Robin Hood gets thrifty, for the people • Sign ordinance 101. Like getting punched in the d**k • Derrick J “unsuitable” to conceal carry • James goes on trial for recording the police • Messages from the folks • Rapsher, Shaunna, and James join • Show notes at: BlackSheepRising.org
David Seastrand, Former NH Police Chief
Though New London’s now-resigned police chief David Seastrand is no longer able to be a police officer and the town gave the victim $70,000, Seastrand will not face criminal charges for his threats and intimidation of a teenage girl.
After arresting Janelle Westfall, 18, for underage possession of alcohol, Seastrand allegedly told her she could avoid charges if she went into the police station basement with him and did a nude photo shoot.
Of course, none of the money being given to Ms. Westfall is coming from Seastrand – it’s the taxpayers who are on the hook for his actions. He is protected from responsibility by the system. Prosecutors will not prosecute him. You can bet that if any gun-toting non-cop threatened a young lady and demanded nude photos that person would be fully prosecuted. It’s good to be in the government gang!
The big question is – how many times has Seastrand pulled this move and gotten away with it prior to this incident? I doubt it was his first time using his power to intimidate girls into taking off their clothes.
Oh, and he also gets to keep his pension – what a deal!
Earlier this year, William Baer was arrested at a Gilford school board meeting for speaking out in frustration with the board. The video, shot by Josh Youssef, went viral. After months of waiting for his turn in the “justice” system, the charges were finally dropped. According to Baer in an article posted by Free State Project,
Make no mistake, these three criminal charges against me were not ‘dropped’ by Gilford Police Chief Bean-Burpee and his prosecutor Sergeant Eric Bredbury, they were dismissed by a New Hampshire Circuit Court Judge after a full hearing. In spite of having months to review the law and the facts, the Prosecutor refused to drop the charges or even propose a plea, but rather continued to seek a conviction to justify the State’s violation of my First Amendment right of free speech, and my unlawful arrest.
I was fortunate enough to be experienced in the legal system, and also had the determined, talented, and effective counsel of Mark Sisti and Jared Bedrick of Sisti Law Offices. But what about those who have none of these advantages? One of the most troubling aspects of this experience is having to face the fact that, out of the millions of people arrested every year in the United States, many are unlawfully arrested, maliciously prosecuted, wrongfully convicted, or pressured to plead guilty just to get it over with. Having a jury of one’s peers is supposed to be a check on this system, but NH law precludes a jury trial for a defendant if he is not facing possible incarceration.
Here’s the original arrest video: (more…)
Local government bureaucrats in Keene are infringing on my right to bear arms.
In July I applied for a concealed carry license. One man, Ken Meola, denied it. I appealed, and this week the news came back: Judge Burke denied my appeal.
Judge Burke’s decision means that while it is perfectly legal for me to carry a firearm openly, it is a crime for me to conceal that firearm, for example by putting on a winter jacket.
The next step is to move on to the State Supreme Court. I haven’t decided whether or not I’m going to do that, but I’ll give another update when I speak with my attorney.
I’m disappointed about this decision, but I’m not surprised. The State is a many-tentacled beast, and the different facets of it protect each other. First the legislators did their part by camouflaging a restriction as a right: they call NH “shall issue” but ultimately leave the power of permission to one man working for the police. Then the police did their part to deny my rights, essentially arguing that they are restricting my freedoms because I don’t respect them. Finally, appeals are made to lawyers who also work for the State.
For those who missed it, here is a link to video of the full hearing.
KPD Prosecutor Jean Kilham
In district court yesterday morning, Keene Police prosecutor Jean Kilham seemed to be suggesting that because Derrick J was laughing during proceedings that he doesn’t deserve the right to concealed carry a gun. Derrick was clearly laughing at the absurdity of the violence brought against him during his Victimless Crime Spree, which was detailed in witness testimony today.
Derrick J’s attorney, Free State Project participant and former FSP vice president Evan Nappen, is known among defense attorneys in New Hampshire as the go-to guy for gun rights cases. Nappen did a fine job today and Derrick seemed very pleased with how he argued the case.
The Keene police argued that Derrick J is “unsuitable” to conceal carry, the big loophole word in the state’s “shall-issue” statute. While simultaneously admitting that it’s fully legal for Derrick J to carry a gun openly, they claim that due to a record of victimless “crimes”, alleged cannabis use, and suggested affiliations with violent groups, that Derrick J should be prohibited from concealing.
Derrick J took the stand and told the story of his Victimless Crime Spree. It was made clear that he is an activist dedicated to peace. In fact, Derrick is the host of Peace News Now, heard twice a week on LRN.FM. Here’s full video of today’s “Hearing on the Merits”:
Burke ends the hearing and retires for the holiday weekend with a DVD of Derrick J’s Victimless Crime Spree as part of the evidence in the case. Perhaps he will sit down with the family this holiday weekend and watch the movie that he helped make possible. (more…)
After I got off-the-air from my live Saturday radio program (on which we discussed the initial Pumpkin Fest 2014 riots), I headed back down to the college. At the time, there was a helicopter broadcasting a message to disperse or be arrested. I arrived at the gateway to Keene State College – Winchester St. to witness a huge throng of police marching down the street. I quickly pulled out my camera and began to record:
After walking around the nearest building on campus, in full view of the line of police, activists walked onto campus and right back over to Winchester St. We continued walking west on Winchester and no cops said anything to us there. However, we again went on campus and came back out on Madison St., on the west end of the college. Here there were several police standing around the intersection and one of them told me we couldn’t pass, despite college students walking down Winchester St. immediately behind them. (more…)
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