Arrested Terre Haute protesters appear for court date, but the doors were locked

Arrested Terre Haute protesters appear for court date, but the doors were locked

Charge to "second"-degree murder.

Locally, there was a mix-up at court today involving protesters who were arrested during a protest in terre haute.

They say ..

The court wasn't ready for them.

It's an update to monday night's arrests.

(natsound of cheers and calpping) the sound of cheers and applause could be heard outside terre haute city hall wednesday morning.

That's after clearing up some confusion people arrested in monday night's protests say they had court datesbut only they showed up.

........dejanee dee sha-nay joshua: "we were given a jail date for june 3rd at 8:30 in the morning and told to appear here at court.

And that's what we did.

We're here today.

Here now.

The doors are locked..... dejanee joshua is one of the protesters arrested.

She was set to be in court.

......joshua sot2: "we just wanted to make sure that we were here so that they wouldn't tell us that, "hey you didn't appear in court so boom you have a warrant."

So we're here but they aren't telling us anything.

They're giving us no answers.".... supporters of those who were arrested gathered around as they waited for answers..

.....organizer sot: it doesn't matter if things are getting tough or not, we still want to support people.

The movement doesn't stop because it gets tough or because someone got arrested.... the group made some phone calls they say the court did start letting them in one-by-one and were given new court dates.

The prosecutor and his chief deputy came outside and talked with the group to try to explain what happened .......modesitt sot: there was some confusion because i guess when they were taken to the jail they were given by the jail a notice that they should appear today for city court.

However with the covid virus right now our office previously had actually released a statement that anybody arrested for city court should not appear in court and court date would be set about 60 days down the road..... the prosecutor says if they don't have a pending record..

And aren't arrested again..

The charges would be dropped.

Joshua says she's worried this is an attempt to keep them from protesting.

.......joshuasot3: i feel like that is a tactic on their part for us to stay out of the limelight..... but modesitt says he supports their right to protest... but he wants them do it lawfully.

......modesitt: i cannot as the chief law enforcement officer give them a pass to break the law you can protest all you want peacefully as long as you don't break the law.... but for now these protesters say they "still" hav a message to get across.

They say they'll keep calling for systematic changes.

.....i'll be right back outside tomorrow and the day after and the day after until things change..

Things change..

After until things change..

Our photojournalist, devan ridgway was at the courthouse today for that story.

The charges for most of the protesters relate to obstructing traffic.

The "new" court dates are split between july and september.