WASHINGTON - June 28 - Late Thursday afternoon the remaining G-8 summit protesters bonded out of jail to speak out about the corrupt South Georgia legal justice system and the unusual legal proceedings of their cases.

A public probable cause hearing had been scheduled for Thursday June 24th at 9:30 am. This type of hearing, typically used for misdemeanor cases, permits both prosecutors and defendants to speak prior to the official filling of charges. In a highly unusual unusual and irregular move by Glynn County District Attorney Stephen Kelly, the probable cause hearing was canceled and a Grand Jury indictment was filed on Wednesday June 23, the day before the scheduled preliminary hearing. T

The Grand Jurry Indictments completely excluded defendants from speaking prior to the official filing of charges. It is highly unusual for misdemeanor cases to be indicted before a closed door Grand Jury. The arrestees charge that this move by the prosecutors was an attempt to stifle supporters for their case in a public court, and to inhibit their ability to defend themselves publicly.

"The secretive, closed door nature of this Grand Jury indictment is similar the the secretive, closed door hearings of the G-8 leaders," said one of the inmates who had refused to give his name to authorities. "This move by the prosecution denied us the right to speak or to defend ourselves, much the same way as the 6 billion people on this plannet affected by the policies of the G-8 countries are denied the right to be heard by the G-8 leaders."

The Brunswick Ten, a group of arrestees who chose not to give their names to the authorities, spoke about the conditions of the Glynn County Detention Center, where they were held without bail until they gave their names. They say the conditions there are indicative of problems of the Georgia Criminal Justice System at large.

"Inmates are incarcerated for months on end for minor misdemeanors without hearing from either the courts or their public defenders" said one of the John Does. "It is a system that virtually assures that the defendants who cannot afford to bond out will plead guilty in exchange for sentences of time served, even if they are innocent."

Five of the arrestees had been on a nine day hunger strike in defiance of the length of time they would be held until a hearing. Some of the hunger strikers lost as many as 15 pounds while on the strike.

"We decided to use the only weapon at our disposal to fight this unjust system, our bodies." according to a statment released by the hunger strikers. "Though our bodies grow weaker, our minds and hearts remain strong, and we will continue our hunger strike until they either try us or release us."

According to reports from the G-8 arrestees, the Glynn County Sherrif denied them visitation from friends or family members even though they had filed the proper and nessecary paperwork, regardless of whether they had given their names. They say the sherrif also denied them access to the press even though the detention center handbook has clear guidelines for dealing with inmates' access to the press. He also denied them the ability to meet with their attorney as a group which they charge has hindered the preparations for their court defense.

According to the inmates, Sherrif Bennett told them that even though there are guidelines for these things, he has never allowed them before, and was not going to allow them now, he told them to sue and get a federal court order to allow the visitation, press and legal access. They also charge that the sherrif made false statements to the press about their status and their hunger strike.

"This man was clearly abusing his authority in an effort to intimidate us and to stifle our voices" said one of the Brunswick Ten. "The actions of the Sherrif and District Attorney left us no choice but to bond out to be able to have our voices heard, and to meet with our attorneys to prepare our defense. This is clearly a criminally unjust system."

All 15 of the Brunswick G-8 protest arrestees who were originally charged with Disorderly Conduct are now charged with one count each of Obstruction of an Officer, Obstruction of Streets and Public Passages and Pedestrian on the Highway. All but two face an additional charge of Obstruction of an Officer for refusing to give their names. All charges are misdemeanor charges. All 15 arrestees were indicted seperately.

For more information about the mobilization against the G8 Summit, visit http://www.nog8.org

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