Rachel Summarizes

By Paul Ford

The end result, until the hearing.

A lot of you asked if you could do anything else, and I didn't know what to say until now. Apparently, writing letters to the District Attorney could help get the charges dismissed. So, if any of you are big letter writers, especially if you are registered to vote in Allegheny County, now's your chance!

Stephen Zappala, Jr.
District Attorney of Allegheny County
County Court House
435 Grant Street
Pittsburgh, PA 15219

Possible things to mention:

• We are charged with failure to disperse. Nobody I know ever heard any kind of warning or call to disperse.
• We were charged with obstructing traffic. Except for 3 or 4 bikers, we were all on the sidewalk. People had been in the street earlier in the day, but had restricted themselves to the sidewalk after police warnings.
• While there may have been some rowdiness (in the form of alleged damage to a car after its owner attempted to run down a protester, as well as a knocked-down newspaper box), I neither engaged in it, nor witnessed it--nor did anyone I know who was arrested. In addition, this is not among the charges against us.

Our hearing is April 11th, after which it gets considerably less useful. I'll keep you updated, though.

Thanks!

Love,

Rachel