My trial coming up!
Carlos Montes Judge sets May 15 trial for Carlos Montes + Legal funds needed + Get ready to target L.A. District Attorney next week. Is this email not displaying correctly? View it in your browser. Click the links below for detailed info: 1. Judge orders May 15 trial for Carlos Montes 2. Urgent need for funds for legal defense 3. Join Carlos in court the week of May 15 -- At court on April 26, the judge ordered a trial to begin May 15 for Carlos Montes. The legal charges are a pretext to attack Carlos for his political activism, and stem from the national FBI targeting of anti-war and international solidarity activists. Carlos Montes is a longtime Los Angeles anti-war, immigrant rights and Chicano civil rights activist. -- Funds are urgently needed for Carlos’ legal defense. At the April 26 hearing, the judge refused to dismiss the charges against Carlos on the basis of discriminatory prosecution due to his activism, so a full-blown trial will begin on May 15. Trials are expensive. Click here to donate. -- Soon, we will send out info for a pressure campaign targeting the Los Angeles District Attorney. ---------------- 1. Judge orders May 15 trial for Carlos Montes On April 26, Superior Court Judge George G. Lomeli ordered a trial to begin on May 15 for Carlos Montes, a longtime Los Angeles Chicano activist in the anti-war, immigrant rights, public education and Chicano liberation movements. The trial will start at 8:00 a.m. at the Criminal Courts Building, 13th floor, Department 100, at 210 West Temple Avenue in Los Angeles. At the court hearing on April 26, Montes said: “Thank you for showing your solidarity here today in the rain.” He is asking people to plan on attending a part of the trial the week of May 15. After long oral arguments, Judge Lomeli denied the motion by civil rights attorney Jorge Gonzalez for discovery and to dismiss charges against Montes on the grounds of selective prosecution. This means that the court will not look at the role of the FBI and Joint Terrorism Task Force in initiating the case against Montes. That will have to be exposed during the trial. In fact, Montes was singled out for prosecution because of his activism. He is being targeted as part of larger proceedings against anti-war and international solidarity activists. Legal documents show that FBI Special Agent Matt Weber contacted the L.A. County Sheriffs about a 42-year old legal case, the outcome of which is under dispute, and a gun purchase. During his arguments, the district attorney stated that freedom of speech has “limits” for people who are critical of U.S. policy and support oppressed people resisting U.S. wars. At a previous court hearing, two felony charges were dismissed by Judge Lomeli, but four felony charges remain, dealing with the purchase of a gun in 2009. The trial will deal with these four felony charges. If Montes is convicted, he could face up to 12 years in jail. Over 40 supporters and activists held a rally April 26 outside the courthouse, chanting, “What do we want! Drop the charges!” The supporters then packed the court room, to express solidarity with Carlos Montes. The activists and the Committee to Stop FBI Repression are launching a national campaign of letter and email writing to pressure L.A. County District Attorney Steve Cooley, demanding that the charges against Montes be dropped. Montes was arrested May 17, 2011, in a raid by the FBI and the L.A. Sheriffs as part of an investigation of “material support of terrorism” targeting anti-war and solidarity activists. “The current gun charges are a pretext to attack Carlos for opposing U.S. wars,” said David Cid, a Los Angeles area teacher. Carlos Montes is a nationally respected leader in the Chicano, immigrant rights and anti-war movements. He is a founding member of the Southern California Immigration Coalition, active in East L.A. in support of public education and active in the anti-war movement. Montes helped organize protests against the 2008 Republican National Convention in Saint Paul, Minnesota; his name was listed on the FBI search warrant for the Minneapolis Anti-War Committee office raid of September 24, 2010, which was investigating “material support for terrorism.” On May 17, 2011 at 5 a.m., the FBI, along with the L.A. Sheriff's SWAT team, carrying automatic weapons, busted down Montes’ door and raided his home, seizing his computer, cell phones, and files documenting decades of political work. Montes was arrested and released on bail the next morning. 2. Urgent need for funds for legal defense Dear Friends: Carlos Montes has dedicated his life to the movement for Chicano liberation and for immigrants’ rights, public education and peace. Now, he is being prosecuted on felony charges. These charges are bogus and Carlos has been and will continue to defend himself. To do that effectively he needs to be ready to go to trial and have an active political defense in Los Angeles. A trial is expected to begin in the next few months. An effective defense costs money, for legal fees and for CSFR organizers to work full time in LA. Expenses are expected to run upwards of $15,000 dollars. Please click here to donate. Carlos Montes, a fighter for justice. >From the LA student walkouts of 1968, to the battle to stop the privatization >of Garfield High School in 2009, Carlos has been there. From the first Chicano >Moratorium against the war in Vietnam, to anti-war protests against NATO in >Chicago in 2012, Carlos is here. From the front lines protesting police >brutality in 1960’s East LA, to seeking justice for Manuel Jamines in 2011, >his life has been dedicated to serving the people. (See article “Never Stop >Fighting” www.lamag.com) Target of Political Repression Because of his activism he is the target of political repression directed by the FBI. The LA county District Attorney claims he is a felon in violation of firearm codes. He faces four felony charges. This claim stems from a 1969 student strike for Black, Chicano and Women’s studies at East L.A. College, where police beat and arrested demonstrators. Carlos was arrested on his way home, accused of assaulting a sheriff’s deputy (with an empty soda can). The D.A. claims that this forty-two year old case was sentenced as a felony, making Montes ineligible to own his legally purchased firearms. Recent court document show that this charge was sentenced as a misdemeanor. Without a past felony, all of the charges that Montes is now facing would be dismissed. The legal process against Carlos is being driven by the FBI. Matt Weber is an FBI Special Agent who told LA County sheriff detective Donald Lord to go after Carlos. This case is not about a 42 year old charge or owning registered firearms. This case is about political repression. Montes is one of the 24 anti-war and international solidarity activists who are being attacked by the justice department for their anti-war and international solidarity work. For more information on the larger case see www.stopfbi.net. Carlos has dedicated his life to justice and now he needs you to dedicate your time and money to defend his lifetime of political activism. Please donate and/or host a fundraising event in order to support his legal defense. -- Steff Yorek Committee to Stop FBI Repression Please click here to donate 3. Join Carlos in court the week of May 15 All Out for the Trial! Plan on attending all or part of this important trial - it will take several days. The trial will start Tuesday, May 15 8:00 a.m. Criminal Courts Building, 13th floor, Department 100 210 West Temple Avenue Los Angeles, CA follow on Twitter | friend on Facebook | forward to a friend Copyright © 2012 Committee to Stop FBI Repression, All rights reserved. Thanks for your ongoing interest in the fight against FBI repression of anti-war and international solidarity activists! Our mailing address is: Committee to Stop FBI Repression PO Box 14183 Minneapolis, MN 55414 Add us to your address book Carlos Montes Judge sets May 15 trial for Carlos Montes + Legal funds needed + Get ready to target L.A. District Attorney next week. Is this email not displaying correctly? View it in your browser. Click the links below for detailed info: 1. Judge orders May 15 trial for Carlos Montes 2. Urgent need for funds for legal defense 3. Join Carlos in court the week of May 15 -- At court on April 26, the judge ordered a trial to begin May 15 for Carlos Montes. The legal charges are a pretext to attack Carlos for his political activism, and stem from the national FBI targeting of anti-war and international solidarity activists. Carlos Montes is a longtime Los Angeles anti-war, immigrant rights and Chicano civil rights activist. -- Funds are urgently needed for Carlos’ legal defense. At the April 26 hearing, the judge refused to dismiss the charges against Carlos on the basis of discriminatory prosecution due to his activism, so a full-blown trial will begin on May 15. Trials are expensive. Click here to donate. -- Soon, we will send out info for a pressure campaign targeting the Los Angeles District Attorney. ---------------- 1. Judge orders May 15 trial for Carlos Montes On April 26, Superior Court Judge George G. Lomeli ordered a trial to begin on May 15 for Carlos Montes, a longtime Los Angeles Chicano activist in the anti-war, immigrant rights, public education and Chicano liberation movements. The trial will start at 8:00 a.m. at the Criminal Courts Building, 13th floor, Department 100, at 210 West Temple Avenue in Los Angeles. At the court hearing on April 26, Montes said: “Thank you for showing your solidarity here today in the rain.” He is asking people to plan on attending a part of the trial the week of May 15. After long oral arguments, Judge Lomeli denied the motion by civil rights attorney Jorge Gonzalez for discovery and to dismiss charges against Montes on the grounds of selective prosecution. This means that the court will not look at the role of the FBI and Joint Terrorism Task Force in initiating the case against Montes. That will have to be exposed during the trial. In fact, Montes was singled out for prosecution because of his activism. He is being targeted as part of larger proceedings against anti-war and international solidarity activists. Legal documents show that FBI Special Agent Matt Weber contacted the L.A. County Sheriffs about a 42-year old legal case, the outcome of which is under dispute, and a gun purchase. During his arguments, the district attorney stated that freedom of speech has “limits” for people who are critical of U.S. policy and support oppressed people resisting U.S. wars. At a previous court hearing, two felony charges were dismissed by Judge Lomeli, but four felony charges remain, dealing with the purchase of a gun in 2009. The trial will deal with these four felony charges. If Montes is convicted, he could face up to 12 years in jail. Over 40 supporters and activists held a rally April 26 outside the courthouse, chanting, “What do we want! Drop the charges!” The supporters then packed the court room, to express solidarity with Carlos Montes. The activists and the Committee to Stop FBI Repression are launching a national campaign of letter and email writing to pressure L.A. County District Attorney Steve Cooley, demanding that the charges against Montes be dropped. Montes was arrested May 17, 2011, in a raid by the FBI and the L.A. Sheriffs as part of an investigation of “material support of terrorism” targeting anti-war and solidarity activists. “The current gun charges are a pretext to attack Carlos for opposing U.S. wars,” said David Cid, a Los Angeles area teacher. Carlos Montes is a nationally respected leader in the Chicano, immigrant rights and anti-war movements. He is a founding member of the Southern California Immigration Coalition, active in East L.A. in support of public education and active in the anti-war movement. Montes helped organize protests against the 2008 Republican National Convention in Saint Paul, Minnesota; his name was listed on the FBI search warrant for the Minneapolis Anti-War Committee office raid of September 24, 2010, which was investigating “material support for terrorism.” On May 17, 2011 at 5 a.m., the FBI, along with the L.A. Sheriff's SWAT team, carrying automatic weapons, busted down Montes’ door and raided his home, seizing his computer, cell phones, and files documenting decades of political work. Montes was arrested and released on bail the next morning. 2. Urgent need for funds for legal defense Dear Friends: Carlos Montes has dedicated his life to the movement for Chicano liberation and for immigrants’ rights, public education and peace. Now, he is being prosecuted on felony charges. These charges are bogus and Carlos has been and will continue to defend himself. To do that effectively he needs to be ready to go to trial and have an active political defense in Los Angeles. A trial is expected to begin in the next few months. An effective defense costs money, for legal fees and for CSFR organizers to work full time in LA. Expenses are expected to run upwards of $15,000 dollars. Please click here to donate. Carlos Montes, a fighter for justice. >From the LA student walkouts of 1968, to the battle to stop the privatization >of Garfield High School in 2009, Carlos has been there. From the first Chicano >Moratorium against the war in Vietnam, to anti-war protests against NATO in >Chicago in 2012, Carlos is here. From the front lines protesting police >brutality in 1960’s East LA, to seeking justice for Manuel Jamines in 2011, >his life has been dedicated to serving the people. (See article “Never Stop >Fighting” www.lamag.com) Target of Political Repression Because of his activism he is the target of political repression directed by the FBI. The LA county District Attorney claims he is a felon in violation of firearm codes. He faces four felony charges. This claim stems from a 1969 student strike for Black, Chicano and Women’s studies at East L.A. College, where police beat and arrested demonstrators. Carlos was arrested on his way home, accused of assaulting a sheriff’s deputy (with an empty soda can). The D.A. claims that this forty-two year old case was sentenced as a felony, making Montes ineligible to own his legally purchased firearms. Recent court document show that this charge was sentenced as a misdemeanor. Without a past felony, all of the charges that Montes is now facing would be dismissed. The legal process against Carlos is being driven by the FBI. Matt Weber is an FBI Special Agent who told LA County sheriff detective Donald Lord to go after Carlos. This case is not about a 42 year old charge or owning registered firearms. This case is about political repression. Montes is one of the 24 anti-war and international solidarity activists who are being attacked by the justice department for their anti-war and international solidarity work. For more information on the larger case see www.stopfbi.net. Carlos has dedicated his life to justice and now he needs you to dedicate your time and money to defend his lifetime of political activism. Please donate and/or host a fundraising event in order to support his legal defense. -- Steff Yorek Committee to Stop FBI Repression Please click here to donate 3. Join Carlos in court the week of May 15 All Out for the Trial! Plan on attending all or part of this important trial - it will take several days. The trial will start Tuesday, May 15 8:00 a.m. Criminal Courts Building, 13th floor, Department 100 210 West Temple Avenue Los Angeles, CA follow on Twitter | friend on Facebook | forward to a friend Copyright © 2012 Committee to Stop FBI Repression, All rights reserved. Thanks for your ongoing interest in the fight against FBI repression of anti-war and international solidarity activists! 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