The Ramsey County attorney dropped two of the four charges against the RNC 8 last week: one count of conspiracy to commit riot in furtherance of terrorism, and one count of conspiracy to commit criminal damage to property in furtherance of terrorism.
While this is good news for those accused, they still face charges for conspiracy to commit riot and conspiracy to commit criminal damage to property, which could result in five years of prison time.
There were serious motives behind the dropped charges, according to the RNC 8 defendants and their supporters. They say Gaertner has her eyes on higher political office, and dropping those charges could help bolster her chances of getting on the Democratic ticket for governor. The defendants are the first in Minnesota to be charged under the Minnesota Patriot Act.
"We're relieved and gratified that the most sensational part of the charges has been dropped," said St. Paul peace and justice activist Betsy Raasch-Gilman, a member of Friends of the RNC 8, in a prepared statement. "We hope that the conspiracy charges will also be dropped. If planning a protest can be called conspiracy, the right to free speech is in real danger."
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