Defense Attorney Scales, in his closing argument, emphasized the "willful" element of the charge. "Impeding of traffic must be willful," he said, citing a case law that he said he had discovered at 6:30 a.m. the day of the trial. "The Defendant must intend to impede traffic".If you find that she did not willfully impede traffic, you must find her not guilty."
"Lisa Landis did not want to get arrested. She did not participate in civil disobedience. She was trying to observe the expression of free speech engaged in by the marchers. "Ms. Landis is a citizen journalist, sympathetic to the movement. She was totally caught off guard when she was arrested. Not at the event, but days later. If we allow our police to do that, when are they coming after the rest of us?"
At 11:30 a.m. on June 7, 2012, twelve jurors in Buncombe County Superior Court returned a not guilty verdict for citizen journalist Lisa Landis. Homefree! Justice was served today in Buncombe County.
Landis says she will file a civil suit for false arrest and three false charges.
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