Oct 31 2007
76-Year-Old Woman Faces Jail Time for Protesting Iraq War
GUEST: Eve Tetaz, Founder of Pathways
76-year-old Eve Tetaz is set to appear before a senior DC Superior Court Judge on four misdemeanor charges Friday. Her crime? Engaging in civil disobedience to nonviolently protest the continued war and occupation of Iraq. Tetaz says she will plead no contest to the charges, which may result in jail time. The judge may decide instead to refuse her plea, which will result in trial. Tetaz, a longtime advocate for the poor on issues of economic and social justice, also founded Life Pathways, a non-profit that helps single parents become financially independent. The 76-year-old retired public schoolteacher says that in protesting the war she was obeying a higher law which decries the crimes against humanity that take place in Iraq. Tetaz hopes that publicity around her case will galvanize people toward action, and adds that if she is sentenced to time for demonstrating in Washington DC against the war, she’ll get a chance to meet some good people in jail. Code Pink’s Gael Murphy, Reverend Lennox Yearwood of the Hip-Hop Caucus and Adam Koresh of Iraq Veterans Against the War are all scheduled to speak on Tetaz’s behalf this Friday, and her nonviolent protests against the Iraq War have become an inspiration for young and old alike.
2 Responses to “76-Year-Old Woman Faces Jail Time for Protesting Iraq War”
For Immediate Release
Senior Woman Sentenced to 7
Days for Peaceful Protests
Contact:
Malachy Kilbride, 202-841-2230
Eve Tetaz, 202-332-0599 November 2, 2007
WASHINGTON – Eve Tetaz, a retired D.C. public schoolteacher, was sentenced Friday to seven days in jail, because of her continuing protests and nonviolent resistance against the war and occupation of Iraq.
Shortly before 5 p.m., D.C. Superior Court Magistrate Judge Marisa Demeo sentenced the peace activist and Adams Morgan resident to seven days in D.C. Jail, but delayed the beginning of the sentencing period until Monday. Tetaz, 76, could not begin her sentence Friday because the court was already beginning to close at 5, and there were no longer any U.S. Marshals available to begin processing her.
“As a former teacher, I believe that a picture or simple action is worth more than a thousand words,” Tetaz said in her sentencing statement, explaining her protests on Capitol Hill and the White House. “I will continue to do what I am doing.”
Tetaz faced four charges stemming from two different protests, but government prosecutors decided to drop one charge. The peace activist plead no contest to two charges of failure to obey a lawful order and one charge of unlawful assembly incommoding. The two protests associated with the charges were a march to Capitol Hill on the day after Mother’s Day led by Cindy Sheehan and Code Pink, and the other was an action in July when Tetaz protested as the Biblical figure of Rachel mourning for her children in front of the White House.
Earlier in the day, fellow peace activists Gael Murphy of Code Pink, Rev. Lennox Yearwood with the Hip-Hop Caucus and Adam Kokesh of Iraq Veterans Against the War spoke in support of Tetaz with a few members of the media.
“Eve is drawing a line, and saying that there has to be a different way – a way of peace,” Yearwood said. “This woman is an inspiration to all of us.”
Tetaz is a member of the Church of the Savior, and founder of LifePathways, a non-profit organization committed to helping single parents establish a career in the healthcare field.
On Monday morning Tetaz will report to court, accompanied by friends, to begin her sentence.
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