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Police & Legal
Police brutality, harassment, invasion, spying, selective enforcement, legal support, jail issues.
From the open publishing newswire:
On Thursday, January 14, Josh Schlossberg and the Civil Liberties Defense Center filed a lawsuit against Eugene Police Department Officer Bill Solesbee, Chief of Police Pete Kerns, and the City of Eugene regarding a March 13, 2009 incident where Schlossberg was falsely arrested, injured, and jailed by Eugene Police Department Officer Bill Solesbee while Schlossberg was legally distributing brochures from the edge of a public sidewalk in front of Umpqua Bank in downtown Eugene.
From the open publishing newswire:
We the student and faculty members of the Center for Social and Environmental Justice and Social and Environmental Justice Club on the campus of Washington State University Vancouver are now meeting in our building of work and learning.
We are here today as a direct response to the police, sheriff and SWAT training that has been scheduled to occur in our building concurrent with the campus's prescheduled Martin Luther King Day events happening elsewhere on campus. We feel that this training is in direct opposition to the strategies and philosophy of Martin Luther King. We know that if he were here with us today Martin Luther King would challenge the claim that this type of militaristic civil drill is an effective avenue for addressing acts of violence.
From the open publishing newswire:
These stories stem from the events that happened at the Republican National Convention (RNC) in St. Paul, Minnesota. Although these actions took place in the summer of 2008, the repercussions and trials continue. The outcome of the State versus the People of Minnesota is not yet known. The battles fought between independent journalists and police were the catalyst of what it means to be a citizen journalist in America and how mainstream media portrays your message. What happened here and the outcome of the trials are of the utmost social importance.
From the open publishing newswire:
Now, I'm not advocating the killing of any police officers. I don't condone what happened to those four officers in Tacoma. I'm sure they all had families who are missing them, and it's sad that this happened. But I've got to say, I think I understand it. And I'm not so sure I could hold the person who shot them accountable for the killing. If I were on the jury, I think I would be very hard pressed to do anything but acquit him. Why? Is that really a question?
From the open publishing newswire:
I just saw the video footage. Office Christopher Humphreys, a dickless little man who repeatedly feels the urge to prove himself by beating and hurting people who are smaller than himself and unarmed, has struck again. And not just him, either. A LOT of people have reason to feel shame tonight.
In the video footage, a cluster of armed police officers can be seen brutally attacking and beating a 12 year old girl. Officer Humphreys actually takes out a bean bag gun and shoots the pre-teen at close range, all for the crime of "riding the max when she wasn't supposed to." And just as clearly, in the video footage, we can see the max train parked next to the scene, filled with hundreds of people passively watching from the windows of the train. A few people step off the train to get a better look, but NO ONE LIFTS A FINGER to stop the attack. No one does a FUCKING THING. What is wrong with us, that we're so disabled by a uniform and perceived authority, that we will allow a little girl to be beaten, bludgeoned, and finally SHOT, right in front of us, and NOT ONE PERSON lifts a finger to stop it???
From the open publishing newswire:
Her indictment was an outrage. So too was her conviction. The fact that this seventy year old veteran civil rights attorney has been sent to prison is a crime itself. She is serving a 28 month sentence although the Court of Appeals has remanded her case back to the original trial court with the hope that her sentence will be lengthened. The Bush Justice Department had sought a 30 year sentence.  http://www.lynnestewart.org/
From the open publishing newswire:
Police have to hand out a business card when they stop you as of Monday 9.28.09There are a few exceptions, mostly relating to "if a person was asking for a card to distract the officer from a crime or important matter at hand" Sgt. Scott Westerman, president of the Portland Police Association that represents rank-and-file officers, sergeants, detectives and criminalists, said the union backs the policy. but he also has the following quote:
From the open publishing newswire:
On Friday, August 7, Josh Schlossberg and attorney Lauren Regan of the Civil Liberties Defense Center filed a tort claim notice against the City of Eugene regarding a March 13, 2009 incident where Schlossberg was falsely arrested, injured, and jailed by Eugene Police Department Officer Bill Solesbee while Schlossberg was legally distributing brochures from the edge of a public sidewalk in front of Umpqua Bank in downtown Eugene.Schlossberg, a local forest activist, was civilly informing bank customers of the irresponsible logging and harmful pesticide practices of Umpqua's chairman of the board, Allyn Ford. The charges of "intercepting communications" and "resisting arrest" were dropped after prosecutors viewed Schlossberg's confiscated digital video footage clearly showing him legally standing at the edge of a public sidewalk. The tape shows Officer Solesbee illegally demanding he leave-which Schlossberg is in the process of doing, while stating to Solesbee that he believes the officer is in error for forcing him to leave the public sidewalk. Solesbee falsified police reports and attempted to file unwarranted charges against Schlossberg as a result of this incident; and the Chief of police has ratified this dishonest conduct once again.
From the open publishing newswire:
Yesterday (Sunday Aug.9th) my friend Audrey stopped by my house with a story. She told me that police had approached her & told her that she was NO LONGER allowed to sell her artwork at Saterday Market because she didn't have a "permit". Even though she had been selling artwork at Sat.Market for years with NO problems or complaints, all of a sudden cops were taking it upon themselves to enforce this "permit" rule. She said that all the other people selling art/creative works as well as street entertainers were given the same warning for not having permits.
The Portland Office of Transportation (1120 SW 5th Ave 503 823-7002) is the govt. agency which issues permits for street vendors. Audrey said she tried applying for a formal permit long ago. But apparently, the POT does NOT issue permits to sell ARTWORK. They do issue permits to sell flowers & umbrellas... but not artwork. Nonetheless, Sat.Market has welcomed artists to sell their works with or without a permit for years. Only yesterday have the police started issuing warning papers to people for not having permits. Eventhough POT seemingly does not issue permits to sell art, cops were threatening artists that they would confiscate their work & fine them if they did not "comply".
From the open publishing newswire:
This is now old news, but there may be some who are fortunate enough to have avoided the corporate news for a week or two, so I am posting it here. Fouad deserves all of our attention.
The city of Sandy and the murdering thug with a badge, Willam Bergin (more about him elsewhere) have reached a $1 million settlement with the family of Fouad Kaady, who was unarmed, naked, burned and bleeding (and according to Bergin's own statement, "catatonic, sitting Indian style,") alongside a rural county road when Bergin, and a Clackamas County Depute, David Willard, shot him to death in 2005. The shooting sparked outrage from the family, and anyone with an ounce of human feeling. Extensive coverage here, at PDX Indymedia finally garnered a modicum of attention and calls for a public inquest even after a not so grand jury, spoon fed by a politically motivated District Attorney, cleared the officers of wrongdoing. The settlement, entered in U.S. District Court in Portland, means the family of Fouad Kaady has agreed to drop its wrongful death claims against the city and former officer William J. Bergin.
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 |
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