FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
May 17, 2010

Contact: Jude Ortiz (RNC 8 Defense Committee), 612.886.4565, press@rnc8.org; Attorney: Larry Leventhal, 612.333.5747

Deputy Chris Dugger Confirms Lack of Evidence to Support RNC 8 Conspiracy Charges
FBI Informant Andrew Darst Evades Initial Subpoena, May Be Compelled to Appear on June 9

St. Paul, Minn. — On Friday, Ramsey County Sheriff’s Deputy Chris Dugger took [...]

On Friday, we heard the testimony of Chris Dugger, Ramsey County Sheriff’s Deputy.
Dugger started attending Welcoming Committee meetings in November of ‘07. He was told to “listen and figure out what they were up to.” He didn’t start getting paid until spring of ‘08, and was deputized at the Ramsey County [...]

Today was the fourth day of the RNC 8 hearings. Most of the day was spent questioning Sergeant Jay Maher of the Ramsey County Sheriff’s Department Special Investigations Unit, who conducted extensive surveillance leading up to and following the RNC, worked with the Ramsey County Sheriff’s Department informants and supervised some of the raids. Chris [...]

All hearings are at the Ramsey County Courthouse, 15 W. Kellogg Boulevard in St. Paul, courtrooms TBA (you can always check the TV screens on the ground floor for courtroom assignments).

Max Specktor: Tuesday, February 24, 1:30pm
Monica Bicking: Tuesday, February 24, 1:30pm (schedule change - previously listed as 2:30)
Luce Guillen-Givens: Friday, February 27, 9:00am (note: not [...]

Section 3 - “And Then They Came For the Anarchists” -  of the new documentary by the Glass Bead Collective and Twin Cities Indymedia, Terrorizing Dissent: Election Cut.  This ~35min. segment includes new footage of the pre-convention raids and interviews with the RNC 8 and allies discussing their case.

RNC terrorists? Or just young people speaking their minds?
Three activists nabbed in pre-convention raid deny any plans for violence
by Emily Gurnon
Saint Paul Pioneer Press

At times, they laugh at how ridiculous it seems.
But Monica Bicking and Garrett Fitzgerald weren’t laughing when police broke down the door of their South Minneapolis house before 8 a.m. Aug. 30, [...]

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A Letter from the RNC 8
Dear Friends, Family, and Comrades:
We are the RNC 8: individuals targeted because of our political beliefs and work organizing for protests at the 2008 Republican National Convention, in what appears to be the first use of Minnesota’s version of the US Patriot Act. The 8 of us are currently charged [...]

Forum: Police Tactics @ RNC - Minneapolis, MN
Tuesday, September 23, 2008
7:30 PM
Walker Church
3104 16th Ave S
(16th Avenue South at 32nd St.)
Minneapolis, MN
map
A panel forum sponsored by the North East Suburban Greens regarding the police tactics during the RNC in the Twin Cities. The presenters on the panel are people directly involved in the peace marches and [...]

When Protest Is Terrorism:
RNC 8 Charged as Terrorists Under State Patriot Act
By Bruce Nestor 09/04/08 ICH
Ramsey County Charges RNC 8 Under State Patriot Act, Alleges Acts of Terrorism
In what appears to be the first use of criminal charges under the 2002 Minnesota version of the Federal Patriot Act, Ramsey County Prosecutors have formally charged 8 [...]