End of Court Case and My Statement by Peter Bohmer
May 9, 2013
I went to Thurston County District Court today and accepted the following deal. The assault charges (on a State Police Officer) were dropped against me and the district attorney and judge stipulated that they cannot bring a charge of assault in any form against me in the future connected to the temporary shelter and actions of March 5th, 2013. I agreed to a deferral on the trespass charge with the agreement that it would be dropped in one year if I am not arrested and I would be found guilty on this charge if I am arrested in the next year. I agreed to pay $43 to cover court costs. When Judge Wilcox asked me what happened on March 5th, I said the following:
1) Housing and shelter is a basic human right.
2) Olympia and Thurston County criminalize the poor and homeless.
3) That in response to this increased criminalization of homeless people and as someone who has organized to end homelessness, and in order to take action in solidarity with homeless people, I went onto the parking lot of the abandoned Fish and Wildlife Building on North Washington St. in Olympia on March 5th at about 6:15 P.M.
4) I saw the State Police on the property and heard their order to leave but decided to remain on the property to show my support for the on-site temporary shelter and the people there.
I want to thank my lawyer, Legrand Jones, for his excellent representation. There are six defendants remaining facing trespassing charges. Let us all support them and continue the struggle to end poverty and homelessness.
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