Posted on 10/16/2006 7:01:04 PM PDT by Physicist
For Immediate Release
October 17, 2006
Philadelphia — A special three judge panel of the 3rd Circuit Court of Appeals will convene tomorrow to decide whether a Civil Rights suit may proceed against Governor Ed Rendell for his alleged role in the 1998 teamster beating of two Clinton protesters outside Philadelphia’s City Hall.
Rendell, Philadelphia mayor at the time, has since admitted in a deposition to personally inviting teamster boss John Morris and Local 115 members to attend the rally, despite knowing their propensity for using violence. Rendell acknowledged that he had specifically instructed the teamsters to “drown-out” Clinton Protesters.
Moments before the October 2, 1998 beating, Morris was caught by several news cameras marking one Clinton protester for attack by placing a Fedora over his head. The teamsters then charged the man, Don Adams, and his sister—knocking both to the ground before viciously assaulting them. Mr. Adams was treated at an area hospital for a concussion, lacerations, and several bruises.
According to a statement from Morris’ top deputy, Mr. Rendell later tried to console Morris about the negative publicity the teamsters had generated by promising no charges would be filed against him and by suggesting ways to have the victim, Mr. Adams, prosecuted.
In July, 1999, Mr. Adams stood trial after several teamster women alleged he had assaulted them prior to his own beating. Mr. Adams was found not guilty and the women have since recanted their stories.
Morris was never charged. He died in 2001. Five teamsters pled guilty to various assault and conspiracy charges and were given probation.
Three judges from outside the 3rd Circuit’s jurisdiction were recruited to hear the appeal after the appellees filed a motion asking the entire circuit to recuse itself due to the fact Rendell’s wife, Judge Marjorie Rendell, sits on the Circuit.
The case will be heard on Wednesday, October 18, at 1:30 p.m., in the Albert Branson Courtroom, 19th floor, Federal Court House, Philadelphia, PA.
For further information, contact Teri Adams, ###-###-####.
Think the papers will find it at all interesting to be reminded of the incumbent Governor's brutal past at the height of his reelection campaign? No, I didn't think so, either.
Don didn't ask me to do this, but they always, always need help with their legal bills. Financially, the last seven years have taken an inhuman toll on the both of them. If you care to help out, donations can be sent to:
The Adams Legal Defense Fund
P.O. Box 306,
Cheltenham, PA 19012
Most Recent articles:
DON AND TERI ADAMS UPDATE: RENDELL'S "CLOSED CIRCUIT" MANEUVER
Don Adams Update: Third Circuit Asked to Recuse Itself in Suit Against Rendell
Don Adams Update: Urgent Help Needed on Appeal
Don Adams Update: Teamsters File Motion to Recover $62,673.46 in Fees and Costs
Summary of the 8/6/2003 Don Adams Decision, U.S. District Court
Anti-Clinton Protesters Lose in Suit Against Rendell
Who-what-where:
There was I time on FreeRepublic when I didn't have to introduce the topic of Don Adams. Other than Whitewater, it was FreeRepublic's first cause celebre.
In as few words as I can bear to muster, this is what happened. On October 2, 1998, Don and his sister Teri were beaten by members of the Teamsters Union for the crime of protesting against Clinton in Philadelphia.
(I myself had been attacked by the same mob earlier in the day, and I witnessed the Adams incident. I reported the events on FreeRepublic. One famous result was that it prompted Jim Robinson to call for a march on Washington, DC, which drew around 4000 people on October 31, 1998, to demand Clinton's impeachment.)
The DA filed no charges, so Don and Teri Adams pursued private criminal complaints against two of the Teamsters (Kevin McNulty and Marc Nardone), along with Teamster Local 115 boss Johnny Morris. In response, the Teamsters filed charges against Don Adams. McNulty and Nardone copped a plea and got probation. Morris walked. Don Adams was subjected to the indignity of a trial, and was acquitted in July, 1999. Meanwhile, three other Teamsters were identified from video: Charlie Davis, Mark Hopkins, and Norma Bottomer. Don and Teri Adams filed another private criminal complaint, to which the defendants copped pleas and received probation.
In November of 1999, IBT President James Hoffa ordered that Teamsters Local 115 be placed into trusteeship, and that Johnny Morris be stripped of his powers, partly as a result of the Adams beating incident. Morris contested this bitterly until the end of his life.
The civil phase has been lurching along slowly since the end of the criminal phase.
Why you should care:
It is the business of Freepers to exercise our rights under the First Amendment. When we talk back to power, we have an expectation of being secure in our persons, in our property, and in our liberty. If Don and Teri Adams lose, none of these expectations are valid. It will mean that the men in power can silence us at will, without serious consequences. Five foot-soldiers of the totalitarians have received probation. That's something. But unfortunately Don and Teri have been made to pay a long series of terrible prices over the last five years, and much more lies ahead. I expect it to get worse for them before it gets better.
Would YOU be up to it?
Here is the Don Adams Page, back again in its full glory!
Civil Case:
Johnny Morris criminal case:
Davis, Hopkins, Bottomer criminal case:
McNulty and Nardone criminal case:
(If you want on or off the Don Adams ping list, please let me know.)
They should have added:
His current residence is Hell.
Surely justice has been denied Don and Terry, but then it is Pennsylvania.
The law should not overly regard and unduely respect charisma, wealth and connections no more than it should make special allowance for the poor, the widowed or the orphaned, but rule to the law no matter who stands before it -- but gee golly, what I've seen in courts and read off them, sure seems the former set gets special hearing.
Thanks for the update!
I have told my 8-year-old about this case. Yes, he was born the summer before the attack occurred.
He asked me tonight why Rendell is not in prison.
I can't give him a good answer, except to say that there is insufficient evidence.
But I don't believe my response either.
Monday, Nov. 15, 1999
PHILADELPHIA —— The national Teamsters removed the top officer of a city local Monday after union investigators accused him of intimidating and shaking down union members for cash and stockpiling weapons for what he called a "war."
John P. Morris, 73, was secretary-treasurer of the International Brotherhood of Teamsters Local Union 115 for more than four decades. He remains president of a statewide conference of Teamster locals.
Greg Tarpinian, a consultant with the national Teamsters, said Morris used union money to purchase two shotguns, 20 stun guns, pepper spray, boxes of combat fatigues and boots, two cars, two campers and five buses, which he stored on rented property five miles from union headquarters.
"These purchases were in preparation for what Morris describes as 'war,'" according to a statement by the Washington-based union, signed by President James P. Hoffa.
Local union members defended Morris, rallying outside their headquarters Monday night.
"It's a bunch of lies," yelled union member Harold Fisher.
Physicist - thanks for posting this thread and keeping us updated on this case.
TAdams8591 and Don - Good luck on Wednesday in court. Best wishes to you both.
FReep On!
http://www.ijot.com/DonAdams/hat3.jpg
http://www.ijot.com/DonAdams/fight03.jpg
http://www.ijot.com/DonAdams/donadams4.jpg
http://tinyurl.com/yxg8bs
Thank you, Angelwood! We will need it!
Thank you for the response and good to hear from you, bvw!
Thanks for the important reminder.
The Party of free-speech strikes again. This might be a good time to try and get this story back to O'reilly since he's really been on rant against the antics from the Left. From the attacks on the Minutemen at Columbia to physical assaults on conservative speakers, the Left has embraced a level of violence that is becoming increasingly dangerous. I can only imagine how well the WOT might be going if the Left had as much contempt for terrorists as they do Republicans.
I hope nobody reading this misses the fact that there's another active thread with some deeper background information, which I posted just after this one:
DON AND TERI ADAMS BACKGROUND: Letter of Trey Mayfield to 3rd Circuit Court of Appeals
The late Mr. Morris is worm food today.
Good line and soooo true!
Thanks. I just can't believe you guys are still going through this after all these years. Good luck with everything.
BTTT
Good luck bump.
Hi Teri! Good luck to you and Don!
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