The “Add the 4 Words” sentencing hearing has finally wrapped up at nearly 5:45 p.m. Boise time. Judge Michael Oths thanked all those involved – the lawyers, the defendants, the clerks, the marshals, “everybody.” He said, “Everybody’s been respectful of one another today,” adding to…
Many more people have been sentenced this afternoon, all receiving community service and court costs and some small fines for misdemeanor charges stemming from their arrests at protests at the state Capitol this year in favor of amending the Idaho Human Rights Act to ban…
Among the many people coming before the court for sentencing this afternoon for the “Add the 4 Words” protests at the state Capitol this year: Judy Cross, who was arrested five times in Add the Words protests, said her first arrest was in 1969, two…
After the break this afternoon, attorney Phillip Gordon – one of 20 lawyers who volunteered to represent the “Add the 4 Words” protesters for free after their arrests – told the court on behalf of his three clients, Salem Djembe, Deborah Graham and Dan Fink,…
After completing the first three sentencings, the court has now gone to a short recess. After former Sen. Nicole LeFavour, those sentenced so far were: Joseph Kibbe, a 35-year-old gay man who shared how he found his best friend after the friend’s suicide, and who…
Former state Sen. Nicole LeFavour, D-Boise, told the court this afternoon that she had tried everything else to get the Legislature to hear legislation banning discrimination against gays before planning this year’s protests that led to arrests. “At one point we even had Republican co-sponsors…
Jeffrey Brownson, attorney for Nicole LeFavour at the “Add the 4 Words” sentencing hearing this afternoon, said this about the protests this year: “These people throughout the legislative session were willing to put their liberty at stake, to face prosecution having no idea what the…
Judge Michael Oths has imposed a $70 fine, 70 hours of community service and court costs on former state Sen. Nicole LeFavour, D-Boise, for two misdemeanor counts of trespassing at the Idaho state Capitol during this year’s legislative session in favor of protecting gays from…
Madelynn Lee Taylor, a 74-year-old Navy veteran and one of the arrested protesters, was called next. She recounted how she and her wife have been denied permission to be buried together at the Idaho State Veterans Cemetery because Idaho doesn’t recognize same-sex marriages. She said…
Julie Zicha, whose gay son, Ryan, committed suicide, was the first witness called by the defense at the “Add the 4 Words” sentencing trial this afternoon for state Capitol protesters. Zicha said she believes it’s critical that Idaho amend its Human Rights Act to ban…
The state has now called Maj. Steve Richardson of the Idaho State Police, who oversees executive protection and capitol security for the ISP, to address the “Add the 4 Words” protests at the Capitol this year. He read a statement including these stats from this…
Prosecutor John S. Dinger began the “Add the 4 Words” sentencing hearing this afternoon by reading a statement from Idaho Senate Sergeant-at-Arms Sarah Jane McDonald. She said visitors to the Capitol are expected to “behave in a civil manner. … So what happens when visitors…
There’s a full house this afternoon for the sentencing of two dozen “Add the 4 Words” protesters at the Ada County Courthouse for offenses relating to protests at the state Capitol during this year’s legislative session in favor of adding the words “sexual orientation” and…
A look through 1st District GOP Congressman Raul Labrador’s latest campaign finance report turns up an a bit of irony: Labrador’s biggest donation - $5,000 for the reporting period and $10,000 for the election cycle to date – came from the Every Republican is Crucial…
Here’s a news item from the Associated Press: BOISE, Idaho (AP) — Sierra Sandison has become a role model for many ever since she took the Miss Idaho crown after learning to embrace her diabetes diagnosis with pride. Sandison, who was diagnosed with Type 1…
Many Idahoans who bought products containing DRAM, or dynamic random access memory chips, between 1998 and 2002 are due a refund thanks to a price-fixing settlement, according to Idaho Attorney General Lawrence Wasden, but the Aug. 1 deadline for filing claims is past approaching. DRAM…
News, happenings and more from the Idaho Legislature and the state capital.
