Judge Teresa Warner granted the probable cause hearing, which began yesterday afternoon. Hearings for the other motions have yet to be scheduled, although the Thursday hearing block has been canceled due to Judge Warner's schedule. Copies of the motions that will be heard during the hearings are located at www.rnc8.org/info.
Inspector Tony Samec with the Special Investigations Unit of the Ramsey County Sheriff's Department testified about his role as author of the affidavit requesting the search warrants used to raid the RNC Welcoming Committee's Convergence Space in St. Paul and several private residences in Minneapolis prior to the RNC. Samec also signed the original criminal complaint against the RNC 8.
In his testimony, Samec offered vague responses and referred to the information he had received from the FBI through its use of paid informants and from Ramsey County Sheriff's Deputy Marilyn Hedstrom, who had infiltrated the Welcoming Committee. Samec could not provide any personal knowledge about any of the defendants threatening to use violence against persons or to destroy property. Rather, he had simply compiled information fed to him in order to complete the affidavit and complaint.
"Inspector Samec's reliance on dubious information from paid informants who have proven to be unreliable and volatile people points to the weakness of the case against the RNC 8," said Melissa Hill of the RNC 8 Defense Committee. "The next two days will undoubtedly show how little evidence the prosecutors have to substantiate their politically motivated charges, if they're even able to prove probable cause to warrant trial in October."
"We're Getting Ready," a satirical video released by the Welcoming Committee in 2007, was also shown in court. Defense attorneys have argued that the police and prosecutors took scenes from the video out of context in order to fabricate and exaggerate the threat of violence posed by the Welcoming Committee's organizing efforts. Most of the tactics and items discussed in the afternoon hearing were in the nature of blockading, which Samec agreed fell within the realm of "civil disobedience."
"Samec's testimony today also clearly demonstrated that he engaged in a creative writing exercise to write the affidavit for the search warrants, which was used substantially in the criminal complaints," Melissa Hill continued. "The more we hear from the police in court, the clearer it becomes that the state manufactured reasons to justify their desires to stifle dissent surrounding the RNC."
Inspector Samec will be back on the stand this morning for cross-examination. The hearings will begin at 9am at the Ramsey County Courthouse. Supporters have vowed to pack the courtroom again to show support for the RNC 8 as they continue to fight the politically motivated charges.
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