Unprecedented Illinois Terrorism Indictments Expected Tuesday in NATO Protest Cases
State’s Attorney has yet to provide important evidence, like police reports, search warrant, and affidavit
Chicago, IL — Three young men arrested in a Chicago house raid in advance of last month’s NATO demonstrations are expected to be indicted this Tuesday in a highly controversial case involving infiltration and never-before-used Illinois state terrorism charges. The three defendants, Jared Chase, Brent Betterly, and Brian Jacob Church, were charged with material support for terrorism, possession of an incendiary device, and conspiracy, and have been held on $1.5 million bond for nearly a month as they await trial. The State’s Attorney has made numerous allegations, but has so far produced no physical evidence of criminal activity, not even the search warrant or affidavit of probable cause.
What: Expected indictment of so-called NATO 3
When: Tuesday, June 12th at 11:30am
Where: Cook County Courthouse, 2600 S. California, Room 101
“For the city to use such sensational charges in this way, before a national political demonstration, hiding the evidence and not indicting for a month after the arrests is indefensible,” said National Lawyers Guild (NLG) attorney James Fennerty. “These activists are sitting in jail on prohibitively high bonds while the state tries to piece together its case, keeping everyone in the dark.”
It was discovered shortly after the May 16th Bridgeport house raid, in which nine activists were arrested, that the City of Chicago had used infiltrators. Two individuals, who went by the names “Mo” and “Gloves,” had conducted a weeks-long investigation into Occupy Chicago, including being arrested themselves in April during a protest to keep the Woodlawn Mental Health Clinic open. The infiltrators were also arrested in the Bridgeport house raid, but they have not been seen since. Six of the nine arrested activists were released more than 24 hours later without any charges.
The Chicago chapter of the NLG is still compiling information, but has made an initial assessment of city’s reaction to the NATO demonstrations, which were overshadowed by police harassment and violence, serious injuries, high-level charges, and exceptionally high bonds. More than 90 people were charged with mostly ordinance violations and misdemeanors, including disorderly conduct, failure to disperse, trespassing, and resisting arrest, but 16 people were charged with felonies, including the explosives-related cases. Eight people remain in jail from the NATO demonstrations on bonds ranging from $100,000 to $1.5 million.
The NLG was disturbed to receive reports of more than 80 instances of police brutality, most of which occurred at the end of Sunday’s antiwar march at Michigan Avenue and Cermak Road. Most injuries were caused by baton blows to the body and many resulted in serious head injuries. More than two-dozen protesters were taken to Northwestern and Mercy Hospitals and treated for broken bones, knocked out teeth, concussions, and several open wounds requiring stitches or staples.
So far, only a handful of cases have been disposed of. Notably, two felony cases were dismissed and another felony defendant took a misdemeanor plea deal with no jail time. The Chicago chapter of the NLG, along with other volunteer attorneys, represented each of these defendants and will continue to represent people arrested during the week of NATO demonstrations, including those most seriously charged. Two more indictments are expected to be issued at 11:30am on Wednesday, June 13th against NATO protesters Sebastian Senakiewicz and Mark Neiweem at the Cook County Courthouse, 2600 S. California, Room 101.
