Another 19 participants in the Occupy Sacramento movement made their first court appearance today on charges that they violated late-night curfews at Cesar Chavez Park.
An official with the City Attorney's Office said 49 defendants have now been identified over the past several weeks from the 11 p.m. and 12 midnight arrests that have taken place in the park during the local version of the "occupy" campaign.
Supervising Deputy City Attorney Gustavo Martinez said officials from his office will meet today with defense lawyers representing the protesters. Martinez said the defense attorneys "apparently are going to present a proposal to us on how to resolve the cases."
Cres Vellucci, vice chair of the local American Civil Liberties Union board and a spokesman for the protesters in Sacramento Superior Court today, said "everyone's going to plead not guilty" and ask for a jury trial.
"They were all arrested for a reason, and that reason was they believe their First Amendment rights were being violated by the curfew in the park," Vellucci said.
More than 80 occupiers have now been arrested in the downtown park across from City Hall. Attorneys for the protesters also have filed a federal lawsuit challenging the constitutionality of the city's curfew ordinance.
About Comments
Reader comments on Sacbee.com are the opinions of the writer, not The Sacramento Bee. If you see an objectionable comment, click the "report abuse" button below it. We will delete comments containing inappropriate links, obscenities, hate speech, and personal attacks. Flagrant or repeat violators will be banned. See more about comments here.