[Frameworks] Caroline Koebel on the Lawrence Brose case

[defensefund at lawrencebrose.com]

More and more people are standing with Lawrence in his fight against the
unjust prosecution which has been brought against him. Please join us in
supporting him by making a contribution to the Lawrence Brose Defense
Fund.  The urgency of this appeal cannot be stressed enough.  In the
letter below, filmmaker and scholar Caroline Koebel brings her voice to
support Lawrence's defense.


Dear Friends,

The struggle of filmmaker and non-profit arts leader Lawrence Brose to
defend himself against allegations by the federal government on “child
pornography possession” continues despite the flimsiness of the
prosecution’s case and the recommendation in June 2011 of United States
Magistrate Judge Jeremiah J. McCarthy to dismiss the indictment.

The resources funneled into the prosecution are staggering, and this case
is one clear example of the mishandling of taxpayers’ dollars. It
represents the unfair and wrongful pursuit of an innocent man and
furthermore it distracts from the real work that needs to be done in order
to protect children.

It is a great relief to know that Lawrence has as his attorney Paul J.
Cambria, Jr., who is highly experienced in arguing cases before the U.S.
Supreme Court. Readers will be familiar with Attorney Cambria’s defense of
another Buffalo-based artist facing federal prosecution, Steve Kurtz of
Critical Art Ensemble, and the eventual triumph of that defense. At the
same time, it is no mystery that a strong legal defense requires a steady
flow of financial resources.

Brose, a native son of Buffalo born and raised in a working-class Irish
Catholic neighborhood of the city’s industrial South Side, is broke. He no
longer holds his position as Executive Director of CEPA Gallery, and
despite spending the entirety of his retirement savings on his defense, he
has incurred tremendous debt.

To try to measure the good he has done for Buffalo is a ridiculous feat.
As an internationally honored filmmaker, artist, and non-profit cultural
advocate, he could have moved anywhere—and the fact that he chose his
hometown over NYC, Los Angeles, or Berlin shows his allegiances. His
affirmation of self through collective empowerment in the form of
creative, educational and cultural opportunities for a wide demographic
has been made clear again and again.

When I moved to Buffalo in the late ‘90s, Lawrence welcomed me
wholeheartedly. Our films had played at some of the same festivals, but
this was our first chance to meet in person. I soon learned that the depth
of his film artistry is matched by the sincerity and strength of his
person. The personal and professional exchange that followed remains a
high point of my Buffalo years.

Lawrence is one of the most humane individuals I have had the honor of
knowing directly. He is also one of the most resilient: despite
unfathomable personal loss (he has mourned the untimely deaths of several
life partners as well as siblings), his capacity to love and to share
remains untarnished. Witness, for example, his devotion to CEPA Gallery,
which flourished under his helm.

Now is the moment to support Lawrence Brose! Please find details about
donating to his defense and other ways to help below.


Thank you!

Caroline Koebel
Faculty, Transart Institute (New York & Berlin)

************************************************************************

With these letters of support, generous donors helped raise over $17,000. 
We cannot express our gratitude enough for this outpouring of help.  There
is a growing momentum of support, but we do need to remind all supporters
that we need to raise a significant amount of money to defend Lawrence's
innocence and help him reclaim his life.  Lawrence's legal defense has
depleted his life's savings, and he is currently unemployable in this
situation.


Please remember that tax deductible donations to Lawrence's defense can be
made through the National Center for Reason and Justice.  
http://ncrj.org/lawrence-brose/  NCRJ works for child-protective laws
based on science, fairness, and good sense, and supports people who are
falsely accused or convicted of crimes against children.

Also, please visit the defense fund website if you wish to donate
directly: http://lawrencebroselegaldefensefund.com/.  The website
continues to update with supportive testimonials and contributions to the
art sale to benefit Lawrence's defense.
To all who are receiving this email, please let us know if you do not want
to receive these updates.

For everyone else, PLEASE SHARE THIS WITH YOUR FRIENDS AND COLLEAGUES.  We
also invite supporters to send us their comments and suggestions for
spreading the word and seeking support.  We are confident that justice
will prevail for Lawrence Brose with your help.

Sincerest regards,

The Defense Fund Team
defensefund at lawrencebrose.com
www.lawrencebroselegaldefensefund.com