The Corporate media treated Watada's mistrial like it was a flat tire, or some other technical problem rather than the victory that it was. We were right there front and center, in the inner court room, and we knew that the mistrial of Ehren Watada, first officer to refuse to go to Iraq, was a big victory for our side. We saw how the judge pulled the plug on the trial rather than risk a Watada victory. Our court-room observer heard one juror mutter "at least somebody has some principles around here." We saw the prosecutor bury his face in his hands when the judge began to bail out of the case that had become an airplane on fire, careening towards the earth.
Our cameras were at the gates, at the rallies, and at the press conferences. And because NO cameras are allowed in any kind of federal court, including military courts-marital, we got the court artist sketches, and with animation, sketches, and live footage we bring you the story that corporate media glossed over. There was no "mistrial." The prosecution rested its case, and on the prosecution case alone, Lt. Watada was doing great. The judge had already barred every witness Lt. Watada wanted to bring in, and had ruled out every defense Watada could possibly raise. But every prosecution witness contributed to the defense's case, and by the time the prosecutor excused his last witness, it was painfully obvious that Watada should win, and there was a distinct possibility that he would win on at least some counts. The judge stopped the show rather than risk a Watada win. It isn't that often that something like this happens (that we know of, anyway), but we were there, we watched it all, and now, we're bringing that story to a screen near you.
"He Stood UP" is the story of Lt. Watada and the mistrial that happened in February. The Army claims that they are going to try him again, although there are serious doubts about the legality of that, because of double jeopardy. Sometimes a moral stand can bring a legal victory.
www.thankyoult.org
Iraq Veterans Against the War Deployed www.ivawdeployed.org
Courage to Resist www.couragetoresist.org
Counter Recruiting www.counter-recruiting.org
Beyond Treason www.beyondtreason.org
Sir! No Sir! www.SirNoSir.com
Pepperspray Productions formed shortly after the WTO protests in Seattle, in response to the Independent Media Center's call, "don't hate the media, be the media". We believe that the Corporate Media is not telling us the whole story, and that the people must make our own media if we want our voices to be heard.
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