Activist Cecily McMillan Found Guilty of Assaulting Police Officer
The Occupy Wall Street organizer, whom Truthdig columnist Chris Hedges profiled last month, was convicted Monday on charges of "assaulting" an NYPD officer who grabbed her breast as he removed her from a protest. She faces up to seven years in prison.
The Occupy Wall Street organizer, whom Truthdig columnist Chris Hedges profiled last month, was convicted Monday on charges of “assaulting” an NYPD officer who grabbed her breast as he removed her from a protest. She faces up to seven years in prison.
McMillan was removed from the court immediately after the verdict and taken to Rikers Island, where she will be jailed for the time being.
The Guardian reports:
Cecily McMillan was on Monday afternoon found guilty of deliberately elbowing Officer Grantley Bovell in the face in March 2012. After a trial lasting more than four weeks, the jury of eight women and four men reached their verdict in about three hours.
Judge Ronald Zweibel ordered that McMillan, 25, a graduate student at the New School, be detained. He rejected a request from her lawyers for bail.
… Supporters of McMillan in the courtroom reacted furiously, shouting “shame” and screaming at the more than 30 police officers lining room 1116 at Manhattan criminal court. After half a dozen refused to leave the court, two were carried out by police officers.
Writer Shawn Carrié described the courtroom scene that followed the decision:
Chants of “SHAME!” burst out from the second row – A court officer flung open a side door & in rushed in another 8 cops w/ leather gloves.
— Shawn Carrié (@shawncarrie) May 5, 2014
Artist and Vice columnist Molly Crabapple tweeted shortly after the verdict:
Remember, Cecily McMillan is going to be locked in a cage, for months or possibly years, because she was beaten by cops at a protest
— Molly Crabapple (@mollycrabapple) May 5, 2014
Read more here.
— Posted by Alexander Reed Kelly.
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