Date: Thu, 09 Dec 93 23:28:48 -0700 MST
From: ananda@tde.com
Subject: Denver activists

Defendants in "Cemetery Plot" Receive Extension by Jeffco Judge - ACT-UP Stands
By

DATED DECEMBER 7, 1993
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Denver - At their first arraignment hearing, December 6, 1993, the three Grand
Jury-indicted defendants in what is now being terms nationally as "the cemetery
plot" received an extension on their arraignment until January 19, 1993 by the
Honorable Jefferson County Judge James Zimmerman.

Before a court room nearly full of supporters for "the Denver 3", many of them
members of ACTUP (the AIDS Coalition to Unleash Power), Judge Zimmerman heard
requests and summaries of motions by the defendants' attorneys.  No objections
were raised by prosecuting District Attorney assistant Mark Pautler.

Earlier this year, on August 12, 1993, a Colorado State Grand Jury handed down
indictments against several members of ACTUP:  Lorna Jane Wheeler, Madrid St.
Angelo and Taylor St. John.  They were each charged with two felony and two
misdemeanor counts for allegedly participating in the January 14, 1993
"desecration" of a Catholic cemetery.  All three were each issued warrants of
$50,000.  According to newspaper reports, plastic bags bearing the word "AIDS",
protesting the Roman Catholic Church's AIDSphobic policies and opposition to
condoms were draped over tombstones.  The charges against the three (2 counts
of criminal conspiracy, criminal mischief and desecration of a venerated
object) are extremely serious.  If the defendants are convicted, they could
serve up to 15 years in prison.

ACTUP has called these charges trumped up and believes that it was no
coincidence that these AIDS activists were indicted the eve of the Pope's
arrival in Denver.  ACTUP believes that the use of the grand jury, the arrests,
and the extremity of the charges themselves reveals Colorado's flagrant intent
to spread panic amongst activists and divide the lesbian and gay community even
further.  In fact, local and state investigators solicited the cooperation of
the entire gay community so as to track and finger those indicted.

ACTUP/NETWORK, the umbrella organization of ACTUP chapters across the country,
has established legal defense funds in Denver and Chicago to assist in the
legal battle presently underway in Colorado.  The Denver 3 have also garnered
support of The National Lawyer's Guild, The National Lambda Legal Defense Fund,
The Center for Constitutional Rights in New York, as well as the personal
support of Larry Kramer.

The three defendants, Wheeler, St. Angelo and St. John, are being represented
by Denver attorneys, Cheryl Peake, James A. Henderson and Christopher A.
Miranda, respectively.

Contacts for ACTUP and the support teams for the Denver 3 are:
Debbie Gould:  312/752-4381 (days)
Jeanne Kracher:  312/281-4988
Cate Wiley:  303/556-8382; 303/556-2959 (fax)