Friends and Supporters March for Peter Erlinder

Supporters March for Peter Erlinder

Updated: Tuesday, 08 Jun 2010, 9:23 PM CDT
Published : Tuesday, 08 Jun 2010, 9:23 PM CDT

SAINT PAUL, Minn. - Supporters of detained U.S. Attorney Peter Erlinder marched for him on Tuesday in hopes of freeing him from the Rwandan prison.

Erlinder, a human rights attorney has represented unpopular causes and clients, including one FOX 9 interviewed in March of 2009. 20 years ago, Elsie Mayard met Professor Erlinder. She says Erlinder was there when nobody else would help her.

"He mean the whole world to me because of how much he cared what happened to me because he protected my constitutional rights," said Mayard.

Appearing weak in court on Monday, a Rwandan judge denied bail for Erlinder who is charged with denying Rwanda’s 1994 genocide. Erlinder was in the country helping with the legal defense of an opposition leader, who wants to run for president.

Attorney Bruce Nestor of the National Lawyers Guild says Erlinder's prosecution threatens the ability of all attorneys to defend their clients.

"I’m afraid it looks like this is not something that's going to be over in the near term but is going to require our long term work and effort to bring peter back here to the twin cities," said Nestor.

In Minnesota, Senator Amy Klobuchar says they are working hard to bring him home.

"We have been pushing to have an expedited hearing so that he can at least be out on bail and at best be able to go home to his family. His wife and daughter and that's what we've been working on," said Klobuchar.