NOT FUCKING GUILTY!!!

So, court went as well as could've been hoped for. The Rule 20 (burden of proof being on the state to provide evidence for convictions) was considered by the judge and put on hold to resume trial and to be re-considered after lunch. Amazingly, we only had to call one witness to the stand, a lawyer who attended the march and witnessed the events that unfolded that day. Photos of the police brutality were shown, including the police attack on Garyn and Claire as well as the bike cop who punched someone through a banner. After lunch, court resumed and the judge brought back up Rule 20, dismissing one each of Garyn and Claire's charges. Then, while discussing the telephonic witness that was next, the judge called all the counsel back into his quarters to discuss the next step. After five minutes or so, Garyn and Claire's attorneys took them aside and told them that the judge wanted to recess for the day, meaning that we wouldn't have the chance to continue with our defense. This could mean two things: that he wanted to finish the trial the following day or that he was planning on dismissing our cases, but that it was up to Garyn and Claire as to if court would recess for the day. After the two discussed the situation, weighing how their cases had been going before and during trial, they decided to recess for the day and not continue with their defense. When the judge returned, he closed the day by finding Garyn and Claire not guilty! So, after a little over a year since the march, three of the five of the Arpaio Five either had their cases dismissed or were found innocent while, unfortunately, two of them were facing so much pressure, either from daily life or as a result of the state, and ended up taking plea deals. While the trials and cases are now over, there is still a need to continue supporting those of the Arpaio Five who are still paying legal fees. Thank you all so much for your support and we hope that you can still continue to support us in the future!

Garyn and Claire's Trial Reconvenes

The trial will continue tomorrow, Feb. 2nd at 10:30 AM on the sixth floor of the East Court Bldg located at 101 W. Jefferson. It will open with the defense motioning for a Rule 20, meaning that the state is left with the burden of providing evidence that could lead to Garyn and Claire's convictions. If they can't, then the cases get dismissed, to my understanding. If they don't, trial will continue with witnesses for the defense. Today, trial kicked off with the state's witnesses, four cops, who pretty much punched holes through the state's case and the police reports with the assistance of the defense attorneys, the judge and even the prosecutor, ironically! Unfortunately, the police did ID the defendants, so their cases weren't dismissed today.