You may have heard the Porc 411 go out a couple of nights ago – Rich Angell and The Emperor were pulled over near Central Square after leaving Heika’s birthday party. Here’s the full story from one of the victims of police aggression, Rich, as posted on Free Grafton:
Shortly after midnight, Wednesday morning, the 5th of January 2011, I was pulled over by a New Hampshire staty on Roxbury Street just east of the Keene Centre Square.
The pretext for the pullover was an ‘illegal’ turn through a red light, and ended with a citation for ‘driving’ without a licence.
My arraignment will be held in the Keene District Court on Wednesday, the 2nd of February 2011.
Following is a summary of the events of that morning.
I was leaving a thinning party at Vendetta’s with our friend Evan, destination just a few blocks away. Despite my 100% sober state, and despite my slow, ginger manner of travel as I approached the first cross street, Roxbury Street, I misread the green and red lights at the intersection and made the left turn on a red light.
A state trooper just happened to be approaching the intersection northbound on Main Street more than close enough to witness this alleged infraction and immediately turned right on Roxbury for a pullover, less than half a block away.
The first thing the officer told me, after a cordial self introduction was a full acknowledgement of the fact that the lights at Keene Centre Square are confusing and people misread them quite frequently. He wondered if I was from out of town, a fair guess considering the Montana licence plates on the Bronco in which I was traveling.
He then used the pullover as a pretext to see that my papers were in order.
Meanwhile, Evan called Porc 411. A second cop at the guest side of the Bronco demanded that Evan identify himself. Evan simply told the cop that he was not required to identify himself. The cop backed down after having exhibited a threatening demeanor and spent the rest of the encounter illuminating us with a spotlight, with no furher word directed at Evan or me.
Within moments we were surrounded by our liberty activist friends, armed with cameras and challenging questons, not to mention one additional State Trooper car and two KPD cars behind us.
In the end, the State Trooper issued a citation, not for the alledged infraction that served as an apparent ‘probable cause’ in his mind, but for my ‘driving’ without a ‘valid driver’s licence’. As a matter of fact, I don’t have a driver’s licence.That’s because as a matter of principle, I refuse to seek permission from the government to exercise a Right.
The next order of business was to assign one of my sober and ‘properly licensed’ friends to take over the driving before we were permitted to be on our way.
There are many angles to approach my defence. Any or all may be used. My legal counsel is hot on the case, which promises to be…very interesting to say the least. Possibly precedent setting.
Here’s what is certain: I will not take any plea bargain whatsoever. I will not pay any fine that may be demanded of me.
This means that there are two possibile outcomes: 1) I will go to jail. 2) The case will be dismissed.
What else are they going to do—take away my driver’s licence?Another certainty: Should the State decide to go forward with the prosecution, it will cost them (yes, I know, that means the taxpayers) one hell of a lot more money than will ever be extracted from me.
I look forward to seeing some of my friends in the courtroom for my arraignment.
Editors note: An event has been created on Facebook.
