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Police & Legal
Police brutality, harassment, invasion, spying, selective enforcement, legal support, jail issues.
From the open publishing newswire:
Former Sandy Cop, and murdering, stalking, drunk driving, thug, William Bergin plead guilty to a very reduced charge last Thursday: From the original indictment by a (not so) grand jury, for felony identity theft, first-degree official misconduct and use of an invalid driver's license, he was allowed by the infamous John Foote (DA for Clackamas County), to plead guilty to misdemeanor "official Misconduct," and to do the perp walk to jail for a very harsh sentence: twenty four freakin hours in jail, no doubt in the VIP suite. WTF?
Mr. Bergin, for those who do not remember, is one of two (protect and serve) officers from Clackamas County, who, finding a badly burned, injured, naked (clothes burned off his body) and totally unarmed, "catatonic" according to their statements, Fouad Kaady, could think of no way to help him, so they tasered him until their alter penises were completely discharged of electricity, and then pumped five shots into his body.
From the open publishing newswire:
It is with a heavy heart and a bruised face that I write this letter but I think it's important that my experience be known.
In the early morning hours of Sunday June 14th, I was the victim of a hate crime on the corner of NW 6th and Couch. This happened outside of Casey's, a gay bar where I am a dj and it was 2:30 in the morning, after the bar had closed. When I came outside to make my way home, I saw that a friend of mine was talking with the Portland Police. She had been punched in the face by a man who had been spouting homophobic remarks at her and another friend of mine. Her nose was broken and the police had arrived to investigate this crime. While I was watching this interaction, a group of men approached the scene also shouting homophobic remarks. I walked up to them to ask them to leave the area and the next thing I remember, I was on the ground with my mouth bleeding. I didn't really know or understand what had happened. I had been punched in the mouth and knocked out. The Portland Police department, who was on the scene, was completely negligent to my situation. They talked to the guy who said I had started it, yet there wasn't a scratch on him and I was the one on the ground bleeding. As I was sitting on the ground, the police officers refused to let a friend of mine bring me ice for my face, threatening to arrest him if he attempted to approach me.
From the open publishing newswire:
A link to ACLU's know your rights! pocket guide to handling the police. useful for anyone attending the excessive force demonstration today or Copwatch workshops later this month... One thing we should all print, carry & distribute. I say we should all band together and circulate this to as many people as we know...
 http://www.aclu.org/kyr/kyr_english.pdf
From the open publishing newswire:
Demonstration against excessive force and violence, [Friday] May 8, 2009, Friday at 4:00 PM at the Federal Court House, 1000 SW 3rd Avenue, at Salmon Street, Portland, Oregon
Join us in a Heart felt healing process against excessive force. This demonstration is on the anniversary of my son's death; Jason was executed by officer Richard Torres of the Vancouver Police Department. We are seeking support to stop this kind of overkill. We, the universe, can not have peace nor rest in peace when a wrong action can not except accountability. We would like the city of Vancouver forced to create an independent police review board. We would like to see the Vancouver police all trained in crisis intervention training.... Thank you for your support, Two beautiful songs will play....
From the open publishing newswire:
Did I miss something? What happened? It was MAY DAY. The crowds were all there. The political will was there. People of color were there. The BLACK BLOC was there. And... no police riot. No pepper spray, no batons in my back, no stomping hooves smashing down on sandal-clad feet, not even a wave of false arrests. No "snatch and grab" teams, no Todd Wyatt pepper spraying babies. Hell, I wasn't even tailed by a sneering pod of riot pigs as I left the rally. So... what gives? Who canceled the annual police riot? [ Read More | A Few Photogs from May Day 09 | Video and Audio Selections From May Day 2009 | Our May Day Demands | Riot Hits San Francisco On May Day! | Mayday Protests in EU massive and unruly ]
From the open publishing newswire:
Justice for Jason Demonstration
May 8th 4:00 pm. Federal Court house in Portland Or. My unarmed 17 year old son was executed by the Vancouver Police Department on Mother's Day May 8. I am organizing a demonstration against excessive force and violence. My 17 year old son, Jason, was shot 11 times by officer Richard Torres of the Vancouver police department. From 11:21 am, to 11: 24 am. ( 3 minutes ) ; Jason was followed, pitted, and executed. When I received the call, stating my son had died; I flew flat to the floor, the phone flew out of my hand, NOOOO!!! I live with a pain that never goes away. Jason's sister was 16 years old; I can't begin to tell you the damage her brothers death has done to her life. I am angrey, I'm asking for support in this journey of healing
From the open publishing newswire:
Come to Pioneer Square 10am Saturday April 11th to help defend the life of Mumia Abu-Jamal!
Patrick Ryan will be speaking tonight at 6:30pm on KBOO to speak on Mumia's court case. Today, the US Supreme Court rejected Mumia Abu-Jamal's appeal for a new guilt-phase trial. The Supreme Court has not yet decided whether to consider the Philadelphia DA's separate appeal, which is attempting to execute Abu-Jamal WITHOUT a new sentencing hearing. In response to today's rejection, Abu-Jamal's lead attorney Robert R. Bryan will be filing a "petition for re-hearing" at the US Supreme Court.
From the open publishing newswire:
Hello, I have been summoned for jury duty, I have been informed by the summons that I need to respond to the Multnomah county court by filling out a form letter they have sent to me. I have also included the letter below.
I have three issues I feel, I need to inform the court of that could influence my decision in any trial I may be chosen for:
From the open publishing newswire:
A Vietnam vet arrested for walking on the sidewalk at the Mittleman AIPAC demonstration by cop who obviously slept through h.s. history class when they were covering the Constitution—especially the First Amendment. And the Mittleman folks who evidently slept through that presentation also.
There I was among some good folks having fun and making a point to the people going into the AIPAC meeting. I was thinking about going home on the bus and wanted to say goodbye to some friends when I was told that I could not cross a driveway that ran on the sidewalk into the street. I told the cop that they could not do that unless I was blocking traffic. I went to go across and was pushed back by a cop and then I tried again and was arrested. The officer who arrested me was angry about something because this was the roughest I've been handled thus far. I was hooked up to little earl (oxygen bottle on wheels) and still got arrested. I was not planning this and was disappointed that I could not talk the police out of an order that was unconstitutional.
From the open publishing newswire:
On Friday, March 6, 2009, three activists filed a lawsuit against the City of Tacoma for false arrest and other violations committed by Tacoma police during an anti-war demonstration.
Elizabeth Rivera Goldstein, Thomas McCarthy, and Phan Nguyen were arrested under the pretext of wearing backpacks in a "no-backpack zone" at the Port of Tacoma in March 2007.The activists had been demonstrating against the Iraq "troop surge" and the expedited deployment of the 4th Stryker Brigade, 2nd Infantry Division to Iraq from Ft. Lewis. For two weeks in March 2007, the Port of Tacoma was the focal point for demonstrations against the deployment, as Stryker vehicles were being shipped out through the Port of Tacoma in advance of the 4th Brigade's actual deployment. During this time, Tacoma police established a fenced-in "free speech zone" in the Port of Tacoma where demonstrators were compelled to congregate. Police set up random checkpoints to prevent the demonstrators from entering the "free speech zone" with backpacks and purses. The checkpoints appeared arbitrarily at varying locations and at various times throughout the protests. At times, the restrictions were arbitrarily applied to backpacks, purses, bags, buckets, boxes and even plastic water bottles. All restrictions were established without probable cause. Thomas McCarthy was arrested on the night of March 9, 2007 while attempting to carry a backpack with food and medical supplies into the "free speech zone." Elizabeth Rivera Goldstein and Phan Nguyen were arrested along with six other demonstrators on March 11, 2007 for wearing backpacks into the "free speech zone." Goldstein's backpack contained a teddy bear, while Nguyen's "frontpack" contained a copy of the United States Constitution.
From the open publishing newswire:
Two of the RNC 8 are hitting the road on the west coast next week! Come say hello at the following events: Monday, March 9 Presentation at Evergreen College, Olympia 5:30pm Building E, Room 1105 Free
Tuesday, March 10 Presentation at Reed College, Portland Followed by a concert with David Rovics! 5-7pm Eliot Hall Chapel, 3203 Woodstock Blvd Free Wednesday, March 11 Presentation at Red and Black Cafe, Portland followed by music by the Dapper Cadavers and Steve Arceri 6pm 400 SE 12th Ave Donations at the door [more dates in READ MORE link] info[at]rnc8.org
From the open publishing newswire:
The Community RNC Arrestee Support Structure (CRASS) is seeking potential plaintiffs to sue the state. If you feel your rights were violated--whether through excessive force or police brutality, an unlawful arrest/search, mistreatment in jail, or the suppression of your first amendment rights--then you might be a good candidate for an individual, small group, or class action suit. Let's sue the bastards!
To get involved, send us an intake form so we can help coordinate communication and plan our political & legal strategies in support of civil litigation. High-quality info will be heading your way on our low-traffic announcement listserv. Please fill out an intake form available on our website And send it to us at: CRASS Civil Litigation c/o Coldsnap Legal Collective, PO Box 50514, Minneapolis, MN 55405
From the open publishing newswire:
Dear Judge McShane, On Friday Feb.6, 2009 I was in your courtroom when I pleaded 'no contest' to one charge of criminal mischief. This charge stemmed from a violent incident last June (Sat. 6/07/09) in which I was assaulted by two strangers while I was on my way to work. During this assault, I was thrown through a store-front window of a business. In the wake of this assault, in a split-second of misjudgment on my part, I broke a 2nd window out of distress, un-intentionally. 2 days later, I was fired (because I was prevented from making my peaceful way to work that Saturday night) & I've been un-employed ever since. I've explained my financial situation in court - that I'm living off of un-employment insurance & food assistance & nothing else; that I'm currently in debt, whereas, no debt existed [for myself] prior to last June. I thought this much was understood, as my [court-appointed] lawyer's fees were waived & I agreed to the terms of my probation, including community service.
But I received a letter last week stating that I owe $67 in court costs. Further more, the letter also states that if I don't pay this amount within 30 days, an additional $50(?!) will be added on! This additional $50 amounts to a POVERTY FEE... |
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