Protesters in Court – Reports from Hancock and Beyond

A Big Win for Faisal bin Ali Jaber and for Reprieve

April 2, 2019 ucgdew Leave a comment

UK ‘on notice’ after court rules Germany Failed In Duty to Protect Innocent Civilians Reprieve, March 19, 2019 A German court today ruled that the Government must do more to ensure its territory is not used by the US to carry out unlawful US drone strikes in Yemen. The case marks the first time a European country has been found to play an essential role in US drone strikes, with the Court holding that Germany’s role means it has a

Mary Anne Grady Flores OOP Appeal

October 15, 2017 ucgdew Leave a comment

On October 11th, the appeal of Mary Anne Grady Flores conviction for violating her Order of Protection was argued before the New York State Court of Appeals in Albany by Attorney Lance Salisbury. For those who are interested in better understanding the issues, I have posted a video of the press conference they held after leaving the courtroom below. The court will return a decision within 60 days from October 11, when the appeal was heard. Video by Heriberto Rodriguez

PR: Mary Anne Grady Flores OOP Appeal

October 11, 2017 ucgdew One comment

PRESS RELEASE: October 10th, 2017 Contact: Mary Anne Grady Flores 607-280-8797 Ed Kinane 315-478-4571 upstatedroneaction.org knowdrones.com Wednesday October 11th Grandma Drone Protester, Mary Anne Grady Flores, Appeal to be heard by NYS Court of Appeal 2pm Ithaca, N.Y. On Wednesday, Oct. 11, 2017, the long-awaited appeals case of Mary Anne Grady Flores, one of many grandma drone protesters at NYS Hancock MQ-9 Reaper Drone Base, will be heard by the N.Y.S. Court of Appeals, 20 Eagle Street, Albany, NY 12207. Depending on the

Grandma Drone Protester Appeal Hearing Scheduled

August 21, 2017 ucgdew Leave a comment

Press Release Ithaca, N.Y. The long-awaited appeals case of Mary Anne Grady Flores, one of many Grandma drone protesters at Hancock MQ-9 Reaper Drone Base, will be heard by the panel of judges of the N.Y.S. Court of Appeals in Albany, on Oct. 11, 2017. Depending on the verdict, Grady Flores, who has already served 56 days, may have to complete 65 days in Jamesville, Onondaga County Jail, E. Syracuse. On Feb. 13th, 2013, Ash Wednesday, Ithaca Catholic Worker Grady Flores took

Amicus Brief for Mary Anne Grady Flores

June 11, 2017 ucgdew Leave a comment

Jonathan Wallace has written an Amicus Brief for Mary Anne Grady Flores and submitted it to the Appeals Court on behalf of Upstate Drone Action. Mary Anne, one of the first Hancock protesters to receive an Order of Protection, decided not to press her luck and participate in the next civil resistance action outside the base. She did however come to the site of the protest and stand in the street photographing the participants. As she walked back to her car,

Hancock Nativity Tableau Charges Dismissed

March 12, 2017 ucgdew Leave a comment

Press Release FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE contact: Ed Kinane 315) 478-4571 home 10 March 2017 John Amidon 518) 312-6442 cell CHARGES DISMISSED AGAINST 12/23 “NATIVITY FOUR” HANCOCK REAPER DRONE PROTESTERS FOLLOWING LAST WEEK’S JURY ACQUITTAL OF THE “BIG BOOKS” HANCOCK DRONE PROTESTERS In a surprise move, DeWitt Town Court Judge David Gideon dismissed charges against all four* Upstate Drone Action activists protesting the hunter/killer MQ9 Reaper drones piloted over Afghanistan by the 174th Attack Wing of the NY National

Jury Acquitted Hancock ‘Big Books’ Protesters

March 12, 2017 Judy Bello Leave a comment

Drawings by Dan Burgevin A six person jury acquitted Hancock Big Books Protesters 2 years after demonstration resulted in arrests. The trial of Hancock protesters, Ed Kinane of Syracuse, James Ricks and Daniel Burns of Ithaca and Brian Hynes of Brooklyn, began on February 28th with jury selection, and ended after 11 pm on March 2nd with all defendants acquitted. They were tried before Judge David Gideon on charges of trespass and 2 counts of disorderly conduct, all violations, and

Pre Analysis of “Big Books” Trial #1

March 6, 2017 Ed Kinane Leave a comment

Our three-day Hancock trial in De Witt ended around midnight Thursday (3/2) and, exhausted, we scattered to the winds — some of us with long trips home. Hence only minimal de-briefing or analysis. but here I’ll mention some of what I think are relevant factors in our acquittals. ~ First, obviously our cause is essential — not that that usually guarantees anti-drone activists victories in court…. ~ One of our four defendants (JR) is African American with Native American ancestry.

CONNECTING THE DOTS….NO BAN, NO WALL, NO KILLER DRONES at Hancock Airport/Air Base

February 10, 2017 Mary Anne Grady Flores Leave a comment

Thank God for the great crowd of 1,000 protesting Trump’s Ban of Immigrants at Syracuse International Airport, as thousands flooded airports all across the US last Saturday night, Jan. 28th, when the ban first went into effect! We have a beautiful foto of a member of the Afghan Youth Peace Team with a poster saying “We Wish to Live Without War”. The youth sent a bolt of the sky blue fabric to US drone activists to wear as blue scarves

Harry Murray’s Sentencing Hearing (videos)

March 16, 2016 ucgdew Leave a comment

Harry Murray initiated a discussion about drone warfare, and about civil disobedience with Judge Gideon at his sentencing hearing, and through a sentencing memorandum sent to him before this hearing. You can read that memo in the previous post, if you haven’t alread read it. There was some disagreement regarding how those of us present felt about Judge Gideon’s response. You should read the memo before deciding what you think.