March 1st 2019 • American Wizarding Congress' #1 Periodical • 5 Ф
Trial begins for accused terrorist
By Luka Gebhardt, Staff Writer
NEW YORK CITY - Today marks the beginning of the trial for accused terrorist, Lucy Economides, in the High Court of New Amsterdam. Charged with multiple counts, including Crimes Against the Confederation, Unlawful Entry of a Magically Restricted Environment, and the Aggravated Assault of an Auror.
The charges date to the Christmas Day incident involving Economides' group, National Association on Being Equality (NABE), in the breaking and entering into the offices of the Magical Natural Resources Congressional Committee, who has exclusive jurisdiction over the legislation relating to beasts and beings within the country.
During the course of the break-in an unidentified incendiary device was activated, creating mass confusion within the Congressional Building. First Auror on the scene, Septima Mockridge tried to disengage the device when she came across the intruders, including Economides and other members of NABE, prosecutors claim. Mockridge was severely cursed in the resulting and required immediate specialist attention and was transferred to St. Bartholomew's Hospital in Philadelphia by emergency Floo. She is still recovering from the injuries she received in the line of duty and is not expected to return to work for another two weeks.
Economides put in a written plea of Not Guilty rather than the customary verbal plea. The Court has granted the prosecution's request that the defendant to be silenced through magical means out of fear that she would use cross-lineage abilities against unsuspecting witches and wizards.
Her lawyer put out a statement, "Ms. Economides and NABE have only ever advocated for non-violent actions in overturning outdated legislation and regulations. They, along with the rest of the Confederation, are horrified by the events that took place on February 14th. Never have they wished harm to an individual."
The lead prosecutor on the case, Linwood Everglade, rejects the claim, pointing to recent NABE activities, which included protests that shut down the Atlanta Night Market for three days and heightened tensions between the Baton Rouge coterie of Veelas and local wizards. "It was only a matter of time before the cauldron bubbled over," said Everglade. "We are lucky that Auror Mockridge was there to prevent the situation from escalating."
NABE was founded in 2009 to advocate for those with cross-species lineage after the killing of multiple Half-Giants in Clines Corners, Alta California. They're mission expanded in 2015 to include those classified as Beings by the Confederation after the unauthorized extermination of a flock of vampires in Ferris Lake Wild Forest. Three Aurors were were charged with killing of a protected species, all were aquitted.
Economides, who traces Siren lineage through her maternal grandmother, joined NABE in 2013 and quickly rose through the ranks thanks to her magnetic personality and artful use of words. In the interest of full disclosure, she has written editorials for The New York Ghost as well as other media outlets. She has also appeared on WNPR, WIN, and WNN.
The trial is supposed to last at least three weeks. For more information on the history of beasts and beings in the Confederation turn to Page 6.