June update/ongoing appeal - Original announcement - How to contribute - Benefit Concert - Contact/links - May update - Humor
Below is the June report on the current status of the Edwin Johnston Legal
Fund and a ongoing appeal to contribute more funds.
In the last month, we have raised an additional $682, once again surpassing
the goals we set for ourselves in order to meet the demands of the case. Of
this money, $362 was raised at a benefit concert held in Houston on May 22 (photos
here). An additional $320 was sent directly to the fund account manager,
Bernie Eisenberg, of the Pacifica Listeners Union in Los Angeles.
Due to these new contributions, we were able to totally pay out all existing
debt in outstanding bail bond fees. We now have a fund surplus of $514.50 which
should conceivably carry us through the criminal prosecution aspects of this
case.
Contributions to the fund to date equal $1,882! This is very reassuring and
shows the high level of commitment exercised by Pacifica activists in defense
of free speech rights. People from each of the five Pacifica signal areas have
sent in money. A little less than half of the total donations were very generous
contributions by individuals in amounts from $100-$200. The majority of donations
were $75 and below.
A very small handful of people contributed between $5-$10.
These are the people I most cherish. Small contributions like these built Pacifica
Radio. This is also how we are building the counter-Pacifica movement. Another
10-20 small contributions like these would push us over the $2,000 benchmark,
an important milestone that will pave the way for civil actions.
As a final, and humorous note, at the bottom of this page I've included a scan
of a four dollar bill that was sent to the fund in Los
Angeles and graciously forwarded to me by Bernie Eisenberg. The Freepers who
sent this did so because they have been hounding me since I began organizing
with the CounterCoup.org website in November.
The Freepers are threatening to also send "chads" to the fund as well.
(For more on Freepers, see my article: "FREEPERS:
Just who are they?")
Fund accounting as of 6/1/01
Cash donations to fund: $1,882.00
Initial legal services fee: $750 (paid out)
Additional debt in bailbond fees: $617.50 (paid out)
Total costs/debt to date: $1,367.50
Current expenses surplus: $514.50
Additional expected short term expenses: several hundred dollars
Additional expected longer term expenses: several thousand dollars
Chronology of Johnston cases:
March 23 - Edwin Johnston falsely arrested at KPFT/Pacifica Radio protest on
two counts of Class C assault based on false reports to police by Garland and
Molly (O'Brien) Ganter.(friend posts $367.50 bailbond fee)
March 26 - Johnston hires attorney Ben Levy for $750 to represent him in municipal
court
April 1 - Pacifica Listeners Union sets up Edwin Johnston Legal Fund in Los
Angeles
April 10 - Molly (O'Brien) Ganter increases her charge to Class A misdemeanor
for the same incident in new county case (friend posts $250 bailbond fee)
April 12 - Johnston switches attorney to Robert Luke to avoid increased legal
fees concerning the new county charge
Current pending court dates:
(Five previous court appearances to date)
County Court - June 13, plea hearing on one count of assault/bodily injury (Class
A) alleged by Molly (O'Brien) Ganter.
Municipal Court - June 18, scheduled jury trial on one count of simple assault
(Class C) alleged by Garland Ganter (other initial assault charge by Molly [O'Brien]
Ganter dropped to pursue higher charge in county court).
The National Pacifica Listeners Union has set up a legal fund (details below)
to defray the legal costs related to the incident at KPFT on March 23, 2001,
where I was assaulted by station manager Garland Ganter and others. I was then
arrested and jailed for assault based on false reports given to police by Ganter
and his wife, KPFT employee Molly O'Brien. Ms. O'Brien also assaulted my fellow
demonstrator Sheila Harris. Then three days later, Pacifica executive director
Bessie Wash and Pacifica national board chair David Acosta interrupted programming
on Pacifica stations and affiliates to libel me and my fellow Houston demonstrators,
many others in the movement and the movement on the whole.
These funds will be used initially to pay my attorney to defend me against two
false charges of assault. They will also be used to fund expenses for civil
lawsuits against many people connected to this case, including Ganter, O'Brien,
the Pacifica Foundation, Wash, Acosta and others as warranted. The funds for
civil litigation will be for myself, Sheila Harris, Shannon Smith, and Wendy
Breunig; each of us being present during the incident and each of us having
cause to sue for damages.
The immediate expenses for this case are $1,000, but we will soon need many
more thousands of dollars for such expenses as depositions and filing fees.
I am completely unable to afford any of this myself as I am basically indigent
and have been so for over a decade. Please consider contributing to this fund
to support your fellow Pacifica dissenters, for the cause of freedom and the
democratization of Pacifica Radio.
For more information on this case, see my:
"Violence from KPFT" webpage
http://www.hal-pc.org/~edi/kpft.html
Sincerely,
Edwin Johnston
How to contribute
Edwin Johnston Legal Fund
Make checks payable to:
Pacifica Listeners Union
and then mail to
P.O. Box 661876
Los Angeles, CA 90066
The check should be made out to "Pacifica Listeners Union" or "PLU."
*NOTE: MAKE SURE that you note "Edwin Johnston Legal Fund" in the memo area
of your check.
Funds will be deposited in the PLU bank account in Los Angeles and disbursed
to Edwin Johnston or his designees, as he requests.
Email Edwin Johnston - edi@hal-pc.org
Email Pacifica Listeners Union - listenersunion@hotmail.com Phone: 323-960-7655
Visit The Pacifica Listeners Union homepage - http://www.pacificalistenersunion.org
Return to Violence from KPFT webpage
Visit The Houston Committee for People's Radio homepage
Below is a report on the current status of the Edwin Johnston Legal Fund and
a further appeal to contribute more funds so we are able to meet the demands
of this legal action.
We have surpassed our original goal of raising $1,000 to meet the initial expenses.
This is very encouraging and I am very thankful for everyone's generous support.
In fact, donations to the fund as of May 5, 2001 equal $1,200.
Unfortunately, Molly (O'Brien) Ganter, who is a KPFT/Pacifica Radio employee
and the wife of KPFT station manager, Garland Ganter, has since escalated her
false charge of assault against me for this same incident to a Class A misdemeanor
in county court. I was once again forced into police custody and booked at county
jail, as well as put in further debt.
So as it stands right now we have a shortfall in the fund of over $160. Additionally
we expect several hundred more dollars in legal expenses in the short term and
certainly several thousand dollars more over the longer term considering taking
depositions and further legal action.
Fighting this case successfully will defend our right to protest against the
Pacifica Foundation. Please join with the others who have already contributed
to the fund to ensure the success of our effort. Make an impact on behalf of
all Pacifica protesters, even if it's only a few dollars. A little goes a long
way!
Fund accounting as of 5/5/01
Cash donations to fund: $1,200
Initial legal services fee: $750 (paid out)
Additional debt in bailbond fees: $617.50 (pay out pending)
Total costs/debt to date: $1,367.50
Current shortfall to debt: $167.50
Additional expected short term expenses: several hundred dollars
Additional expected longer term expenses: several thousand dollars