Plaintiffs in lawsuit allege they were terrorized for more than 90 minutes as at least 40 vehicles encircled the bus

Plaintiffs in lawsuit allege they were terrorized for more than 90 minutes as at least 40 vehicles encircled the bus

A jury trial opening in Austin, Texas, on Monday will seek to hold Trump supporters accountable for allegedly ambushing a Joe Biden-Kamala Harris campaign bus on the state’s main highway in the run-up to the 2020 presidential election.

Plaintiffs in the lawsuit allege they were terrorised and intimidated for more than 90 minutes as they took a bus tour canvassing for the Democratic ticket in the final days of the election.

At least 40 vehicles flying Make America great again flags formed themselves into a so-called “Trump Train” and encircled the bus, trying to run it off the road and playing what the suit claims was a “madcap game of highway ‘chicken’”.

The plaintiffs, who include the bus driver, a Biden campaign staffer and Wendy Davis, the former Texas senator and Democratic gubernatorial candidate, say they were forced to cancel campaign events for fear that the intimidation would be repeated. They are pursuing punitive damages under both Texas law and the Ku Klux Klan Act of 1871, a federal statute from the Reconstruction period designed to end political violence and voter intimidation.

  • givesomefucks@lemmy.worldEnglish
    215·
    2 months ago

    Huh?

    This is how our justice system works…

    If you can’t afford bail, you’re locked up for a year or two easily pending trial. Which makes even innocent people take plea agreements.

    Plea agreements are a lot better for DAs and prosecutors, they do t have to prove anyone is guilty, just keep arresting poor people who dont have this large network of idiots that will pay their bail. When something does go to trial, it takes years.

    If you’re surprised about this, you need to learn more about our justice system and how it actually works.

    Fair warning tho, it’s gonna be depressing

        • Melllvar@startrek.websiteEnglish
          132·
          2 months ago

          No it’s not. There’s no bail, for example, and no plea bargaining in civil cases; jail time isn’t on the table, the district attorney isn’t involved, the standard of evidence is lower, and the rules of procedure are different.

          • njm1314@lemmy.world
            13·
            2 months ago

            And yet like they said the reality is still the same. The less wealthy individual always have a massive disadvantage. Things will be stretched out, they’ll be massive fees, and massive hurdles to overcome. Our court systems are designed to favor the wealthy and the well connected.