Aug 2, Monday. Support rally for Koug Fong Lee, 8-9am at Court House. (Toyota crash)

[annm4peace]

Just a reminder of the support rally on Monday, I have 100 signs made up and there
are several different sayings but most say FREE KOUA on the front and something else on the back - if you are coming just grab one - i'll put them standing up against the court house building.

Anyone is welcome to come - there will be lots of media so be prepared to be stopped and asked "why did you come today" there is parking in a hotel ramp on Wabasha just off Kellogg.

The rally location is 15 West Kellogg, downtown St. Paul between Wabasha & St. Peter Streets.

The rally will be from 8-9 a.m. and Koua's evidentiary hearing starts at 9:00.

Bring anyone you want to. Feel free to bring your own sign too as long as it's pertaining to Koua, Toyota or this cause.

This case has all the appearance of racism and anti-immigrant sentiment. Koua Fong Lee was unjustly convicted shortly after the Hmong hunter went beserk in Wisconsin. You may (or may not) decide to put this on the calendar and/or might want to send it to the Board just to let them know or in case any of you may want to attend (info about Monday's demo after the description). It is same day as the anti-torture fasting demo.

Koua Fong Lee, a Hmong immigrant who moved to St. Paul from a Thai refugee camp aconvicted by an all-white jury, has served two years of an eight year sentence for criminal vehicular homocide. He was driving a 1996 Toyota Camry on his way home from church (no drugs or alcohol were present) with his pregnant wife and children when he said he tried to apply brakes but couldn't get them to work and he rear-ended another car, killing and injuring passengers in it. The surviving passengers and family have stated that they don't believe he is at fault.

For a long time County Attorney Susan Gaertner was very publicly vocal about not wanting a new trial and made verbal statements dismissive of evidentiary evidence. Now he has a hearing Aug. 2.

INFO about the rally from Trudy Baltazar below--this is pretty neat!!She is just an average citizen, Caucasian US-born woman who had never organized anything but when she heard about the case she was so outraged, she organized demos about it!