“Boston’s 99-percenters head to court next week, perhaps with the future of the movement at stake.”
Were you arrested? We want to be able to contact you!
Dear fellow arrestees,
Since the first arrests nearly a month ago, there has been much talk about what our options are and what our plan should be. Some people have already decided the course of action they are planning to take, others are still on the fence. There are a number of things to consider when making this decision, and each person’s decision is completely their own.
There are a number of people that have decided to fight against the charges in order to contribute to a political campaign around the right to occupy a public space in protest. In order to move forward, the Civil Liberties Defense Committee needs to be able to give the NLG the number of people interested in fighting the charges. We ask that you contact Austin McClain by email at stats.occupychi@gmail.com and contact the NLG at 773-309-1198, stating that you would like to use the motion dismiss and/or fight the charges. Please include your name, arrest date, additional contact information, and confirm that you would like the fight the charges. There will be a meeting in the near future with the NLG, that will be invite only, to discuss our strategy moving forward. The NLG has created a motion to dismiss on First Amendment grounds that you can take if you are interested in fighting the charges. However, if the motion is not accepted, then you must be prepared to request a trial in order to take part in this option.
For those that are unsure about whether you want to fight or not, or maybe want to take the plea option, we still encourage you to send your information to stats.occupychi@gmail.com in order to receive important updates and be aware of collective actions that people not fighting the charges can take part in.
Here is some additional information to help you make your decision:
- A conviction would have the following MAXIMUM consequence:
- A fine up to $500
- Affect job seekers (charges are equivalent to that of a moving violation)
- Going to trial could potentially cost you:
- Court fees ($250 for jury trial, no fee for bench)
- Legal fees ($10-$100 sliding scale per court date)
- Days off work
Everything is subject to change depending on new developments in the courts. The Civil Liberties Defense Committee is looking into fundraising in order to help cover legal costs for those not able to pay. Submitting your information to stats.occupychi@gmail.com will not put you on any listserve or google group (unless you specifically request to be put on one). Your information will not be used for any other purpose than to organize a collective effort.
If you have any further questions, please contact any member of the Civil Liberties Defense Committee, or email stats.occupychi@gmail.com.
