Written by Max Obuszewski   

National Campaign for Nonviolent Resistance, 325 East 25th St., Baltimore, MD 21218 410-366-1637 or mobuszewski at Verizon.net

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: February 3, 2014

CITIZEN ACTIVISTS APPEAL CONVICTION FOR DEMANDING AN END TO THE CIA'S KILLER DRONE PROGRAM

Contacts: Malachy Kilbride 571 501-3729, Max Obuszewski 410 366-1637 or mobuszewski at Verizon.net, Joy First 608 239-4327

WHO: Members of the National Campaign for Nonviolent Resistance [NCNR] have been active in challenging U.S. invasions and attacks of Afghanistan, Iraq and other countries. Frequently NCNR members have been arrested, and then in court they speak out against such U.S. policies. On June 29, 2013 members of NCNR and others gathered outside the Central Intelligence Agency for a rally to condemn the ongoing drone assassination program. Six citizen activists then delivered a letter seeking a meeting with Director John Brennan to seek an end to killer drone strikes. However, they received no response.

WHAT: While a CIA police officer accepted the letter, he would not speak with the petitioners. So these petitioners engaged in a die-in to represent the victims of the assassination program. The police then arrested Joy First, Mt. Horeb, WI, Malachy Kilbride, Arlington, VA, Max Obuszewski, Baltimore, MD, Phil Runkel, Milwaukee, WI, Janice Sevre-Duszynska, Lexington, KY, and Cindy Sheehan, Vacaville, CA, and charged them with “enter or remain on installation without authorization.” Five of them—Sheehan became ill and pled guilty—went on trial on October 22, 2013, and Magistrate Judge Ivan Davis limited their testimony and their attempt to present favorable evidence. He found them guilty and sentenced them to a year’s “unsupervised probation,” a fine and court costs. Should they be arrested while on probation, they could be incarcerated.

The anti-killer drone pro se defendants appealed their convictions, and filed a brief making six arguments that the conviction should be overturned. Oral arguments before Judge T. S. Ellis are now scheduled.

WHEN: Friday, February 7, 2014 at 9 AM

WHERE: U.S. District Court, 401 Courthouse Square, Alexandria, VA

WHY: Activists across the country continue to work to bring an end to the illegal and immoral killer drone strikes which have killed around 3500-4500 people, including hundreds of children, around the globe with no due process. The National Campaign for Nonviolent Resistance is one of the groups working against this assassination program.

The CIA Five, acting as pro se appellants, made these six arguments for overturning the magistrate judge’s decision: First, an officer’s order denied Max Obuszewski his First Amendment right “to petition the Government for a redress of grievances,” in this case the CIA’s illegal drone assassination program, and unreasonably infringed upon his right to engage in free speech. For example, he and the other defendants were kept quite far, at least 100 feet, from the entrance to the CIA. Second, the government did not present sufficient evidence at trial to prove that the order requiring Mr. Obuszewski to desist was lawful under the circumstances or that the appellant was on CIA property. Third, the arrest and conviction of Mr. Obuszewski violated his due process rights under the Fifth Amendment. Fourth, the defendant was denied sufficient discovery to present an effective defense. Fifth, the defendant was not permitted to introduce evidence about his First Amendment activities or his intent in going to the CIA. Sixth, the Nuremberg Tribunal charges all of us to take action against war crimes. The defendants were denied the opportunity to bring this up in their defense.

The other four appellants have signed on to Obuszewski’s brief. Should Judge Ellis rule against the appellants, they are prepared to take their appeal to the United States Court of Appeals for the Fourth Circuit. This killer drone assassination program is being challenged around the country both in the courts and on the streets.

"The master class has always declared the wars; the subject class has always fought the battles. The master class has had all to gain and nothing to lose, while the subject class has had nothing to gain and everything to lose--especially their lives." Eugene Victor Debs