On Friday, March 13, 2009, Then 21-year old Jordan Halliday was taken into federal custody for refusing to cooperate with a grand jury investigating the animal rights community of Utah. He was held for nearly four months. On June 29th, Jordan was federally indicted with felony "criminal contempt of court" and released on pretrial. Jordan is still facing even more jail time for this charge.

Jordn's next court date has been moved to: April 8th, 2010 in the Frank E. Moss Federal Court House.

Jordan was found guilty of "Targeted Residential Picketing" on Dec 1st, 2009 and is currently appealing this verdict to the 9th Circut Court. His "Wearing a mask with the intent to commit a crime" charge was dropped after the Jury couldn't make a unanimous decision. These charges stemed from a 2008 demonstration in a vivisectors neighborhood. These charges are not related to the Grand Jury.

PLEASE DO WHAT YOU CAN TO SUPPORT JORDAN

Please speak out for Jordan and stay tuned to this website for ways you can help Jordan and other updates.

You can also financially support Jordan to ensure he has proper legal representation. Jordan's lawyer was a fellow animal activist who was representing Jordan free of charge. But so far he has spent nearly $3,000 in his own out-of-pocket expenses. Just the last appeal alone cost him over $1,000 in filing, copying, court costs, and traveling expenses. We must be able to pay him his own expenses for his work in fighting for the rights of Jordan. Any donations, no matter how small, will be greatly appreciated and help tremendously.

Please send checks or money orders to:

Karen Halliday
PO Box 25581
SLC, UT 84125

Letters for Jordan can also be sent to this address and they will be forwarded to him. Thank you!

UPDATE: Jordan Halliday has now been federally indicted with felony contempt of court. He was released on bail on June 29, 2009. This charge carries no maximum penalty. If he is convicted at his trial, Jordan could be facing even more prison time, at the judge's discretion.

This website is established to expose the government's abuse of power and to help provide support for Jordan Halliday.

What are grand juries?
Grand juries are a threat to the rights of social dissidents and the rights of Americans generally. Grand juries ostensibly were established to be a curb on prosecutorial power but has instead resulted in greater misuse of prosecutorial power. Prosecutors have the unilateral power to subpoena anyone and compel them to answer questions under threat of imprisonment. At a grand jury, you have no Fifth Amendment right to remain silent. You also have no right to have an attorney present with you during the questioning. Grand juries almost always indict because no other side is allowed to present their argument against indictment.

Why was Jordan in jail and why is he still under indictment?
This particular grand jury was allegedly established for the purpose of investigating mink releases in Utah. However, the questions asked of Jordan went far beyond inquests on criminal activity. The prosecution is clearly using the grand jury as a fishing expedition to investigate the activities of animal rights activists generally. These tactics are employed to chill free speech activities and intimidate people from standing up for the rights of themselves and animals. Jordan is making a commendable principled stand for his refusal to cooperate with this abridgment of rights. He has committed absolutely no acts of violence or property destruction. The government has even expressed that he is NOT considered a suspect in the mink release or any other illegal activity. He is being held in contempt simply because he refuses to acquiesce to the abridgment of his First and Fifth Amendment rights. The government is criminally indicting him now with felony contempt of court to send a message to political activists that the weight and the authority of the government should not be resisted. This use of criminal law and federal subpoena power is a serious threat to our constitution rights of free association, free speech, and against self-incrimination.