Government, Local News, Public Safety
Two arrested in Davenport after refusing animal-rights grand jury testimony
Posted on Nov 17, 2009 by admin.
Carrie Feldman, 20, of Minneapolis, appears this morning in front of animal rights protesters in front of the federal courthouse in Davenport, Iowa. Feldman and Scott DeMuth, 22, also from the Minneapolis area, refused to testify before a grand jury and were arrested on civil charges of contempt of court and jailed. The grand jury is thought to be investigating the 2004 break-in at Spence Laboratories and Seashore Hall at the University of Iowa in Iowa City. (Quad-City Times photo)
Two people who appeared before a federal grand jury this morning were arrested after they refused to testify.
Carrie Feldman, 20, and Scott DeMuth, 22, both from the Minneapolis area, were jailed for civil contempt.
After their appearances before the grand jury, the two were brought into open court. The two had refused to testify in the secret proceeding. They then were offered limited immunity for their testimony in order to compel them to talk, but they still refused. That led to the civil contempt.
They will be held indefinitely or until they agree to testify.
The two have said they believe the grand jury is investigating the Animal Liberation Front, which claimed responsibility for a 2004 break-in at a lab at the University of Iowa.
About three dozen people showed up outside the federal courthouse in Davenport this morning to protest the grand jury and subpoenas to Feldman and DeMuth.
Protesters carried signs, some of them reading, “Liberation, not incrimination,” “Resist grand juries” and “Support Carrie and Scott.”
A number of Davenport and federal law enforcement officers were at the courthouse as well. A member of the federal Protective Services met with the protesters this morning, saying that their First Amendment rights would be respected. But he warned them not to impede traffic and not to deface the building.
The Animal Liberation Front claimed responsibility for the UI break-in and released a video detailing the crime. The people who broke in obtained security cards to enter Spence Labs and Seashore Hall, vandalized offices, stole equipment and released mice and rats that were being used in lab experiments. The university reported damage in excess of $450,000.
Both Feldman and DeMuth said they were in high school in 2004.
– Ann McGlynn, Quad-City Times
They remained defiant instead of just pleading the Fifth? It's hard to feel bad for them, considering they are covering for a vandalism gang.
The girl did plea the fifth. a month or two ago.
As I understand it, that's why they were offered immunity. At that point the 5th amendment becomes moot.
The fifth does not apply in grand jury, but then not much else fits in with grand juries
It doesn't? That's odd, because the 5th Amendment is the whole reason for the existence of grand juries. The American Bar Association seems to think it applies too: "The person subpoenaed to testify is compelled to answer questions unless he or she can claim a specific privilege, such as… the privilege against self-incrimination."
Please point me to a case of someone being compelled to incriminate himself before a grand jury.
Here I thought I was the only person with this opinion…
Being forced to testify before a secret tribunal without legal representation is unamerican. Good for these kids for having the courage to stand up to this tyranny.
I did not see in the article where it states they did not have Legal Representation. Perhaps you know they did not. I'm never sure when they leave out these bits of information. I'm no lawyer but I think you should be given counsel even in front of a Closed Door Grand Jury. I'll be interested to see if they sing loudly if granted full immunity.
its a grand jury, the normal things do not apply. Grand Juries have been bastardized over the years from what they were originally meant for.
Secret tribunals…..tyranny…..evil corporations…..UFO's…..Bigfoot…..Yep..this little caper has it all huh?
Who says they are being deprived of legal representation?
two words say they are deprived of legal representation,
GRAND JURY
Guess what? You don't have a right to legal representation unless you're charged with a crime. They're not charged with anything. If they ever are, they'll be provided legal representation. How about that?
Do not recall the constitution stating you have to be charged with a crime, even accused you do not have to speak to law enforcement or anyone else involved in government. Its your right keep it and use it or loose it forever
The tribunal is only secret in the sense that the prosecutor and jurors can't tell anyone what is happening. The testifiers can tell anyone they want what they were asked and how they testified, which means the proceeding isn't really very secret at all.
Don't forget 1,000 lab rats each.
Oh, so the Constitution now allows someone to be held for life in prison for property damage; as this somehow is not cruel and unusual punishment?
Who's being held in jail for life for property damage?
So many misconceptions. They aren't being deprived of legal representation. Feldman retained it as soon as she was subpoenaed. They aren't going to be held for life; they'll be held 11 months max, because that is when the grand jury ends. They aren't being held for property damage; they are being held for contempt, and they can get out of jail at any time simply by testifying. They still have the option to exercise their 5th amendment right to avoid self-incrimination. Federal grand jury proceedings are not the cloak and dagger that you are making them out to be; the testifying witnesses can tell anyone and everyone what they testified about without penalty. And if you are ever a target of a grand jury indictment, and it clears you, you'll probably be glad that the government is not hanging the laundry of an innocent person out for everyone to see.
Oh, Mandlebrot, you're no fun! We can't let this poor youth rot in federal prison for life because she was standing up for her God-given, unalienable rights under pressure from the tyrannical government!
I know, I'm a real buzzkill. It's always more fun to believe it's a vast right-wing conspiracy.
If you haven't already seen the video of Carrie Feldman featured in black disguise, here's that. Is it just a satirical video? Your thoughts?