Twin Cities activists in Iowa jail after being found in contempt

Star Tribune

Last update: November 17, 2009 - 10:18 PM

Two political activists from Minneapolis were jailed in Iowa Tuesday for refusing to answer questions before a federal grand jury apparently investigating a five-year-old animal-rights vandalism incident.

The activists, Carrie Feldman and Scott DeMuth, were found in contempt of court by U.S. District Judge John Jarvey and placed in custody of the U.S. Marshall's Service.

rand jury deliberations are generally secret, but the organization backing Feldman and DeMuth said they were wanted for questioning about vandalism that occurred at the University of Iowa in November 2004.

At the time, according to Earth Warriors are OK! (EWOK), "Feldman was only 15 years old and DeMuth was only 17 years old, and both were residents of the Twin Cities. However, both have more recently been involved in supporting political prisoners who were incarcerated as a result of the government's Green Scare tactics, which target animal-rights and environmental activists."

The Animal Liberation Front claimed responsibility for vandalizing two labs and three offices at the University of Iowa on Nov. 14, 2004.

Feldman and DeMuth were offered limited immunity for their testimony before the grand jury to compel them to talk, but they still refused, the Quad Cities Times reported.

That led Jarvey to find them in contempt of court; they will be held indefinitely or until they agree to testify.

Speaking to supporters outside the federal courthouse in Davenport, both activists delivered prepared statements defending actions aimed at ending what they called the exploitation of animals.

BOB VON STERNBERG