Demonstrators at the San Francisco court house call for freeing the San Francisco 8, April 27, 2007.    (Photo: rmcb)

More than 150 spirited supporters of the San Francisco 8 rallied in front of the SF Courthouse at noon today. The crowd included numerous family members and community activist who shared their outrage that this case is being brought and that these men are locked up.

At 1:30 people packed every available seat in the courtroom, with about 30 others unable to get into the hearing.

While Judge Alyson Little is expected to turn the case over to another judge, that process cannot happen until Herman Bell joins his co-defendants. That date remains to be determined pending the outcome of Herman's challenges to his extradition, currently in the hands of a New York State judge.

The shackling motion made by the defendants, challenging their court appearances in full body chains and handcuffs, has yet to be heard.

Suspicious "evidence" sealed

The defendants asked that Judge Little seal and remove portions of a response to their challenge to courtroom shackling by the prosecution that included SF County Sheriff-produced maps of the courtroom, including back exits, an accompanying scenario of escape possibilities, and details of how to produce smoke bombs. The defense argued that these materials constituted a setup on the brothers, who if caught with such materials in their cells, could be construed to be engaging in escape plans – precisely what the attorney general argued was the basis for the high levels of security. The evidence is, in reality and in this case, written by the police and is being distributed by the prosecution. The judge had these plans removed from the record and destroyed.

Judge Little also sealed details of the defendants criminal histories which, according to the defendants, were replete with false statements by the prosecutors. For now those records are under public seal.

Committee for the Defense of Human Rights
P.O. Box 90221
Pasadena, CA 91109

(415) 226-1120
E-mail: freethesf8 [at] riseup [dot] net
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