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For immediate release October 8, 2019 Suppressed Evidence Revealing UCLA Police Lies Brings #UCLA 5 Trial to a HaltAs the trial of the #UCLA 5 was drawing to a close Monday, after the Revolution Club defendants testified about why they spoke out against Trump’s treasury secretary Steve Mnuchin when he came to UCLA and how they were brutally arrested by UCPD on the direct orders of the UCLA Assistant Vice Chancellor, the trial was brought to a halt when new evidence was brought to light. This evidence shows that the defendants who are being charged with resisting arrest were in fact brutalized by the police, and it exposes that UCLA police blatantly lied during the trial. Attorneys for the UCLA 5 argued for the court to declare a mistrial. They demanded to know what agencies have been involved in hiding evidence which the prosecution was legally obligated to turn over to the defendants. Was it the UC PD? Was it the UCLA Administration? Was it City Attorney Mike Feuer? Or was it all of them? What other evidence has been suppressed? The lying cops were ordered by the court to appear today, October 8. As Tala Deloria, one of the UCLA 5 defendants said, “Why has this ‘new evidence’ suddenly appeared at the end of the trial? Who is responsible for suppressing it this whole time? This is more proof that this whole prosecution is completely illegitimate, and is really about stifling dissent. At a time when the Trump/Pence regime is terrorizing and torturing immigrants, escalating the destruction of the environment, and even threatening civil war if they are impeached, we need much MORE protest and rebellion on college campuses. The UCLA administration should be applauding us, not trying to throw us in jail! We demand ALL the charges be dropped immediately.” Watch these videos of defendants Michelle Xai and Tala Deloria speaking from the courthouse yesterday on the suppressed evidence of police brutality and the active role played by the UCLA administration in the arrests and prosecution. Defendants in this trial are facing up to two years in jail for speaking loudly when Steve Mnuchin spoke at UCLA. The trial resumes at 9:30 a.m. today in the courtroom of Judge Christopher Dywad at the Airport Courthouse, Dept. 90, Superior Court, case #8AR01453. To learn more about the case: Activists Who Called Out Mnuchin At UCLA Now Face Months In Jail: Which Side Are You On?, Refusefascism.org, October 3, 2019 Activists Who Confronted Mnuchin During UCLA Protest Now Facing Years in Jail, Julia Conley, Common Dream, October 1, 2019 Video Statement by Stephen Rohde, retired Constitutional attorney and founder of the Interfaith Communities United for Justice and Peace on the case of the #UCLA5 Video of Defendant Atlas Winfrey on the facts of the case. |
