Praying men cleared, plan protest

Trespass charges have been dropped against two men who were set for trial in Green Valley on Wednesday for their role in a prayer vigil along the border with Mexico this summer.

Instead of appearing in court, the men will participate in a memorial circle at 9:30 a.m. Wednesday at the southeastern corner of La Canada Drive and La Canoa in Green Valley, not far from Green Valley Justice Court.

John Heid, 54, a Quaker peace activist, and the Rev. Jerome Zawada, 72, a Franciscan priest, both from Tucson, were cited Aug. 6 for refusing to leave a communications tower along the virtual fence west of Arivaca where they were praying about deaths of migrants in the desert.

“I was disappointed when I found out the charges were dropped because of prosecutorial discretion,” Heid said. He had hoped to ask in court, “Where is the legal response, the investigation, to so many deaths,” he said.

The Border Patrol reported at least 207 deaths of people presumed to be illegal immigrants in the 2009 fiscal year that ended Sept. 30. An official number is expected this week.

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