 Before the trial began , supporters of the defendants decided on a campaign of letter @-@ writing and demonstrations : the CPUSA urged its members to bombard Truman with letters requesting that the charges be dropped . Later , supporters similarly flooded Judge Medina with telegrams and letters urging him to dismiss the charges . During the proceedings , there were days when several thousand picketers protested in Foley Square outside the courthouse , chanting slogans like " Adolf Hitler never died / He 's sitting at Medina 's side " . In response , the US House of Representatives passed a bill in August to outlaw picketing near federal courthouses , but the Senate did not vote on it before the end of the trial . 
