Earlier this year, I was surprised by the state police with an arrest for “unsworn falsification” and “prohibitions”. Â Essentially, they were charging me with two class A misdemeanors for filling out their driver’s license application incorrectly. Â As it turns out, had I filled it out the same way two days prior, it would have been completely legal. Â Despite referring to me as a “customer”, they treated me like a criminal rather than simply helping me correct the mistake, as any actual business would who cares about their customers.
They alleged I used a “false” name, my given name of Ian Bernard, to apply for their license when I apparently should have used my now “legal” name of Ian Freeman. Â At no point until my arrest was I given any indication that this was illegal. Â The ladies at the DMV were aware of my use of both names, and happily processed the application. Â I attempted to make it clear during the trial that I did not knowingly use a false name, as I don’t consider my given name to be false, nor was I attempting to defraud anyone. Â No one has claimed I’ve defrauded them, ever. Â I honor my word, regardless of the name I use.
None of that mattered in the decision that came by mail after the trial, which found me guilty on both counts. Â Sentencing is still to come, but I’m facing as much as two years in prison. Â The last time I was in jail was 2011 for the civil disobedience of blocking a police car when they were attempting to arrest a peaceful woman for drinking alcohol in Central Square. Â In that case I was sentenced to 90 days in jail and nine more months suspended for two years. Â Will judge Burke decide that these ID “crimes”, which have no victim, deserve a more serious punishment than civil disobedience? Â Stay tuned here to Free Keene to find out.
Meanwhile, here’s the trial video along with my just-filed motion to reconsider the decision.
