Nebraska Judge's Word Ban Sparks Protests

On Tuesday, July 17^th, a national demonstration, dubbed, "CALL IT RAPE", is expected to be held in major cities across the U.S. in front of numerous community courthouses. Protestors will be carrying placards that say RAPE, SEXUAL ASSUALT KIT, VICTIM, and other words that Judge Jeffre Cheuvrant of Lancaster County, Nebraska District Court has banned from use in the courtroom in a sexual assault case.

And the protestors' mouths will be gagged with scarves and bandanas.

The alleged victim in the sexual assault case, Tory Bowen, has already endured one trial with the word ban in place. That trial ended in a hung jury. Judge Cheuvrant had gagged her again for the second trial, prohibiting her or the attorneys from using the words rape, sexual assault, sexual assault kit, along with other similar words and phrases.

But the words sex and sexual intercourse are just fine with the Judge.

He declared a mistrial on July 12^th during jury selection for the second trial due to protests on July 9^th and 11^th in front of the Lancaster courthouse. The group PAVE: Promoting Awareness, Victim Empowerment organized the protests. It is this group that is promoting the nation wide protests on July 17^th.

The judge also cited Ms. Bowen as a reason for his declaring this mistrial, that she and her friends created a media frenzy with the intention of tainting the jury pool.(1)

Angela Rose, Executive Director of PAVE, states in the press release for the protest, "The irony of Judge Cheuvrant's order for the mistrial is that yet again he is trying to ban free speech. It was his unconstitutional ruling that led the people to the streets in protest in the first place. This is causing national outrage and we must be the voice for all who have been silenced by violence."

What Judge Cheuvrant, and others who may think he was constitutionally correct, don't quite understand is that if he had banned the word rape, citing it as a legal conclusion for the jury, the whole case may have gone unnoticed. But this Judge couldn't seem to help himself, and banned any word remotely suggestive of non-consensual sex, and the names of investigative tools that go with an investigation of a rape or sexual assault charge.

If the defense lawyers had suggested Ms. Bowen not be allowed in the courtroom because it upset Mr. Safi, this Judge may have consented to that as well.

The "CALL IT RAPE" protests are scheduled to go on in spite of the mistrial called by the Judge. Most likely, the third trial will be moved to another venue, and Judge Cheuvrant will not be presiding. But the protestors will not let this judge, or others who may be contemplating similar constitutional trickery, forget that he or his kind will no longer silence victims of sexual violence.

More information about the organization PAVE can be found at www.pavingtheway.net

Below is a list of cities in which protests are being organized and contact emails for information.

Austin, TX
Travis County Courthouse
Contact: jbombra@yahoo.com and aaorchard@yahoo.com

Arlington Heights, IL
Cook County Courthouse
Contact: Radhika - radhika0326@yahoo.com

Brooklyn, NY
Contact: Kaitlin - kaitlin.hammond@gmail.com

Champaign-Urbana, IL
Champaign County Courthouse
Contact: hillj@awomansfund.org or call 217-355-5214

Chicago, IL
Daley Plaza, 50 W Washington St
Contact: rallyagainstrape@yahoo.com

Glendale, CA
Contact: Nelson Nio - nnio@shieldselfdefense.com

Lincoln, NE
Judicial Law Center, City/County Building
Contact: Lee - 402.310.4113 - leerussellheerten@gmail.com

Ohama, NE
Douglas County Courthouse
Contact: Cynthia - 402-714-5690 - cynthiapetrovich@cox.net

Madison, WI
Contact: rallyagainstrape@yahoo.com

Phoenix, AZ
Contact: Joy - joy.pave.az@hotmail.com

Salt Lake City, UT
Contact: Victoria - vscaduto@ucasa.org - 801.746.0404

Springfield, IL
Contact: Libby - 217-753-4117 - lshawgo@icasa.org

Washington DC
Supreme Court
Contact: rallyagainstrape@yahoo.com

(1)http://www.cnn.com/2007/US/07/13/censored.trial.ap/index.html