Breif Report from hearing on Sin Fronteras action this morning
by Al Parsons Wednesday, Jun. 06, 2007 at 11:41 AM

I spoke with one of the defendents in the Sin Fronteras case and got the basics of what happened at their court appearance this morning. I'm writing what happened to the best of my understanding, something more comprehensive will be written up in the next couple days.

Both of the folks arrested at the civil disobedience action at the Houston Processing Center in North Houston had a court date this morning at the city courthouse. The purpose was to consider the application of the charges being directed at the Sin Fronteras defendents. The District Attorneys are pressing charges of criminal tresspasing, which is a misdemeanor, and manufacture of a criminal device which is a felony. At this appearance, the DA's were making the case for why these charges should go forward.

They spoke strongly on their case for the charge of criminal tresspass and more vaugely about the charge of manufacture of a criminal device. The judge seemed to think that this charge was a stretch, but said that she would allow the DAs to proceed with prosecution of the charge.

Ashley Turner is being represented by ACLU attorney Randal Kalihan(sp?), who asked for the hearing to be on the record (we'll try to get a copy), and made a number of arguements for the Sin Fronteras defendants. He talked about the record of the Corrections Corporation of America and how at the Hutto detention facility, employees of CCA are facing prosecution related to the sexual assult of children in custody. He spoke about how their action was motivated by non-violent civil disobedience and that the felony charge is a ploy from the government and possible encouragement of CCA to stiffle dissent.

At the hearing were reporters from Chanel 13 and the Houston Chronicle, who took statements from Randal, and appear to interested in continueing coverage of this story.

I'm not sure when their court appearance is scheduled, but there has been an outpooring of support for the action, and plans for a defense commitee are starting to come together.

Both defendents are in good spirits and are hopefull that this case will give them a platform to denounce the policies of dentention, and exploitation of the Corrections Corporation of America and the US government.

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