DANIEL TYLER GOODEN / L’Observateur / April 18, 2000

CONVENT – Twenty protesters walked into their arraignment Monday at the Convent courthouse sure of their rights and their innocence.

“Were going to win,” said Jackie Levy, spokeswoman of the Concerned Citizens Committee. A crowd protested the district attorney’s insistence ona trial, walking before the courthouse holding up signs and chanting,” No justice, no peace.”The 20 St. James Parish citizens were arrested in October while protestingin front of St. James High School. They had been protesting the transfer offormer St. James High principal Ridgely Mitchell to the parish’s alternativeschool and were accused of interfering with those attending that night’s football game.

The protesters claim they were within the protest boundaries set by U.S.District Judge Morey Sear of New Orleans and that the arrests were of political and racial agenda rather than actually due to violations of the law.

The St. James Sheriff’s Department recorded the protest and officials statethe citizens were yelling “arrest us, arrest us,” and intimidating people on the way to the game. The individuals were arrested because they wereputting themselves in danger in a heavy traffic area, said Sheriff Willy Martin Jr.

U.S. District Court Judge Ralph Tureau presided over the arraignment. BruceMohon served as prosecutor. Nelson Taylor from Baton Rouge representedthe 20 St. James citizens.As the arraignment began, Mohon requested the 20 to approach the bench individually as their names were called. The first group rose from the crowdone by one as they were called forward: James Philip Ambrose, Albert Clark, Dyan Cole, Garaldine Cuddihy, Elaine Favorite, Darrell Favorite, Roger Forchaud, Edward Hall, James Jasmin, Jackeyln Levy, Llewelyn Soniat, Catherine Moore, Oliver Rodrigue Jr., Melvin Sutherland and Mary Villavaso.They were charged with interference with the education process and disobeying a command to disburse. Holding hands around Taylor and facingthe judge, each one was asked individually to plead guilty or not guilty. Eachpled not guilty.

The rest of the group was asked to come forward: Joyce Geason, Gloria Smith, Queenie White, Charles Geason and Audreyl Joshua. They werecharged with interfering with staff of an educational facility. They also plednot guilty.

Last, James Philip Ambrose was called forward again and also charged with interfering with staff of an educational facility on Dec. 4. Ambrose again plednot guilty.

A trial date was set for May 15 at 10 a.m.The 20 St. James citizens, their lawyer and their supporters metimmediately after the arraignment on the upper balcony outside the courthouse. Discussing the case before them, Taylor questioned the validityof the arrests. They said if while marching they violated the law then theycould be arrested, but they didn’t. They claimed the arrest wasunconstitutional.

“I don’t understand why the sheriff or the D.A. doesn’t understand this. Onecan arrest for a basic violation, but not for the march,” said Taylor. He saidthe law is built to protect those exercising their constitutional rights, but in this case the law has acted in the exact opposite.

Taylor claimed the protesters are ready and wanted to go to court.

“The D.A. can punish by forcing people to go the trial when they have nobasis. It’s political prosecution and I don’t like it,” Taylor said.All the same, Taylor finds the trial unnecessary. Immediately after beingarrested the 20 citizens filed a civil lawsuit against the St. James SchoolBoard and the St. James Parish sheriff.”The D.A. is setting the trial before the May 24 civil suit against the sheriffand the school board. We’re scheduled to have a conference tomorrow,”Taylor revealed. “There is a tentative offer on the table for the defendants.”Taylor said the trial is now a “political prosecution.””They have made a monetary offer. As part of that offer, if accepted, theywill waive the damage claims. The only thing left is that the injunctionlanguage is inadequate,” he added.

Taylor said the group planned to accept the settlement, thus he feels to be tried for their arrests before the end of the civil suit is pointless.

Levy was angry at the actions of the district attorney.

“He’s punishing black parents, and we want to say no to a system that’s failing. All we wanted to do was exercise our civil rights, even if we’re black,”she said. “This shows that they want to punish parents who stand up fortheir children’s rights. We won’t go away.”

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