End of Day 3 - Both Sides Present Closing Arguments, Jury Starts Deliberations

The jury started deliberations on a verdict late today and will be coming back tomorrow at 9:30 am. We expect a verdict sometime tomorrow, though we don't know what time.

Please come down tomorrow to support the defendants when they hear the verdict. We'll be at the court starting at 9:30 am, court room 112 again.  Some of us will also be flyering the public outside of Franklin, at 13th and K Streets NW, from 8:30 to 9:15.

And at 5:30 pm tomorrow, if there is a verdict issued, we'll hold a press conference in front of Superior Court. We'll send an update of there's any changes.

The Defense presented the rest of their case this afternoon. Rosa Lozano testified about how the DC government has over and over again ignored demands to re-open Franklin, forcing community members to take action like the November occupation.

Then the Prosecution and the Defense presented their closing arguments. The Defense pointed out that the police who had been called to testify by the Prosecution contradicted each other's stories, and were unable to prove that they had the lawful authority to kick the defendants out of the Franklin building.

Jesse Schultz, one of the defendants who is representing himself pro se, gave a moving closing statement where he explained that the defendants believe they had a right to be in the Franklin building on November 19th, 2011 because it is a building that rightfully belongs to the people of DC and there was broad community support for the effort to re-open it. He also reminded the jurors that their decision on the verdict should be based on the morality of what the defendants did, not just the technicalities of the case. The defendants' actions were an attempt to right the injustice committed by the city when they illegally closed the Franklin Shelter, and we hope the jury will uphold this by finding them not guilty.

The jury started deliberations on a verdict late today and will be coming back tomorrow at 9:30 am. We expect a verdict sometime tomorrow, though we don't know what time.

Once again, please come down tomorrow to support the defendants when they hear the verdict. We'll be at the court starting at 9:30 am, court room 112 again.

And at 5:30 pm tomorrow, if there is a verdict issued, we'll hold a press conference in front of Superior Court. We'll send an update of there's any changes.

Thanks for the ongoing support!