Artist Activist Charged with Felony Eavesdropping

2009 Contact: Chris Drew * 773/561-7676 * umcac@art-teez.org

Artist, C Drew, went to the Loop on December 2nd to test the peddlers license law. For over three years he has written and talked about testing this law by breaking it so that the Federal Courts can have their say on its constitutionality. He was arrested while other artists videotaped and photographed the event. If all had gone as expected, Mr. Drew would have been picked up on a misdemeanor, charged with peddling without a license in a prohibited district and spent four hours in a police station. He did not know Illinois uses one of "Americas Dumbest Laws". ( http://www.bored.com/crazylaws ) to keep dissidents in check.

In 1994 Illinois amended its Eavesdropping Law to make it broader. Over time it has joined "Americas Dumbest Laws" because you can be charged with a felony for tape recording yourself in public if another person is taped in conversation with you without their consent. A Felony! On December 9th a judge in Cook County dropped the misdemeanor charges Drew was arrested for and found probable cause for first class felony Eavesdropping charges (one step below murder) the police and States Attorney have leveled against him after his arrest.

Mr. Drew could go to jail for 4-15 years for this offense. The Suntimes reported his arrest the day after while he was still in jail awaiting bond. Mr. Drew took exception in a press release to the fact that it was not reported he was protesting the peddlers license when arrested. He quickly apologized to the reporter and thanked her for giving him and his supporters a forum below the article to publish their comments. The comments will appear in coming art exhibits with the Art Patch Project prints Mr. Drew was selling when arrested. Shortly after sending out his apology, the Suntimes canceled the comments function below the article. Mr. Drew then moved the comments to his blog where he has written on the unconstitutionality of Chicago's peddlers license and his intention to test the law for over three years.

http://www.c-drew.com/blog/comments-on-suntimes-article-creative-felony/

Comments appearing below the article show that the public knows very little about the Eavesdropping Law in Illinois which when it is applied for taping police in public is usually applied to squash public scrutiny of these public servants or to silence social critics like Mr. Drew. Although the Cook County State's Attorney's effort to silence Mr. Drew may result in his jailing and economic ruin – his followers are sure to make use of the comments collecting on his blog at c-drew.com along with the Art Patch Project to address serious questions concerning the peddlers license and the eavesdropping law for some time to come. Ideas can not be jailed. No wonder there are so few artists to be seen in public in Chicago.

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Uptown Multi-Cultural Art Center (UM-CAC). E-mail umcac@art-teez.org Ph.773/561-7676