Garbison Court Case Verdict: Not Guilty on All Counts

It was tempting, after the events of this year, to reconsider the expressions of hospitality offered here at Cherith Brook. We refuse to succumb to that temptation! Now, more than ever, we are committed to welcoming our friends who come each day for healthy food, clean clothes and a hot shower.

We will continue to offer this address as one folks can use. Close to 100 people use Cherith Brook as their address. Having an address is a way for our homeless friends to benefit from housing and job opportunities, medical resources, parole/court correspondence, family connections, etc. Having an address is an important part, in US systems, to prove your existence, your humanity. We will continue to offer these and other expressions of welcome that don’t compute to systems of fear and oppression.

We were overwhelmed by the support at court two weeks ago. By some counts we were at 120 and by others, we were at room capacity, 150. Thank you for your ongoing support of us personally and your concern and commitment to justice in all forms.

In the end, we were found not guilty on all counts. Even with the outcome at the trial, we knew the truth. Either way, we were not defined by the verdict of this case. Instead we hope and pray that the trial exposed and shed light on the absurdity of the actions by police—the aggression and violence toward our particular community this past year and in our neighborhood.

You journeying with us—standing with us—made the trial and the past 6 months bearable for us as a family. Your solidarity with us helped us heal. Your presence with us bore witness to the strength and hope we have for change. Let’s continue to stand up for people who do not have the resources and support yet experience this kind of treatment on a regular basis.

Thank you to Jeremy Ruzich for these taking these photos and making them available to us and to you.