By WMBD-TV
BLOOMINGTON – Seven Illinois State University students appeared in court Wednesday afternoon accused of criminal trespassing during a pro-Palestinian campus protest in late May.
In open McLean County Court Wednesday afternoon, the attorney representing each defendant, Sheryl Weikal, submitted two subpoena requests to the judge that would challenge trespassing charges filed by McLean County prosecutors.
ISU students Steve Lazarov, 40, Jomareun Richardson, 21, Kevin Dion, 20,
Jo Boedefeld, 21 and Rebekah Mangels, 23, of Normal; Aiden Marcikic, 20, of Mundelein, Illinois; and Daniel Kimball, 20, of Little York, Illinois, face one count each of criminal trespass on state land and criminal trespass to a building. Each defendant pleaded not guilty on May 3.
Criminal trespass to state land is a Class A misdemeanor. If found guilty, the defendants could face up to a year in jail, and potentially pay a $2,500 fine. Criminal trespass to a building is a Class B misdemeanor. If guilty, they could face up to 6 months in jail or a $1,500 fine.
According to Chris Coplan, an ISU spokesperson, the defendants were notified that the building would close at a certain time and were warned if they didn’t leave.
“Additional warnings and opportunities to leave were provided to the individuals even after the building closed,” Coplan said. “After the students’ final refusal to leave the premises, seven suspensions and arrests were issued without incident.”
The protesters met with Aondover Tarhule, ISU president, earlier in the day to discuss their demands.
McLean County prosecutors argued that when the defendants met with Tarhule in his office inside Hovey Hall in early May, the defendants allegedly remained inside his office until the building closed.
Campus police were called to remove them from the hall without incident and taken to the McLean County Jail. ISU Police Chief Aaron Woodruff thanked the Normal and Bloomington police departments for their assistance with the arrests.
Weikal on Wednesday requested all relevant protests held at Hovey Hall on ISU campus grounds dating back to 1970. She argued that there may have been previous cases that were handled differently than this case. She also requested supporting documentation that could show whether Andy Morgan, assistance vice president and dean of students, is pro-Israel.
Emily Galligan, an attorney representing ISU, said in open court that going through the requested documents and previous cases attorney seems impossible and motioned to “quash” both subpoenas. T judge is also reviewing that in conjunction with reviewing the subpoenas themselves.
The judge is reviewing both Weikal’s subpoena requests and Galligan’s motion to deny. The defendants’ next court date is set for Sept. 4 at 3:30 p.m.
