By Christopher Tarbell
SYRACUSE, NY -- David Agranoff, Nicole Rogers and Christopher
Tarbell, the three Animal Defense League - Syracuse activists that were
sentenced to jail time last August for fur protesting, are still immersed
in the appeals process.
David was sentenced to 6 months in jail and a $1000 fine,
Nicole received a 60 day sentence and a $500 fine, and Chris was slapped
with 30 days in jail and a $500 fine as well. Chris and Nicole performed
an act of civil disobedience on February 17, 1996 at Georgio's Furs in
Syracuse, NY. They, along with other local activists, chained themselves
to the inner security gate at the store. They were charged with, and later
convicted of, unlawful assembly and criminal trespass in the third degree.
David was merely holding a sign and chanting with the other activists present
and was arrested, charged with and ultimately convicted of unlawful assembly
and resisting arrest.
Recent developments in their case include Chris being
denied a City of Syracuse appointed appellate attorney despite the fact
all his money is tied up in college tuition payments. As a result, Chris
has decided to conduct his own appeal. Nicole, who has decided to pay for
the necessary trial transcript, allowing David and Chris to make copies
of it free of charge, was told by a city court judge that she would not
have to pay the originally designated amount of $2,300 for the transcript.
This was due to the fact that she did not possess that sum of money in
her savings account. The judge agreed to let Nicole pay the maximum sum
she could afford in order to obtain the transcript. However, two weeks
later, the judge decided to reverse his decision and has again set the
price of the transcript at approximately $2,300.
Nicole and Chris have to file their appeals by December
4, 1996 or they will return to jail. Nicole has approximately 35 days remaining
to serve and Chris has 12 days left to serve in jail. David must file his
appeal at approximately the same time. He has not yet served any of his
six month sentence. If anyone can be of financial assistance to these three
activists in their fight against local police harassment and outrageous
convictions, please write or send donations to: Animal Defense League,
PO Box 6845, Syracuse, NY 13206.