Important Update on RNC 8 case

From:    info@rnc8.org
Date:    Wed, August 11, 2010

It is with great disappointment that we share the news that our
co-defendant, Erik Oseland, has decided to take a plea agreement as early as
Monday, August 23rd. He has informed us that he will plead guilty to one
count of gross misdemeanor conspiracy to commit riot, which is riot "without
a dangerous weapon," a charge which bears a maximum 1-year sentence. We will
send out the exact date and time of the hearing as soon as we know it, for
those who wish to attend.

Erik has told us that this is a non-cooperating plea agreement, and we want
to make absolutely clear that *we ARE NOT treating Erik as a cooperator*,
and *we ARE NOT asking people to withdraw their support from
him.* We do fear that any plea agreement offered by the State has the
potential to hurt the rest of us, but we are reserving further comment on
the matter until the hearing has taken place and we've been able to review
the final resolution of Erik's case.

Erik's decision to take a plea, while a break from the rest of us and our
beliefs about the case, is not a break with the approach he has long held
towards our defense strategy. We know that plea agreements are often used as
a "divide and conquer" tactic by the State, and it is important to us that
everyone take care to prevent this turn of events from becoming divisive and
furthering the State's strategy of undermining resistance movements.

The court system is a government tool that uses coercion and manipulation in
its attempts to control all of us. It has nothing to do with truth or
justice. The 7 of us remaining believe there are times when it is prudent to
stand your ground and fight even if the terms of struggle are not ideal. We
are fully committed to fighting this all the way through trial, as we always
have been. We are grateful for the support of all of you.

In Solidarity,
Luce Guillen-Givins, Max Specktor, Nathanael Secor, Eryn Trimmer, Monica
Bicking, Robert Czernik and Garrett Fitzgerald.