URGENT: Peter's legal defense fees
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I am in urgent need of your help to cover legal fees. A false criminal complaint is being filed against me, and I risk significant jail time.
Hi, my name is Peter Csere, and I've lived for eight years here in southeast Ecuador at a community called Fruit Haven.
Things have been peaceful for most of this time, but recently we had some problems with illegal gold miners on our friends' farm up the hill.
Last Wednesday, November 9th, I accompanied 3 of our workers and 2 government inspectors from the Ministry of the Environment on a routine inspection that is part of the process we undertook to report the mining operation. They are destroying a huge portion of a beautiful stream, and have threatened our workers when we asked them to stop. This is not an organized crime or cartel operation. They come from a small neighborhood nearby that has been causing problems with their neighbors for the last 20 years.
For some reason, the government didn't send police with us as they usually do. We hiked up the mountain and conducted the inspection remotely with a drone. The Ministry of the Environment employees packed up their drone and we were ready to leave. Some of the miners came and found us, were very angry, did not let us leave, and began physically attacking us in a very serious manner.
We did not initiate any attacks, violence, or arguments whatsoever, only indicating our desire to leave peacefully. In order to leave we had to defend ourselves. Two of the miners were injured, later requiring hospitalization.
Immediately the miners called the police and lied to them, saying that I had found them in the woods and attacked them. I am now under investigation for attempted homicide.
I think I have a very strong case since they attacked us and we clearly acted only in legitimate self defense. However, if the prosecutor or judge believes the story that the miners invented, there is always a chance that this could go the other way, and their lawyer may attempt to seek the maximum sentence of 9 years in prison. Thus, I ask for your immediate help in covering the significant legal fees I must cover in order to give myself the best chance of getting these charges dismissed or cleared.
Things that are going in my favor:
- 3 witnesses nearby during the event, and 2 witnesses (government employees) that saw the aggressiveness of the miners directly before the event (while the government employees ran away as soon as they could, we were physically prevented from doing so.)
- 25+ witnesses to the direct aftermath after we came down the hill
- I have injuries that were recorded on a medical certificate (concussion/bruising and broken glasses)
- Inconsistencies in the stories of the miners; claims of attack inconsistent with location of injuries
- The miners have a problematic history and many people in the area can testify to this
- The miners recklessly threatening various people afterwards, even threatening us on a live radio broadcast which will not go in their favor
- We are also filing a report against them and hiring a lawyer to prosecute them for this attack, and also for past trespassing and other offenses. Our hope is that after this event, the government will stop ignoring us and will finally put these people in jail where they belong.
- Fruit Haven is increasing their security and is determined to use all resources available to end this problem once and for all.
If you have any questions about these fees, feel free to contact me. I am not in a financial position to be able to cover this myself right now. I make very little money doing what I do, and invest everything I have in trying to build the community. A big unexpected expense like this came at a bad time financially, so I must do what I haven't done in many years: Ask my friends for help.
Please give what you can and remember that a sketchy and unfortunate legal situation like this could happen to anyone. In a way I believe I am being tested by the situation. I must remain optimistic and get through it as best I can. I greatly appreciate any help you can give.
Expected costs:
Defense attorney: $3000
Additional non-attorney administrative costs: $1000
Travel costs for Peter: $500
Travel costs for 30+ witnesses to multiple hearings: $600
Repair of glasses that were damaged in the incident: $296
Approx. GoFundMe fees: $175
Donations received outside of GoFundMe: (-$633)
Total: $4938
Additional information:
There is one benefit to this situation. The escalation means that it is all over the local news. People in the government are starting to pay attention. This incident may have been what was needed for the government to finally stop this group of people from continuing their shifty ways.
On November 15th I had an interview on Radio Cenepa with the vice president of the Shuar federation of Zamora, and two local farm owners who are familiar with this problem. See it here (in Spanish): https://fb.watch/gPM0YQ_u1x/
Local farm owners are all getting together to present a demand to the provincial government this Friday November 18th to organize a joint police/military operation to kick these people out of their mining site and arrest them if they resist.
Fruit Haven is gathering funds to hire a lawyer to prosecute the people who assaulted us.
With the funds listed above I will hire a local lawyer. If I raise more funds I will hire one of the best lawyers in the country, a specialist in criminal law from Quito, for the best chance of avoiding a conviction.
Fundraising team (2)
Peter Csere
Organizer
Colchester, CT
Charlotte Pickering
Team member