AETA Prosecution Thrown Out!

Civil Liberties Defense Center

A California federal court judge has thrown out the first ever
prosecution under the Animal Enterprise Terrorism Act of the AETA 4
(Adriana Stumpo, Maryam Khjavi, Nathan Pope and Joseph
Buddenberg).    The AETA 4 were accused of picketing and handing out
leaflets regarding animal experimenters--patently constitutionally
protected activities.  The court granted defendants' motions to
dismiss on the basis that the indictment fails to allege the facts of
the crimes charged with sufficient specificity to meet the
requirements of the Fifth Amendment of the Constitution and Fed. R.
Crim.P. 7(c)(1). The court granted the motion "without prejudice,"
meaning that the government may re-file the charges again if they so
choose.  But, for now, a victory for activists everywhere!

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