Rochester 13 Back in Court

Rochester 13 Back in Court

(April 25, 2003) Some of the religious leaders arrested in the Federal Building on Ash Wednesday during an act of civil disobedience returned to court today. They appeared before Judge Ann Pfeiffer to file motions to have their charges dismissed in the interest of justice, Harry Murray explained.

The defendants are appearing individually and are represented by a group of pro bono attorneys. While some activists intend to take their cases to trial, others have chosen other solutions, based on their unique circumstances.

Sarah Brownell, one of the Rochester Thirteen, was present in support of her co-defendants. She accepted the DA’s offer of a $100 fine for trespassing plus $60 for court costs. Ms. Brownell made a previous commitment to work with a non-governmental organization, Haiti Outreach: Pwoje Espwa (Creole for Project Hope.) She will work with the Haiti Technology Center for water and sanitation issues.

Ms. Brownell commented, “I think the Iraq war was illegal and immoral. It is funneling money from social services here where it is getting harder to help the homeless. As an engineer I conclude that it doesn’t make sense to destroy water and sanitation systems in Iraq when most of the world lacks them. That leads to millions of deaths.”

Ms. Brownell earned a BS in Mechanical Engineering from the Rochester Institute of Technology and a MS in Civil and Environmental Engineering from the University of California at Berkley. She had served on the staff of St. Joseph’s House of Hospitality providing direct services and advocacy for the homeless.

Religious leaders arrested on March 5 in the Federal Building will return to court on May 5, 19 and 20.