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<font size=4><b>Harold Taylor, one of the San Francisco 8, is facing a
bogus charge in Florida. Support him - come to court 10/23, 8:30 am
Panama City.<br><br>
</b></font><font size=3>Harold Taylor was arrested last December in
Florida on a baseless charge of “attempted purchase of cocaine.” Several
people were swept up in a neighborhood sweep and sting operation at that
time. Harold’s case has coincidentally received unusual attention by the
Florida court which is now fast-tracking his prosecution after many
months of inactivity. He is scheduled to go to trial on October 23rd at
8:30 am at the Bay County Courthouse - 300 East 4th Street in Panama
City, Florida. As you can read in the letter from his San Francisco
lawyer that follows, this prosecution is a result of a new judge and
prosecutor taking over, not upon any substantial or new evidence.<br>
<dl>
<dd>Friends,
<dd>
<dd>It is clear from the arrest and all the surrounding circumstances
that the charge against Harold in Florida is totally baseless. A thorough
search of his person and his van resulted in NO seizure of any
substances, legal or illegal. Further, NO allegation is even made that
any money was produced. Harold was swept up in a sting operation in which
numerous individuals were arrested. All except Harold were alleged to
have actually made a purchase. None of them were with him when he was
arrested. He has NO drug history!! In short, Harold was in the wrong
place at the wrong time. He had gone to this neighborhood to thank some
of the people that had written letters of support for him when he was
seeking release on bail in San Francisco.
<dd>
<dd>News of his arrest spread quickly and he was bailed out shortly after
he appeared in a Florida court.
<dd>
<dd>Just days earlier he had appeared on "Democracy Now" with
host Amy Goodman and Juan Gonzalez, and attended a press conference held
by the World Council of Churches at Riverside Church announcing
international support for the SF8 launched by Archbishop Desmond Tutu and
other Nobel Laureates.
<dd>
<dd>Harold has every intention of fighting the charges in San Francisco
and Florida. In light of the torture he suffered in New Orleans in 1973,
his strength and character in the face of this latest ordeal are amazing.
The stress this has caused for him and his family is overwhelming.
<dd>
<dd>Randy Montesano,
<dd>Harold Taylor’s attorney in the San Francisco 8 case
</dl> <br>
</font><font size=5><b>Support Harold Taylor by coming to court and
helping to mobilize support:<br>
<br>
October 23rd at 8:30 am at the <br>
Bay County Courthouse - 300 East 4th Street in <br>
Panama City, Florida.<br><br>
<br>
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<font size=3 color="#FF0000">Freedom Archives<br>
522 Valencia Street<br>
San Francisco, CA 94110<br><br>
</font><font size=3 color="#008000">415 863-9977<br><br>
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<a href="http://www.freedomarchives.org/" eudora="autourl">
www.Freedomarchives.org</a></font><font size=3> </font></body>
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