Protest on Trial ― The Seattle 7 Conspiracy

The Seattle 7 embodied late 1960s counterculture--young, idealistic, active organizers against racism and the Vietnam War, and fond of long hair, rock’n’roll, sex, drugs, and parties. In January 1970 they founded the Seattle Liberation Front (SLF). Nationally, the FBI was using tactics such as wiretapping, warrantless break-ins, and the placing of informers and provocateurs to destroy organizations like the SLF. But in Seattle, it went a step further.

After a protest at Seattle’s downtown federal building turned violent, seven SLF leaders--Michael Abeles, Jeff Dowd, Joe Kelly, Michael Lerner, Roger Lippman, Chip Marshall, and Susan Stern--faced federal conspiracy and intent to riot indictments. Their chaotic trial became a crash course in the real American judicial system. Carl Maxey and Michael Tigar led the defense team; the U.S. prosecuting attorney was Stan Pitkin. When Pitkin’s key witness faltered and the government’s case appeared doomed, the presiding judge issued a surprise ruling to end the trial and send the defendants to prison.

For this solidly researched oral history, the author conducted dozens of interviews with defendants, attorneys, FBI agents, jurors, and others. She also accessed the trial transcript, appeals briefs and depositions, media articles, books, and more.

Born and raised in Seattle, Kit Bakke eventually returned to work as a pediatric oncology nurse, after earning a Bachelor of Nursing, with Honors, from the University of Rochester. She earned her Master of Public Health and Master of Nursing degrees from the University of Washington. Her initial degree is in Political Science from Bryn Mawr College. She is married and has two daughters and two grandchildren. She works as an independent writer and consultant, and supports local philanthropic organizations focused on human services and education. She has written two other books, Miss Alcott’s E-Mail: Yours for Reforms of All Kinds and a young adult title, Dancing on the Edge. In 2011, she was a finalist for a USA Book Award in the Children’s Fiction category and in 2003, her writing received an Honorable Mention from the Pacific Northwest Writers’ Association.