After 12 Arrests

After 12 Arrests - Allowed to "Walk" inside Federal Building

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE Syracuse, New York (Mar 3, 2000) - After 12 arrests in the last two months involving charges ranging from trespass to criminal contempt and spending 32 days in jail, John Murtari has gotten his "wish" - the right to quietly carry a picture of his son inside the Hanley Federal Building asking for National Family Law Reform. He plans on continuing his efforts today and next week and hopes to get more people involved.

Yesterday, March 2nd, he returned to the building fully expecting to be arrested - as he has been so many times before. In a surprise he was greeted by three other parents from the local area (two business people and an attorney), who are aware of his cause and wanted to demonstrate support by witnessing his arrest. To the surprise of all, Murtari was allowed to enter the building, proceed to the 8th Floor, and walk for two hours without any incident. A member of building security told him he would be left alone as long as he didn't try to do anything in the first floor lobby area. After the event, Murtari contact his assigned counsel, Mr. Chuck Keller from Hiscock Legal Aid to ask if the order barring him from "protesting" had been lifted. The attorney said no, but did indicate that perhaps the DA and local authorities had decided to allow his efforts. The local Congressman's office had also intervened with City Judge Higgins.

Murtari's peaceful and pleasant persistence made it a difficult case to prosecute. John Murtari is a resident of Baldwinsville (a native of Lyons, NY) and a former Air Force Pilot and Academy Graduate. He is the founder of the Internet based group Kids-Right.Org, recognized as a Human Rights groups by the editors of Yahoo. Made up of both mothers & fathers, they would like to see Congressional hearings into Family Law Reform and passage of the Family Rights Act.

The solution the group recommends to this would involve giving the parent/child relationship the same Constitutional protections offered most criminals -- the Jury. The web site highlights the philosophy and experience of both Mahatma Gandhi and Martin Luther King, two great practitioners of Civil Disobedience, who practiced a style which showed respect and love for your opponent, while demonstrating your own belief through personal Non-Violent Action.

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Background:

For more information check the web site, http://www.kids-right.org/protest_dm.htm, or contact: webmaster@kids-right.org (there are video clips of the last protest available).Murtari's office can be reached at 315-635-1968,x-211 A spokesperson for the Kids-Right group, Mary Chancellor (Tennessee), can be reached at: 423-326-0585

Text of a recent front page story in the Wayne County Courier Gazette can be seen at: http://www.kids-right.org/gaz-lo.gif

The February Issue of the Yahoo Internet Life Magazine also had an article regarding the Kids-Right.Org web site.