Lee Weiner

Lee Weiner (born 1939), a member of the Chicago Seven, was charged with "conspiring to use interstate commerce with intent to incite a riot" and "teaching demonstrators how to construct incendiary devices that would be used in civil disturbances" at the 1968 Democratic National Convention.

When the trial of the Chicago Eight began in the early fall of 1969, Weiner was a doctoral candidate and teaching assistant at Northwestern University, and had graduated from the University of Illinois, studied political philosophy at the Hebrew University in Jerusalem and earned a master's degree in social work from Loyola University's School of Social Work in Chicago.

J. Anthony Lukas described Weiner as "a strangely remote figure who shunned most of the defendants' extracurricular activities." Weiner rarely attended defense strategy sessions, perhaps out of a belief that their cause was hopeless. He spent most of his trial hours reading science fiction paperbacks or books on eastern philosophy. Weiner reacted to few courtroom developments, viewing the proceedings with a mixture of scorn and amusement.

Weiner, who was known as the 'quiet defendant' for rarely participating in courtroom antics or outbursts during the trial, was acquitted along with co-defendant John Froines, of both charges.

At the time of trial, Weiner was a teaching assistant in sociology at Northwestern University. He served Professor Howard S. Becker as a research assistant there. He lived in a Hyde Park apartment with a girlfriend, Sharon Avery.

In the years following the trial, Weiner has continued to work and protest for causes. He has worked for the Anti-Defamation League of B'nai B'rith in New York and participated in protests for Russian Jews and more funding for AIDS research. At present he is VP of Direct Response at AmeriCares Foundation in Stamford, CT.