On August 5th at approximately 1:30 PM, Chicago Police and ATF agents stopped Aaron Patterson and a friend Shawn Samuels while driving down the Bishop Ford Expressway. With guns drawn, Aaron and Shawn were told to "Get the f--ck out of the car, or well shoot your f--cking brains out!" according to Samuels, not charged.

Community activist, former death row inmate and police torture victim, Aaron Patterson was arraigned on Friday August 6 along with another friend arrested separately, Mark Manney. Also arrested, but in hospital with heart condition is Isaiah Kitchen. Police charged the three with eight offenses, mostly against Aaron, which would put him away for life with no chance of parole.

In a startling turn of events, when asked if he understood the charges, Aaron stated, "There is a farce going on here. For the record [...] myself and a group of videographers, producers and journalists have done a study and documented that this system is corrupt. We knew exactly what was going on... [ read more | UPDATE: Patterson Denied Bail, Held in Solitary Confinement ]

Related Stories:
8/6 Arraignment Hearing Update by Dorina Prisacaru | 8/6 Update by T. Smith | 8/6 Breaking News Article by Andy Thayer

Links:
October 22nd Coalition
ALIVE- Coalition to Abolish the Death Penalty
Other Press

Past CIMC Stories: Jan 14 2002 Release