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Hi folks, I made it safely to Greeley, Colorado. Safely in the hotel last night, I crashed early after the flight and drive here.
Today is going to be spent preparing for the Angie Zapata trial:
- This morning I check in at the courthouse to make sure my press credentials are all in line, and that I’ll be able to use my laptop in the courtroom to tweet on http://twitter.com/justiceforangie.- I’m meeting with my point of contact from the Colorado Anti-Violence Program later this morning. We’re going to go over the trial, no double, and get his help finding the affidavit of Allen Ray Andrade, the admitted killer of Angie Zapata, to review before the trial.
- Go to the bank. ProgressNow Colorado is graciously covering expenses while I’m here in Greeley. I met my point of contact at their offices yesterday, and I need to deposit the expense check while I have time to do so today.
My point of contact there also reminded me ProgressNow Colorado was the same location where the Blogger Tent was located during the Democratic National Convention — the tent was set up in their parking lot. In fact, she and I talked over lunch at a restaurant that Pam and Radical Russ ate at together while at the convention.
- Set up the satellite card. I’m using the hotel WiFi at the moment, but I’ll need the other internet card working by tomorrow — can’t tweet without it.
- Resting. Travelling for me grows more difficult for me as I get older, so taking as much of a break as possible today.
Tomorrow the trial begins, and I’ll be in the courtroom. And at 6 PM, local time, there is going to be a vigil for Angie by the courthouse that I’ll be there to cover. Then, I’ll need to write up a piece recapping the trial happenings and the vigil when I get “home” to the hotel. Tomorrow is going to be a really, really long day, but that really is okay. Angie Zapata was just an 18-year old, very young woman — a girl in my mind — going out on a date when she was killed. Working hard to remind folks that Angie was a human being who didn’t deserve to be violently and brutally murdered will be worth the long, hard hours.
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{{{{{}}}}}I was there for but one day of the (second) Araujo trial. I can only imagine how emotional the entirety of this one will be.
Kat sends you – and all who will be there covering it – hugs.
Looking forward to your coverage Autumn!Thanks for shining your light in a place where it needs to be shined.
Good luck this week, AutumnSending lots of love and support…
the Twitter feed widget is upAnd it is in the left hand column, following the #zapata hash tag, so you can follow trial Tweets in real time on the Blend.
Thanks for covering the trialSenseless killing caused by hate hurts us all. You’ve blogged about fear for safety while on the road. I appreciate your courage and determination to see this story through. For Angie…
Thanks Autumn for bringing an attentive and wise ear to the proceedings!Hi Autumn,
I’m so glad you are covering this — I look forward so much to your work on the case. Don’t forget to shout out to your blogsphere when you need some support!!
The fact that you are covering this is already, I’m sure, going to make it a better proceeding. Justice for Angie.
glad you got there safeWe are very much looking forward to your coverage Autumn!
Random Question:Does Allen Andrade have private counsel? I’ve been reading all kinds of nasty stuff about the various trans-panic tactics that the defense may use, and I’m really curious to hear whether tax dollars are going to make those arguments. I’m assuming/hoping not. Don’t get me wrong, I think this country needs a better system for providing legal protection for folks who can’t afford a lawyer. I just abhor panic defenses. Do any of the legal experts out there know if public defenders have every used gay/trans panic defenses?
Also Autumn, thanks for being in Greeley.
Contact me……we need to agrage that interview for next weekend’s Trans-Ponder podcast.
Stay tuned……what I don’t know I’ll know soon.
Seriously, this is exactly the kind of stuff that will be included in the JusticeForAngie tweets. The feed is up on PHB, so you can keep up there, or see all the tweets on JusticeForAngie twitter page.
I added more feedsto the widget. You can now follow the trial-related tweets, the hash tag #zapata, and all of the related Blend posts in the left sidebar.
Thank YouThank you for travelling to northern Colorado. I did not have an opportunity to talk with you, but want you to know that I appreciate your presence here. It saddens me that the same night we hold a vigil remembering Angie is the same night I find out about another death in Fayetteville.
These murders, as many readers already know, are as senseless as they are brutal. Yet, we persist in remembering our dead and living our lives. Thank you for being a part of the northern Colorado community, if only for a short while. As someone who works at a nearby university, it is encouraging to know that my students can know that people across the country are watching, remembering, and educating.
I attended the vigil for many reasons. However, one of the foremost reasons I attended was to support the family and friends of Angie, and to support the Greeley community. I attended because Angie’s death affected me in ways I am still unraveling, and because every person our communities lose is one more voice stolen too soon, too brutally, too thoughtlessly. I am uncertain what if there is a magic number of deaths we have to arrive before this indifference to human life ceases; however, I am sure that one was too many in my book.
Thank you again.