OWS Activist Found Guilty of 'Assaulting' Cop Who Allegedly Sexually Assaulted Her

[niyad]

OWS Activist Found Guilty of 'Assaulting' Cop Who Allegedly Sexually Assaulted Her

Cecily McMillan arrives at court in New York at the start of her assault trial. (Photo: Andrew Gombert/EPA)Cecily McMillan, the 25-year-old Occupy Wall Street organizer who was allegedly sexually assaulted and brutalized by a police officer at Zuccotti Park, is facing up to seven years in prison after—in what her supporters say is a cruel twist—she was convicted Monday afternoon of "felony assault" of the very police officer she says is her perpetrator.

"This threatens a chilling effect over protest movements going forward," said Stan Williams, media coordinator for Justice for Cecily, in an interview with Common Dreams. "I am so sad and raw right now."
After four weeks of trial and just three hours of jury deliberation, the verdict was issued Monday afternoon, and Judge Ronald Zweibel immediately remanded McMillan into custody pending sentencing, rejecting her lawyer's requests for bail.

The courtroom, which was packed with McMillan's supporters and approximately 50 police officers, erupted into cries of "Shame!" as McMillan was handcuffed. According to Williams, people who stood up were pushed down and told to be quiet, yet the crowd "continued to shout and yell."
"You could see Cecily over the heads of police officers who lined the front of the courtroom," he added. "She looked upset and in shock over the verdict. Then she was whisked away."

Williams said the scene was "extremely triggering" given the brutality of the March 2012 incident around which the trial orbited. According to a statement from Justice for Cecily,
[O]n March 17, 2012, Cecily’s attendance at Zuccotti was a point of party, not protest. It was St. Patrick’s Day and as a McMillan, she vowed for this one occasion to put down the bullhorn and pick up the beer. Cecily swung by the park to pick up a friend on her way to a nearby pub. Minutes later, she was sexually assaulted while attempting to leave Zuccotti in compliance with police evacuation orders. Seized from behind, she was forcefully grabbed by the breast and ripped backwards. Cecily startled and her arm involuntarily flew backward into the temple of her attacker, who promptly flung her to the ground, where others repeatedly kicked and beat her into a string of seizures.

McMillan is described by her supporters as "a 25-year-old organizer" who "has been politically active for over a decade — most notably in the Democratic Socialists for America, the anti-Scott Walker mobilization, and Occupy Wall Street."

. . .


http://www.commondreams.org/headline/2014/05/05-7

[yeoman6987]

1. I really only followed the case on DU

but just really the knowledge of the allegations that she had and the results of the guilty plea. Did she defend herself and tell about the sexual harassment or assault?

[Wellstone ruled]

2. Wall Street wins again and

we take the hit and pay the bill as usual. WTF!

[niyad]

4. sadly, this is not in the least surprising.

[Jim Lane]

3. This reinforces the frequent contrasting of Cliven Bundy and Occupy.

If one faces seven years for an accidental elbow to an officer's temple, what would be the commensurate sentence for recruiting a bunch of armed helpers and pointing guns at officers?

[niyad]

5. sadly, we know that bundy and company will never see the inside of a courtroom.