Date: Wed, 13 Mar 1996 13:44:12 -0800 (PST)
From: American Anti-Prohibition League <[aal 01] at [teleport.com]>
Subject: Pigs & Pork, II
AMERICAN ANTI-PROHIBITION LEAGUE
3125 SE Belmont Street, Portland, Oregon 97214
503-235-4524, [AAL 01] at [teleport.com]
March 13, 1996
*** FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE ***
LEAGUE DIRECTOR FORCIBLY DETAINED & EXCLUDED FROM COURTHOUSE
PIGS & PORK PART II
First, thanks to all of you who have expressed your support
and your offers to help distribute "Jury Power" pamphlets this
coming Monday, March 18, 7a.m., at Multnomah County Courthouse,
1021 SW 4th in downtown Portland, Oregon. Remember this
courthouse belongs to the People, you and me. We should be
allowed to use it in a proper time, place, and manner.
While I may still try for an injunction against the Sheriff's
"Notice of Exclusion," league lawyer Paul Loney is doubtful any
judge in Multnomah County would go against its presiding judge,
Donald Londer. Londer wrote the courthouse rules, and has made
his bias known by issuing a kind of "Jury Nullification"
disclaimer of his own. I guess free speech inside his courthouse
is limited to people in black robes?
While it pains me to have my name associated with alleged acts
like "intimidation" and "coercion," it hurts that much more to
have no legal recourse against this slander, this "exclusion." No
"Due Process." No charges, no complainant (that I know of),
convicted on hearsay, and forced to comply with an invalid
contract ("Notice of Exclusion"). No day in court, so to speak.
Thus creates a legal vacuum, into which everyone's rights can now
be swallowed by the state. When the law is beyond the reach of
the common man, it is no longer in the service of the common good.
Since I'm technically "excluded" from the courthouse I will
remain outside until it is officially opened, at 7:30a.m. I shall
then proceed directly to the front security desk and ask
permission to distribute the "Jury Power" pamphlet. According to
the "Notice..." I'm allowed in the courthouse to "conduct
necessary business." Be that as it may, I'll probably be asked to
leave at that point. It's NOT my intention to be arrested on
Monday, so I will comply and return to the sidewalk. If by some
miracle I'm granted permission to exercise my First Amendment
Right, well maybe there'll be a few jurors left to give pamphlets
to in the hallway. If you get my drift.
Unlike society in general, juries operate, or should operate
on consensus. Once in a while informed citizens on juries have
refused to convict those charged with unfair, victimless "crimes."
This is known as positive "Jury Nullification." Were it not for
this power wisely woven into the fabric of our society by the
Founders, women would still be second-class citizens, slavery
would remain in tact, and beer would be illegal. And oh yes, one
more thing; you would probably not be allowed to read this.
The problems created by adult drug prohibition, enforced with
racist zeal upon the poor and minorities, is a prime example of
why we need the "Nullification" power in the first place. The
need for citizen juries, at all levels, to nullify bad drug laws
has never been greater. And as we've seen here, never more hotly
contested. A sure sign we "Jury Power" activists must be doing
something right.
*** END RELEASE ***
Floyd Ferris Landrath - Director
American Anti-Prohibition League
*** DRUG WAR, or DRUG PEACE? ***
[j--r--y] at [acusd.edu] (Finger or Reply for PGP Public Key)
http://nspace.cts.com/ finger or e-mail [h--p] at [nspace.cts.com]
------
"And yes, I'm going to get to the point of this post if it KILLS
me and several innocent bystanders."
-- Shafti, the Airborne Deranger