Download PDF of this full issue: v4n9.pdf (8.2 MB)

Shorts

By VVAW

First Attica Trial Over

On October 9th, charges against William Smith, the first of 62 men indicted in connection with the Attica Rebellion, were dismissed as a result of insufficient evidence. He was charged with 2 counts of sodomy and 2 counts of sexual abuse. In the words of one of the defense attorneys, "the prosecution based its case on evidence which is unable to produce in court -- this man never should have been brought to trial."

Despite the victory in the first trial, 61 Attica Brothers still face trials on a variety of charges. The next trials are expected to being within a month.

Banks and Mean Freed

American Indian Movement (AIM) leaders Dennis Banks and Russell Means had charges, streaming from the occupation at Wounded Knee, dropped at the end of an 8-month trial in St Paul, Minnesota. The judge said that he was ashamed of the way in which the government presented its case.

Thus another attempt at repression through the courts has ended in failure for the government. Tactics of wiretapping and infiltration were exposed in the courtroom, and the judge declared himself "shocked" by the conduct of FBI agents. Other trials around the Wounded Knee occupation continue in Sioux Fall, S.D., and in Lincoln, Nebraska.

Bob Hood Trial Postponed

The frame-up trial of Bob Hood (VVAW/WSO member in Oakland, CA) has been postponed until Dec. 2nd. The trial was set to begin on Sept. 30th, but the court realized they were "congested" and stated that the congestion might last until December. Hood was arrested on Feb. 6th, after he was viciously beaten by Officer Ted Burrows of the Oakland Police Dept. The charge brought against Hood was "assault with a deadly weapon on a police officer." The "weapon" was a 3" pocket knife found in Bob's pocket after he had been handcuffed. The defense will use the extra time to pursue their motion of discovery -- the Oakland PD refuses to open the record of Officer Burrows whose file contains at least 11 citizen complaints.