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Hi John,
Paul here. I serve as DxE’s primary graphic designer and as the lead of our protest team, but I’m likely better known for facing felony charges for some of DxE’s highest profile open rescues.
While the organizing and conducting of protests have their own ups and downs, nothing quite compares to the rollercoaster of being a felony defendant and going on trial to defend the Right to Rescue. In 2022, a jury in rural Utah acquitted me for the rescue of two piglets Lily and Lizzie. Though ecstatic for our win, I still had more charges pending.
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Let me take you to March 8th, 2024. It was ten days before I was set to go to trial for the open rescue of three beagles from Ridglan Farms, a horrendous breeding and research facility in Wisconsin. I was in full trial preparation mode, working with our legal team to craft compelling arguments, prepare witnesses, and compile evidence, and full personal preparation mode. By then, I had reduced my belongings to close to nothing in case I went to prison.
But in the early morning hours of that day, a heavy knock at the door got me out of the bed. An activist friend of mine told me the judge had just dismissed the case at the request of Ridglan Farms. At first, I didn’t even understand what was happening. It was ten days before trial. I had been a felony defendant in one case or another for six years , feeling like I was suspended in the air and watched by the state. And now, that was all over.
I immediately felt a sense of relief: My mom would be ecstatic to hear the news, there would be no more grueling court proceedings, and I would not be going to prison. Abruptly, the injustice of it all came into focus and a rush of anger set in. *I was more than ready to have a jury of my peers hear about the criminal cruelty of Ridglan Farms and the legal and moral bases for rescuing animals. Now, we would not have that opportunity.*
My co-defendants and I were in agreement that too much was at stake to call it quits. While I was busy scrambling to design a “breaking news” image to share with the world and provide interviews for the press, we objected to the judge's motion of dismissal, demanding to go to trial, but the judge didn’t accept.
I hopped on an emergency call with the rest of the team to discuss what to do next. We knew we had no choice but to keep the pressure on Ridglan, so we decided that we would continue on with our plans to travel to Wisconsin.
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I switched from felony defendant role to protest organizer role and started to help plan a week of action.
Our protests and vigils in Wisconsin garnered positive media attention and we delivered a new complaint about Ridglan Farms to the District Attorney’s office. When we got no response, we filed a petition requesting that a judge appoint a special prosecutor to prosecute them. *This October, the judge held an evidentiary hearing where brave whistleblowers and veterinarians testified about the rampant cruelty at Ridglan Farms.
* And now, cautiously optimistic, I await the judge’s decision.
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I hope 2025 will be the year that Ridglan Farms is finally held accountable for their crimes against animals, and that they will be the next domino to fall in the fight against animal testing. Progress can feel slow, but all around me I see evidence of change. This year, Richmond became the 4th city in California to pass a resolution in support of the Right to Rescue, the Associated Students of the University of California did the same, and Harvard Law Review, the most prestigious law review publication, published an article in support.
*I am still angry that I didn’t have a chance to stand trial to defend the rescue of Julie, Lucy, and Anna, but I know that Ridglan Farms wanted those charges dropped because they saw the writing on the wall. The public is waking up.*
*With your support, we can keep this momentum going. There are only two days left to have your donation doubled and help us reach our fundraising goal. Please consider making a donation today.* ( [link removed] )
My year started with felonies and ended without them, but one thing stays the same: I’m not going to stop fighting for animals. In solidarity,
Paul
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