Grandmother faces second trial over anti-war protest

Meet the anti-war movement's newest folk hero: 69-year-old Rosemarie Jackowski, whose arrest during an anti-war protest has made her a cause celebre.

A prosecutor's plan to retry her for blocking traffic while protesting against the Iraq War is turning the feisty 1.47-metre former schoolteacher into a darling of the dove crowd.

Bloggers have rallied behind her, peaceniks are deluging her with messages of support, and advocates have established a defence fund.

"She's not a loony toon by any means," said Andrew Schoerke, 73, a retired US Navy captain who was arrested with her. "She's a very down to earth, sensible, caring person with some very strong convictions."

Jackowski was one of a dozen protesters arrested at a March 20, 2003 protest, staged within hours of the start of the United States' "shock and awe" bombing campaign in Iraq. Carrying a sign that read "Impeach Bush" on one side and listed US "war crimes" on the other, Jackowski refused police orders to get out of the street and was arrested for blocking traffic.

"It was really hard for me to stand there and just hold my sign," she said in an interview. "I came from a strict ethnic, religious background. I was taught to never ever be disobedient to anyone teacher, parent, policeman. That was my very first act of disobedience to anyone."

Asked during her arrest whether she had any aliases, she replied: "Yes, I do. 'Mum."'

To police, it was no laughing matter.

The protest clogged traffic in this southern Vermont town's busiest intersection, delaying at least one hospital-bound ambulance and infuriating truck drivers and others.

"It wasn't about the war in Iraq," said police Lieutenant Paul Doucette, who ordered the arrests at the scene.

"It was public safety at risk. This whole scene could've turned very ugly very quickly. So we did what was best. Now all of them have paid the price, except this one."

The other members of the so-called "Bennington 12" pleaded guilty and were accepted into a court-ordered programme for first-time offenders. Jackowski refused, saying she did nothing wrong. After a one-day trial, a jury took less than 15 minutes to find her guilty.

She appealed to the Vermont Supreme Court, her attorney insisting that the disorderly persons charge could only stick if it were proven she intended to disrupt traffic.

On November 22, the justices threw out her conviction, saying trial Judge David Suntag erred in telling jurors they could convict her if they believed she was "practically certain" her conduct would cause public disruption.

Last week, Bennington County State's Attorney William Wright said he would seek to try her again.

"At this juncture, we are going forward with the case," he told a local paper. "We think that the evidence was overwhelming in our view, and we think that the jury should have another opportunity to decide Ms Jackowski's guilt or innocence."

"It's time for everybody to just walk away from this case," said Stephen Saltonstall, her attorney. "This is an elderly woman who did something out of conscience. I believe she has been punished enough."

For her part, Jackowski has no intention of pleading guilty or admitting she was wrong. "I will never say I'm sorry for what I did," she said last week. "I don't care if they want to lock me up for life."

She could get 60 days in jail if convicted although no date has been set for the retrial.

"I'm just a little old grandmother who has been really, really affected by the fact that my government is bombing children in Iraq," she said.

Doucette, the police lieutenant, does not buy it.

"What upsets me personally is 'Oh, they're going to send a grandmother to jail.' This isn't about being a grandmother, it isn't about being 70 years old. It's about 'You broke the law and now you have to suffer the consequences,"' he said.

Source: China Daily