Hedstrom, who had been one of the main Undercover Investigators whose full-time job was to infiltrate the group, admitted that she could not point to any specific evidence from her investigation to substantiate the conspiracy charges levied against the RNC 8. Hedstrom attended nearly 100 meetings, some of which she facilitated, and participated in many Welcoming Committee activities throughout the course of her investigation.
Hedstrom testified that her investigation was into a suspected conspiracy to commit damage to property but she never witnessed any of the eight defendants engage in or advocate any illegal actions such as using dangerous weapons, destroying property or rioting.
In addition to failing to uncover any evidence of such a conspiracy, Hedstrom struggled to identify anything that she thought could be a dangerous weapon the defendants could have used to damage property or riot. When pressed, Hedstrom could only recall seeing pocketknives and kitchen knives used to prepare food.
"Today Hedstrom--one of the primary undercover agents investigating the RNC Welcoming Committee--said under oath that she found no evidence to substantiate these politically motivated charges," said Jude Ortiz of the RNC 8 Defense Committee.
"She spent over a year spying on the defendants and came up with nothing. This is generally called a failed investigation." Hedstrom also testified that the only potentially illegal activity she witnessed during her investigation solely involved undercover agents.
Hedstrom drove Andrew Darst and Chris Dugger, who were also paid infiltrators, to the site of a "banner drop" in downtown St. Paul during Barack Obama's presidential campaign visit in June of 2008. None of the defendants or other Welcoming Committee members were involved in this action.
"Ironically, the informants from the FBI and Sheriff's Department spent time and taxpayer money planning banner drops," added Jude Ortiz. "Yet, their investigation failed to identify any instance of actual members of the Welcoming Committee conspiring to use violence, damage property or commit any other crime during protests at the RNC."
The hearings are over for this week and will resume at 9 a.m. on Thursday, May 13th of the Ramsey County Courthouse. The agenda for next week includes another paid informant from Ramsey County, Chris Dugger.
Copies of the motions and updated detailed notes from the court are located at: http://www.rnc8.org
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