Councilor Turner Press Release 11/28/08

District Office: 617-427-8100

November 28, 2008

On the picture they said “proved” his guilt.

Today Boston City Councilor Chuck Turner released his fifth press statement since his arrest a week ago as part of his defense in the court of public opinion.

Councilor Chuck Turner Continues Focus on the Boston Media’s Attempt to Find Him Guilty in the Court of Public Opinion Before He Has Been Tried By a Jury of His Peers

On Monday, November 24, I declared that since I was being tried in the media I was going to act as my own lawyer and not allow the media to destroy a reputation for integrity that I have built over the last forty five years of advocacy and defense of the right of all people for fair treatment.

On Wednesday, November 26, in front of my District Office, I began my defense by speaking about my accomplishments as a Boston City Councilor. I felt that it was essential to do that since the media has given my accomplishments little coverage during my nine years as a Councilor but while seizing every opportunity they could find to ridicule my work.

I pointed out that for nine years I have been the only Boston City Councilor to maintain an office in his district, open five days a week from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. I pointed out that the office was financed by my campaign contributions and personal funds from my wife and I that now total approximately $140,000. I also pointed out that up until my arrest there had been scant media coverage of a story that certainly should be seen as news worthy.

I also pointed out that there had been almost no coverage of the fact that Ron Wilburn, one of the three partners of the defunct Dejavu restaurant admitted that he was the US Attorney’s cooperating witness as well as pointed out that the US Attorney’s affidavit contained lies. For example, the affidavit said that he approached the FBI. He says that actually they had approached him. I asked why the media which hounded me night and day was not questioning the US Attorney regarding the revelations of his star witness.

Today, I am going to speak to the issue of the picture that was sent around the world the morning of my arrest as evidence that I extorted cash.  I literally continue to be amazed that no reporter has pointed out that the picture does not prove extortion although a recent Herald reporter hinted at that reality.

Let me be more specific.  The US Attorney’s charge is not that I accepted the alleged money from Mr. Wilburn. Cash contributions below $50 are legal. Even if the alleged money was $1000, I would be guilty of a campaign finance violation, not extortion.

Since the charge is extortion, the US Attorney will have to prove not only that I forced Mr. Wilburn to give me money to provide the service of obtaining a liquor license but also that I conducted activities specifically designed to obtain a license.  The reason that I continue to loudly and continually proclaim my innocence is that I know they can prove neither charge since neither of the alleged activities took place.

On Monday, in order to establish the issue of background and character, I will release a family history that I wrote five years ago for a book on my grandfather’s work, edited by Charles Abramson, who received his Phd from Boston University, and now is a Associate Professor of Psychology and Zoology at Oklahoma State University. The name of the book is Selected Papers and Biography of Charles Henry Turner (1867-1923), Pioneer of Comparative Animal Behavior Studies.

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