First step forward in Randy Means trial
Posted by Matt Yonke on Monday, May 4th, 2009
Today was stalwart activist Randy Means' court date for his wrongful arrest for "disturbing the peace" at Planned Parenthood. You can read all about how he was arrested for merely preaching the gospel to Planned Parenthood employees in my previous post on the story.
Today Randy and attorney Peter Breen of the Thomas More Society Pro-Life Law Center, Chicago, appeared before the judge to plead "not guilty" and set a date for trial. The date was set for Monday, June 22 at 1 p.m.
Randy was upbeat and positive about the whole affair, knowing he did nothing wrong and happy for the opportunity to be dragged to court for the sake of the Gospel. Several pro-lifers came out to support Randy in the vestibule during the brief court appearance, some even came from as far as Chicago.
Stay tuned here for more updates on Randy's case as it progresses.
Randy would get more support if he took down the dead baby photos. On Friday he was having a discussion with a lady who lives in the neighborhood who was walking to Dominicks with her child in a stroller. Randy had the nerve to ask a woman who has lived in the area for years to change her route because she didn't want her 2 year old to see the enormous dead photo. That lady lost a baby 2 years ago. Randy you are not a nice person. I saw the whole thing while I was on break. Perhaps you should bring those signs to court. You have been disturbing our peace now for 2 years.
May 9th, 2009 at 8:15 am
"SING A LITTLE LOUDER"
by Penny Lea
I lived in Germany during the Nazi holocaust.I considered my-self a Christian. I attended Church since I was a small boy. We had heard the stories of what was happening to the Jews, but like most people today in this country, we tried to distance ourselves from the reality of what was really taking place. What could anyone do to stop it?
"A railroad track ran behind our small church, and each Sunday morning we would hear the whistle from the distance and then the clacking of the wheels moving over the track. We became disturbed when one Sunday we noticed cries coming from the train as it passed by. We grimly realized that the train was carry-ing Jews. They were like cattle in those cars!
"Week after week that train whistle would blow. We would dread to hear the sound of those old wheels because we knew that the Jews would begin to cry to us as they passed our church. It was so terribly disturbing! We could do nothing to help these poor miserable people, yet their screams tormented us. We knew exactly at what time that whistle would blow, and we decided the only way to keep from being so disturbed by the cries was to start singing our hymns. By the time the train came rumbling past the church yard, we were singing at the top of our voices. If some of the screams reached our ears, we'd just sing a little louder until we could hear them no more. Years passed and no one talks about it much anymore, but I still hear that train whistle in my sleep. I can still hear them crying out for help. G-d forgive all of us who called ourselves Christians, yet did nothing to intervene."
L.J. I hope this gives you pause.
The signs are disturbing.
That's the whole point. Randy you have my support.
God Bless you.
May 9th, 2009 at 9:56 am
LJ, you say that Randy was having "a discussion" with a local woman. I think that's an important point: he wasn't screaming, he wasn't throwing rocks at her–he was calmly talking with her about why he's there. To me, telling someone the truth (what abortion does to babies) in a calm, rational manner is very nice!
If that woman is suffering emotionally from the loss of a child, I hope you will encourage her to attend a Project Rachel retreat. They aren't just for women who have aborted babies, but they're for all women who have lost children. If seeing these murdered babies hurts her, she needs to seek healing.
May 11th, 2009 at 6:44 pm
LJ: Thanks for the opportunity to address the matter of the graphic sign. Interestingly, you leave out some key facts, and make up a few as you go along.
First, the sign was not being displayed at the time. Leaving that fact out dismisses the other pro-life activity that Randy engages in: offering women literature on places where they might find better care. Be sure to not cast Randy in a positive light!
Second, the woman with the stroller initiated the conversation, saying she passes by frequently and does not want to change her route. Instead, she wanted the sign to go away, never mind Randy's and others First Amendment rights. When it was suggested to her that the sign is there because the mayor and others allowed PP to locate there in her neighborhood without public hearings, it did not matter. It is all the fault of those trying to bring attention to the utter depravity and violence of abortion. Oddly, this did not seem to trouble the woman, who claimed she was pro-life. It is the worse kind of apathy…to know a horrible thing is occuring, but to protest it, well–not in MY neighborhood!
Third, you say Randy is not a nice man, but you fail to mention that it was the woman with the stroller who was not the nice person, as she quickly descended into a barrage of "F" bombs, while Randy did not reciprocate in kind.
Of course, for many people it is the pro-lifers who are always the "bad guys". And in their desire to make sure pro-lifers are continued to be portrayed as such, the truth often takes a back seat by media types and others who have a pro-abortion agenda.
Finally, you said you saw the whole thing while you were on break. From what vantage point? I was there and saw no one from PP outside at the time. Maybe that woman with the stroller is you.
May 11th, 2009 at 9:34 pm
Thanks Jerry N. for exposing the lies being told on Randy. The scriptures tell us that "Satan is the father of lies" and it is always his nature to lie. Indeed "Satan comes to lie, kill and destroy, Jesus comes to bring us LIFE, and that more abundantly".
This woman's anger is indeed misplaced as she gives a pass to PP, the lying mayor, the city officials, the aldermen, the zoning board, the city attorneys, the state officials who initially snuck PP into Aurora and called off a full investigation by the mayor, the corrupt city and state government and the fact that they brought a death camp that mutilates innocent unborn babies into her neighborhood without a community hearing. PP lies and so do a lot of people including L J.
May 13th, 2009 at 10:11 am
Jerry I work in a store nearby. Not at PP. The last thing I need is you people protesting me. If Randy's goal was to be called the "boogey man" by the neighborhood kids well he has accomplished that. Also to tell a lady who lives in the area to change her route because she is going to the store with her kid that is a bit rough dont' you think. Lastly it was signs she had a problem with. It was Randy's signs. If Randy had a general sign like most of you do then there would never be an issue. I will Randy luck in court but your beef is with the city not with the shopkeepers and residents of this fine city. John 3-16
May 13th, 2009 at 12:24 pm
LJ: It is a physical impossibility to be standing at Dominicks or Blockbuster and to have known and understood what what being discussed. If you heard of the content of the conversation second hand, which is the only way you could have known about the conversation if you are not stroller lady, you should have said so. Instead, you presented yourself as a reliable witness when in fact you have only heard one side of the conversation. It seems you were more interested in dissing Randy, than in presenting a balanced account.
Neither is our "beef" with the "shopkeepers and residents" and I think you know that. You completely misrepresent the purpose of the signage. There is one problem and one problem only: the presence of a facility that kills unborn children. I repeat, they kill unborn children! Can we, indeed SHOULD we ever stop giving witness to this reality and still live with ourselves? Can we blithely drive by and pretend this is not happening, or worse, know it is happening but attempt to silence one of the most effective means of communicating the depravity of the carnage occuring within a hundred feet or so of the sign?
You also did not mention that Randy told stroller lady a woman thanked him for saving her from aborting her baby after she saw the sign. That, of course, would contradict the main thrust of your complaint, which is that the sign is counter-productive.
And what of the other unhealthy practices PP promotes? Is it good for young women, and especially pubescent youngsters, be given mega-dosages of hormones to prevent and/or terminate pregnancies? And what about the persuasive Planned Parenthood "teenwire" web site offerings which entice our youngsters to experiment with things that are beyond their means to handle maturely?
And, if that isn't enough, Planned Parenthood is beholden to the philosophy of it's founder, Margaret Sanger, which means that as an organization they embrace her promotion of sexual libertinism–the very antithesis of Christian family life and personal virtue.
Fine neighbors these: first they encourage sexual liberties, then they provide the means to experiment by reducing the chances of pregnancy, and if all else fails, they provide the final solution–an abortion. Sadly, when it is too late, many women find abortion is the worse thing that ever happened to them, bar none!
I would suggest a re-reading of s.fane's contribution above. If only a few people had the ability to stand outside the death camps and crematoriums of World War II Germany with graphic signs showing the reality of human suffering and maltreatment inside, might it have changed the course of history? My bet is that it would have. But of course, the propaganda ministers and brutal Nazi authorities would never have allowed these displays to have occured, lest the powerful message they contained expose the truth.
These graphic signs of aborted babies expose the truth, they are effective, and the truth hurts. And it is the truth that will set us free.
May 13th, 2009 at 10:07 pm
Jerry,
Thanks for the clear articulation.
LJ,
John 14:6-7
God Bless,
Roger
May 14th, 2009 at 8:20 am
Well, it doesn't really matter who has a "beef" with who. The Mayor who is in charge of bring in the clinic sailed into victory. That tells me that sadly, people really don't care. That is a disappointment to me.
May 14th, 2009 at 9:21 am
"people really don't care"
If so, could we be in for a significant amount of "vomiting"?
May 14th, 2009 at 10:26 am
JerryN,
I wish you nothing but peace and harmony and best of luck this weekend at ND. As a 300 lb african american catholic I hope it goes well. You forget one thing, that stroller lady is a regular customer of my store. I could have been smoking (a vice I can't seem to stop)anywhere in a car, walking behind Dominicks. There are many spots and trust me if I want to be seen you will see me. God Bless Notre Dame.
May 16th, 2009 at 9:37 pm
Slip of the finger, lost wht I had just written.
June 22nd, 2009 at 7:00 pm
Got a call from Tom Brejcha last night requestin my presence in court at the 9am court call. His plan was to ask for a continuance to further research the case. Between the judge, prosecutor, Tom B. & myself quite a considerable conversation took place. Tom B. made a formal request for Planned Parenthood's audio/video recordings of the incident in question explaining he needed them to be able to mount a proper defense. There will be a status hearing 7/6 at 9am, my understanding is that is when he will be let know about the recordings just mentioned. Believe August 22 or 26 had been set for trial date. A request was made for a jury trial. Something Tom B. mentioned was that he had intent to see this case through, even if that meant appealing a bad judgement. Randy
June 22nd, 2009 at 7:16 pm
I have to wonder why he didn't ask for a continuance earlier?
June 23rd, 2009 at 4:29 pm
Sure pays to have legal counsel! The line for court call was about 50 people long this morning (7/6). Mr. Breen and his associate (Tyson, I believe) were able to circumvent the long line and check in when they wished. We were second before the bench from what I observed. On the previous date Tome B. made a formal request for the video/audio recordings from Planned Parenthood from the time in question. As of this morning they have provided nothihng, resting thier case on the complaint by a Miss Laura Castelton (PP). Next date is 7/27, still in the discovery/status mode. My understanding is that at that time they will review discovery, as well as make objections, and that the jury trial will be sometime this fall. My understanding is that pre-trail will be in Aurora, jury trial maybe in Geneva. Both attorneys seemed enthusiastic about the case.
P. S. Mr. Breen has intentions of running for State Representative next election.
July 6th, 2009 at 11:04 am
7/27
July 27th, 2009 at 2:33 pm
7/27 Able to skip the long line once again this morning. As had been requested, Peter B. was supplied by the city with the recorded 911 call of the day in question. Tommorrow there will be a deposition at, of, or both, of Planned Parenthood. This is where the audio/video recording will be in supplied, or viewed, if such exists. Next court date will be 10/19 at 9am. Not sure if this is it, ( {10/19} don't believe it is yet, still a status hearing ) but the pretrial will be here in Aurora. The actual jury trial will be held in Geneva.
July 27th, 2009 at 2:46 pm
ON TOPIC!!!
7/27/09 was the last posting!…..Is 10/19/09 still the date of any new "development(s)"?
October 14th, 2009 at 8:43 am
RE: “disorderly conduct” (me, not those putting innocent children to death)
I arrived quite early to avoid the rush, more so just to be there in time to pray & collect my thoughts. Got a call from Mr. Breen to assure me he was on the way, or maybe he was just checking to be sure I hadn’t forgotten. As the long check in line came close to the end, I approached the gal to assure her I was here. My name was not on the list and she suggested I call my attorney. When I called Peter was already in the parking lot getting his files out of the car.
Mr. Breen straightened out the no name stuff in short order. Shortly later he had me walk outside to tell me the case had been dismissed. They did however attach a leave to reinstate. Peter told me he will work on clarifying that for me. Mr. Breen also mentioned that the dismissal may have had something to do with being in settlement talks concerning the 1st amendment case which has been ongoing, that possibly the city wants to look as if they are trying to clean up their act.
I will have a need to “behave” myself until this possibility to reinstate the case has been lifted. Probably the two or three weeks needed to settle the other case.
Randy
October 19th, 2009 at 8:52 pm
I, for one, (for what it's worth), am with you, (with prayers), RANDY!
October 19th, 2009 at 9:30 pm
The dismissal is great news, Randy! Truth will always win in the end.
October 23rd, 2009 at 8:40 pm