Julian Heicklen Arrest Coverage
On June 14, 2010, Julian Heicklen was arrested during his latest attempt to distribute jury rights information in front of the federal courthouse at 500 Pearl Street in Manhattan, and was released later that day.
Julian has distributed information on how juries can nullify laws (see fija.org) at several locations. Each time he attempted to do so at the New York federal courthouse, officers have attempted to issue him citations for distributing literature on federal property. Each time Julian has taken the route of non-violent non-compliance and gone limp, which has usually led to an ambulance taking him away.
This time he was accompanied by six other individuals, including myself. As soon as he walked into the center of the concrete courtyard in front of the federal courthouse, several men in suits surrounded him and uniformed officers created an outer ring around them. A man said, “Mr. Heicklen, we are US Marshals and we have a warrant for your arrest.” The warrant was likely related to earlier citations for distributing literature at the courthouse.
Heicklen engaged in non-compliance, and was dragged into a waiting unmarked black minivan. The rest of us left the immediate area and began reporting on the event.
Bile catologed my Tweets and posted Julian’s account of the event. BlogofBile.com is a good source for background on Julian’s activism.
I discussed the arrest on Thinking Liberty. James Babb later joined us to offer his perspective. He described the federal area in downtown Manhattan as if “Jack Bauer had invaded a Batman movie.” After seeing one of the numerous Homeland Security SUVs receiving a military salute as they were let through a mechanized barrier surrounded by foreboding and severe buildings, it’s hard to disagree.
Gary Reed covered the arrest on Examiner.com.
Darren Wolfe took video footage and reported on his blog.
Below are photographs by James Babb. Click to enlarge.
