The Tiger Ploughshares trial resumes today after the jury failed to come to an unanimous verdict. The jury deliberated for five hours after two days of hearings and a morning of summary statements left two jurors unconvinced of Graeme Dunstan’s guilt in charges of wilful damage of Commonwealth property.
Mr Dunstan supported pacifist Bryan Law, now deceased, in an action of disarmament in 2011 during the Talisman Saber US- Australian military exercises.
The jury had been shown footage released by Bradley Manning of a US helicopter killing civilians in Iraq. A closed military court has just demoted Mr Manning and sentenced him to 35 years and dishonorable discharge for releasing the footage – now known as the “Collateral Murder” footage, which clearly exposes war crimes committed by the US military. Despite the severity of the military court sentencing, Mr Manning has been nominated for a Nobel Peace Prize for his actions. (http://www.abc.net.au/news/2012-02-27/bradley-manning-nominated-for-nobel-peace-prize/3855944)
The jury viewed the footage, and heard related testimony from Australian peace activist Donna Mulhearn who had traveled to Iraq as a “Human Shield” in 2003. Reverend Simon Moyle also gave testimony about both christian pacifism and the Ploughshare movement and his personal experiences in Afganistan.
Footage released by Bradley Manning via WikiLeaks and shown in court in Rockhampton can be seen here:
http://www.collateralmurder.com/
Photos outside Rockhampton Ploughshares Trial rmembering those killed in the Collateral Murder footage and those who took the risk to release it are availble on the Peace Convergence site: https://peaceconvergence.wordpress.com/2013/08/21/day-3-tiger-ploughshare-trial/
The Tiger Ploughshare trial continues…
PRESS CONTACT in Rockhampton
Simon Moyle mobile/cell ph. no. 0402 857 915
Peace Convergence 
Well done Graeme thou good and faithful servant.