50-State, $25B Mortgage Settlement: Relief for …
Top Header
Columns
In the wake of the successful pushback against the Susan G. Komen Race for the Cure’s decision to defund Planned Parenthood, the Obama administration should listen to the majority of Americans: The United States, including Catholics, is strongly pro-choice.
DN! in the News
Democracy Now! Host Amy Goodman joined a panel of journalists, analysts and academics on MSNBC’s "Up w/ Chris Hayes" to discuss topics of the day, ranging from the Susan G. Komen Foundation’s Planned Parenthood reversal to the Republican Primaries.
Web Exclusives
Part 2: "Who Killed Che? How the CIA Got Away with Murder": New Book Ties Johnson Admin to Che Death
In an extended interview, co-authors Michael Ratner and Michael Steven Smith discuss the life of Cuban revolutionary Ernesto "Che" Guevara and the chilling story behind his murder by the Bolivian military. In their book, "Who Killed Che?" Ratner and Smith draw on previously unpublished U.S. government documents to argue the CIA played a critical role in the killing. [includes rush transcript]
Watch a 2011 interview with Spanish Judge Baltasar Garzón, who is on trial in Spain after right-wing groups objected to his investigation of atrocities committed by supporters of the dictator Francisco Franco. Garzón is known for seeking to indict members of the Bush administration for their role in torturing prisoners.
Ways to Watch & Listen
Start 2012 off right with a contribution to Democracy Now!
Topics
Associated Press: "Reporters arrested at GOP convention: No charges"
Reporters arrested at GOP convention: No charges
By CHRIS WILLIAMS , Associated Press
September 19, 2008
ST. PAUL, Minn.–Charges will be dropped against journalists who were arrested during the Republican National Convention protests and cited with unlawful assembly.
St. Paul Mayor Chris Coleman said Friday that the city attorney’s office recommended against prosecuting reporters for the misdemeanor charge.
"This decision reflects the values we have in St. Paul to protect and promote our First Amendment rights to freedom of the press," Coleman said in a prepared statement.
He added, "At the scene, the police did their duty in protecting public safety. In this decision, we are serving the public’s interest to maintain the integrity of our democracy, system of justice and freedom of the press."
He said the city doesn’t know yet how many cases the decision will affect, and he said the city will use a broad definition of journalists caught up in mass arrests.
City Attorney John Choi it would take a while for his office to review each case, do the paperwork and notify everyone involved.
More than 800 people were arrested in St. Paul and Minneapolis during the convention. Journalists among them included Associated Press reporters Amy Forliti and Jon Krawczynski.
City spokesman James Lockwood said charges against them will be dropped.
Dave Tomlin, associate general counsel for the AP, said, "It’s always good to learn that a bogus charge against you has been dropped. We’re still waiting for police to account for the unprovoked smackdowns of two of our photographers."
The AP has sent the Police Department a letter asking for an accounting of police treatment of photographers Matt Rourke and Evan Vucci while they were covering violent protests during the convention.
Amy Goodman, host of the syndicated radio and television program Democracy Now!, was arrested on a misdemeanor charge of obstructing the legal process during the protests. Two producers of the show were also arrested.
Choy said the city would also drop charges against the three of them.
