The Peace PeopleThe Peace People and Mairead and Kevin travelled to Chicago for this trial in response to a request from the Defence lawyer, Tom Brejcha. Tom felt that Mairead's presence and testimony about what happened in Belfast in 1976 with the beginning s of the Peace People movement would help in their defence at the trial. He felt that Mairead and the Peace People did help change mindsets and in many ways contributed to creating a suitable climate for the coming about of the present Peace Process. If a group could achieve this in Belfast, then this is possible for the 'Boeing7' in Chicago who did what they did to save lives and stop the war and bombings in Iraq.
Sadly, the Judge ruled out any possibility of allowing the defence to talk about the reasons for their action. The jury were asked to just look at the fact that this group staged a 'sit-down' in the lobby of the headquarters of Boeing in Chicago in March 2003 before the war in Iraq began. They held up photographs of civilian causalties killed or mutilated by US bombs in Iraq. When asked to leave by security they refused and were eventually arrested and charged with trespassing with criminal intent. Boeing is one of the world's largest arms manufacturers, and their missiles were used in bombing innocent civilians in Iraq.
The group requested trial by jury.
Tom Brecha after a lot of deliberation eventually got the Judge's permission to allow Mairead to give character witness of the seven people on trial. He skilfully was able to bring out some of Mairead's work with the Peace People, but the Prosecution ruled it out of court.
Eventually, they were convicted and sentenced. The Judge gave lenient sentences acknowledging that these people were not criminals. Their work and service in the community was exemplary. Five were given six months probation, another 12 months. David Corcoran, a 70-year-old ex-priest and former chaplain at Loyola University Medical Centre was given one year's probation. Because he had previous convictions of trespassing on US military bases in anti-war protests, he was also sentenced to 30 days of home confinement beginning in January.
The 'Boeing 7' were mighty in their praise and thanks to Mairead for coming to speak on their behalf. While in Chicago, Mairead & Kevin also spoke at Pax Christi Parish events and local and national radio networks