The
Chicago Seven
Trial: A Chronology
1960
Abbie Hoffman said he was
"pychologically
born" in this year.
October,
1967
Hoffman arrested while attempting
to
measure the Pentagon.
December,
1967
Hoffman and Rubin meet to discuss
possibility
of having demonstrations at the 1968 Democratic National Convention in
Chicago.
January
24, 1968
The National Mobilization
Committee
(MOBE) meets in New York to discuss possible demonstrations in
Chicago.
Dellinger, Davis, and Hayden are in attendence.
March 17,
1968
A press conference is held to
announce
that the Yippies will sponsor a "Festival of Life" in Chicago during
the
upcoming Democratic Convention.
March 23,
1968
A meeting sponsored by MOBE is
held
near Chicago to debate whether to hold demonstrations at the
Convention.
In attendence are Dellinger, Davis, Hayden, Hoffman, and Rubin.
March 26,
1968
Yippies submit application for
demonstrations
to Chicago Parks Department.
April 11,
1968
Amid concerns about rising
protests
of the Viet Nam War, Congress enacts the Anti-Riot Act of 1968.
August 5,
1968
Deputy Mayor Stahl indicates his
unwillingness
to grant permit application for sleeping in Chicago parks.
August 9,
1968
A National Mobilization Committee
meeting
is held in Chicago to discuss planned demonstrations. Davis
allegedly
suggests disrupting traffic and creating havoc in the Loop.
August
14, 1968
ACLU suit seeking an injunction
requiring
issuance of permit is withdrawn after hearing amid concerns that court
might instead enjoin demonstrators.
August
22, 1968
Davis tells city officials it
would
be "suicide" not to allow demonstrators to sleep in city parks.
August
23, 1968
Classes are held in Lincoln Park
on
karate, snake dancing, and other means of self-defense. Police
post
"11 p.m. curfew" signs in park trees.
August
24, 1968
A meeting is held to discuss
whether
to obey city's 11 p.m. curfew.
August
25, 1968
Police club persons attending a
music
festival in Lincoln Park who refuse to leave at curfew. Davis and
Hayden
meet to lead march to the Conrad Hilton, the main Convention hotel. At
9 p.m., police confront and attack some demonstrators. Rubin
allegedly
urges demonstrators to attack police. At 10:30 p.m., two police
officers
observe Hayden letting the air out of tires of their police car.
August
26, 1968
Hoffman calls Deputy Mayor Stahl
to
protest decision to forcibly drive people out of park. Hayden is
arrested
in the afternoon for the squad car incident. Hoffman and Rubin
allegedly
urge demonstrators to hold Lincoln Park. Davis urges demonstrators
"Don't
let the pigs take the hill (high ground near a statue in the park)."
About
3,000 demonstrators gathered in park for chanting, singing songs, and
talking
are attacked by police with clubs and tear gas after 11 p.m. curfew.
August
27, 1968
Allan Ginsberg leads a sunrise
service
that includes chanting, prayers, and meditation. About 4,000
gather
at a rally in the Chicago Coliseum to hear Dellinger, Hoffman,
folksinger
Phil Ochs, novelist William Burroughs and others. A planned march
to the Amphitheatre, site of the Democratic National Convention, is
discussed.
Bobby Seale addressed a crowd of about 2,000 in Lincoln Park. Seale's
address
is observed by undercover police officer Robert Pierson. At 11:20 p.m.
in Lincoln Park, police charge and beat demonstrators. Some
enraged
demonstrators smash windows and streetlights. Violent encounters
between
police and demonstrators occur in the streets near Grant Park.
August
28, 1968
Hoffman is arrested while having
breakfast
for having the word "Fuck" on his forehead. Dellinger, Seale,
Davis,
and Hayden address 10,000 to 15,000 demonstrators at the bandshell in
Grant
Park, opposite the Hilton. Democrats nominate Hubert Humphrey as
their candidate for President. Dellinger announces that he will lead a
march to the Amphitheatre. The march is stopped by police.
Demonstators
are attacked by police with teargas and clubs at Balbo and Michigan and
other locations in the area.
August
29, 1968
Senator Eugene McCarthy, Dick
Gregory
are among others who address a crowd in Grant Park. Hoffman
allegedly
proposes the kidnapping of Superintendent Rochford.
November
5, 1968
Nixon narrowly defeats Humphrey in
the
presidential election. Many blame Humphrey's defeat on the rioting and
division at the Democratic Convention.
March 20,
1969
A federal grand jury indicts the
Chicago
Eight.
April 9,
1969
The Chicago Eight are arraigned.
August,
1969
Bobby Seale is arrested in
connection
with Connecticut charges of murder.
September
24, 1969
The trial of the Chicago Eight
begins
in Chicago before Judge Julius Hoffman.
October
29 to November
3, 1969
Because of his courtroom
outbursts,
Bobby Seale is ordered bound and gagged.
November
5, 1969
The trial of Seale is severed from
the
trial of what now becomes the Chicago Seven.
February
14, 1970
The case goes to the jury.
February
18, 1970
The jury returns its verdict,
finding
five of the seven defendants guilty of violating the Anti-Riot Act of
1968.
Froines and Weiner are acquitted.
February
20, 1970
Judge Hoffman sentences the
convicted
defendants.
May 11,
1972
The Seventh Circuit Court of
Appeals
reverses the contempt convictions of the Chicago Seven and their two
defense
attorneys, Leonard Weinglass and William Kunstler.
November
21, 1972
The Seventh Circuit Court of
Appeals
reverses the convictions of Hoffman, Rubin, Dellinger, Davis, and
Hayden.
1974
Hoffman has plastic surgery and
goes
underground in upstate New York for seven years to avoid trial on
cocaine
charges. He serves a sentence in a work-release program in 1981-82.
1983
Judge Julius Hoffman dies at age
87.
April 12,
1989
Abbie Hoffman commits suicide at
age
52.
November
28, 1994
Jerry Rubin dies after being hit
by
a car while jaywalking.
1995
William Kunstler dies of a heart
attack.
August,
1996
Tom Hayden, state senator, is a
California
delegate to the Democratic National Convention in Chicago. Rennie
Davis, activist and personal growth lecturer, is also in town.
August
27, 1998
David Dellinger, aged 83, is
arrested
while demonstrating at a nuclear reactor.
Chicago
7 Trial Homepage