On August 19th, Russell Kanning told the Keene District court that he would perform community service in lieu of a fine for driving without a license. Almost three weeks later, he gives viewers an update on his status and plans.
This Tuesday, Russell Kanning agreed to “community service” to appease the government over his violation for driving without a license. This solution is reasonable to him because it doesn’t give city government any of his money, and cost them time to prosecute the trial.
It’s interesting, as seen in the video, how the court goes out of it’s way to target the press with unnecessary questions and burdens. Do they have something to hide? Do they know the harm they’re causing to innocent people, and hoping it doesn’t get out. It would be interesting to have cameras in there daily for airing on Cheshire TV. The average citizen doesn’t know what goes on in these courtrooms in the downtown of their own city.
Our Keene-area activists spent 45 minutes Monday morning to reach out to potential jurors with FIJA information. Judges no longer inform juries about all their rights; specifically the right to vote “not-guilty” in a case where the jurors don’t agree with the law the defendant is charged with. Myself and other FreeKeene.com bloggers would love to see jurors begin to nullify convictions in victim-less crime cases. The first step toward that is to let jurors know of their rights to do so.
Jury nullification is an interesting form of outreach and activism. For those that ask us to work “within the system”: Jury nullification is a part of the system, for good reason. It is the final check and balance the public has on it’s legislative and judicial branches. For those activists who prefer “market activism” or workout outside the system, jury nullification is so far on the fringe of the status quo, they are happy to participate.
Of course, it’s been shown time and again that “the system” doesn’t really want the secret of jury nullification to get out. Potential jurors who bring it up will likely find themselves on their way home within the hour. Officers of the court will try to think up reasons information can’t be handed out, and judges have threatened additional charges for defendants who bring up jury nullification in the court.
How can a defendant informing a jury about the system as part of his defense be charged with anything? If it’s part of the system, the system judges and lawyers are meant to uphold, should it not be a defendant’s 100% right to take advantage of it? It’s more and more clear every day that courts don’t play by any rules besides the ones they make up on the spot.
An article in the Keene Sentinel on Sunday, 06-08, reports on the recent CopWatch activities and discussions:
Scans of Page 1 and 2
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See the article online.
Mr. Bantz does a pretty good job at summarizing what’s gone on to this point. It may be hard for people in this community to understand why it’s a “surprise” that the police were welcoming to the cameras. Just this week, news came out of a videographer taking news footage being taken down by an officer that just didn’t want to be recorded.
Copwatch isn’t about being aggressive. Aggression and force starts by the police when the blue lights turn on behind somebody. We just want to be there so that the officer involved knows everything he does must be able to stand up to scrutiny. There are police agencies just states and cities away from us that take questions and cameras as threats and challenges to their authority, and they don’t respond well to them. It’s great that Keene officers are open for the most part, and Copwatch is about making sure we’ll see it if they go down the road toward corruption.
On Friday, April 18th, I was told by a Keene Police Officer that I was committing theft by plugging my computer into one of the outlets that stick out of the ground along Main Street. These outlets have places to be locked or turned off, but they were neither locked, turned off, or marked with something saying they weren’t for public use. The officer told me “You can ask the City if you can use their electricity, but for now you’re stealing it.” I obliged and moved on with my night.
Tuesday, April 22nd, I went into City Hall and asked the Clerk’s Office about these outlets. Were they outlawed to the public? If so, why isn’t it marked, since they look as public as the public trash cans? How do I get permission to use them? Some of the workers were unaware that such plugs even existed, but they promised to call Keene Park & Rec and give me a call when they got the answer for me.
Tuesday, April 29th, I still had not heard from them, so I followed up with a personal contact I have in the same building. Perhaps he, being an employee on the inside, could push someone to find an answer for me. Today, May 4th, I followed up with him, and they told him the same thing they told me: “We’ll get back to you.”‘
***Update: Tuesday, May 6th, I finally got a call from Ms. Little in the City Clerk’s office. She said that the outlets are not for public use, and are for event use only. The city manager told her that if someone wanted to make some of them public, I could submit a written request to the city council. Sounds like fun…
This still does not answer the question as to why they are not marked, or how any person should know that an outlet on public property is not for public use.
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