Activist Appeals Felony Ruling for Exercising Free Speech

01-13-2012 • www.prisonplanet.com

Jury nullification activist, Mark E. Schmidter, faces nearly a year in jail after being found guilty of two felonies: External Criminal Contempt of Court, and jury tampering, for handing out information outside the Orange County Courthouse in Florida. What’s interesting is that Schmidter is not guilty of any actual law, but rather rules written by the acting Judge. These rules that Schmidter is in violation of are for demonstrating outside of “free speech zones” determined by Judge Perry. Casey Anthony's Judge Belvin Perry's Free Speech Zones Unconstitutional!!:

Schmidter, who was first arrested in June 2011, maintains his innocence and that the judge’s orders he violated were a direct violation of the First Amendment of the Constitution in the first place.

Perry issued Administrative Order # 2011 03 which states that if anyone hands out information, talks or hold a sign outside the courthouse, they would be held in contempt of court and jury tampering.

Administrative Order #2011 07 states that anything that has to do with “Free Speech” may only be done in the free speech zones which are two 10’x30’ remote areas nearly a football field away from the courthouse doors.

Here is Schmidter being interviewed before his court appearance in June: