Press Statement on Dropped Charges Against 13 Defendants for MDEQ Arrests

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

News from Michigan Poor People’s Campaign

Wednesday, May 15, 2019

Contact: Sylvia Orduño, 313-964-0618, smorduno AT gmail.com

Victory for Michigan residents and grassroots groups!

‘In the Interest of Justice’ Charges Dropped, Activists Press on for Change

Human health, dignity must take precedence over profit, bottom-line mentality

MICHIGAN – Members of the Michigan Poor People’s Campaign (PPC) celebrated their latest legal victory by continuing to push for changes that prompted them to put their bodies on the line in the first place. In a press conference, they and their legal counsel detailed the group’s nonviolent civil disobedience at the Michigan Department of Environmental Quality (now the Department of Environment, Great Lakes and Energy or EGLE). They also noted that the Ingham County prosecutor dropped all charges against 13 activists “in the interest of justice.”

“The prosecutor in Ingham County dropped charges against all 13 members of the MI Poor People’s Campaign who last Spring were part of 40 days of action,” said Sylvia Orduño of the Michigan Poor People’s Campaign and Michigan Welfare Rights Organization.“ The problems the group was protesting—MDEQ’s roles the in the Flint Water Poisoning, the oil spill threat of Enbridge’s Line 5, permitting the massive waste treatment expansion by US Ecology, and Nestlé’s exploitation of the Great Lakes — were all far worse than nonviolent action by those arrested.”

This latest legal victory follows Michigan PPC members being found not guilty by a Detroit jury a few months ago and a three-year legal ordeal, prior to the PPC, when the City of Detroit dropped charges against the “Homrich 9” for protecting Detroit families by blocking water shutoff trucks. In all cases, defendants asserted the “necessity defense,” proclaiming their nonviolent actions were justified by the harm caused to families by bad state department and corporate policies and practices.

“The MDEQ, now the Michigan Department of Environment and the Great Lakes and Energy, needs to be sure to change more than its name. It needs to change its priorities and the way it operates,” said Rev. Bill Wylie Kellermann of the Michigan Poor People’s Campaign. “It’s obvious that the old MDEQ needed to make public health the priority, not corporate profit. The poisoning of Flint, the oil spill threat from Enbridge’s Line 5, and Detroit’s Georgia Street Collective having to defend themselves against the massive expansion of the US Ecology waste facility are all problems powered by greed.”

Read more Defendants statements

ALANA ALPERT, Rabbi, Director Detroit Jews for Justice; Congregation T’chiyah, Detroit, MI.
“Being a faith leader today means not just caring for our congregants and neighbors through personal joys and sorrows, but standing alongside them -- and for them if they can't. Our congregants and neighbors need clean, affordable water -- we all do. I'm honored to have had the opportunity to practice this kind of moral leadership with such an amazing group of spiritual warriors.”

CAROLYN BAKER, Coordinator, General Baker Institute, Detroit, MI.
In quoting her father, General Baker, Jr., “Poor people don't have but a couple of avenues to fight in. We got the legislature, the court, and the streets. We hope for the days where we can organize ourselves, where we got a contingent of people that control the legislature, a contingent of people that control the courts, and a contingent of people that control the streets! ‘Cause that's all we got!"

DEB HANSEN, Reverend, Chaplain, Board Member, Michigan Interfaith Power & Light; Spokesperson, Concerned Citizens of Cheboygan and Emmet County, Levering, MI
“The threat to the Great Lakes from Enbridge's Line 5 is understood, the connection to climate is not.  Climate breakdown is a global undeclared state of emergency that may put our kids on the endangered species list. To enable a tunnel under the Straits of Mackinac, a massive investment in a dirty energy past, is perverse. The solution is clear: #shutdownline5  #cleanenergyNOW!!!”

(Click below for more photos)

Press Advisory - All Charges Dropped on 14 Activists Arrested at MDEQ in June 2014 Who Called for State Health and Environmental Protections

For Immediate Release

Michigan Poor People’s Campaign: A National Call for Moral Revival
***Media Advisory***

Monday, May 13, 2019
Contact: Sylvia Orduño smorduno AT gmail.com 734.846.946FIVE

ALL CHARGES DROPPED: Protestors Still Demand Changes to Environmental Policy
Michigan Poor People’s Campaign to continue calls for justice after being freed by Ingham County judge

MICHIGAN – In the wake of their third legal victory after civil disobedience arrests, members of the Michigan Poor People’s Campaign (PPC) will hold a telephone press conference to demand changes to Michigan environmental policies. The group will call for the same changes in environmental policies that they highlighted during their protest outside the Michigan Department of Environmental Quality (now the Michigan Department of Environment, Great Lakes, and Energy.)

Last week, “in the interest of justice,” the Ingham County prosecutor chose to drop all charges against 13 defendants arrested for blocking the entrance of the MDEQ. Community leaders asserted that harm caused by MDEQ’s role in the Flint Water Poisoning, the oil spill threat of Enbridge’s Line 5, permitting massive waste treatment expansion by US Ecology and Nestlé’s exploitation of the Great Lakes were all far worse than nonviolent action by those arrested.

This follows Michigan PPC members being acquitted by a Detroit jury a few months ago and a three-year legal ordeal, prior to the PPC, when the City of Detroit dropped charges against the “Homrich 9” for protecting Detroit families by blocking water shutoff trucks. In all cases, defendants asserted the “necessity defense,” proclaiming their nonviolent actions were justified by the harm caused to families by bad government and corporate policies and practices.

What:
Telephone Press Conference – Michigan Poor People’s Campaign’s legal victories show the need to protect Michigan Families Who:
Nonviolent protestors from the Michigan Poor People’s Campaign recently freed of all charges
Supporters of Michigan PPC
Counsel for protestors

When: Tuesday, May 14, 2:00 p.m.

Where: Dial (605) 313-566NINE Access Code 85463SEVEN -- PRESS ONLY PLEASE!

Read: Court Exhibits from National Lawyers Guild Attorneys

See: 30 second facebook video of protest photos

###

More information:
https://www.MichiganPPC.org

Facebook page https://www.facebook.com/michigansppc/

Michigan Poor People’s Campaign: A National Call for Moral Revival is the Michigan Chapter of the PPC. Initially envisioned by Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. 50 years ago just before his assassination, the Poor People’s Campaign aims to combat the “four evils” of American society: poverty, systematic racism, the war economy and environmental devastation.

Read: Updates on the arrests and court actions from 40 Days of Direct Action

Read: Press release: MI PPC water activists' press conference 1/16/19

 

Michigan residents from across the state rally at the State Capitol against public health and environmental problems that are not being properly addressed by the MDEQ, especially against low income and vulnerable communities (6/4/18).

(R-L) Defendants Rev. Liz Theoharis of NYC and National Co-Chair of the Poor People's Campaign and Claire McClinton of Flint block doors at Constitution Hall in protest of MDEQ criminal actions on Flint water crisis (6/4/18).

A Michigan resident connects the harmful and very concerning connection between Flint water contamination and the real potential of a large and damaging oil spill in Lake Huron from Line 5 (6/4/18).

Dozens of protesters surround Constitution Hall -- home of the former MDEQ (now EGLE) -- in crime tape and march outside all four exits in protest of the state environmental agency's failure to protect and be accountable for public health and environmental catastrophes across the Great Lakes state. In total 30 people where arrested on misdemeanor charges of civil disturbance (6/4/18).

(In blue shirt) Defendant Deb Hanson being warned of arrest by MI State Police if she doesn't stop blocking parking lot at Constitution Hall in protest of MDEQ's inactions on Line 5 (6/4/18).



Photos are Creative Commons with attribution to Valerie Jean, MI PPC photographer, or Truth Dig.

30 Days of Prayer and Action begins this week

Hello MI PPC Community,

Join us as faith leaders and communities across the state RISE UP for Justice. Each week will focus on one of four evils and the association of distorted morality as the fifth evil beginning this week with Racism.

RISE UP for Justice calls for faith leaders and community to deepen the message for justice and commitment to come together in conversation, prayer, and action to irradicate the five evils.  

We are inviting you to be a part of uplifting the energy of the movement.

Ways of Participation

~ Contemplating the Distorted Morality (included in the calendar) associated with the evil conditioning prior to prayer.

~ Join in united energy by offering a prayer each day at noon (or a time convenient for you);

~ Take some action individually and inviting others. Actions (not all inclusive) are listed in 30-Day Calendar. We invite you to add your input to the calendar;

~ If you are a faith leader offer one or more sermons on the five evils during the 30-Days;

~ Place the attached printable PPC window sign in your home and place of worship.

~ Spread the word within your organizations, place of worship and your networks.

The 30-Day Calander is designed to offer a brief overview. There are examples of prayers and actions as well as some resources included with open access for additional responses. We welcome your input. We will be adding content for the other evils.

Background

Last June during 40-days of action hundreds of MI PPC members stood against the immoral and criminal negligence of the MDEQ. RISE UP for Justice was a gathering bringing faith leaders and community together to raise legal defense funds for the 13 defendants who in nonviolent action put their bodies on the line to risk arrest and continued outreach for the MI PPC.

Update: Victory! The Lansing trial against the MDEQ scheduled for May 14th. Judge ready to grant necessity defense. Recognizing the strength of the case the prosecutor dropped all charges. Funds raised for legal defense will go toward expenses occurred. The Detroit trial was also a victory. Thank you to all those who contributed. We are moving the needle of justice.

RISE UP for Justice was also part of the kick-off for the 30-days of Prayer and action.

May 2, 2019, was National Day of Prayer. The Poor People's Campaign (PPC), in collaboration with Voices for Earth Justice, celebrated the day with an interfaith prayer breakfast.

RISE UP for Justice on May 4, 2019, was part of the kick-off to the 30-Days of Prayer and action across the state. A panel of speakers spoke on the five evils and water. We gathered in circle to ground ourselves with prayer and sent that energy out into the community. Flyer for that event may be viewed by clicking on: https://drive.google.com/open?id=0ByqfCpeuohJRQkt0M1k0bGZJbU9Ta2NaeENrSy1JclJJOGs4

30-Day Prayer and Action Calander.

One Step Forward, not one step back.

Thank you for all you do.

Peace and Blessing,

PPC RISE UP for Justice

Climate Defense Project Statement on Michigan Dropped Charges Against MDEQ Protesters

Michigan Prosecutor Dismisses Charges Against Poor People’s Campaign Activists

Reposted from Updates 
By CDP
 

Photo: Truthdig

Climate Defense Project

May 10, 2019

Contact: Kelsey Skaggs, (510) 883-3118; info@climatedefenseproject.org

A Lansing, Michigan prosecutor has unexpectedly dropped charges against 13 protesters who were poised to argue the climate necessity defense at a trial initially scheduled for this month.  
The defendants, activists with the Michigan Poor People’s Campaign, were arrested in June 2018 following a protest at the Michigan Department of Environmental Quality (MDEQ) headquarters in Lansing. The protest involved several hundred people.

The activists had initially faced felony charges of resisting and obstructing a police officer, though the prosecutor later downgraded the charges to a misdemeanor (disturbance of a lawful meeting).

The activists had planned to present the necessity defense at trial, arguing that their actions were justified by MDEQ’s pattern of ignoring threats to public safety and local water quality from oil pipelines and industrial facilities. As examples, they cited the agency’s role in allowing and covering up the Flint water poisoning and in permitting Enbridge’s Line 5 project, which threatens the Great Lakes. The activists also sought to bring attention to the climate crisis.

This week, the defense team filed a brief on the necessity defense and argued at a hearing that the activists should be permitted to present necessity evidence. At the hearing the judge postponed the trial from May to June and extended it to a full week, noting that she would take the issue of necessity under advisement. Two days later the prosecutor informed defense counsel that she would be dropping all charges against the activists.

This outcome furthers a trend in which prosecutors have dropped or downgraded charges against political activists — particularly climate activists — following revelation of their plans to present a necessity defense at trial. In this case the defense team had sought to present expert witness testimony from environmental law professor Nick Shroeck on the harms ignored by MDEQ, and from philosophy professor Gail Presbey on the effectiveness of civil disobedience in creating social and political change.

The defendants were represented by Michigan attorneys Julie Hurwitz, Stephen Milks, and Allison Kriger, a team coordinated by and through the National Lawyers Guild. Climate Defense Project provided advice to the local defense team.

Dining for dollars to build a movement against poverty in MI

Dear MI Poor People's Campaign Community,

Greetings! As we emerge from the chill of winter, we are fortunate to live in a state where spring gently unfolds the beauty and fragility of our natural environment. It's also a time when we often reflect on the sacredness of life and our spiritual connections. Among our most vulnerable, poor and low income communities, it has been another harsh season of struggling with the basics of survival: affordable and accessible housing, utilities, living wage incomes, adequate food and water, medical care, transportation and more.

Throughout April, the national Poor People's Campaign is launching the Truth and Poverty Tour across more than 30 states. Michigan PPC members will participate with a caravan to poverty impacted communities beginning in Benton Harbor and Kalamazoo. Your contributions will help us fund the outreach work.

In support of this, there will be three fundraising dinners in Southeast Michigan to fund the April tour and the legal defense of PPC arrestees at last summer's 40 Days of Action at the MI Dept of Environmental Quality (MDEQ). You are warmly invited to participate:

• Saturday, April 6th -- Fundraising in Detroit for Justice and Power -- Individual dinner tickets $25; Tables $200, all contributions are are welcome! Starts at 5pm at IBEW Local 58.
  

• Saturday, May 4th -- Faith Leaders and Communities Across Michigan Rise Up for Justice! -- Dinner tickets $25. Starts at 5pm at the Islamic Organization of North America, Warren, MI. Tickets available on Eventbrite and at the door.

• Saturday, May 11th -- MI PPC Fundraising Reception: Music, art, speakers at Riverside Arts Center, 76 N. Huron St, Ypsilanti, MI 48197. Tickets available on Eventbrite and at the door.

Please support these fundraisers in any way possible. If you would like help organize a PPC fundraiser and/or 'Introduction to the PPC' event in your community (e.g., dinners, house parties, workshops), please contact the MI PPC Coordinating Committee at Michigan@PoorPeoplesCampaign.org -- along with any interest you have on how to assist with upcoming tour planning and fundraising dinners.

Finally, we provide you with an update on the trials and legal defense of residents who were arrested during last summer's 40 Days of Action:

• Detroit trial of 7 defendants (aka #Gilbert7) for blocking the Quicken Loans building and QLine light rail train on 6/18/18: Of 22 arrested PPC activists, seven sought a jury trial. On 1/29/19 two defendants were found not guilty of Blocking a Street Car. The jury was hung on the remaining 5 defendants and on 4/2/19 a victory settlement was reached with Detroit prosecutors for only civil infraction tickets of impeding traffic. The protests and defense focused on gentrification, foreclosures, water shut-offs, and corporate profits on the back of poor Detroiters. Read more here.

• Lansing trial of 14 defendants (aka #MDEQonTrial) for blocking MDEQ parking lots on 6/4/18: Thirty persons were arrested outside of the MDEQ building parking lot. See video on PPC action at MDEQ. Fourteen defendants will begin a jury trial in Ingham County court on 5/14/19 in a justification defense of actions to protect the water, air and soil harms against residents and the environment under MDEQ's watch. We hope to pack the court! More info to come soon.

Both trials have been generously supported by the movement solidarity labor of the National Lawyers Guild in Michigan and other private attorneys. After several years of defense work on behalf of activists, they have requested modest support for trial expenses. We wholeheartedly agree and are raising legal defense funds this spring too.

As always, thank you for pledging to build this movement to end poverty; and for the national call for a moral revival that challenges the evils of systemic racism, poverty, the war economy, ecological devastation and the nation's distorted morality.

In Solidarity and Appreciation,




The Michigan PPC Coordinating Committee

Join the PPC
Contact the MI PPC
Donate to the MI PPC

MI Poor People's Campaign Fundraiser for Justice & Power

Flyer

Facebook Event

Tickets

Second of two reflections from the MI PPC Washtenaw Co Summit: La'Ron Williams

During the opening General Session of the Moral Fusion Summit on January 26, 2019 in Washtenaw County, MI, Rev. Joseph Summers and La'Ron Williams made powerful remarks to the Summit audience.  We present the text of those talks in these next two posts. Here are the remarks from La'Ron Williams:

Talk given by La’Ron Williams at the Poor Peoples’ Campaign Moral Fusion Summit: Challening the Racial-Economic Caste System in Washtenaw County.

What makes us a nation?. . .

We have no official national language . . . We don’t share a single religion . . . We aren’t of a single culture or “race” . . . What we are at this point is a group of people poised on the edge of having to make a hard choice. A nation is an idea . . . an idea . . . and the way that we move from this point forward will be the manifestation of the idea that we collectively decide to strive for …. the collective idea that we declare. 

……………………………………………….

In the year 1640, three men, all indentured servants held in bondage in the colony of Virginia, tried to escape together. Two of those men were what we today would call “White”, although history tells us that that term wasn’t used to describe human beings yet. The third man was “Black”. They were caught and they underwent a trial in which they were convicted and sentenced. The two White men were sentenced to four additional years of service, but the “Black” man, a man named John Punch, was ordered to serve for life. Now that case holds significance for two reasons:

1.     In the colonies that would become the United States, it was the first documented case of different punishments being handed out on the basis of physical appearance/background.

2.     It signaled the beginning of a practice that caught on like wildfire.

Up until that time, it was common for indentured servants to rebel, and when they did, they did it together – They didn’t care what each other looked like. But that court ruling acted to drive a wedge between “Black” and “White” indentures. What was once a united front of people fighting to end their suffering under a commonly recognized enemy was shattered by a simple idea that had no basis in reality.

It was a “divide and  conquer” strategy – a tool – that worked so well it eventually was adopted by all of the colonies. By 1681, the word “White” was encoded into law as a racial identifier. I repeat, it was consciously used as a tool to divide one group of poor folks from another. It worked then and still works today – so well in fact, that it has been expanded to operate across all kinds of lines of difference: gender, skin color, body size, religion, country of origin, income, and so on and so on . . .

In 1640, and for more than the next 300 years, the class status of that Black man, John Punch, and everybody who looked like him, including my own ancestors, was locked into the unfolding American social fabric. Our place was at the bottom – as slaves. Unable to hold political office, with no guarantees to education, and with no control over our own bodies, our class status was cemented to racial identity. 

One of two reflections from the MI PPC Washtenaw Co Summit: Rev Joseph Summers

During the opening General Session of the Moral Fusion Summit on January 26, 2019 in Washtenaw County, MI, Rev. Joseph Summers and La'Ron Williams made powerful remarks to the Summit audience.  We present the text of those talks in these next two posts. Here are the remarks from Rev. Joseph Summers:

“The Caste System and the Politics of Moral Fusion” Remarks given by the Rev. Joe Summers at the Poor Peoples Campaign’s Moral Fusion Summit of January 26^th, 2019

When you hear the long term impact of growing up in poverty in this country that Professor McLoyd just spoke about, it is simply unacceptable that 25% of our youth are growing up in poverty.  It’s simply monstrous and here I don’t mean to insult monsters!  This has been going on far too long, and it’s something we are going to change.

My name is Joe Summers, for over thirty years I’ve been the Pastor of the Episcopal Church of the Incarnation and a community activist.  The first thing I want to say today is how grateful I am for your being here today.  Your presence here is making a concrete difference in helping us figure out what should be the agenda for the Poor Peoples’ campaign as we strive to challenge the racial-economic caste here in Washtenaw county.  We are in the bottom 8% of counties for income mobility so clearly we have work to do.

What we are doing here today has been inspired by the Moral Monday movement in North Carolina where people came together around a diverse area of social concerns, had people from each area of concern agree on what should be the primary goals in that area, and then collectively commit themselves to working towards all these goals.  Though they began with far fewer people than we have here today they can now mobilize up to 100,000 people at a time in North Carolina.  That’s the kind of thing we are hoping to once again be able to do here in Michigan because we will need those kinds of mobilizations if we are going to be able to achieve the kinds of systemic changes that we are needing in this country, in Michigan, and in this county.

I want to take a few moments to talk about a couple of the key concepts behind this strategy.

Media Advisory: Jury Frees Two Members of "Gilbert 7" Water Warriors; Jury Deadlocks on Remaining Five

For Immediate Release

Michigan Poor People’s Campaign: A National Call for Moral Revival

1/29/19

***Media Advisory***

Contact: Sylvia Orduño, smorduno@gmail.com

Jury Frees Two Members of “Gilbert 7” Water Warriors  

Head juror to speak out at press conference

DETROIT – Activists are holding a press conference to discuss their legal victory and future action after a jury agreed their nonviolent protests against water shutoffs was justified in light of the harm caused by them.

Last year, members of Michigan Poor People’s Campaign, dubbed the “Gilbert 7,” blocked the Q Line and the entrance to Quicken Loans to draw attention to the inequities of massive public subsidies for billionaires like Dan Gilbert versus massive water shutoffs for low-income Detroit families.

Kimberly Vann, the forewoman of the jury that found two members of the group “not guilty,” will appear at the press conference to discuss her view of the case. A mistrial was declared on the other members of group, as the jury was deadlocked on a verdict.

Who:

Kimberly Vann, jury forewoman

Gilbert 7 Members of the Michigan Poor Peoples Campaign, their legal team and supporters
The People's Water Board

What: Press Conference – Legal Victory and Future Actions    

When: Tuesday, January 29, 3:00 p.m.

Where: Central United Methodist Church, 23 Adams at Woodward 

Detroit trial update: Jury still in deliberation at end of Monday, Jan 28

(Reposted from email, 1/28/19 -- to learn more, follow #Gilbert7 on twitter)

Friends and Family,

Just a note to update you on the latest with the #Gilbert7 trial in Detroit's 36th District Court.  The jury reconvened for deliberations at 9:00 a.m. today in the effort to deliver a unanimous verdict in the case against the seven members of the MI Poor People's Campaign on trial for "obstructing a street care."  After deliberating much of the day the judge adjourned the trial and jury deliberations at 2:30 p.m. closing the courthouse down due to the weather. 

The jury will begin deliberations again on Tuesday, January 29th at 9:00 a.m. toward determining a unanimous verdict of guilt or innocence.  It is entirely possible that at some point Judge Larry Williams, Jr. will declare a mistrial, which might have multiple possible outcomes, including a decision by the Prosecutor's Office to pursue another trial against the seven defendants.  Other possibilities include the prosecutor asking that the defendants plead no contest to the charges, or offer possible dismissal of charges under certain conditions.  At this point we just don't know how things will go or how long the judge will continue to require the jury to deliberate.  

We will continue to keep you informed.  Thank you for your continued support of the Gilbert 7 and the Poor People's Campaign.  No matter the outcome of this trial, we will collectively continue to advocate with and on behalf of people impacted by poverty, racism, war, materialism and environmental devastation.

Forward together!

Greg Olszta

For the Washtenaw Poor People's Campaign

UPDATE: #Gilbert7 Trial Underway for Detroit MI PPC Arrestees

Dear Michigan PPC Social Justice Defenders:

Greetings! We wish to provide you with an update on the court proceedings for 7 MI PPC defendants; and how YOU can use your social media to call for Quicken Loans' to act justly.
During last summer's 40 Days of Action, more than 300 Michigan residents marched in downtown Detroit on June 18th against water shutoffs, gentrification, corporate welfare, housing evictions against poor seniors; and public financing for a privately managed and named M-1 light rail system.

Tell @QuickenLoans on facebook and twitter that good businesses work with low income residents, not against them! #Gilbert7 #Detroit #PeopleNotProfits #DetroitWaterAffordability #CommunityBenefits 

 

 Among the peaceful protestors, 23 moral fusion direct action-trained residents were arrested for blocking the "Q Line" trains and Quicken Loans headquarters office doors (at the Compuware Building).

#Gilbert7 is the hashtag name for the seven MI PPC defendants who demanded a jury trial for their arrests. They are:

• Sister Barbara Beesley, Immaculate Heart of Mary.
• Marian Kramer, Michigan Welfare Rights Organization.
• Richard Levey, Attorney.
• Greg Oltsza, Washtenaw Poor People's Campaign.
• Tommy Tackett, Youth organizer.
• Yexenia Vanegas, Elementary school teacher.
• Rev. William Wylie-Kellermann, Author and Pastor Emeritus at St. Peter's Episcopal Church.

Pack the Court! 36th District Court, 9:30am-4pm on Thursday, Jan. 24, 2018. (Arrive early enough to pass through security -- no phones, cameras, computers, writing instruments or notepads allowed in court. )


One of the defendant's, Yexenia Vanegas, provides this account of the court proceedings:

"The Gilbert 7 trials have been going on for two full days now. The jury was picked on the first day and on the second day the Prosecutor laid out their story then rested their case. We have heard testimony from the prosecutor’s witnesses, which included folks from the Detroit Police Department as well as the private company Rock Security, owned by Dan Gilbert. Tomorrow, January 24, 2019 starting at 9:30 am it is our turn -- the defense, Gilbert 7 -- to lay out our narrative. We initially had a long list of expert witnesses -- many of whom are excellent organizers -- however, the city prosecutor presented a motion to strike all expert witnesses from our list because they believed it was not relevant to the “crime.” The judge allowed only one expert witness: Maureen Taylor (Detroit) and one fact witness: Reverend Gerald Caldwell (Flint). The rest of the testimonies will come directly from us, the #Gilbert7.



 Join Richard Levey's call to action on facebook: 'I am standing up to Dan Gilbert and his abetters who put buildings and profits over people and beloved community. JOIN US!!'

Tell @QuickenLoans on facebook and twitter that good businesses work with low income residents, not against them! #Gilbert7 #Detroit #PeopleNotProfits #DetroitWaterAffordability #CommunityBenefits 

 

Stay up-to-date on the latest Michigan Poor People's Campaign news on our facebook page or website, and on the National PPC website.


With appreciation and in solidarity,

The Michigan PPC Coordinating Committee




P.S. You can help support the legal needs of the MI PPC with a contribution today at
https://www.michiganppc.org/p/donate.html
Also, please ask your friends and family to join the MI PPC by signing up at
https://www.poorpeoplescampaign.org/join-campaign-get-involved-state/