DAY 49

The FBI SAIC called for an early morning meeting in Judge Sorenson’s office.  Four union leaders, Jody Favor and Attorney Bretz were subpoenaed.  Attorney Samuels was called and asked to attend.  The meeting ended with Jody Favor and Lee Hargrove being taken out in handcuffs by the FBI.  The press was notified and were outside to report the action. The two were exposed to the indignity of the perp walk.

Jody Favor was taken first to the FBI building and then the federal courthouse to be arraigned on charges under the new labor law.  The union did not recognize her activities and declined to provide counsel.  The judge set her free on her own recognizance but local charges had already been filed by the police on local telephone harassment and terroristic threat charges.  The potential jail time for the state charges for that half minute call was over twenty five years.  It was unlikely she would spend less than a couple years behind bars but that was enough to frighten her.  She was remanded to jail pending three hundred thousand dollars bail.  The union distanced itself from her.  She quickly made her call to her lawyer.

Lee Hargrove was also arraigned on various labor law charges.  The judge issued an order prohibiting him from participating in any negotiations and contact with the striking workers or the union leaders.  His offenses were less serious and he was released with electronic monitoring after posting fifty thousand dollars bail.  There was no evidence he had advocated violence so the charges were less serious.

NMU and the American Union Federation lawyers were in federal district court by one PM with motions to lift the prohibition on Lee participating in negotiations.  Their motion was denied.  By evening they had filed motions in two more courts.  Both were denied. 

Jody’s lawyer asked for a bail reduction.  She was allowed to go home with electronic monitoring after posting a bond of one hundred thousand dollars and surrendering her passport.  When the Judge set the bail he advised her that any action on her part to attempt to intimidate or have someone else intimidate witnesses could result in her bail being revoked.  

Attorney Bretz met privately with the remaining union leaders.  “I told you guys to not do anything like that.  I can be disbarred for it and you can be jailed.  I got my ass chewed by the judge because he didn’t believe I didn’t know anything about this.  If he knew exactly what happened I might be up for contempt and possibly be the target of a disbarment action.  Now get this straight.  One more thing like this and I go to the judge and tell him what is going on.  I can’t take the risk.  Attorney client privilege doesn’t cut it if I am participating in illegal activity with you.  Do you understand that?”