<Begin Segment 20>

FA: These editorials... I'll just cut to the trial. Omura is arrested along with the seven members of the Fair Play Committee, Cheyenne Wyoming, November... [interruption] Just tell me the short version of Jimmie Omura's being arrested. Why was Jimmie Omura arrested along with members of the Fair Play Committee?

AH: Because they felt that he was involved in a conspiracy with them in order to be able to frustrate the operations of the Selective Service Act.

FA: At... oh, Jesus. At the trial of the Fair Play Committee and Jimmie Omura in Cheyenne, tell me about the trial.

[Interruption]

AH: For strategic reasons, the trial was bifurcated so that Jimmie Omura had his lawyer and his case, and the draft resisters had, leaders, had their lawyer and their situation. There was no acknowledgement of the fact that they had ever colluded, and this was independent decisions that they had reached. One in camp, one outside camp, etcetera. Jimmie Omura had a good case as an editorial spokesperson, freedom of the press. And this is what he pursued and he got exonerated on that grounds. The draft resister leaders did not have freedom of the press as one of their concerns for their own case. But he got exonerated and they didn't, but he suffered a lot before that because he was arrested and he was put into jails and penitentiaries and his reputation was impugned and he went through a lot of agony, he was separated from his family. I mean, so even on a false sort of basis he still had this experience.

<End Segment 20> - Copyright © 1998, 2005 Frank Abe and Densho. All Rights Reserved.