[Ppnews] Minneapolis Activist Indicted for Conspiracy to Violate Animal Enterprise Terrorism Act

[Political Prisoner News]

Minneapolis Activist Indicted for Conspiracy to Violate Animal 
Enterprise Terrorism Act

Posted: 20 Nov 2009 10:06 AM PST

Scott DeMuth, a Minneapolis activist, has been indicted for 
conspiracy to violate the 
<http://www.greenisthenewred.com/blog/aeta/>Animal Enterprise 
Terrorism Act, apparently in relation to a 2004 Animal Liberation 
Front raid at the University of Iowa. He faces up to 5 years in 
prison. His indictment marks a continued expansion of the scope of 
the new terrorism law, which has already been used to target 
activists who release mink from fur farms, and the 
<http://www.greenisthenewred.com/blog/animal-rights-activists-indicted-as-terrorists-for-home-protests/1657/>AETA4, 
who are accused of protesting and chalking on public sidewalks.

The 
<http://www.greenisthenewred.com/blog/wp-content/Images/demuth_indictment_aeta.pdf>indictment 
comes after DeMuth and another local activist, Carrie Feldman, were 
found to be in contempt of court refusing to cooperate with a federal 
grand jury investigated that ALF burglary and vandalism. They were 
handcuffed and taken to jail for refusing to testify about their 
political beliefs and political associations.

I have written previously about Feldman's refusal, and her statement 
to the grand jury 
(<http://www.greenisthenewred.com/blog/carrie-feldmaniowa-grand-jury-alf/2331/>Activist 
to Iowa Grand Jury: "We will not be intimidated. We will not cooperate.").

In a statement prepared prior to the grand jury hearing, 
<http://davenportgrandjury.wordpress.com/2009/11/17/scott-and-carrie-held-hostage-by-the-state/>DeMuth 
said:

"Grand juries can be very disempowering for us all, and especially 
for those targeted by them. We face questioning without legal counsel 
present or a right to remain silent. We can be threatened, coerced, 
and jailed. However, no punishment could be worse than surrendering 
our values. "

There has been some speculation about what, exactly, DeMuth's 
conspiracy charges entail. Is the indictment for conspiracy to damage 
property? Or is it for conspiracy to instill a "reasonable fear"?

The truth: neither.

Bear with me for a moment. The indictment lists sections 43(a) and 
43(b)(2) of the <http://www.greenisthenewred.com/blog/aeta/>Animal 
Enterprise Terrorism Act, and says the conspiracy was to commit 
economic damage in the amount exceeding $10,000. Section 43(a) is 
simply the offense section. Section 43(b)(2) spells out penalties for 
damages exceeding $10,000. The indictment does not specify whether 
the charges are for violating
43(a)(2)(A) (damaging property) or 43(a)(2)(B) (instilling fear). 
Does that make sense? I know it's a little tedious, but I think it's 
important to clear up. (I just spoke with Matthew Strugar, who was 
quoted on 
<http://voiceofthevoiceless.org/the-mystery-of-the-university-of-iowa-alf-indictment/>Peter 
Young's blog, and he agreed.)

Local press 
<http://www.qctimes.com/news/local/article_f77ee8a0-d527-11de-81f3-001cc4c002e0.html>has 
been speculating. But regardless of what, specifically, DeMuth is 
charged with conspiring to do, one thing is clear: conspiracy charges 
have been used throughout U.S. history as a catch-all when 
prosecutors can't get anything else to stick. That's exactly what 
happened in the case of the 
<http://www.greenisthenewred.com/blog/shac-7/>SHAC 7, under the 
previous version of the Animal Enterprise Terrorism Act.

I have personally met both Scott DeMuth and Carrie Feldman, on 
multiple occasions. They were involved in organizing a 
<http://www.greenisthenewred.com/blog/green-scare>Green Scare 
speaking event in Minneapolis. They are both incredibly kind, 
passionate, activists who are involved in a variety of local issues, 
including organizing public lectures and supporting the RNC 8. They 
are lawful, above-ground activists who have organized against the 
Green Scare. Now they, themselves, have become targets, and they need 
your support.

You can write letters to Carrie Feldman and Scott DeMuth, and email 
them to: davenportgrandjury at wordpress.com. You can also donate to 
their legal support at http://davenportgrandjury.wordpress.com/

Related posts:
    * 
<http://www.greenisthenewred.com/blog/carrie-feldmaniowa-grand-jury-alf/2331/>Activist 
to Iowa Grand Jury: "We will not be intimidated. We will not cooperate."
    * 
<http://www.greenisthenewred.com/blog/utah-aeta-arrests-response/1122/>Utah 
Activists Resisting "Animal Enterprise Terrorism" Witch Hunts
    * 
<http://www.greenisthenewred.com/blog/william-mitchell-aeta-law-event/1008/>Minneapolis 
Event: "The Animal Enterprise Terrorism Act: Examining the Chilling 
Effect of Eco-Terrorism Legislation"


<http://www.greenisthenewred.com/blog>Update from Green Is The New 
<http://www.greenisthenewred.com/blog>Red.com



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