[Freethe SF8] SF 8 Court Update 4/27

[SF-8 case]

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 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 NY State judge.

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

The defendants asked that the Judge Little seal 
and remove portions of a response to their 
challenge to courtroom shackling by the 
prosecution that included SF County Sherriff 
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, was replete with false statements 
by the prosecutors. For now those records are under public seal.

The next scheduled hearing in the case is 
scheduled for May 4th at 1:30 pm in Department 
12, 850 Bryant Street, San Francisco.

Support for the San Francisco 8 is strong and is growing!


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