PGHIMC - Pittsburgh Independent Media Center

A statement of facts about Chris Boette
by A Pittsburgh Anarchist Saturday, Dec. 19, 2009 at 6:38 PM

FOR UNLIMITED DISTRIBUTION

The following are facts regarding Chris Boette's cooperation with a grand jury in Washington, DC. This document has been put together by folks in Pittsburgh and DC who had been doing support work for Chris prior to his decision to cooperate.

• Chris was informed that the grand jury was investigating conspiracy charges. The legal definition of conspiracy requires that there be a plan to commit a crime and then an act in furtherance of it.
• Chris provided testimony to the grand jury and the United States Attorney assigned to prosecute the case.
• Chris told the US Attorney who from Pittsburgh he traveled to DC with.
• Chris told the US Attorney that he was staying at the mass housing offered by a church that houses several solidarity projects and has come under flack before for allegedly allowing "violent" protesters to stay there.
• Chris told the US Attorney how he traveled to a meeting, and told the US attorney that "redecoration" was talked about - which he said he understood to mean property destruction - and at which people decided how to meet up later.
• The prosecutor asked what was at the alleged meeting. Chris replied that there was a map there. The US attorney asked what it was for. Chris said it was to determine where to go. Chris said he wasn't paying close attention to the places being mentioned because he didn't know DC. Chris said it was mostly DC people doing the talking.
• Chris told DC support people who picked him up from jail that he would not be giving out names of people.
• Chris identified people who were at the alleged meeting by at least their first names, including naming people who routinely deal with harassment and surveillance by DC and federal law enforcement agencies.
• Chris identified cities where he saw people at the meeting in the months between the meeting and his testimony.
• Chris told the prosecutor who he traveled with to the alleged action where the arrests took place.
• Chris confirmed knowing people after being presented their photos.
• Chris was asked "Do you know [a specific individual from Pittsburgh] from Pittsburgh?" and confirmed that he did.
• Chris was informed multiple times of his right to confer with consul after every question, and had also discussed his ability to do so with several people in Pittsburgh in the months prior to his testimony. After his testimony, He later told DC support people that he "didn't know [he] could do that."
• Chris stated to multiple people that he would not testify under any circumstance and never discussed, privately or publicly, the possibility that he might testify with any of the directly affected parties, with only one exception, to the best of our knowledge.

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