Updated at 1:15 p.m.

AUGUSTA — A judge today issued arrest warrants for five former Occupy movement protesters, including a Benton selectwoman.

The five are charged with criminal trespass for allegedly refusing to leave the grounds of the Blaine House on Sunday, Nov. 27, 2011.

They were scheduled to appear for docket call at 8:30 a.m. today in Kennebec County Superior Court. None of them had come to court by 9:15 a.m.

Justice Nancy Mills issued the warrants requested by the prosecutor, Assistant District Attorney James Mitchell Jr.

Mills set bail at $500 cash with the conditions the five remain off Blaine House grounds.

Those with warrants for their arrest are Kimberley Cormier, 47, a Benton selectwoman; Elizabeth A. Burke, 48; Diane H. Messer, 59, of Liberty; Patricia L. Messier, 63, and David J. Page, 44.

Mitchell said the state requested the hearings be postponed, but told the defendants they had to be in court Tuesday unless a judge acted on the request.

Several defendants also requested in letters to the court that their hearing be postponed, and said they had lawyers, but none appeared on their behalf.

By this afternoon, all of the defendants and their lawyers had contacted the court, saying they would make appearences later today.

Cormier, just after noon today, said that she and other defendents were contacted by the District Attorney’s office Monday and told the office was filing for a continuance of the hearing, and they should call the court between 3 and 3:30 p.m. Monday to see if they needed to show up in court today.

Cormier said when she called the court she was told she didn’t need to make an appearence.

“They said I didn’t need to show up,” Cormier said. “A number of us talked to them, and they said the same thing. It’s ridiculous to think nine people wouldn’t show up. We had all made plans to be there today, but we were told we didn’t need to. That’s why none of us, or our lawyers, were there.”

Nine protesters were arrested on the grounds of the Blaine House, the governor’s residence. Gov. Paul LePage was not there at the time.

Hearings for the remaining protesters charged are set for other dates.

 

 

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