The Carolinian [December 6, 1979]

              The Carolinfan fton-prow
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December 6,1979 Volume LIX N 25 The University of North Carolina at Greensboro Please Call Onr Hotline: 379-5041
The Challenge
ofthe80's
Iranian Dilemma
Communists Die
U.S. Embassy Burned
Legalization of Pot
1980 Presidential Election
Human Rights
Nuclear Arms...Salt Pacts
Three Mile Island
Oil Embargo
Equal Rights Amendment
Nixon Resigns
China
Watergate...Betrayal
Vietnam... The End of the War
Energy Crisis and Gas Lines
Inflation
Cambodia Bombings
Dislocation ol the Masses
Violence and Upheaval...the World's Cycle
RCP Members Sentenced to Prison
By EDDIE HARDIN
News Editor
Three Revolutionary Communist
Party supporters were sentenced to
I year in prison for trespassing and
disrupting a class at UNC-G on Oc-tober
10. A fourth defendant was
sentenced to six months for
trespassing only.
The three-hour trial received the
strictest of security measures. Each
person the courtroom was required
to give positive identification and be
checked with a metal detector for
possible concealed weapons. The
courtroom had been cleared of ail
cases other than the RCP trial at
2:00 p.m., minutes before the trial
was scheduled to begin. Deputies
watched closely, all persons in the
courtroom throughout the trial.
Ten witnesses were called by the
state to testify that Jon Scott
Leavers. 26 of Ft. Lauderdale. Ha..
Thomas Robert Hirwhi. 26. from
Houston, Texas, and Kevin Moore.
21 from New York and Tampa.
Ha., disrupted Dr. Alien Maynard's
huMiiovcompuici class in rorncy
Building October 10. The Stale
produced evidence proving that 24
\r -old Jcllcrs Allun Knoney. of
Greensboro, was trespassing in
Mclver Building later that after-noon.
Class disruption charges
against Rooney were dropped by
District Court Judge Frank Cambell
for insufficient evidence.
Twenty-two UNC-G students
(only three of whom were sub-poenaed)
organized a show of sup-port
and nearly filled the cour-troom.
"We feel very strongly about
this," said one student.
A hearing held early Tuesday
morning resulted in the denial of
the RCP's request to sequester wit-nesses.
The RCP also reportedly
subpoenaed Greensboro Police
Chief W. E. Swing. FBI and SBI of-ficials,
charging them with
harassment and illegal wiretapping.
This motion was also denied.
RCP members were angered by
the repeated denials.
"I've never been associated with a
criminal case where the defense has
bean subjected to thst." said the RCP
defense lawyer who was aiding
defense attorney Allen Mason in the
case. Mason's assistant was not
allowed to sit at the defense table,
for not going through the required
procedures, according to Judge
Cambell.
The defense repeatedly had to in-troduce
evidence that supported
their contention that the trial was
politically manipulated.
"This is not a case of local
jurisdiction." the RCP members
contended. "This is a national case.
It goes as high as the State depar-tment."
Judge Cambell strictly focused
the proceedings to the specific cases
of trespassing and disrupting
classes, despite attempts by defen-dants
to publicize their beliefs and
charges of political high-handedness
Kevin Moor* told the
court, his aim in entering the
classroom was, "to let people know
he (Bob Avakian. RCP leader) Ml
coming, and what the government
was doing to him." Moore con-tinued,
"we entered the class to try
and further educate them (students)
by telling them what is really going
on in the outside world."
After hearing the evidence. Judge
Cambell sentenced Leavers. Hir
schi. and Moore to two consecutive
six month prison sentences in the
Scale Department of Corrections,
and sentenced Rooster to one six
month prison sentence in "any
county institution." All the cases
were appealed to Superior Court.
Directly after the trial, RCP sup-porters
lined the halls and shouted
remarks directed towards the wit-nesses.
Remarks such as "I hope
you're satisfied," and "Look, there's
Barbie and Ken," were heard as the*
witnesses Hied from the courtroom.
The communists followed a few
witnesses as far as the elevators
where the RCP members tried to in-timidate
witnesses with remarks and
sharp glances.
"This was a circus," one com-munist
supporter remarked. "Since
when does the D.A. personally in-vestigate
trespass charges?" asked
RCP spokesman Dave Zcigcr.
"This is a political case." said
defense attorney Mason, "...certain
authorities are clearly out to get
these people any way they can."
Each misdemeanor charged
carried the maximum sentence of six
months. Mason's appeal to Superior
Court allows the defendants to
remain free on bond.
Assistant District Attorney David
Idol said. "They chose to flaunt
authority., this (case) should not be
taken lightly."
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