A recent mover within the last year, Andrew Mercer has kept a fairly low profile as far as activism goes, but he’s certainly still been active. He has gone to court hearings when he can, he’s been to a few 4:20 rallies, and he’s accompanied Sam on quests into City Hall for open records requests, he’s even been on a few CopWatching missions. Though he hasn’t gone out looking to push boundaries and engage in disobedience, but he was recently held in Vermont by state troopers just because one of them suspected he had an illegal plant in his possession.
However, Andrew just went to trial on an unrelated case out of Keene involving him being caught driving a car that didn’t have the correct license plate on it. At trial Andrew’s councel, FreeKeene blogger Nick Ryder, argued that the State could not prove that Andrew attached the wrong plate to the car, or allowed anyone else to.
Nonetheless, Judge Lane of the Keene District Court found Andrew guilty, and because of his resistance to paying fines to the government, Andrew will be committed to 50 hours in jail over two separate occasions. The first beginning this Tuesday afternoon (02-02-10).
He may be critiqued for “playing by the rules” in trying to defend himself “by the system” in court, but he’s costing the State several times the price of his $150 ticket. And if more people did that, the system would easily grind down.
40+ people, a good portion Keeniacs, gathered in Manchester’s Victory Park today to hold a 4:20 cannabis celebration mid-winter in honor of Big Mike. He was arrested for brushing up against an MPD undercover officer. Big Mike has been imprisoned until the trial in April because he’s using his so-called right to remain silent and refusing to give up his name. Our blogger Sam was imprisoned for 58 days for the same thing last year. Disobey, and you stay in their cage.
Here’s BikerBill‘s excellent coverage of the events in the park. Hopefully someone else got footage of the entire MPD being called out later on at the jail…
The police in Manchester finally pounced on a spontaneous 4:20 celebration today in Veteran’s Park. (Is this the first civil disobedience arrest in Manchester?) After being illegally searched by the police, Brian Manning was arrested, allegedly for possession of cannabis. After shaking down the rest of the group, Big Mike is told he can leave. As he is surrounded by the police, he walks between two and brushes against one of them (it happens at 3:20 in the video). He is then immediately grabbed and arrested for assaulting a police officer! Big Mike is currently in Valley St. jail in Manchester and is allegedly refusing to identify himself. Remember, in the “land of the free”, refusing to identify yourself will result in you being locked in prison for an indeterminate period of time, as Sam discovered last year.
Here’s the raw footage of Mike’s arrest. If anyone has other footage of the scene (especially Brian’s arrest), please post links to the comments!
[Transcribed from Kurt’s “Mail From Jail” letter, which can be found here. Be sure to visit Mail-to-Jail to write letters to Kurt in jail.]
Tuesday, November 10, 2009 A.D., Day 40 – 140 to go…
If you hadn’t heard from me by now, it’s because I thought I’d be doing a Porc411 by now and letting you all know that the torture was suspended. Well… it’s not. After “my” hearing yesterday, Judge Burke gave the word that we ought to have his order in about 30 minutes for my release. That was day 39 of my pain, neglect, sadness, loss, headache, heartache, and lots of other “wonderful” things. Today is day 40 and quite honestly I don’t know if I can take much more of this. The pain that has been in my body for so long now, the neglect of the ones who are supposed to have the job of caring for me has gone on now for far too long. What “lesson” could I possibly be learning here? Immediately after “my” anxiety filled video hearing here from the jail, my words were used against me, twisted in a way that I can’t possibly understand the motive. The “Corrections” OFficer, Merrill, and I’ll give him the benefit of the doubt, misheard what I said and immediately used it as an opportunity to keep me caged by calling the court via tele. Granted, I’m not the most eloquent of speakers these days and it’s compounded dramatically further due to my 40 day long incessant pain in my body, it’s just not easy to smile folks. I’m just being honest. So, it’s possible he took my words to mean something other than what they were intended to express. I felt like vomiting, I often do. It’s likely due to any combination of aches, pains, stress, anxiety, side affects of long term Motrin use *which thankfully I’ve been switched over to a generic Tramadol (sp?) pill which is helping a bit more, etc. I’m not exactly un-grumpy a lot. Do you think that gets taken into consideration? No, it got twisted. I get further beaten into the ground, miss my family, my dog, my ability to care, my ability to get proper care, my fingers… oh… yes, two plus two DOES equal five! And the beatings continue. No, I am at the point where I understand that I do not deserve this. I have all along felt that way, but now more than ever. I never hurt anyone, but I can tell you that I understand why people do, who have no ability to cope or forgive, do hold awful resentment upon departure from a place like this. It only is the product of what this place manufactures. When are WE going to stop this insanity? The system of fake justice has beaten me. I’m just being honest folks. I really don’t know what to do now.
Aubern has been working with tenacity that is unbelievable, to get me out. My friends, family, brothers and sisters have been praying for and with me. Where is any kind of real justice? I’m sorry if I’m coming off as being full of self pity. I do know that it isn’t just me who this is costing. (more…)
[Transcribed from Kurt’s “Mail From Jail” letter, which can be found here. Be sure to visit Mail-to-Jail to write letters to Kurt in jail.]
Saturday, November 7, 2009 A.D., Day 37 – 143 to go
I’m officially out of cash. The human cages who hurt me and caged me wiped out my “canteen” account. All I received was two Chick-o-stick candies which I ordered for another human who is caged in here who is indigent. If they were trying to shut down my mail, they found their way.
I’m guessing they are charging the account because of the “meds,” the Motrin I’m on that barely takes the edge off and permits me to sleep. It’s all about profit from any angle they can get it. If they can’t force the humans they cage in here to pay, they will steal it from you, at the point of a gun, and tell you it’s for God and glory and to keep you safe from the bad people who hurt others… sorry, I never could quite swallow all of that giant turd of a story, though for a time, I remained silent and therefor consigned the abuses, though I knew in my heart what it was all about… though not in my head.
So, the team of human cagers don’t like to hear me. I know I’m not the easiest to take but I have little patience for evil and heartless people who repeatedly abuse others, for a paycheck… make no mistake, that is what it’s all about folks, if you need to experience it for yourselves, just try to drive without begging their permission on roads that are supposed to be “public.” That is where they profit, on your “public” land. There are so many, far better and efficient ways to have commerce and enjoy travel on “public” ways. Why they feel they have the right to profit and aggress against you on them, is beyond me. Sure, you don’t want crazy people doing God knows what or what have you on public roads but… I can’t get into it here, just try to think, or listen to all the ideas that will work and will work peacefully, without theft and destruction by the Department of Roadway Aggression aka the “State Police” with guns and handcuffs. (more…)
A recent mover within the last year, Andrew Mercer has kept a fairly low profile as far as activism goes, but he’s certainly still been active. He has gone to court hearings when he can, he’s been to a few 4:20 rallies, and he’s accompanied Sam on quests into City Hall for open records requests, he’s even been on a few CopWatching missions. Though he hasn’t gone out looking to push boundaries and engage in disobedience, but he was recently held in Vermont by state troopers just because one of them suspected he had an illegal plant in his possession.
Aubern was on her way to pick Kurt up from the prison in Westmoreland and she left 
