(Washington, DC) Judicial Watch, the public interest law firm that investigates and prosecutes political corruption and abuses of power, today announced a major victory when the California Court of Appeal, Second Appellate District, ruled in favor of Judicial Watch clients Rev. Jesse Lee Peterson and the Brotherhood Organization of a New Destiny (B.O.N.D.) on all but one of Rev. Peterson=s seven claims against Jesse Jackson, Judge Gregory Mathis, Jonathan Jackson, and the Rainbow/PUSH Coalition. Judicial Watch will now return to the Los Angeles Superior Court to pursue the following claims on behalf of Rev. Peterson and B.O.N.D.: assault, battery, civil rights violations under California law, and related wrongs.

This lawsuit arises out of a December 2001 public meeting at the Los Angeles Chamber of Commerce, sponsored by Jesse Jackson=s Rainbow/PUSH Coalition to allow Toyota to explain to businesses and organizations its minority outreach plan. Upon hearing that Jesse Jackson had encouraged Toyota to create such a plan, and that one of Jackson=s good friends administered the plan for Toyota, Rev. Peterson tried to ask whether Toyota would discriminate against conservative

black-run organizations like Rev. Peterson=s B.O.N.D. Soon after Rev. Peterson’s question, Jackson=s son, Jonathan Jackson, shoved him, blocked his exit, and along with Jesse Jackson, Judge Mathis, and other Rainbow/PUSH associates, surrounded Rev. Peterson screaming at him, calling him “nigger,” threatening him, and taunting him. Rev. Peterson had feared for his life in the center of that violent mob, and with the help of Judicial Watch sued Jesse Jackson, Jonathan Jackson, Judge Mathis, and the Rainbow/PUSH Coalition in California state court.

Jesse Jackson defendants brought a special motion to strike the lawsuit, claiming that the lawsuit arises from the defendants= right to free speech. The trial court allowed the assault claim to proceed, but dismissed the civil rights and certain other claims. Judicial Watch appealed, arguing that what Jesse Jackson and his co-defendants did had nothing to do with any free speech rights. The Court of Appeals essentially agreed and, on March 10, 2004, ruled in favor of Judicial Watch, Rev. Peterson, and B.O.N.D., concluding that six of the seven claims at issue could not be dismissed on account of Jesse Jackson’s (or anyone else’s) free speech rights. The case ought now to proceed in the normal course.

“Jesse Jackson has gotten away with a lot – but he won’t get away with assaulting our Rev. Peterson. The court ruled Jesse Jackson, Judge Mathis, and the rest of their gang cannot hide behind the First Amendment when they assault someone. Rev. Jesse Lee Peterson looks forward to seeing Jesse Jackson in court,” stated Judicial Watch President Tom Fitton.