The Case of the Chicago Seven

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In 1968 the United States of America was participating in a violent war that some of the general public greatly disapproved of. Tension between political parties was rising and this did not help efforts with the war. Anti-war sentiment was growing in popularity amongst the younger generation; they wanted to get their voices heard. Protest and riots were occurring more frequently and growing larger in size all throughout the United States. This was the case for a certain eight Chicago men who protested peacefully. The case that followed their arrest became known as the Chicago seven trials. Originally it was the Chicago eight until one of the members, Bobby Seale, was bound and gagged in court ordered by Judge Julius Hoffman (Rubin web). This displayed one of the many mistreatments of the members of the Chicago Seven throughout the case. The case became a highly publicized spectacle throughout the nation. In retrospect the case is noted as a great injustice and an example of abusive power in the Chicago court system at the time.
The late sixties was a time of turmoil in the United States. It was a transition period between the psychedelic sixties and the revolutionary seventies. The youth of the United States was becoming increasingly aware of the politics of war, the draft and other general misuses of governmental power. With the Democratic National Convention being held in Chicago during 1968, political tensions were running high throughout the city. Numerous protests were held during the time surrounding the convention in protest of President Lyndon B. Johnson’s policies on the Vietnam War. Most notably, the group of Abbie Hoffman, Jerry Rubin, Tom Hayden, Rennie Davis, David Dillinger, John Froines, Lee Weiner and Bobby Seale...

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In the case of Abbie Hoffman, Jerry Rubin, Tom Hayden, Rennie Davis, David Dillinger, John Froines, Lee Weiner and Bobby Seale there was a great deal of injustice, however ultimately justice was served because all charges were dropped (Davis web). Although the men were protesting against a governmental war they were not attempting to incite a riot. The trial was highly publicized due to the sheer ridiculousness of the sentencing and the defendants’ reaction to the trial itself. The initial trial is significant because it shows a clear picture on how the government treated the rising counter culture of the late sixties and seventies. Ultimately the trial acts as a marker of how the justice system can be corrupt. After the arduous process of the court trial, all seven men came out of the ordeal with minor infractions and minimal jail-time.

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