Eight Occupy Wall Street members guilty of trespass

[Eugene]

Source: Reuters

By Joseph Ax
NEW YORK | Mon Jun 18, 2012 6:00pm EDT

(Reuters) - Eight Occupy Wall Street members were convicted on Monday of criminal trespass for breaking into a fenced-in private lot last December during a protest.

The protesters scaled an eight-foot fence, ignoring signs that warned against trespassing, and entered a plaza known as Duarte Square that is owned by historic Trinity Church, one of lower Manhattan's largest land-owners.

The one-week trial in Manhattan Criminal Court pitted the church, once a strong ally of the movement, against Occupy supporters, who pressured church leaders not to cooperate with the prosecution.

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In the trial before Manhattan Criminal Court Judge Matthew Sciarrino, one defendant, Mark Adams, was also convicted of trying to slice through the fence's locks with bolt-cutters.

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Read more: http://www.reuters.com/article/2012/06/18/us-usa-crime-occupytrial-idUSBRE85H1RG20120618

[Downtown Hound]

1. Protesers go to jail

Bankers get multi-million dollar bonuses. God Bless America.

[MightyOkie]

2. I thought these people were convicted???

And complaining about the bankers is a straw man. Haul their asses up before a jury a get convictions.

[sabrina 1]

3. Bankers will never be hauled anywhere.

Doesn't matter how corrupt they are.

[MightyOkie]

10. And that's a damnable shame.

Government needs to grow a pair and get after it.

[sabrina 1]

11. I agree. But after watching how the Senate treated Dimon last week, I lost all hope.

If you didn't know why he was there, you would have thought he was visiting royalty whose valued opinions were worth the attention of the US Senate. It was a disgusting display of sycophancy and a confirmation of who really runs this country.

I don't know the answer, but when someone can 'lose' billions of dollars and still be called the most brilliant person in the world, it reminds me the middle ages when no matter how stupid a King was, it would be risking your life to say so, let alone try to prosecute him.

[Hissyspit]

5. Your naïveté is cute.

[jtuck004]

7. You are correct. We should not use our time investigating fraud, deceit, and corruption on

a scale that boggles the mind, that has led to unrecoverable financial tragedy for millions, death and serious medical conditions for tens of thousands, by greedy bastards that profited from what may yet prove to be the collapse of the financial and physical security of the United States,

so we can arrest trespassers.

Arpio, is that you? Thought you were busy arresting 6 year old kids...

[MightyOkie]

9. Instead of you and hissy...

...bitching about it-do something. I'll help. Post a list for lil' ol' naive me of all crimes that should not be prosecuted until the bank crooks are rounded up.

Oh, and what does Arpaio and presumably immigration enforcement abuse have to do with trespassers and bank crooks? Oh, nothing. That's right.

[img]https://encrypted-tbn1.google.com/images?q=tbn:ANd9GcSVuM1WmosJyJT7K0PyMpZd3_16DB-zAaHCgFtdUkonajOtUk2f[/img]

[sabrina 1]

12. If you want a starting place as to what crimes were committed, you can read the results

of the two year Bi-Partisan Senate Committee's report on what caused the financial meltdown. They concluded that there was 'evidence of criminal activity' (putting it politely as the Senate often does) and referred it to the DOJ. So far, that is the last we've heard of it, in over a year or more.

As for your request, so long as War Criminals and Economic Criminals go free, as far as I'm concerned, we are a lawless country and that is the attitude that will prevail until the rule of law is restored. So to convict people who are doing their job as citizens is simply laughable considering the massive crimes that are being ignored. It makes a mockery of the judicial system and no one cares anymore about silly little charges like these.

[MightyOkie]

13. I can't argue at all with your feeling.

You seem quite passionate so kudos. As for those convicted, while I see your point, far far more did their jobs without breaking laws. I guess I am just old school.

[sabrina 1]

15. I am like a majority of Americans extremely passionate about corruption on Wall Street

As polls show consistently, if you are not, you are very much in the minority.

Corruption on Wall Street caused a global financial collapse and instead of being prosecuted, the perpetrators were bailed out after which they rewarded themselves with huge bonuses.

Iceland was the only country that prosecuted crooked bankers and politicians and it is the only country whose economy is on the rebound. I wonder why those two things are related.

As for protesters, I guess MLK and all the other leaders of Social Justice Movements should not have broken any laws either. That way everyone could have stayed in their places and African Americans would still be second class citizens. Women would still not be able to vote, in fact if we go back a little further, the US would not exist.

Old school? Well, looking back I'm sure there were those who opposed the Civil Rights Movement and every other Social Justice Movement as they were happening, but thanks to the courage and vision of those who were courageous enough to break a few laws, the world is a better place. But it always needs improvement, and today's huge income inequality, the massive corruption that created it, and the on-going destruction of the Working Class, means some battles will have to be fought all over again.

Thankfully there have always been people, like these brave protesters, willing to take up the challenge. History will show it is they who are on the right side of this.

[jtuck004]

17. Never said they shouldn't be prosecuted. Said they were small, and unimportant, where their

prosecution is a matter for people with nothing larger to think about.

[MightyOkie]

18. Fair enough

And point taken.

[Downtown Hound]

25. Okay, I'll post a list of crimes that should not be prosecuted

Anybody that was protesting one of the biggest frauds ever inflicted upon the human race: i.e Occupy Wall Street. If anybody in the government had been doing their jobs, OWS would not be necessary, people wouldn't have had to resort to drastic measures like setting up camps in parks, and these people would never have been arrested and convicted.

There, that was simple enough.

[Eric J in MN]

22. Being arrested for trespassing on an outdoor lot, with no intent other than peaceful protest,

...during a protest watched by dozens of cops the entire time, is punishment enough.

No need to prosecute.

Especially no need to lock Mark Adams in Riker's for 45 days. Even the prosecutors asked for 30 days.

[Freddie Stubbs]

20. Should George Zimmerman be set free because bankers didn't go to jail?

[Eric J in MN]

23. The protesters didn't shoot someone.

The protesters stood in an otherwise empty lot for a few minutes, and then were arrested.

[MightyOkie]

24. I don't think that was Freddie's point. nt

[Downtown Hound]

26. So you're now comparing the shooting of an unarmed black teenager

with people protesting fraud, corruption, and rampant financial abuse? Wow, that's among the more idiotic responses I've read.

[Freddie Stubbs]

27. So, what exactly are the offences that get a free pass since bankers were not prosecuted?

[Downtown Hound]

28. I just told you

People that are committing minor offenses like tresspassing in opposition to one of the largest frauds in the history of our country and the human race should be given a pass. Because if they're not, what we have is a system in which the rich and powerful get away with everything and the poor get convicted for doing the jobs that the police, elected officials, and regulatory agencies should be doing.

Now, is there some part of that you still don't understand?

[Freddie Stubbs]

29. President Obama said that the bankers didn't commit any crimes

[Downtown Hound]

31. Oh, well shit. I guess that fucking settles it.

My girlfriend had her home illegaly foreclosed on her, so don't tell me that banks didn't commit any fucking crimes. They stole her fucking home and nobody went to jail for it. So don't tell me that bankers haven't committed any crimes.

Jesus, are you really that naive?

[MightyOkie]

33. File a lawsuit...

instead of yelling and insulting people in here because their opinions dare to differ from yours. And by the way, how does someone steal a "fucking home". Those are kind of big if I recall.

I may be naive, but a foreclosure usually begins with a person unable to pay their mortgage, then a foreclosure action is filed (depending on the state), proof by the lien-holder of non-payment or other contractual breaches is presented, then a court or some adjudicative body issues an order. Where in that process was the home stolen?

[Downtown Hound]

34. Yeah, you are naive

The home was gifted to her by her mother who died after a long, protracted battle with a rare form a meningitis. The bank which had been perfectly happy to accept GF's payments on the mortgage while she was taking care of her mom, suddenly decided to stop after they were informed of her mother's death. This despite the fact that there is a law that says a bank MUST allow the child of a deceased parent to assume the loan on a house if it is left to them in a will, which this house was. All of the documentation was provided to them, and they still refused to allow her to assume the mortgage without first accepting $20,000 up front in back payments, which GF had been trying to send to them the whole time and they wouldn't accept them.

Well, she didn't have $20,000 off the top of her head, so they foreclosed on her home. Yes, she could hire a lawyer and sue, but that's only going to be tens of thousands of more dollars in legal fees WHICH SHE DOESN'T HAVE.

Are you starting to grasp just what the fuck has been going on all over the country now, genius boy? Hey, go listen to Obama tell you sweet little lies some more. It makes you feel good and doesn't burden you with unpleasant realities.

Oh and, on edit: she did speak to a lawyer, and the lawyer did tell her flat out that what the bank was doing was illegal. And they would be happy to take them to court for it, and it would only cost her thousands upon thousands of dollars that she doesn't have.

But hey, those OWS tresspassers got their just desserts. Do you feel better now, Mr. Law and Order Man?

[freshwest]

4. I remember the thread on that event when it happened. It exposed the connections of NYC wealth.

[Fire Walk With Me]

6. Yes. Trinity is worth Billions of dollars. And Desmond Tutu asked them to allow Occupy

to use that lot:

http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/2011/dec/16/desmond-tutu-occupy-movement-trinity-church

[freshwest]

8. Trinity had plans to lease it to some business there and didn't want it being used.

I found it diappointing, as David Korten and others have spoken there and it seemed these were good people. There was the old deacon or bishop who was arrested with Occupy.

The stories with the live stream, were from people who lived in NYC and knew all about the connections, and how wealthy Trinity was. They explained the symbiotic relationship between every organization in NYC with the big firms of the Wall Street.

For many of us, Wall Street is an abstract thing that we may be mystified about the depth of their intrustions in our lives. From pension and city funds to the MIC, their tentacles are into so many functions of commerce and government they are deeply involved in parts of our lives we never thought about.

That's why there is opposition from their supporters because they are afraid of what would happen if it ever went under, no matter what the cost to others. It must be restrained or even indoctrinated into a different way of doing things. It may have to die off altogether, or mankind will destroy itself.

I guess you've read Derrick Jensen's work, which I've been reading some of for a while. Applegrove brought some back in a thread. We've got some very hard decisions to make.

As far as anything dying, the screams and gasps we hear in the media sometimes refer to our deaths. But much more often, it is about this system of business dying. After all, they own the media and their fear is expressed every day.

[hrmjustin]

32. I have met the rector of trinity.

Half the parish want him gone.

[U4ikLefty]

14. Fry em!!!

[FreeBC]

16. Members? Card carrying members?

[randome]

19. If you use 'Occupy' as a noun instead of a verb, then you're a member.

[Eric J in MN]

21. "entered a plaza known as Duarte Square"

It was an empty lot.

[happyslug]

30. Among those convicted was a Episcopal Bishop and the Priest.

[Episcopal News Service] A retired Episcopal bishop and a priest from the Episcopal Diocese of New York were among seven people convicted June 18 on charges of trespassing on property owned by Trinity Episcopal Church, Wall Street, during a Dec. 17 Occupy Wall Street demonstration and sentenced to four days of community service.

George Packard, former Episcopal bishop suffragan for armed services and federal ministries, and the Rev. Earl Kooperkamp, rector of St. Mary’s Episcopal Church in Harlem, had faced up to 90 days in prison on the most serious charge, Packard’s lawyer, Gideon Oliver, had previously told ENS.

An eighth defendant, Mark Adams, was convicted of trespassing and additional charges of attempted criminal mischief and attempted possession of burglar’s tools, reportedly for trying to use bolt-cutters to slice through the fence surrounding the property. He was sentenced to 45 days in prison on Rikers Island and taken from court in handcuffs, Oliver said in a telephone interview after the trial....

Packard and Kooperkamp were among 65 people arrested, including Diocese of Long Island priests the Rev. John Merz and the Rev. Michael Sniffen, on Dec. 17 after entering the property in Duarte Square in Lower Manhattan as part of an Occupy Wall Street event marking the end of the third month since the movement’s launch..

http://episcopaldigitalnetwork.com/ens/2012/06/18/bishop-priest-convicted-of-trespassing-in-occupy-demonstration/

Trinty's Church position as to these Trespassers:

UPDATE (Monday, June 18, 6:30 pm): Like many churches, Trinity has a long and active history in addressing social and economic inequities. While we are sympathetic to many of the OWS protestors' stated goals, we do not support the seizure of private property. Trinity urged the District Attorney's Office to offer non-criminal dispositions before trial and to request non-jail sentences for those defendants who chose to proceed to trial. All protestors received sentences of four days of community service, except for one defendant who was convicted of additional crimes and had several open cases unrelated to Duarte Square. We continue to support the basic principles underlying the Occupy movement, and will continue to welcome protestors, as we welcome all others in our community, to our facilities in the Wall Street neighborhood.

http://www.trinitywallstreet.org/news/articles/statement-on-duarte-square-arrests