One year ago today, myself and seven neighbors became the Chalking 8, when we were arrested at a protest outside of the Manchester police department on various charges. Three of the eight quietly plead out to a violation charge, simply to avoid having to finance a court battle over a criminal charge. Representing myself without an attorney at trial, I was able to beat two criminal charges. Ademo Freeman and Wes Gilreath were found guilty of chalking the Manchester police station, and while Ademo has a superior court trial pending, Wes sits in Valley Street jail, not just for the chalking charge, but also for having missed an earlier court date in the process, which was called ‘contempt of court’. He’s been incarcerated since January, and will hopefully be released in the coming weeks.
Kate Ager had a jury trial in May, in which she was found guilty of resisting arrest for what three officers testified was a one to three second delay of the arrest. She was not tried in superior court for the charge under which she was arrested (disorderly conduct) a charge which she was found guilty of at the non-criminal violation level of in district court, thus making the arrest charge itself ineligible to be heard by a jury. The full trial was filmed by two videographers, myself and Ian Freeman. You can see my full trial video in four parts here, and Ian’s footage here.
Yesterday Ademo posted to Free Keene and Cop Block an update on his case. His jury selection and trial dates were sent in an odd envelope to a random address from the court, and the prosecutor is trying to use the government’s error to prevent him from receiving a jury trial. The Cop Block post with video is here.
Today’s rain makes it a less than ideal day to chalk the police in anniversary. Keep an eye on Free Concord for more coverage of the Chalking 8 case.
Please remember to write to Derrick via Mail to Jail – he still has another month left in jail and your letters make a difference!
Dear Mail-to-Jail Users,
Thank you for writing to me using this wonderful service. Because of the generosity of local Shire activists, enough money has been added to my commissary account to allow me to respond to your messages. Though it may take some time, I am dedicated to taking time to respond to each one. It is because of letters like yours that I am able to maintain a positive attitude while enduring this difficult time; they remind me that though my body has been isolated from the rest of the world, in some ways I am never truly alone. I want you all to know how happy it makes me to receive messages from people all over the world whom I haven’t even met – even if they are just writing to say a simple “Hello, hope you are well.” I want to thank activist and activism enabler Jay Denonville for making it all possible. If you are able, I hope you will make a donation to support the continued efforts of Mail-to-Jail.com. I’m sure I speak for Jay when I say that all donations, no matter how small, are greatly appreciated. After all stamps are only 45 cents =D.
I want to thank those of you who have generously offered to fund my commissary account. (more…)
Over the past weekend I have visited both Derrick J. Freeman and Beau Davis at the Keene Spiritual Retreat aka Cheshire Co. House of Corrections. As many of you already know, both are incarcerated for victimless crimes. Friday night I visited Derrick and in the course of our conversation Derrick relayed to me the following story: Late one night Derrick was in his cell catching up on writing letters when he happens to look over at the door and sees a correctional officer staring at him through the window in the door. This is incredibly creepy, how long was this state thug watching our sweet, handsome Derrick? What might his intention be? Can you be safe in a place like this? These are some of the questions that went through Derrick’s mind. He also told me that he and Beau have a new job in which they cart the various meal times to each incarceree. At the beginning and ending of each shift, both are physically patted down. Seriously? They are in a secure facility, yet handing out plates of food deems it necessary to pat them down up to 6 times a day. Later I wondered, who are the real criminals? The corrections officers that stares through the door at night and the “pat down” officers or the two lovely activists who have never hurt another person? Otherwise, both Derrick and Beau are doing well, they both have some great ideas for the future!
Thanks to Julia for the transcription, we now have the first portion of Derrick J’s jail journal for you to read! Don’t forget you can write to Derrick and Beau at Mail-to-Jail!
Also, still to come – more of the journal and also some blog posts from Derrick. Here’s the text of the journal entries through 5/15:
5/8/12 – Day 2
I walked in here yesterday shortly after 4:20 PM. I have been treated well by everyone here. I am no longer in isolation. I am in general population with some of the other inmates, who are pretty friendly. Some of them I recognize from my time here last month. I am in R-Block. Currently, my sentence is 50 days but at an unknown date and time, I will be called before District Court where a sentence for the Live Free of Dance Party will be added to my current sentence. I am hoping the sentence is suspended but using history as a guide, my educated guess is that a sentence of 180 days plus $1240, all but the fine suspended, will be imposed. I won’t pay the fine but will ask if 124 hours of community service would serve the fine. If the find is paid, I could be out on June 25th. If not, I will serve time at the House of Corrections at the rate of $50 a day. FTL, its active listenership, and the activists in The Shire are the only things keeping me hanging on with my chin up. My hope is that people will be exposed to the ideas of liberty and decide to move to The Shire to get active. I strongly recommend focusing on activism that has little risk of jail. (more…)
News has broken today that fully informed jury activist Julian Heicklen has fled the country to avoid a pending warrant out of Santa Ana, California, where he is wanted yet again for distributing educational fliers on the rights of jurors. On May 22, Julian is said to have been granted Israeli citizenship at customs. It is unclear whether the eighty year old pamphleteering pioneer plans on returning to the United States. Freedoms Phoenix has the story.
One year ago today, myself and seven neighbors became the Chalking 8, when we were arrested at a protest outside of the Manchester police department on various charges. Three of the eight quietly plead out to a violation charge, simply to avoid having to finance a court battle over a criminal charge. Representing myself without an attorney at trial, I was able to beat two criminal charges. Ademo Freeman and Wes Gilreath were found guilty of chalking the Manchester police station, and while Ademo has a superior court trial pending, Wes sits in Valley Street jail, not just for the chalking charge, but also for having missed an earlier court date in the process, which was called ‘contempt of court’. He’s been incarcerated since January, and will hopefully be released in the coming weeks.
News has broken today that fully informed jury activist Julian Heicklen has fled the country to avoid a pending warrant out of Santa Ana, California, where he is wanted yet again for distributing educational fliers on the rights of jurors. On May 22, Julian is said to have been granted Israeli citizenship at customs. It is unclear whether the eighty year old pamphleteering pioneer plans on returning to the United States. Freedoms Phoenix has the story.
