Trial

About this book

Indicted by grand jury on 3/20/69, the original defendants were Abbie Hoffman, Jerry Rubin, David Dellinger, Tom Hayden, Rennie Davis, John Froines, Lee Weiner & Bobby Seale. Wm Kunstler & Leonard Weinglass of the Center for Constitutional Rights were defense attorneys. Julius Hoffman was judge. Richard Schultz & Tom Foran were prosecutors. The trial began on 9/24/69. On 10/9 the Nat'l Guard was mobilized against demonstrators outside.Seale requested postponement so his attorney, Charles Garry, could represent him after scheduled surgery. Hoffman denied postponement & refused to allow Seale to represent himself, leading to a verbal onslaught, the Black Panther leader calling him a 'fascist dog' & 'racist'. Seale refused to be silenced. Hoffman ordered him bound & gagged in the courtroom, citing a precedent from Ill. v. Allen. (Graham Nash's 'Chicago': "So your brother's bound & gagged, & they've chained him to a chair"). Ultimately Hoffman severed Seale from the case, giving him 4 years in prison for contempt, one of the longest sentences handed down for that offense.The Chicago 8 became the 7, where the defendants, particularly Yippies Abbie Hoffman & Jerry Rubin, mocked courtroom decorum as the infamous trial became a focus for protest. Abbie & Jerry appeared in court dressed in judicial robes. Abbie blew kisses at the jury. Hoffman became a favorite courtroom target of the defendants, who frequently insulted him. Abbie told him "you're a 'shande fur de Goyim' [disgrace in front of the gentiles]. You would have served Hitler better," later adding "your idea of justice is …

Themes & subjects