AETA

Tuesday was supposed to be the beginning of a lengthy Green Scare trial in Davenport, Iowa, seeking to find Scott DeMuth guilty of conspiracy to commit animal enterprise terrorism in relation to an Animal Liberation Front action at the University of Iowa.  But on Monday afternoon in federal court, DeMuth agreed to a deal on a different charge--calling off the trial and leaving the FBI empty-handed on the 2004 animal experimentation facility raid.

Assistant U.S. Attorney Clifford R. Cronk III seems to be having some problems. Back on June 14, Judge Thomas J. Shields ordered him to provide the evidence from the second superseding indictment against Scott DeMuth that he hadn’t already coughed up. Shields also ordered him to provide a number of particulars about the indictment, including exactly what Scott is alleged to have done that is illegal, whom he is alleged to have done it with, and when he is alleged to have done it. You know, basics like that. Cronk had until June 21 to hand over that info.

From the Scott and Carrie Support Committee:

Carrie was released today! The US Attorney unexpectedly filed a motion stating that her testimony was no longer needed, and now she’s out of jail and on her way back home. She’s excited to finally be free, and wants to express her gratitude to everyone for their support throughout this process.

[Tuesday] morning, over a dozen supporters from Minneapolis and the Quad Cities joined Scott DeMuth, indicted for conspiracy under the Animal Enterprise Terrorism Act (AETA), in the Federal Courthouse in Davenport for his arraignment for the new indictment that was issued last week. There was also a hearing on numerous discovery-related motions for his upcoming trial. Scott’s attorney, Michael Deutsch, argued that the prosecution has failed to produce the discovery that the defense is entitled to under the rules. Judge Shields took the arguments under advisement and is expected to issue a ruling within the next few days.

U.S. Attorney Clifford R. Cronk III is using his office’s investigation of a 2004 animal rights-related break-in at the University of Iowa to harass and punish targets whom he claims identify as anarchists, a political ideology dating back to the early 19th Century. To date, neither his superiors in the Department of Justice, nor the federal courts, have done anything to curtail his abuse of power. In behavior reminiscent of the darkest days of the McCarthy witch hunts, Cronk argues in court documents that anarchists are domestic terrorists who should be locked up for posing a threat to civil society based on nothing but the prosecutor’s unfounded political bias.