[Freethe SF8] Nov 24 Hearing - San Francisco 8 Update

[SF-8 case]

A brief hearing was held today, November 24, in the San Francisco 8 
case. Judge Moscone is hoping to start the Preliminary Hearing in 
early January. The defense attorneys are available for Preliminary 
Hearings with the exception of John Philipsborn, who represents Hank 
Jones, and whose case may have to be severed.

Harold Taylor, who remains in custody in Florida on a recent drug 
charge, may not be available for the Preliminary Hearing either, 
depending of the results of his January 13th sentencing date (the 
sentencing was originally to be December 9th). His Florida attorney 
has also filed a motion for a new trial in the Panama City courts. 
You can still support Harold by writing letters. Use this link for 
details: 
http://freethesf8.blogspot.com/2008/11/support-harold-taylor-write-letters.html

A hearing has been set for December 5th (9:30 a.m. on the third floor 
at 850 Bryant Street) to finalize a schedule for the Preliminary Hearing.

The prosecution has also sent the defense an outline of additional 
discovery which includes a "Predication Report," which neither judge 
nor defense counsel has ever heard of and over 1,000 pages of 
"non-discoverable" documents, including an FBI wiretap.  That 
material or the justification for its being deemed "non-discoverable" 
will be discussed at an additional hearing scheduled for December 
17th at 9:30 a.m. on the third floor of 850 Bryant Street.

Despite an earlier ruling by Judge Moscone to not have Herman Bell 
and Jalil Muntaqim shackled in court, both of the brothers were in 
ankle and waist chains and had only one hand free of handcuffs with 
which to write. Stuart Hanlon and Mark Goldrosen both argued that 
there was no need for restraints of any kind, that the men pose no 
threat, and that the brothers have been exemplary in prison and at 
the jail. "This treatment dehumanizes both the men and this  legal 
process," argued Attorney Hanlon. Judge Moscone ruled that they were 
not to be in restraints for the Preliminary Hearing or any hearing 
with witnesses, and that they were to have both hands free from now 
on, but that the Sheriff could keep them in ankle restraints for any 
subsequent procedural hearings.

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