contempt convictions, ruling that contempt
convictions resulting in more than six months in prison require jury trials.
4) Prior to his sentencing, Tom Hayden offered the following statement: "we
would hardly have been notorious characters if they left us alone on the
streets of Chicago," but instead "we became the architects, the masterminds,
and the geniuses of a conspiracy to overthrow the government-- we were
invented." [Editorial note: many people believe the U.S. justice system is
about as effective against crime as would be throwing virgins into active
volcanoes to appease the gods -- we have a culture of justice-sacrifice
where defendants are often chosen merely to quell public fears about
disorder. The actions of the police against Rolando Cruz comes to mind here.
http://sun.soci.niu.edu/~critcrim/wrong/cruz.html]
5) Judge Hoffman sentenced each defendant to five years' imprisonment plus a
$5,000 fine.
6) Random juror comments after the trial: a) the defendants "should be
convicted for their appearance, their language and their lifestyle.", b)
"These defendants wouldn't even stand up when the judge walked in; when
there is no more respect we might as well give up the United States." c)
they "should have been shot down by the police." [Obvious Editorial note:
not exactly a jury of the defendants' peers, eh?]
7) The Seventh Circuit Court of Appeals reversed all convictions on November
21, 1972. Amongst the determinations made by the court of appeals was that
the F.B.I, with the knowledge and complicity of Judge Hoffman and
prosecutors, had bugged the offices of the Chicago defense attorneys. The
Court of Appeals panel said that it had "little doubt but that the
wrongdoing of F.B.I. agents would have required reversal of the convictions
on the substantive charges. [Editorial note: does anyone else see the
complete breakdown of the system here? Isn't this the Judicial branch of
govt. acting in concert with the Executive branch to commit crime? How often
has this happened that we didn't hear of it?]
8) Later Abbie Hoffman was said to have opined, "I don't know whether I'm
innocent or I'm guilty." The reason for the confusion--as Norman Mailer
pointed out--was that the alleged conspirators "understood that you didn't
have to attack the fortress anymore." All they had to do was "surround it,
make faces at the people inside and let them have nervous breakdowns and
destroy themselves." [Note: A similar point is made by William S. Burroughs
in his essay "Electronic Revolution."]
Excerpts of the trial can be found here:
http://www.law.umkc.edu/faculty/projects/ftrials/Chicago7/chicago7.html
http://www.law.umkc.edu/faculty/projects/ftrials/Chicago7/Chi7_trial.html.
Many years ago there was an excellent HBO movie called "Conspiracy: The
Trial of the Chicago 8", the great thing about the film is that in addition
to having a truly inspired cast there is documentary footage of the events
in question and interviews with the actual defendants -- just goes to show
how great a film of substance can be despite having an obviously low budget.
One extra note: you can get a free etext copy of Abbie Hoffman's "Steal This
Book" at blackmask.com. Apparently, much of this book was written while
Hoffman was in Cook County jail.
-- Hop-Frog
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