Two DuPage County Citizens, Jeff Zurawski (Downers Grove) and Sarah Hartfield (Naperville) have been charged for displaying a banner in I-355 which read, "Impeach Bush and Cheney - LIARS."
What happened to them?
Join me over the jump to learn - and to see how you can help.
They were told to take down the banner by an Illinois State Trooper. They were doing that when more than one DuPage County Sheriff's police arrived.
Per the article (and what I've read from Jeff), there was some discussion about one of the sheriff's police being a veteran. The two were allowed to depart, and received no citations.
Three weeks later, on May 6, they were charged with disorderly conduct.
Remember - they'd put up a sign, and taken down the sign when told to do so. At the "scene of the crime" (to use an Alice's Restaurant term), there were no charges filed. And three weeks later, it evolved into disorderly conduct. The possible penalty for disorderly conduct would be three months in the county jail.
The two went to court, with some support of local peace groups (including DuPage Against War Now, or DAWN, which is how I came to learn of this). This past Monday, more than 2 months after the original charges were belatedly brought up, the charges were increased to include reckless conduct and unauthorized display of a sign in viewing of a highway. These are misdemeanors, and each has a possible penalty of 1 year imprisonment.
The Naperville Sun explains the story, and the next day, posted an editorial stating that this should have ended when the banner came down.
I invite you to take the opinion poll on the Sun editorial page - here.
DAWN had raised money to help with legal fees, but a lawyer (Shawn Collins, yay for him!) has stepped forward and taken the case pro bono.
So what else can you do, after voting in the Sun's poll?
How about a pleasant email to George Wendt's (Norm!) brother-in-law, the DuPage County State Attorney Joe Birkett?
Updated 9:55 PM, Central - thanks to Do Tell for this link, which tells you why people who pay attention do not trust Joe Birkett. Use that contact link to email him and ask ask that he drop charges against Jeff and Sarah!