DIY History | Transcribe | Campus Culture | Chicano conference programs and speeches, April 1973-May 1974 | 1973-04-14 Workshop IV, Chicano: Legal Process Page 9

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Chicano conference programs and speeches, April 1973-May 1974

1973-04-14 Workshop IV, Chicano: Legal Process Page 9

down to police I do not think we will ever be able to say, we as a people will reach some form of liberation, it is impossible.

PETE RAEL: I would like to give you an example here. When I was working with the legal clinic here in Iowa, of what kind of problems you can run into, when you try to help someone in the crumminal area you can find many rights that you have. The problems is the judge does not want to pay any attention to them. You can't take every case to the Supreme Court because they will not accept them. But, I was trying to keep   this guy oout of jail, that pleaded guilty to possessionof beer. The judge fine him $87.00. It was his first offense. The judge told him: "Pay the fine or else you will go to jail." The lenght of sentence is equal to $3-5/day. There is a Supreme Court case which states: "If you are too poor to pay your fine they have to give you some time ro pay for it."

I went in to see the judge about this specific case and started to discuss the case relating that he had a family, he was supporting his entire family which consisted of seven brothers and sisters and neither of his parents were working; they had been layed off from the factory. He was their only source of income. His income was $87.00 a week for nine people. He will not be able to pay this fine, he will lose his job if he stays in jail. So, the judge answered, he has already had two weeks so I am going to put him in jail anyway. I brought up the Supreme Court case about paying fines and stated that you can't put that man in jail.

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down to police I do not think we will ever be able to say, we as a people will reach some form of liberation, it is impossible. PETE RAEL: I would like to give you an example here. When I was working with the legal clinic here in Iowa, of what kind of problems you can run into, when you try to help someone in the crumminal area you can find many rights that you have. The problems is the judge does not want to pay any attention to them. You can't take every case to the Supreme Court because they will not accept them. But, I was trying to keep this guy oout of jail, that pleaded guilty to possessionof beer. The judge fine him $87.00. It was his first offense. The judge told him: "Pay the fine or else you will go to jail." The lenght of sentence is equal to $3-5/day. There is a Supreme Court case which states: "If you are too poor to pay your fine they have to give you some time ro pay for it." I went in to see the judge about this specific case and started to discuss the case relating that he had a family, he was supporting his entire family which consisted of seven brothers and sisters and neither of his parents were working; they had been layed off from the factory. He was their only source of income. His income was $87.00 a week for nine people. He will not be able to pay this fine, he will lose his job if he stays in jail. So, the judge answered, he has already had two weeks so I am going to put him in jail anyway. I brought up the Supreme Court case about paying fines and stated that you can't put that man in jail.