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A message from Terry Gilbert, one of Carol Fisher's lawyers

Carol Fisher released, 5/11

Judge Timothy McGinty forcibly incarcerates Carol Fisher in the psych unit, 5/9

5/13/06, A message from Terry Gilbert, one of Carol Fisher's lawyers

To Carol's supporters:

I received a copy of the transcript from the May 10th hearing where McGinty sent Carol to jail. Here are some quotes. I don't know whether to laugh or vomit:

"The fact that she's still wearing these protest shirts to her trials tells me that she's not focusing on the issues."

"But I haven't seen anybody in the exact circumstances of Miss Fisher has in her resisting, continuing to resist, hysterical behavior, accusations, ranting and raving about fascism. And this political, somehow aligning her arrest with Bush, and the political ramifications, as if this is part of the Bush, Cheney, Rumsfeld response to her, you know. I mean, it's borderline delusional, and I want to find out if her behavior is delusional or not. I don' t think Bush or his group that she has on the shirt here, had much to do with the Cleveland Heights incident."

"I want to find out if there were other hysterical behaviors, martyrdom-type acts, where she's purposely getting arrested, or going through these type of things for attention, or whatever the issues are. Maybe she thinks, in her mind, that going to jail will help the cause, and she wants to sacrifice her freedom for the cause."

"If that be the case, and she's so emotionally charged about the war, W.M.D.'s, or the death toll, or the continuing escalation over there, that has nothing to do with her sentencing. I'm concerned about that."

"I don't want somebody going to prison because they think it's going to help a political issue."

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More to come soon, including a statement from Carol about her release from jail and what are our next steps.

Click here to find out what you can do to help.

May 11, 10pm: Carol Fisher has been released!  We'll send out more info when we have it.  In the meantime, this is an excellent development. But it's also NOT over.

We don't know what the judge and other authorities will do next.  Carol's sentencing date is June 2. She still faces 3 years in jail and thousands of dollars in fines.  We plan to appeal the verdict and challenge all the gross violations of her rights.

Click here to find out what you can do to help.

CAROL FISHER REMAINS STRONG AND UNAPOLOGETIC

May 9: Judge Timothy McGinty forcibly incarcerated Carol Fisher in the psych unit of the Cuyahoga County Jail in downtown Cleveland, where she now sits for an indefinite period of time.

In a hastily called hearing yesterday, Judge McGinty made a highly unusual and outrageous decision to force Carol to undergo a state psychological exam as part of her pre-sentencing investigation. From the very start of Carol's case, the judge has openly said that she must have mental problems for resisting an unlawful and brutal encounter with Cleveland Heights police.  He went even further in yesterday's hearing, saying that her opposition to the Bush regime makes her "delusional."

The small courtroom on the 21st floor of the Justice Center was ringed with 5 armed court bailiffs.  McGinty started off the hearing by making Carol stand up and had one of her attorneys read her t-shirt, which said:

"Wanted for Illegally Crossing Borders: The Bush Regime

"If you are going to insist that crossing borders illegally is a crime which cannot be tolerated, how about George Bush, Dick Cheney, Donald Rumsfeld, Condoleezza Rice (and yes, Colin Powell) and the rest of that gang, with their highly illegal, and violent, 'crossing of the border'-into Iraq, among other places?!"

McGinty then said this was proof of her delusion!  He also kept saying Carol "wants" to go to jail, and that she has a "martyr complex." When Carol tried to explain why she wouldn't take this test, the judge's only response was, "I do not negotiate with felons."

Does Carol really want to go to jail?  No!  But she is not willing to comply with a vindictive court ordered test to "prove" her sanity.  And more than that, she is taking a stand for everyone who is angry and fearful of a government that, under the rubric of "national security and the war on terror," willfully and unapologetically tramples on the most basic rights of privacy.  Think about this in light of the NSA spying scandal, and now Bush wants to install the head of the notorious NSA to be CIA chief!  As Carol said before she went to jail, "I'd be crazy to go along with this shit!  That which you will not resist and mobilize to stop, you will learn--or be forced--to accept."

Just look at this whole case: a woman posts a "Bush Step Down" poster on a telephone pole, being brutalized by the police in the process, and now not only faces 3 years in prison but also a mandatory psych exam.  As Terry Gilbert, one of Carol's attorneys said, "This is Gulag stuff--saying that people who are dissidents are crazy." He further added that in his 33 years of practicing law, he has never seen anything like this.

Is this the kind of country you want to live in?

On the phone this morning, Carol Fisher stated that, in addition to sending her to the psych unit, McGinty has also put her on "suicide watch"!  They have taken away her eyeglasses.  And if she refuses the psych exam, she will be forcibly sent to North Coast Mental Institute for a 20 day evaluation.

Legal challenges are continuing, including seeking a writ of habeas corpus.

When the transcripts are available to the public, they will show how outrageous this hearing was.

(Click here for previous news and more information about Carol Fishers arrest and trial) 

WHAT YOU CAN DO:

*Donate to Carol's legal defense.  It costs a lot of money to get transcripts, file appeals, etc.  Make checks payable to 'Carol Fisher Defense Fund' and mail to 'NION/WCW PO Box 609034 Cleveland, OH 44109.

*Call Judge Timothy McGinty and express your outrage: 216-443-8758

*Speak Out Monday June 5 at 7 pm at CoventrYard, at the corner of Coventry and Euclid Hts Blvd. Get out the word to everyone you know.

*Get your legal organization to be part of Carol's defense: make statements, file friend of the court briefs, etc.

*Have your church group, school group, organization or club join this battle by sending statements of support, donating funds, etc.

*Put this poster up to show public support and spread the word. 

*Request radio stations play any of the following songs, dedicate it to Carol Fisher and explain what is going on with her case:
Tom Petty's 'Won't Back Down'
Pearl Jam's 'World Wide Suicide'
Pink's 'Dear Mr President'
Neil Young's 'Let's Impeach the President' 

*Write letters to the editor of:
The Cleveland Plain Dealer.  Go to website: www.cleveland.com\plaindealer\lettertoeditor
The Cleveland Free Times.  Email: This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it
The Sun Press.  Email: This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it

*Send this article to your list serves and post to blogs.

*Join the World Can't Wait- Drive Out the Bush Regime!
Contact: World Cant Wait, Cleveland 216-633-6200
PO Box 609034 Cleveland OH 44109
This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it
www.worldcantwait.org

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