This past Thursday Keene resident James Walters arrived home around 3pm and noticed Keene PD’s Officer Short sitting in his driveway. Officer Short said, “I’d like to ask you about this sign” pointing to an anti-Romney political sign.
Walters asked, “am I being detained?”
Short said, “no.”
Walters asked Officer Short to leave his property and after a brief back and forth, Short asked for a receipt showing proof of purchase or the sign would be taken. Walters informed Officer Short that if the sign was taken, lawyers and the media would be contacted.
Walters said, “Short told me that the Attorney General personally called the Keene PD demanding them to take this particular sign.”
According to Walters, Officer Short then made a phone call, and took the sign.
Calls to the Attorney General’s Office were not immediately returned.
Joseph “Jay” Noone owned a house in Palmer, Massachusetts, or so he thought. Last Summer, the house was seized by the Town of Palmer after Jay failed to pay rent in the form of property tax. Noone holds a land patent on the property and says that he owns no real-estate, which can be taxed, whereas personal property can not be taxed.
On October 25, Palmer held a “public auction” on what they claim to be town owned property. Roughly half a dozen friends and supporters joined Noone outside of the house at 10 am. Jay Noone said, “I’m making people aware this is stolen property.” One supporter, David C. from Keene, NH, held a sign that read, “TAX SALES ARE THEFT!”
Jay, David and the others were told by Palmer PD that there was a “protest area.” During most of the 90 minute open house, the protest area was not occupied.
Around 11:30, Jay and friends went to the Palmer Town Hall to observe the “public auction” of this and other stolen houses. Upon arrival at the Town Hall, signs were spotted that read “POSTED: No video recording at Town Hall.”
Ian Freeman decided that he would record anyways to see what would happen. After we entered the building and asked where the auction was taking place, we were informed that only registered bidders were allowed to attend. Members of the media were barred as well as other members of the public. A Palmer Police Officer instructed Ian that he was not allowed to film. Ian stated that he intended to film and had filmed in that Town Hall previously.
After a brief back and forth in which Ian asked if the Officer was familiar with the Glik decision, Ian was escorted to the Police Department in another part of the building. He was then taken into the booking area on the other side of a Police door.
Shortly after being taken into custody, I heard them say that he was being arrested for “disorderly conduct.”
I immediately asked one of Jay Noone’s freinds if she could send a message to Keene 411 and contact someone in New Hampshire. The news of Ian’s arrest was quickly spread across facebook and via twitter. As Jay’s friend was talking to someone from New Hampshire, Palmer PD told us that we had to leave and go outside into the “protest area.” I replied that I was trying to find out what was happening with my friend who had just been arrested. I was told that he was being booked and would be taken to the court, but that I needed to go outside. As I was walking towards the door, another officer said that I, and the others, needed to go outside. I asked if members of the media could stay inside, and showed him my Press Badge. He responded that everyone that wasn’t registered for the auction needed to go outside into the “protest area.” I asked if he was stifling the free press, and he said “yes.” I complied, as I didn’t want to join my friend in a jail cell.
Around 12:30 we were informed that Ian was being booked and would likely be done in about an hour. Jay Noone said that Court returned from lunch at 2pm and that Ian would likely be arraigned at that time.
We entered the Court around 2:15pm, however no video is available as all cameras, cell phones and other electronic devices are banned from the Court. Ian was initially called before the judge around 2:30 and stated that he would not be taking a plea and would not be using a lawyer. He was released from his handcuffs and shackles and allowed to join the gallery.
Ian was instructed to speak with the Prosecutor and that he would be called back up. Ian was offered a plea deal, which would require him to claim “responsibility” (apparently Massachusetts lingo for “plead guilty”). He stated that he wanted this to go away and that he didn’t want to return to Massachusetts for court. The Judge offered to let Ian pay $50, he asked if he could donate that money to charity, she denied that request and set a court date of December 10.
After leaving court, I took Ian to the Police Station so that he could reclaim his property (cell phone and camera) that was being held as evidence. The Police Chief returned his property to him, only after Ian emailed copies of the audio files from his phone and make copies of the video on his camera. Ian gladly complied in order to reclaim his phone and camera.
Ian must now prepare for yet another trial and return to Palmer, Massachusetts on December 10 to fight this unjust charge of “contempt of cop.”
The Keene Sentinel reports the metal detector, installed Monday in the Keene City Hall, “comes as a temporary solution to safety concerns at 8th Circuit Court District Division in Keene, which has been denied official accreditation from the judicial branch since 2009. The lack of a metal detector was the main source of concern to state officials.”
What “safety concerns” are there at the Court? Have there been instances of assault with weapons in the court lobby? Or is this just another example of a phony concern to lure people into submitting to warrantless searches?
Mayor Kendell Lane said, the metal detector is located on the first floor of City Hall by the elevator and stairs, which means anyone who goes to the upper floors for other city business will have to walk through it, too.
So, is the “safety concern” for all parts of the City Hall except for the Clerk’s office and Vehicle Registration?
Larry S. Kane, clerk for the 8th Circuit Court District Division, claims The State provided the detector to the court at no cost.
I’d really like to know if he honestly believes the metal detector was provided at “no cost”? Surely he realizes that funding came from tax-payers before being funneled to whatever company makes metal detectors.
Lane also claims the metal detector will be in the City Hall lobby only until a new courthouse complex is built in 2013 .
It is yet to be seen if this “temporary” and supposedly “slight inconvenience” will remain a permanent fixture to give people a false sense of security where no threat exist.
Every ten years, New Hampshire voters are asked to vote on “Question Proposed pursuant to Part II, Article 100 of the New Hampshire Constitution. ‘Shall there be a convention to amend or revise the constitution?'”
There seems to be a lot of misconceptions on what would happen if the voters of New Hampshire elected to hold a Constitutional Convention. Some people think this is a convention to modify the federal constitution, others believe it would eliminate the current State Constitution.
According to the 2012 Voters Guide – Explanation of Constitutional Amendment Questions published by the Secretary of State: “If a simple majority of the voters who vote on this question [question 3] vote YES, the 2013 Legislature will set a time for election of delegates to the convention. Delegates will be elected in the same manner and same number as the members of the New Hampshire House of Representatives.
Should the voters elect to hold a convention, delegates may, by a three-fifths vote, propose amendments to the Constitution. However, just like proposals for amendments made by the Legislature, such amendments only become effective if they are adopted at a later election by two-thirds of the voters.”
Current State Rep. Seth Cohn wrote, “In favor, as things cannot get through the Senate, and some reforms are needed to protect rights under threat. Items still need to get a 60% majority of the people.”
I would like to reiterate what Seth wrote. There are some changes that I would like to see and I know they will not pass the Legislature. On November 6, join me in voting for Question 3.
pointing to an anti-Romney political sign.
