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April 2007

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Charges Against Vermont Peace Activist Dropped

By Daniel Borgström
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R osemarie Jackowski is a 69year-old grandmother, former schoolteacher, Air Force veteran, and active member of Veterans for Peace who was arrested at a peace demonstration in March 2003. A year and a half later she was finally tried and convicted. She faced two months in jail and a $500 fine. When the conviction was eventually overturned by the Vermont Supreme Court in the fall of 2006, it looked like she’d won. However, the prosecuting attorney announced plans to try her again. 

Undaunted, Jackowski took up that next challenge. “I’m very willing and ready to go to trial again,” Jackowski told the Bennington Banner . “It will be much more easy for me this time. I will have experience at being a defendant in a criminal trial,” she said. “I don’t believe that I am guilty of anything.” Her supposed “crime” was taking part in a peaceful demonstration that blocked traffic for 15 minutes in downtown Bennington. Her act of resistance consisted of standing in silence while bowing her head and holding a protest sign on the first day of the “shock and awe” bombing in Iraq. 

During her four-year trial, Jackowski continued her efforts as a peace activist and advocate journalist. She spoke to groups and wrote for websites. She also ran for attorney general on a thirdparty ticket and received 10,299 votes. 

One result of all this was an ongoing series of articles in Vermont newspapers as well as letters to the editors. Her story was also told by supporters and posted on independent media sites. The publicity generated more interest. “Meet the anti-war movement’s newest folk hero,” read an Associated Press article published in over 80 newspapers across the country and around the world last December. 

William D. Wright, the Bennington County State’s Attorney, had clearly gotten himself into a no-win situation, but he insisted on going ahead with the retrial. Perhaps he couldn’t see his mistake, but others did. A letter in the Rutland Herald read, “If it hadn’t been for these trials, most of us would never have heard of Rosemarie Jackowski. So maybe in a perverse sort of way the state’s attorney is doing a good service.” 

When Wright retired at the end of January, the new prosecutor, seeing the perils involved in promoting more publicity for Jackowski, immediately dropped the charges. In an editorial titled “Good Move,” the conservative Bennington Banner called the new prosecutor’s decision “both expected and welcome.” The newspaper was no supporter of Jackowski, but it was extremely relieved to see the end of “what was threatening to become a long-running soap opera that essentially would waste the court’s time.” 

Rosemarie Jackowski hung in there for nearly four years and won. She has graciously thanked her many supporters, some from as far away as China. She should also thank former prosecutor William Wright who so unwittingly added the final chapter to her victory. 
Daniel Borgström is an ex-Marine against the war. He’s part of a small group that holds a weekly peace walk around Lake Merritt in Oakland, California. He also writes about progressive events. 
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