Eugene weekly., May 13, 2004, Page 7, Image 7

Coercive Injustice
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BY LISA IGOE
that
pays to
be me
Local moms subpoenaed by federal grand jury
M
other’s Day greetings were delivered early this year to three local moms
— with love from the federal government. In lieu of cards, FBI agents
hand-delivered subpoenas — demanding that the women comply with
the most coercive of judicial investigations: the grand jury.
Jennifer Woodruff and Twiga May-Whittier have been subpoenaed as part of an
ongoing investigation into the Romania auto arson that brought Carla Martinez
and other activists before the grand jury more than two years ago (see EW
archives 1/17/02). Heather Whitney, the mother of a newborn, has been
subpoenaed to testify as a witness in Seattle as part of an investigation the
Washington US Attorney vaguely referred to as crimes committed in the name of
animal rights and/or environmentalism.
When a District Attorney lacks evidence to indict an individual for a specific
crime, or when they have no idea who might have been involved in a case they
want to prosecute, they can convene a grand jury. A grand jury creates the
opportunity for federal agents to turn their guesswork into possible evidence with
the goal of securing an indictment — even if the evidence is flimsy and
circumstantial. The side effect is what activists have referred to as a political
fishing expedition; through questioning of witnesses, federal agents are able to
uncover a road map of personal relationships within a targeted community for
future use.
But, according to Assistant US Attorney Kirk Engdall, activists misunderstand
the role of the grand jury. “I think that they are misinformed. They don’t know the
history or the purpose of the grand jury. They misunderstand the process,” he
claims. He defines the grand jury as “a secret proceeding that avails itself to
investigate criminal conduct with the interest of protecting those who are subjects
of the grand jury.”
He adds the secrecy is “to protect the innocent.”
When questioned by a grand jury, one’s Fifth Amendment right becomes null
and void. In its place, the court can grant a special form of “immunity” under
which a prosecutor is not supposed to use a person’s testimony against them.
Immunity then compels a person to continue answering questions, and if they
choose to continue to plead the Fifth, they can be jailed for an indefinite amount
of time.
“Grand juries have a history of targeting who they perceive as the most
vulnerable to coercive interrogation,” says Steven Heslin, Copwatch activist and
media liaison for the mothers who’ve been subpoenaed.
“Simply put, they have two options: They can resist the grand jury and risk
being jailed and separated from their children or they can comply with a modern
day witch hunt that compromises their values and at least six constitutional
rights.”
But, according to government attorney Engdall, whether a person is a mother is
“irrelevent. The grand jury doesn’t target people based on their economic or social
status. It invites people to come and present documentation or testimony
concerning a criminal investigation,” he says.
Those subpoenaed would disagree. “I lose the right to make the decision to not
participate in the process because it is directly detrimental to the health of my
baby,” says Whitney. “If I can’t breastfeed my child, she’ll be denied vital nutrients
she can’t get from formula — so, no matter what, she’s the one at the highest risk
in this process.”
“I can only wonder why they would call single mothers to testify,” questions
Woodruff. “I feel as though it is because we have so much more at stake and that
is one of the dirtiest, most unethical things that a government can do to its own
people.”
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Lisa Igoe is a freelance writer, a member of Cascadia Media Collective and a frequent contributor to
Eugene Weekly.
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MAY 13, 2004 7