Grand juries are dangerous

On Nov. 17, two brave young people from South Minneapolis stood in defiance of grand juries by refusing to testify in Davenport, Iowa. Today, 20-year-old Carrie Feldman and 22-year-old Scott DeMuth are in jail for up to 17 months as a result.
Grand juries are dangerous juridical practices that are used to circumvent our right to have counsel and our right to privacy.

In fact, grand jury proceedings bar lawyers and judges from safeguarding the rights of those being questioned. Furthermore, prosecutors are free to force testimony by threat of imprisonment on any topic because the subject of investigation, questions asked, and testimony given are all kept secret. Grand juries are dangerous because their secrecy and ability to imprison people for refusing to testify give them the power to pry into people’s religious and political beliefs, sexual orientation, medical history, or any aspect of their private lives.

The not so distant McCarthy era and the recent threats to civil liberties presented by the Patriot Act show that the government will abuse people’s rights when given the power to do so. That’s why it’s critical to support these young people as they stand against this draconian practice. Find out more at davenportgrandjury.wordpress.com.

Matt Turner