From the “Essex Eight”

July 20, 2018
For Immediate Release
Contacts: Eric Lerner (English) [email protected] 908-546-7654
Jay Arena (Spanish) [email protected] 973-220-5060

Newark Municipal Court Judge Ashley Gibbons dismissed all charges against five of the “Essex Eight” protestors this morning. The five, Jay Arena, Mary Rizzo, Whitney Strub (all from Newark), Eric Lerner (Warren), and Yael Webber (Montclair) were among the eight people arrested June 29 by the Essex County Sheriff’s Office during a protest demanding the end of Essex County’s contract to hold immigrant detainees for ICE. However, at a hearing this morning the Municipal prosecutor, Stephanie Range, declined to prosecute the charges and recommended dismissal. Judge Gibbons agreed, saying that the defendants were exercising their First Amendment rights and dismissed the cases. The records of the arrests will be expunged. Three other protestors will have hearings at a later date. “We expect these cases to be dismissed as well,” said Mr. Lerner. “We will continue to demand that Essex County close the concentration camp they run for ICE. There will be no business as usual for Essex County as long as they do business with ICE.”