May Molina trial update

[Andrew Thayer]

Hi everyone,

 

If you haven't seen it yet, please read and share the excellent and substantial article in today's Chicago Tribune about the late anti-police misconduct activist May Molina.  The article took up the entire Page 5 of the paper's first section (aside from an ad), and WBBM-AM ran a story as well.  Here's a link to the Trib article -- http://articles.chicagotribune.com/2013-10-08/news/chi-trial-begins-over-lockup-death-20131007_1_molina-police-lockup-chicago-police

 

Today the trial on behalf of May's family began, although at a glacial pace.  Jury selection, which I thought would be over by the end of the morning, still wasn't done when the court adjourned for the day today at about 4 PM. 

 

Jury selection will resume tomorrow (Wednesday) at 1 PM.  My best bet on when the opening arguments will be is at about 2:30 PM.  Please attend at 2:30 PM, Wednesday, in Judge Grady's courtroom if you can (219 S. Dearborn, Room 2201). 

 

Opening arguments is the best time to get a good idea of what each side's case will be and get a good summary of the issues involved.  For those who tried to attend the opening today, I apologize for being off on the timing of this.  Predicting trial schedules is about as an exact a science as predicting the stock market.

 

For those not familiar with the issues in this trial, May died due to the Chicago Police Department standard operating procedure of denying ill people their prescription medications while they are in lock-up. 

 

For people living with HIV or other potentially life-threatening health issues, this is a potential death sentence.  That is why May's case is about much more than even retribution against one "thorn in the side of the Chicago police," to quote the Trib article.  It's about any number of the tens of thousands arrested by the CPD each year.

 

Being arrested, if you have health issues, should not be a death sentence.

 

Andy Thayer

 

PS  For more background, see my guest column in this week's Windy City Times -- http://www.windycitymediagroup.com/lgbt/Getting-arrested-shouldnt-be-a-death-sentence/44657.html

[antonio zavala]

Andy is there a telephone where an EFE News (Spain) photographer here in Chicago can reach you? I filed a story today on the Molina lawsuit. EFE wants to send photographer to Dirksen courtroom to take pixs of Molina family members.. 

Thanks, 

Antonio

EFE News correspondent here in Chicago

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