Nearly 200 people jammed into the basement of the Hosmer Library in Minneapolis on a rainy afternoon to pick up tips on handling their cases.
The group, which made up almost a quarter of the 818 people arrested during the convention, listened for hours as representatives from the legal collective and the National Lawyers Guild covered the basics of courtroom proceedings, from defining an arraignment to when it's best to file a civil suit against the police.
The bulk of protesters and others charged with serious crimes and misdemeanors during the convention begin appearing in the court system today.
"I'm just trying to get as much information as possible," said Charles McDowell, of Minneapolis, an arrestee, after the meeting's first hour.
McDowell was cited Sept. 3 with unlawful assembly and obstruction of traffic, both misdemeanors, after he and 101 other people were arrested in downtown Minneapolis following a Rage Against the Machine concert.
He doesn't know when his initial court date is but was able to get a number for an attorney from a meeting organizer.
"(Attending) has helped me a lot," he said. "I came into this blind."
There likely will be more meetings as legal proceedings progress, organizers said.
Total arrests during the convention included, in part, 159 arrests in St. Paul and Minneapolis for probable felonies, 40 for gross misdemeanors and more than 580 for misdemeanors, according to an analysis by the Associated Press. Most happened in St. Paul, where the convention was held at the Xcel Energy Center.
So far, Ramsey County Attorney Susan Gaertner has charged 18 adults and one minor with felonies, including dropping a 50-pound sandbag off a freeway bridge, breaking windows and puncturing tires. Eight were arrested before the RNC on conspiracy charges.
Gaertner's office referred several felony riot arrests to St. Paul City Attorney John Choi for lesser charges. Choi said his office has charged 46 protesters with gross misdemeanors, including 18 who allegedly hurled feces, rocks and liquid-filled bottles at officers during a Labor Day standoff on Shepard Road.
Choi's office also is reviewing 487 misdemeanor cases for potential charges.
"I would be lying if I told you that we would be charging every person who got arrested, because that's just not realistic," Choi said Friday.
He added, "Generally speaking, mass-arrest situations will certainly be more challenging from a prosecution standpoint than a typical arrest situation."
What might be a challenge for prosecutors could help people facing charges.
Scores of arrestees are looking at forming court solidarity groups -- often organized by arrest locations -- and trying to minimize or eliminate charges through collective bargaining with prosecutors.
Organizers with the Anti-War Committee -- the group that led the Sept. 4 march that ended in nearly 400 arrests -- are meeting at 2 p.m. Sept. 27 to plan a mass defense in an attempt to get all charges dropped. No site has been selected for the meeting yet, committee member Katrina Plotz said.
"I think it will be a long time before these things get sorted out," said Jordan Kushner, of the National Lawyers Guild. "This is just the beginning."
This report includes information from the Associated Press.
More from St. Paul Pioneer Press | Top of Page
Useful article? Use these tools to let someone know:
Send & Share | Print | Access RSS Feed for Syndication
