(Updated) 'Elevator 9' Trial Set for 9.6.07: Tried to Get Domenici to Sign Peace Declaration

UPDATE 9.7.07: Six of the defendants were found guilty, two plead guilty and the charges against one were dropped due to being underage. See our later post.
*****************

If you believe in free speech and nonviolent civil disobedience in the cause of peace, you can show your support by attending the federal trial of Father John Dear (above) and the 'Elevator 9' in Albuquerque next week. After a number of delays, the trial is now scheduled for Thursday, September 6, at 9 AM at the federal courthouse at 421 Gold SE, in the top floor courtroom.

Father Dear and eight other peace activists were arrested cited on September 26, 2007 when they attempted to visit the Santa Fe office of NM Sen. Pete Domenici in Santa Fe to get him to sign the Declaration of Peace. They entered an elevator to go up to Domenici's office but some official stopped the elevator with its doors open so they couldn't proceed to speak to their elected representative. The activists ended up spending more than five hours in the elevator reading the names of both the American and Iraqi dead.

The small group was continually monitored by members of the Santa Fe police force, the FBI, a SWAT team, the Federal Marshalls, and Homeland Security as they recited the names. Finally, they were escorted from the scene and issued citations by Homeland Security officials. Since they have refused to pay the fines imposed, they're scheduled to go on trial for the "offense."

For more background on the 'Elevator 9' demonstrators and the charges against them, see Father Dear's account on Common Dreams and our previous post published when the trial was initially scheduled back in January. Also see the website of Pax Christi New Mexico.