Right before the September 11 attack, activists in Northern California were preparing for an epic showdown between the environmental movement and the FBI – the October 1 jury trial in Earth First! activist Judi Bari’s civil rights lawsuit against the FBI and the Oakland police. Right after September 11, realizing that Judi couldn’t get a fair trial with all the pro-government nationalism following the attack, Judi’s lawyers moved to delay the trial. Their motion was granted and her trial is now scheduled for April 8, 2002.
Even though April seems like a long way off, its not too early to continue organizing to build public support for Judi’s trial.
A car bomb exploded under Judi as she drove her car in Oakland as part of an organizing drive for Redwood Summer, the 1990 series of protests to preserve California’s last old growth redwood trees. The bomber was never apprehended and Judi and Darryl Cherney (as passenger in the car at the time) were arrested and charged with bombing themselves! The lawsuit alleges that the FBI and the Oakland Police Department framed Judi and Darryl. Instead of trying to find the real bomber, the FBI and the OPD tried to smear Judi and Darryl’s reputation in an attempt to disrupt the Redwood Summer protest.
In the ten years the lawsuit has been pending, Judi and Darryls lawyers have uncovered shocking evidence of FBI and police misconduct, while surviving numerous government motions to dismiss the case.
For information on how you can help, please contact:
The Redwood Summer Justice Project
PO Box 14720
Santa Rosa, CA 95402
707-887-0262
Donations should be earmarked for the lawsuit