THE ABSURDLY THIN CASE AGAINST JOSH WOLF
MINI MEDIA GUY - Let's review a couple of points in the prosecutor's
statement [in the Josh Wolfe case]. They want Wolf's outtakes "so that
the grand jury can determine what, if any, crimes were committed." That
tells me federal officials aren't sure that any crimes have occurred.
But somehow it's OK to incarcerate an American citizen, indefinitely, to
find out if they can bear witness to any potential misdeeds that might
have occurred.
Being federal cops, they can only investigate federal crimes. So the
next assertion by prosecutors is even more revealing: "Wolf videotaped a
public demonstration where there may have been an attempt to set a
police car ablaze."
That is important because federal involvement in this case turns on that
police car. It belongs to San Francisco - drat, no federal standing
there - but it was purchased using federal funds. So anything that may
have happened to that city-owned car becomes a federal case.
FYI, Wolf has asked the trial judge to view his tapes and insists that
he took no video of whatever may have happened to that car. The judge
has declined to do so.
So here are the facts as revealed by the federal statement: prosecutors
aren't sure the police car was damaged. But on the chance that a
federally-funded asset may have been damaged, and that a videotape taken
by an American citizen might have a bearing on this matter, "six
separate judges" have thus far held that Josh Wolf can be held in
contempt of court, and jailed as a recalcitrant witness, until and
unless he turns over material that might help establish whether or not a
federal crime has even occurred.
On this slender reed of prosecutorial necessity an American citizen has
been jailed for 186 days.
http://minimediaguy.org/2007/02/23/the-united-states-of-guantanamo-
has-jailed-josh-wolf-for-186-days-for-a-crime-that-might-occurred/
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MINI MEDIA GUY - Let's review a couple of points in the prosecutor's
statement [in the Josh Wolfe case]. They want Wolf's outtakes "so that
the grand jury can determine what, if any, crimes were committed." That
tells me federal officials aren't sure that any crimes have occurred.
But somehow it's OK to incarcerate an American citizen, indefinitely, to
find out if they can bear witness to any potential misdeeds that might
have occurred.
Being federal cops, they can only investigate federal crimes. So the
next assertion by prosecutors is even more revealing: "Wolf videotaped a
public demonstration where there may have been an attempt to set a
police car ablaze."
That is important because federal involvement in this case turns on that
police car. It belongs to San Francisco - drat, no federal standing
there - but it was purchased using federal funds. So anything that may
have happened to that city-owned car becomes a federal case.
FYI, Wolf has asked the trial judge to view his tapes and insists that
he took no video of whatever may have happened to that car. The judge
has declined to do so.
So here are the facts as revealed by the federal statement: prosecutors
aren't sure the police car was damaged. But on the chance that a
federally-funded asset may have been damaged, and that a videotape taken
by an American citizen might have a bearing on this matter, "six
separate judges" have thus far held that Josh Wolf can be held in
contempt of court, and jailed as a recalcitrant witness, until and
unless he turns over material that might help establish whether or not a
federal crime has even occurred.
On this slender reed of prosecutorial necessity an American citizen has
been jailed for 186 days.
http://minimediaguy.org/2007/02/23/the-united-states-of-guantanamo-
has-jailed-josh-wolf-for-186-days-for-a-crime-that-might-occurred/
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