[Seattle-editorial] Article: SPD KEEP LEIU PROTESTERS' VIDEOTAPES

[sheelanagig at juno.com]

<P>SEATTLE POLICE STILL HAVE LEIU PROTESTERS' VIDEOTAPES
<BR>by Kirsten Anderberg Copyright 2003

<P>Well, the Law Enforcement Intelligent Unit (LEIU) hearings, based on
the June 2, 2003 LEIU protests in Seattle, are back on. On November 14,
2003, in Judge Deborah Hankins' courtroom, five of the LEIU defendants
were represented by attorneys Paul Richmond, Larry Hildes, and Michael
Withey. You will remember last time we visited this topic, at the August
28 hearing, LEIU defendants' property was not being returned by the
Seattle Police, including video cameras, videotapes, personal and student
identification, credit cards, and even ice cream cards (with only one
cone left until the free one). When the attorneys asked the judge for
those items to be returned in August, since the Seattle Police were not
responding to those requests, the judge on the bench that day, Judge Ron
A. Mamiya, told the attorneys, Mr. Richmond and Mr. Hildes, to ask the
prosecutor for those things back. So, the attorneys turned to their left
(?!), and asked the prosecutor for the defendants' belongings back. The
prosecutor said some of those possessions may be considered and used as
evidence, so they may not be returned. 

<P>On Nov. 14, Readiness Hearings were held at the Seattle Justice
Center. There is a continuance on Tues., Nov. 18, to discuss specific
setting and trial options. There are a few interesting legal angles going
on. One of the prior defendants has plea bargained out. His video tapes
were never returned to him, and the Seattle Police claim they "lost" his
LEIU video tapes! (It kinda looks like the Seattle Police picked
videographers, to seize their equipment, so that the independent media
footage of the police rioting violently on peaceful protesters was in the
hands of the police, not the protesters). Attorneys for the defendants
have not only requested the defendants' belongings be returned, including
their cameras and video footage of the LEIU protest, but they also
requested records from the Seattle Police Department, Washington State
Patrol, King County Sheriff's Department, and the LEIU organization
itself. After many appeals, the attorneys have still not seen hide nor
hair of any of these requested records or the defendants' belongings. On
June 17, discovery requests were sent out by the defense team. Then on
Sept. 8, these records were subpoenaed, still, to no avail. Then on
October 9, the parties were sent a meet and confer letter. Still, the
defense team has received no response at all.

<P>On Nov. 14, the prosecution offered three of the LEIU defendants'
cases be dismissed "without prejudice." That means they would let them
off right now, but could bring the charges back later if they wanted to.
Defense attorneys argued that there was no reason why SOME of the LEIU
defendants would be offered this, and not all of them. They also argued
they would prefer the dismissals be with prejudice, so these defendants
cannot be criminally charged all over again on these same issues. Since
the City Attorney was a no show, these issues could not be addressed, and
are now on the table for Nov. 18, same bat-courtroom, same bat-channel.

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For near-daily political ramblings from Kirsten, visit her blog at
www.kanderberg.blogspot.com 
or go to her writing website at www.kirstenanderberg.com


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