Trial of the Chicago Seven was a circus

1972 The Chicago Seven Trial (USA): The Seventh Circuit Court of Appeals reversed the convictions of Abbie Hoffman, Jerry Rubin, David Dellinger, Rennie Davis and Tom Hayden. (Originally the Chicago Eight, they also included John Froines, Lee Weiner and Bobby Seale. When Black Panther Seale misbehaved, Judge Julius Hoffman separated him from the trial, leaving 'Seven'.)

The trial had been characterized by a politically charged atmosphere, and the theatrics of the defendants: Hoffman and Rubin dressed in American Revolution uniforms; Seale bound and gagged under Judge Hoffman’s order; poet Allen Ginsberg bellowing "Hare Krishna" from the witness stand. Testimonies were also given by a variety of witnesses, such as psychonaut Dr Timothy Leary, singer-songwriters Phil Ochs, Arlo Guthrie and Judy Collins, comedian Dick Gregory, Chicago mayor Richard Daley, author Norman Mailer, and cleric and activist Jesse Jackson. The trial was a circus, because that is what the Yippie (Youth International Party) leaders had decided to make it ...

Categories: yippie, law, legal, usa