The wheels of justice continue to grind slowly for Getu Berhanu Tewolde, the legal Ethiopian immigrant who faces terrorism charges brought by Pittsburgh police as a result of a scuffle at the Greyhound bus terminal when Getu was traveling from Washington, D.C. to Denver.

Following his arrest on February 1, Getu spent six weeks in solitary confinement in the County Jail, housed in the Mental Health pod and forced to take psychiatric medication even though he had been given no psychiatric examination.

On May 20, Getu appeared for arraignment in the County Court House, where he learned the final charges on which he is to stand trial. He was accompanied by attorney Michael Healey.

At the arraignment, Getu got the good news that the most serious charge against him, "Risking Catastrophe," has been dropped. He remains charged, however, with aggravated assault, two counts of "terroristic threats," and resisting arrest.

The next step will be a pre-trial conference on June 19 with Judge John Zottalo, who has been assigned the case. At that time, a trial date will be set, which Healey anticipates will probably be in September.

If that schedule is followed, Getu will have spent eight months of his life battling to free himself of charges stemming not from his own actions, but from the anti-terrorist paranoia of the Pittsburgh police.

As he waits for his day in court, Getu has been supported by an active coalition in which the Merton Center is a central participant. Coalition members demonstrated with Getu on May 20, before his arraignment.