I think this is an important court case to watch for the church.

Pray for these Christians who are fighting 47 years in prison for preaching on the sidewalk... In America. Thanks.

Today they go to court.

www.repentamerica.com for more info.

Pass this along to others.

http://www.afa.net/clp/ReleaseDetail.asp?id=77

http://www.afa.net/clp/videos/philly11.wmv

Contact: Brian Fahling, Esq.
American Family Association
P.O. Drawer 2440
Tupelo, MS 38803
1-662-680-3886

For Immediate Release: 12/13/2004

Philadelphia, PA - The Third Circuit Court of Appeals today denied an emergency appeal by eleven Christians who allege that the Philadelphia District Attorney's office retaliated against them for exercising their constitutional rights during a homosexual event that celebrated the "National Coming Out Day." The Philadelphia 11, the group arrested at the coming out event dubbed "Outfest," were charged with three (3) felonies and five (5) misdemeanors. Among the felony charges were Criminal Conspiracy, Ethnic Intimidation and Riot.

The Philadelphia 11 were placed in handcuffs when Chief James Tiano, liaison between the police department and the homosexual community, ordered the group to relocate to the outskirts of the Outfest event. A few moments prior to their arrest, the group was told by another Philadelphia police officer that because they were on a public sidewalk they were permitted to move freely through the event. The Philadelphia
11 faces a maximum penalty of forty-seven (47) years each in jail.

Early last week the Center for Law & Policy (CLP) filed papers in the federal court for the Eastern District of Pennsylvania seeking a temporary restraining order that would prevent the City of Philadelphia from prosecuting the case against the Philadelphia 11. Judge Petrese Tucker heard the case and denied the Philadelphia 11's request. The CLP immediately appealed Judge Tucker's decision to the Third Circuit and that Court denied the Philadelphia 11's request for emergency relief.

"This turn of events is beyond belief," stated Brian Fahling, Senior Trial Attorney for the CLP. At the hearing before Judge Tucker, the CLP presented undisputed video evidence that captured the "Outfest" events on tape. This video shows that at all times the Philadelphia 11 cooperated with the police and was continually harassed by a homosexual security force called the Pink Angels. Further, despite the disruptive tactics of the Pink Angels, not one Angel was cited or arrested, or even warned. This evidence was not contested by the City of Philadelphia.

"Despite the undisputed evidence placed before the Court, our action for emergency relief was denied not once, but twice," Fahling added. "Many had thought an outcome like this," argued Fahling, "ended at Selma." "It seems that the Philadelphia 11 have become second class citizens in the City of Brotherly Love." The Philadelphia 11's preliminary hearing will take place tomorrow, December 14th, 9:00 AM, at the Criminal Justice Center for the Philadelphia Municipal Court, 1301 Filbert Street, Room 606, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.

The Center for Law & Policy is a division of the American Family Association, Inc. The CLP restricts its practice to constitutional litigation in state and federal courts.

_________________
a Jesus freak

It didn't go well in court today. The judge disregarded the evidence and kept charges on four of us.

Michael Marcavage has all 8 charges still on him.

Mark Diener has 4.

Jay Cruse has 4.

I, Denny Green, have 3.


The video was shown in court and every charge was proven to be baseless. Despite that fact, the judge did what he planned to do from the beginning. The truth was irrelevant to this court. Philly wants to hang Mike Marcavage. Please pray for us.

_________________
Dennis Green

Lord lift up the Philadelphia four.Exalt yourself in the court room and let your presance be known among the un-believers persecuting our brothers in Christ.May your Glory be spread throughout the nation by the release of the Philly four.In the name
of Jesus Christ.Amen

_________________
Mark Kenny

Philly Court Orders Four Christians to Trial; Emergency Appeal Likely
Attorney Contends Reading Scripture in Public Landed Them in Jail
By Allie Martin
December 15, 2004

(AgapePress) - An attorney with a pro-family ministry says a judge's decision on Tuesday, ordering four Christians in Philadelphia to stand trial for witnessing at a homosexual pride event, is comparable to the atmosphere of the civil rights struggle of the 1950s and 1960s.


In October, 11 Christians were arrested as they were praying and reading scripture during the annual "gay pride" event known as "Outfest" in Philadelphia. Those in the group were charged with three felonies (criminal conspiracy, ethnic intimidation, and riot) and five misdemeanors. On Tuesday, charges were dropped against seven of the individuals; but Philadelphia Municipal Court Judge William Austin Meehan ordered the other four to stand trial on the charges. They were also banned from doing any type of evangelism within 100 yards of any "gay and lesbian event."

Brian Fahling is the senior trial attorney for the American Family Association (AFA) Center for Law & Policy, which represented the group in the Philadelphia court. Fahling says the Christian activists are being persecuted simply for exercising their constitutional rights.

"They were exercising their First Amendment rights in a public forum, and we have videotape that demonstrates that," Fahling says. "And we had a prosecutor [Charles Ehrlich] engage in the most venomous attack on defendants that I have heretofore ever seen -- calling them names, calling them 'hateful.'" In addition, says Fahling, Ehrlich referred to the Bible as "hate speech."

-Click on link to view video-
[url=http://www.afa.net/clp/videos/philly11.wmv]video clip[/url]

The AFA attorney is highly critical of judicial operations in the City of Brotherly Love. "This is like being in the South in the 1950s up here in this court system. It is absolutely incredible," Fahling says. "Of course, we're going to seek relief [for our clients] -- but we don't expect to get justice in Philadelphia."

An emergency appeal may be the next step because the four, if convicted, could face up to 47 years in prison. Fahling explains that option.

"We sought emergency relief earlier from the federal courts," he says, "[and] I'm sure the federal courts thought that justice would be done here and didn't intervene. So we have one more route, and that would be to appeal to [Supreme Court] Justice [David] Souter, who presides over this particular territory with respect to these issues. So we may take an emergency appeal there."

Fahling reiterates his contention that justice for his clients will need to found elsewhere. "If we can get somebody to actually look at this videotape, we'll get justice done," he says. "But again, it's not coming out of Philadelphia."

The attorney says the charges were dropped against the remaining seven because they were not seen quoting scripture on the videotape. Fahling says in Philadelphia, it appears the public reading of scripture will land a person in jail.

_________________
Dennis Green

I am praying for all of you Denny and am watching the case. I have connections here with a Christian TV station and Im gonna see about getting this video on air during the live show tonight.

God's will, be done.
Robbie

_________________
Robbie

http://www.covenantnews.com/repent041216.htm

Judge Orders Christians
To Stand Trial
Bans Evangelism Within 100 Feet
Of Homosexual Events
Christians Face 47 Years In Prison Because
Philly Judge Calls Bible Verses 'Fighting Words'

PHILADELPHIA, PA. Dec., 16 /Covenant News Wire Service/ -- At a preliminary hearing held December 14, Philadelphia Municipal Court Judge William Austin Meehan dismissed charges against six Christians who were evangelizing at the 2004 “Outfest”, but upheld felony and misdemeanor charges against four others accused of “hate crimes” at the homosexual celebration. Judge Meehan also banned the four men from doing any type of evangelism within 100 feet of any “gay and lesbian event”.

The Christians were a part of an evangelistic effort organized by Repent America, which frequently preaches at homosexual gatherings in Philadelphia. The charges against Repent America Director Michael Marcavage include three felonies: Criminal Conspiracy, Ethnic Intimidation, which falls under “Hate Crimes”, and Riot; as well as five Misdemeanors: Reckless Endangerment, Possession of Instruments of Crime, Failure to Disperse, Disorderly Conduct, and Obstructing Highways. Mark Diener and James Cruse are charged with Criminal Conspiracy, Failure to Disperse, Disorderly Conduct, and Obstructing Highways. Dennis Green is charged with Criminal Conspiracy, Disorderly Conduct, and Obstructing Highways. The "Criminal Conspiracy" charge links all of the Defendants together, therefore Marcavage's "Ethnic Intimidation" charge will be linked to the other Defendants.

During the hearing, Judge Meehan watched a videotape of the arrests, and turned his head toward the Defendants each time he saw one of them in the video footage. Apparently, the charges were dropped against the six other Defendants because they were not seen quoting scripture on the videotape.

In his closing argument before Judge Meehan at the preliminary hearing, prosecutor Charles Ehrlich, Chief of the Municipal Court Unit, went into a fit of rage, and declared the Bible "hate speech", while he passionately argued to the court that the Defendants are "hateful" and "disgusting,” and therefore should all be found guilty.

American Family Association Center for Law and Policy (AFACLP) attorney Brian Fahling filed on behalf of the Repent America team in early December to block the prosecution, but U.S. District Judge Petrese B. Tucker last week refused; and the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Third District, in response to an emergency appeal, subsequently refused to reverse her ruling.

Only two days prior to the “Outfest” event, Marcavage’s attorneys filed a lawsuit against the City of Philadelphia and its agents for civil rights violations, contending that the City and the police have a “policy, practice and custom” of denying Marcavage’s First, Fourth and Fourteenth Amendment rights by continually harassing, intimidating, threatening, and arresting him for his public ministry.

During "OutFest", the police allowed the “Pink Angels,” a self-proclaimed gay security force, to obstruct and harass the Christians when they surrounded them, linked arms to prevent access to public areas, and held 10-foot pink Styrofoam placards while shouting and blowing loud whistles. Fran Price, community liaison for Philly Pride Presents, the sponsor of “Outfest”, acknowledged that there was a potential for violence when she stated that the “Pink Angels were there to defuse a riot and to protect the protestors from getting beaten up” - presumably by the “Outfest” crowd.

Scott Shields, criminal defense attorney for the 'Philadelphia 11', stated after the ruling that “the message of this court is that if you preach from the Scriptures at a gay and lesbian event, you are committing a hate crime... This case is historic, and is the first reported case in America where the Bible is being used to form the evidentiary basis for a hate crime. Now, here in the cradle of liberty and the birthplace of our nation, it is a crime to be openly Christian."

A separate preliminary hearing for a teenage defendant was originally scheduled for December 10 in juvenile court, but has been postponed. The trial date for the four remaining adult defendants has not yet been set.
[url=http://www.covenantnews.com/repent041216.htm]http://www.covenantnews.com/repent041216.htm[/url]

_________________
Dennis Green

Free the Philadelphia 4

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Posted: December 20, 2004
1:00 a.m. Eastern


© 2004 WorldNetDaily.com


I'm amazed when seemingly intelligent people tell me they still think the American Civil Liberties Union is a group that fights for First Amendment freedoms no matter whose ox is being gored.

If that's the case, why is the ACLU not filing amicus briefs in Philadelphia where four Christians are facing 47 years in jail for expressing their free-speech rights?


That's right. Four Christians are facing 47 years in prison for peacefully quoting the Bible, an action an unglued local prosecutor determined to be "fighting words" when cited among homosexual activists.

It all started Oct. 10, when a total of 11 members of Repent America attended a homosexual street festival called "Outfest."

The group, ranging in age from 17 to 72, was surrounded at times by the organizers' security force, known as the "Pink Angels."

Videotapes and still photos taken at the event show the Pink Angels blocking the path of the Repent America members, shouting at them, blowing whistles and so forth. The Christians remain peaceful and calm at all times, despite what appears to be extraordinary provocation, intimidation and harassment.

Guess who was arrested?

That's right. The Christians.

And they've been charged with a long list of felonies and hate crimes that would make the Founding Fathers spin in their graves.

Repent America director Michael Marcavage is charged with three felonies – criminal conspiracy, ethnic intimidation and riot. (If you're wondering what "ethnic intimidation" means at a homosexual event, you have to understand the city of Philadelphia has extended hate crime laws to protect the sexually aberrant as well as racial minorities.) He was also hit with five misdemeanors for walking on the city sidewalks and quoting Holy Scriptures.

Mark Diener and James Cruse are charged with criminal conspiracy, failure to disperse, disorderly conduct and obstructing highways. Dennis Green is charged with criminal conspiracy, disorderly conduct and obstructing highways. The criminal conspiracy charge links all the defendants together so that Marcavage's "ethnic intimidation" hate-crime charge will apply to all of them.

This is one of the most brazen, frontal attacks on religious freedom and free speech I have seen in my lifetime. If these charges stand, Christians across America will soon be hunted down like dogs as they are in many parts of the world today as the most persecuted religious group on the planet.

It's ironic that this persecution would take place in Philadelphia, the so-called "City of Brotherly Love."

Of course, Philadelphia wasn't always so inhospitable to Christians.

It's worth remembering the very first legislative act in Pennsylvania, April 25, 1682. It was called the Great Law of Pennsylvania – and great it was.

"Whereas the glory of Almighty God and the good of mankind is the reason and the end of government, and, therefore government itself is a venerable ordinance of God ... [there shall be established] laws as shall best preserve true Christian and civil liberty, in opposition to all unchristian, licentious, and unjust practices, whereby God may have his due, and Caesar his due, and the people their due, from tyranny and oppression."

If indeed the Philadelphia 4 are convicted and sentenced to hard time, Christians need to march on the Philadelphia courthouse, encircle it, blow the trumpets and prepare to watch God work a miracle like He did at Jericho.

We should do this not just for the injustice to the four Philadelphia Christians, but because no one in America – not Christians or non-Christians, not black or white, not homosexual or heterosexual – will truly be free. We will be living in a country where people can be imprisoned arbitrarily for breaking no law other than the law of "political correctness."

If we're going to save freedom in America, it's going to take a miracle.

Will you come to Philadelphia?

_________________
Dennis Green

I encourage everyone to do what you can to get the word of this situation out. I sent the info to everyone on my e-newsletter list. This is history in the making and can forever change the face of America. I feel that they plan on maing examples of these Christians. It won't be long until it effects any Christian who tries to have an outreach that preaches against sin. Email everyone on your list, print it off and pass it around, post it in other forums, get the word out there!

While I don't quite understand what you hoped to accomplish by confronting (or "ministering to" if you prefer) homosexuals at a gay pride parade, I agree that the judicial system's response to your actions is deplorable. In this country, freedom means that you are free to express your views. This means that sometimes people have to put up with you even when they would rather have you shut up. That's the essence of freedom of political speech - we must put up with people that have unpopular things to say.

I think what the police did to you christians was a violation of your first amendment rights. I disagree with the message that you were conveying, but I will forever support their right to convey it.

By the way, don't discount the ACLU just yet, they may indeed be interested in helping - if you are willing to ask.