As I noted via updates in the post below, prosecutors dropped the charges against Lt. Dan Choi and Capt. Jim Pietrangelo this morning. I just got off the phone with Paul Yandura who is with Dan and Jim at the DC Superior Court.
Paul asked Prosecutor Christina Chang what the reason for the decision was and whether she was ready to trial. Chang told Yandura point blank, “I was ready.”
In fact, all the arresting officers from DC and the Secret Service were in the room. They were there to be witnesses for the government. So, it sure sounds like the government was ready for a trial until something intervened. Paul told me that Dan shook hands with the officers and said, “I hope to see you soon.”
According to Yandura:
It’s clear that they were embarrassed that we were going to expose the fiction that repeal is finished or imminent. They were embarrassed that we subpoenaed the President and were going to use his words. It’s clear that civil disobedience was the winner today.
Dan Choi asked the prosecutor if this meant the “stay away” order from the White House was no longer valid. The prosecutor said, yes.
So, this morning, the prosecutor was ready to go. But, for some reason, the case was dropped. I’m sure there will be more and we’ll monitor developments.
But, Paul is right, civil disobedience won today. And, standing on principle did, too.
And, thanks to Scott Wooledge, a.k.a. Clarknt67, here’s a photo of Dan and Jim outside of the court house with their attorneys, Ann Wilcox and Mark Goldstone:
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