Wednesday, November 13, 2002

Pond Scum
The SF Chronicle revolts with Hearing for SLA fugitive in S. Africa - Unrattled Kilgore regarded there as champion of poor:
Cape Town, South Africa -- In California, he's James Kilgore, wanted on murder and explosives charges, but to the packed courtroom in Cape Town he was John Pape, "CHAMPION OF (THE) POOR," as the local paper headlined him just before he appeared at an extradition hearing Monday.

He walked into court almost as a celebrity, applauded by dozens of friends and relatives, and it was difficult to tell whether Kilgore's new predicament seemed to worry him or anyone else.

Unlike court appearances in Sacramento involving his former Symbionese Liberation Army cohorts, where the courthouse bristled with armed deputies, and one of the defendants -- Sara Jane Olson -- was dripping with manacles and waist chains, the Wynberg Magistrate's Court here exuded an atmosphere so relaxed that Kilgore looked more like someone coming in to discuss a parking ticket than murder and bombs.

Kilgore entered the courtroom from a basement holding cell by way of a staircase rising into the center of the room. As soon as his bald head appeared in the stairwell, many in the audience applauded and cheered him. He turned, smiled, waved and then gave a big thumbs-up to his supporters, who were of many races and ages.

Dressed in a short-sleeve blue button-down shirt and blue cotton pants, he was neither shackled nor handcuffed. He gave his wife, Terri Barnes, a big hug,
then he walked into the defendant's box. Suddenly someone shouted out, "Viva John!" The bailiffs, who didn't appeared to be armed, stood by.
...
He may not be too keen on reporters, and it appeared Monday he wasn't the only one. Many of his supporters said they were surprised to read newspaper accounts of Kilgore's past life. To them, that was old and irrelevant news.
Just like their murder of Myrna Opsahl was to the SLA:
"Oh, she's dead, but it really doesn't matter. She was a bourgeois pig anyway. Her husband is a doctor. He was at the hospital where they brought her."
Maybe all the SLA terrorist thugs and their supporters could get together for a reunion in an out of the way spot? Dudes, this Hellfire is for you! So Long Assholes.