Judge Rejects "Riot" Charges Against Amy Goodman in North Dakota

[$tevie]

North Dakota judge today refused to authorize riot charges against award-winning journalist Amy Goodman for her reporting on an attack against Native American-led anti-pipeline protesters.

“This is a complete vindication of my right as a journalist to cover the attack on the protesters, and of the public’s right to know what is happening with the Dakota Access pipeline,” said Goodman. "We will continue to report on this epic struggle of Native Americans and their non-Native allies taking on the fossil fuel industry and an increasingly militarized police in this time when climate change threatens the planet."

District Judge John Grinsteiner did not find probable cause to justify the charges filed on Friday October 14 by State’s Attorney Ladd R. Erickson. Those charges were presented after Erickson had withdrawn an earlier charge against Goodman of criminal trespass. Goodman had returned to North Dakota to turn herself in to the trespassing charge.

http://www.democracynow.org/2016/10/17/b...my_goodman

[RgrF]

The idiot tool State’s Attorney Ladd R. Erickson, spurred on by the local sheriff has vowed to continue to find a charge that will stick.

One thing that can be said for Dakota elected officials is that they know how to be stay bought. The energy industry buyers have deeper pockets than the entire state government.

[Onamuji]

Sheriff: We need to distract from the fact that we attacked peaceful protesters using dogs and pepper spray on-camera.

Attorney: I know what we should do! Let's press false charges against a national treasure!