Last July 4 a protester scaled the Statue of Liberty and was the focus of national media attention until she was arrested by police officers who climbed up there to get her. She was protesting Trump’s immigration policies.
Well she just had her day in court yesterday and it didn’t go her way at all, as the judge convicted her on ALL COUNTS.
When sentenced, she could end up serving 1.5 years in prison:
NY POST – A woman who took the Statue of Liberty hostage on the Fourth of July to protest the separation of families at the Mexican border has been convicted on all counts by a Manhattan federal judge.
Therese “Patricia” Okoumou, who scaled the base of the national icon, causing the evacuation of the statue and Liberty Island on one of the attraction’s busiest days of the year, was convicted on three misdemeanor charges that could send her to jail for up to 1½ years.
Judge Gabriel Gorenstein on Monday found Okoumou guilty of trespassing, disorderly conduct and interfering with government functions, following a one-day bench trial that saw Okoumou crying on the witness stand.
“I had been destroyed by the plight of our broken immigration system,” the former personal trainer testified as she recalled her motivation for the 24-foot climb to the feet of Lady Liberty.
Gorenstein said he could not give Okoumou a pass simply because she claims that scaling the wall in protest of Trump’s immigration policies was an act of conscience.
The judge cited Sir Thomas More’s discussion in “A Man for All Seasons” about breaking laws to get to the devil. “And when the last law was down, and the Devil turned round on you — where would you hide?,” the famous Catholic adviser to King Henry VIII retorted in the film.
“I think the defendant’s lawyers know that if I took them up on that invitation, none of us is protected by the law,” the judge said.
It’s taken nearly 6 months, but it’s good to see her get what she deserved. After all, she didn’t just shut down the island and force tourists to evacuate, but she put the lives of these law enforcement officers in jeopardy by pulling this ridiculous stunt.
And as a side note, guess who one of her advisors were in court? Michael Avenatti. He said “the verdict today was not surprising in light of the letter of the law, but sometimes you have to stand on principle”, according to the NY Post. It’s no wonder she was convicted on all counts!