The eight people facing felony conspiracy charges from their pre-emptive arrests ahead of last year’s Republican National Convention will go to trial together, not separately.
The RNC Eight are greeting that news as a victory.
In a statement, co-defendant Luce Guillen-Givins said, ”This is an affirmation from Judge Warner of what we’ve argued all along: that separation for trial would have undermined the interest of justice in this case. Our best defense comes through standing in solidarity with each other, both inside and outside of the courtroom.”
Ramsey District Court Judge Teresa R. Warner “saw through” Ramsey County Attorney Susan Gaertner’s bid for multiple trials that would increase chances for a conviction, said Bob Kolstad, attorney for co-defendant Nathanael Secor.
No trial date has yet been set.
In other rulings, Warner granted some defense requests for information about the evidence against them, but denied a request for disclosure of evidence from seized personal computers in accessible format, according to the RNC Eight.
Last April, Gaertner’s office dropped terrorism charges against the eight.
RNC Eight to go to trial together |