The First Circuit Court of Appeals has scheduled oral arguments in the Ian Freeman case:

Wednesday, February 5th, 9:30am
John Joseph Moakley United States Courthouse
1 Courthouse Way
Panel Courtroom, 7th Floor
Boston, Massachusetts

This is a good sign, as it signifies that the three-judge panel that is deciding the case considers the issues in the case to be sufficiently important to request that both sides present oral arguments defending their positions.

There is no question in my mind that Ian Freeman is an innocent man who was wrongfully convicted and who is currently unjustly serving an 8-year-prison sentence in the federal system.

I wrote about Ian's case in the following series of articles:

The Unjust Conviction of an Innocent Man: The Ian Freeman Case (3-part article)

How I Came to Investigate the Ian Freeman Case

The oral arguments are open to the public. I would exhort everyone to attend. I will be there.

No protest signs. No assemblies outside the courthouse. No outbursts. No public displays at all. In my opinion, those types of things would only damage Freeman's chances of a reversal of his conviction. Federal judges, especially ones on the appellate level, do not react positively to pressure placed upon them and might even bend over backwards to show that they do not respond to such pressure.

But a courtroom filled with silent supporters and friends of Ian Freeman would send a powerful message to the judges, one that says in essence: "We believe that the U.S. government has jailed an innocent man and we are here to support Ian Freeman in his quest to be freed from this wrongful conviction and sentence."

I hope to see you all there.