The absurd and shameful prosecution of civil liberties attorney Jordan Kushner by the City of Minneapolis continues. Surely this is a major negative on Mayor Betsy Hodges’ record, compounding her unwise retention of City Attorney Susan Segal.
The latest episode involves the filing of pre-trial motions. I’m posting these here:
The prosecution’s motions (lets call these the “Hodges Motions”)
The defense motions (Kushner’s motions).
Kushner’s legal memo in support of his motions.
Especially interesting are a few of the prosecution’s motions:
#6, the Defense & Media Gag Motion:
“Prohibiting any and all attorneys, parties, witnesses, jurors, and employees and officers of the court from making extrajudicial statements relating to the case or the issues in the case for dissemination by any means of public communication during the course of the trial.”
#8, the No Mention of Bad Cop Motion:
Prohibiting defense counsel from inquiring, offering evidence, arguing, or commenting upon, in the presence of jurors, any internal affairs complaints.
#9, the Minneapolis Targets Activists Motion:
“Prohibiting defense counsel from inquiring, offering evidence, arguing or commenting upon in the presence of jurors, issues of discriminatory enforcement or selective prosecution.”
#10, the Don’t Mention the Bill of Rights Motion:
“Prohibiting defense counsel from inquiring, offering evidence, arguing, or commenting upon, in the presence of jurors, issues of the First Amendment ….” [Amendment 1 to the US Constitution states: “Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof; or abridging the freedom of speech, or of the press; or the right of the people peaceably to assemble, and to petition the government for a redress of grievances.”]
#11, the Illegal Arrests are OK Motion:
“Prohibiting defense counsel from inquiring, offering evidence, arguing or commenting upon, in the presence of jurors, the legality of his arrest.”
Feel good, now, about what a progressive, liberty-loving place is Minneapolis? If this makes you as queasy as it does me, forward these links to people you know, and contact Mayor Hodges and City Attorney Susan Segal. Demand the charges against Jordan Kushner be dropped immediately, and that the City Attorney and her staff receive additional training in hostility management and constitutional law.
Susan Segal, Minneapolis City Attorney: (612) 673-2010, susan.segal@ci.minneapolis.mn.us
Mayor Betsy Hodges: (612) 673-2100, Betsy.Hodges@ci.minneapolis.mn.us
Previous posts on this matter:
Action Alert: Object to arrest and prosecution of Jordan Kushner
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