DIY History | Transcribe | Campus Culture | University of Iowa anti-war protests, January-April 1971 | 1971-02-06 Iowa City Press-Citizen Article: ""Two-Day DIA Protest Hearing Ends Here"" Page 2

Transcribe
Translate

University of Iowa anti-war protests, January-April 1971

1971-02-06 Iowa City Press-Citizen Article: ""Two-Day DIA Protest Hearing Ends Here"" Page 2

P-C 2/6/71
" Two-Day DIA Protest Hearing Ends Here" 
p. 2 (of 2)

DIA, listened with apparent interest to the closing arguments - which focused more on the war and the U.S. military than on the demonstration itself. 

After two days of sometimes disorderly - almost always noisy - proceedings the College of Law courtroom was still as defendant Richard Philips, a Vietnam veteran told Garfield, " You don't know what it does to a person to see bodies stacked up like they were things to be bought and sold." 
Philips told Garfield he returned to the United States eager to exercise his freedom of speech with "my newfound knowledge and tragic taste of life. Then I discovered the DIA," whose surveillance activities, Phillips said, restrict freedom of speech. 
Another defendant, John Tinker, criticized what he called " the cancerous growth of the military" in the United States, Alluding to the day's proceedings, which often drew laughter from defendants and spectators. Tinker said "the reason courts in this country are losing their respect is because of the activities of this country" such as the war and other military operations. 
The defendants' arguments most of which condemned military activities as an arm of American business investment overseas, followed closing arguments by defense counsel and a lengthy speech by defendant Robert Schembari, who described the organization of the armed forces and their links with U.S. domestic and foreign espionage activities. 
Garfield, who promised to consider the closing arguments in preparing a recommendation to UI President Willard Boyd, heard more than three hours of wide-ranging testimony before the defense rested its case Friday afternoon. 
Press-Citizen reporters Fred E. Karnes and Thomas C. Walsh testified that they were at the Dec. 9 protest of the DIA recruiter's presence on campus and that the demonstration did not involve "threats, intimidation or violence" by demonstrators. 
Karnes testified that the demonstrators at one point stood back to allow a student arriving for an interview with the DIA recruiter to satisfy herself that the inner door to the UI Placement Office was locked and that the recruiter had left. 
Prosecution witnesses earlier testified that they had been "pushed and shoved" when they arrived for interviews during the demonstration. 
Defendant Norton Wheeler, who said he helped plan the demonstration, called the DIA an "essential instrument of the onslaught on people of the world."
He said university charges filed against 11 demonstrators showed that university policy was "You can say and think whatever you want but you can't do anything."
UI sophomore Lynn McMahon who said she was not at the demonstration said she thought it was "ridiculous to charge only 11 of 150" present at the demonstration. 
She called on spectators to show the university that "if anyone's to be tried all are to be tried."
Garfield also heard concluding testimony on disturbance at the offices of Dewey B. Stuit, dean of the College of Liberal Arts. That disturbance followed the DIA protest and allegedly involved many of the same people. 
Defense witnesses repeated testimony heard Friday morning that the dean was "loud and disorderly" in his dealings with the demonstrators.
Stuit and other prosecution witnesses have denied that accusation. 
Schembart testified that Stuit was ranting and raving and conducting himself in a manner similar to the rhetoric heard at demonstrations."
Another witness, Scott Merritt, said Stuit was "saying 'do not raise your voice' in a very loud  voice."
Three students Wheeler, Stephen Carl and Bruce R. Johnson are charged with refusing to give Stuit their names at the disturbance. 
Those three, and seven others, are also accused of violating the UI Code of Student Life and the Board of Regents Rules in the DIA protest. 
The seven other defendants are Kirk Alexander, Patric Den Hartog, Patricia Farrell, Gary Roemig, Philips, Tinker and Schembari. An eleventh defendant Bruce Ehrich withdrew from the hearing.
Garfield is expected to make his recommendation to President Willard Boyd within 15 days.

Saving...

P-C 2/6/71 " Two-Day DIA Protest Hearing Ends Here" p. 2 (of 2) DIA, listened with apparent interest to the closing arguments - which focused more on the war and the U.S. military than on the demonstration itself. After two days of sometimes disorderly - almost always noisy - proceedings the College of Law courtroom was still as defendant Richard Philips, a Vietnam veteran told Garfield, " You don't know what it does to a person to see bodies stacked up like they were things to be bought and sold." Philips told Garfield he returned to the United States eager to exercise his freedom of speech with "my newfound knowledge and tragic taste of life. Then I discovered the DIA," whose surveillance activities, Phillips said, restrict freedom of speech. Another defendant, John Tinker, criticized what he called " the cancerous growth of the military" in the United States, Alluding to the day's proceedings, which often drew laughter from defendants and spectators. Tinker said "the reason courts in this country are losing their respect is because of the activities of this country" such as the war and other military operations. The defendants' arguments most of which condemned military activities as an arm of American business investment overseas, followed closing arguments by defense counsel and a lengthy speech by defendant Robert Schembari, who described the organization of the armed forces and their links with U.S. domestic and foreign espionage activities. Garfield, who promised to consider the closing arguments in preparing a recommendation to UI President Willard Boyd, heard more than three hours of wide-ranging testimony before the defense rested its case Friday afternoon. Press-Citizen reporters Fred E. Karnes and Thomas C. Walsh testified that they were at the Dec. 9 protest of the DIA recruiter's presence on campus and that the demonstration did not involve "threats, intimidation or violence" by demonstrators. Karnes testified that the demonstrators at one point stood back to allow a student arriving for an interview with the DIA recruiter to satisfy herself that the inner door to the UI Placement Office was locked and that the recruiter had left. Prosecution witnesses earlier testified that they had been "pushed and shoved" when they arrived for interviews during the demonstration. Defendant Norton Wheeler, who said he helped plan the demonstration, called the DIA an "essential instrument of the onslaught on people of the world." He said university charges filed against 11 demonstrators showed that university policy was "You can say and think whatever you want but you can't do anything." UI sophomore Lynn McMahon who said she was not at the demonstration said she thought it was "ridiculous to charge only 11 of 150" present at the demonstration. She called on spectators to show the university that "if anyone's to be tried all are to be tried." Garfield also heard concluding testimony on disturbance at the offices of Dewey B. Stuit, dean of the College of Liberal Arts. That disturbance followed the DIA protest and allegedly involved many of the same people. Defense witnesses repeated testimony heard Friday morning that the dean was "loud and disorderly" in his dealings with the demonstrators. Stuit and other prosecution witnesses have denied that accusation. Schembart testified that Stuit was ranting and raving and conducting himself in a manner similar to the rhetoric heard at demonstrations." Another witness, Scott Merritt, said Stuit was "saying 'do not raise your voice' in a very loud voice." Three students Wheeler, Stephen Carl and Bruce R. Johnson are charged with refusing to give Stuit their names at the disturbance. Those three, and seven others, are also accused of violating the UI Code of Student Life and the Board of Regents Rules in the DIA protest. The seven other defendants are Kirk Alexander, Patric Den Hartog, Patricia Farrell, Gary Roemig, Philips, Tinker and Schembari. An eleventh defendant Bruce Ehrich withdrew from the hearing. Garfield is expected to make his recommendation to President Willard Boyd within 15 days.