The following is from the Ad Hoc Committee for Reason (dropthecharges.net):
URGENT ALERT!
BE READY TO COME TO SKOKIE COURT AND COOK COUNTY JAIL TO PROTEST FOR GREGORY KOGER!
November 18, 2012 | Revolution Newspaper | revcom.us
The wheels of INjustice are still grinding. Sometime in the next week or two, Gregory Koger will face a court hearing in Skokie again. The State's Attorney and judge will try to send him back to Cook County Jail to serve a 300 day sentence for his unjust and wrongful convictions on non-violent misdemeanors for attempting to record a political statement on his cellphone at the "Ethical" Humanist Society of Chicago three years ago.
We are calling on people of conscience to come to court on the day of the hearing to stand for real justice and demand NOT ONE MORE DAY IN JAIL FOR GREGORY KOGER!
GREGORY NEEDS EVERYONE WHO CAN TO COME TO COURT FOR THE HEARING!
Gregory's legal team will submit a motion to the court asking for time served on constitutional grounds, and will have two witnesses prepared to testify in support of that motion: Dr. Antonio Martinez (co-founder of the Kovler Center for Treatment of Survivors of Torture), and Gregory's employer at the law firm where he works, Lawyers for the People. Both will testify to the grave injustice it would be for him to be placed back in jail—an injustice that will have far reaching repercussions on numerous people that Gregory's life and work impacts every day.
Whether the judge allows them to testify not, we will put in both the legal and public record what a profound injustice this entire case has been. Gregory committed no crime—and the only crimes that have been committed in this case are the brutal arrest, ongoing political prosecution and outrageous 300 day sentence Gregory received. This case has been nothing but an attempt to repress a former prisoner who transformed himself into a dedicated revolutionary political activist and to send a message to others that this is what the system will do to you if you step forward to oppose the crimes of this system.
We need to pack the courtroom and put the judge and those in power on notice that there are thousands of people supporting Gregory—across the country and around the world—and that many people will be watching the outcome of this hearing.
If the State refuses to end this unjust political prosecution and does send Gregory back to jail, we especially need you to come to Cook County Jail the day after he arrives there for as large a protest as we can gather. At the protest, we will call on numerous people who know Gregory personally and have worked together with him in many different struggles against injustice to speak out. We will again show that the only crime committed in this case has been perpetrated by those in power driving forward this political prosecution against a dedicated revolutionary political activist. And it’s critically important for the jail administrators to see that Gregory has a large support system and thousands of people will be watching his treatment.
WE WILL NOTIFY YOU AS SOON AS WE KNOW THE DATES, probably within the week.
PLEASE MAKE EVERY EFFORT YOU CAN TO COME—AND ASK YOUR FRIENDS TO COME TOO.
Just to update you on the legal proceedings: The Illinois Supreme Court refused to consider Gregory’s appeal. It issued a mandate to the Appellate Court, which will notify the Skokie court. The Skokie court clerk will call Attorney Jed Stone's office to give him the date when Gregory must appear in court. We will vigorously oppose their attempt to put him back in jail.
We are still gathering signatures on the petition that we will present to County authorities. If you haven't signed it yet, please do so here, and forward it widely.
We say:
Not One More Day!
We Support Gregory Koger and Oppose this Wrongful Conviction!
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