Deprecated: Function set_magic_quotes_runtime() is deprecated in /usr/www/users/fbox/clients/spaceforgod/textpattern/lib/txplib_db.php on line 14
Space For God: Pine Gap Trial Update #3 - 1st Day in Court
Chester Street Uniting Earth Ministry Lacuna Group

Pine Gap Trial Update #3 - 1st Day in Court

Posted: 01/06/2007



Below is a more formal summary of first day in court, plus samples of media coverage...
 
Please note: We were informed this afternoon that the ABC legal department has advised Philip Adams Late Night Live Program on Radio National not to run a story about the trial which included interviews with us. The producer seemed genuinely disappointed with this and said they planned to do it as soon as the trial finishes. Tonight’s program will still be interesting: they will interview one of the B-52 two, activists who were acquitted last week in a British court for conspiracy to cause damage to a weapon.  
 
 

-------------------

Pine Gap Trial – FIRST DAY IN COURT May 30 2007
 
TRIAL OF PACIFISTS BEGINS IN NT SUPREME COURT
 
The Pine Gap Four entered pleas of not guilty before the Northern Territory Supreme Court this morning.
 
The trial began today, Wednesday 30 May, at 10am. Bryan Law, Jim Dowling, Adele Goldie and Donna Mulhearn were charged under the Defence (Special Undertakings) Act 1952 after doing a “Citizen's Inspection” of Pine Gap military spy base in December 2005. Jim Dowling told the court he did not intend to enter a plea as he did not recognise the right of the court to try him. The judge, Justice Sally Thomas, directed the jury to interpret this as a plea of not guilty.
 
Crown Prosecutor Mr Hilton Dembo QC, began by describing in painstaking detail the events preceding and including the Citizens Inspection of December 9 2005, none of which are under contention.
 
Mr Dembo made note of the fact that Jim Dowling and Adele Goldie were arrested while on their knees in prayer on the roof of one of the facility's buildings, and read sections of both Bryan Law's and Donna Mulhearn's taped police interviews.
 
“For him [Mr Law] it was not a matter of trespass but a moral issue,” Mr Dembo told the court. “He spoke [to the police] about the Iraq war and said he was there to follow the teachings of Jesus Christ.”
 
The Crown also tendered as evidence correspondence written by Mr Law in 2005, including a letter to Senator Robert Hill (then Minister for Defence) stating in part: “As Christians we are unable to stand aside and do nothing while people are being murdered in an illegal and immoral war.”
 
Mr Dembo was at pains to remind the jury of their duty to discharge the law as it is written. “This trial will not develop into a platform for political debate,” he said. “You can't break the law. There'd be chaos in our society, in our lives. You can't just say 'bugger it, I'm going to do it anyway'”.
 
Mr Dembo then discussed the Defence (Special Undertakings) Act 1952, saying the Crown must prove that the defendants entered Pine Gap without a permit. He did not mention the clause concluding the act which states “subsection (2) [of the DSU] does not apply if the person has lawful authority or excuse for the relevant conduct.”
 
The Crown then called their first witness, Deputy Chief of Pine Gap Mr Michael Burgess. The session was adjourned shortly after Mr Burgess took the stand and will resume tomorrow, Thursday May 31, at 10am.
 
 
 
EVENTS:
 
Daily - “Celebration and Solidarity” parade by supporters from Todd St Mall proceeding north, turning into Parsons St and along to Alice Springs Courthouse cnr Parsons and Hartley Sts
 
Thursday May 31 9.50am – courthouse steps, Hartley St Alice Springs
Photo op with defendants (photos also available on request)
 
Thursday May 31 6.30pm – John Flynn Memorial Church Hall, Todd St Mall, Alice Springs
Dr Helen Caldicott addresses public meeting
 
Saturday June 2nd 2pm (time TBC) – Pine Gap, Hatt Rd Alice Springs
Public gathering of Pine Gap Four supporters including non-violent actions and demonstrations
 
(photos available of all events on request)
Click "preview" first,
then click "submit" to confirm.

Search

Search