The NH Liberty Alliance had their annual dinner last night and fellow Keeniac Keith (Keith and Stuff – on the freekeene forums) has received the Liberty Activist of the Year award. Anyone who has been around Keith knows the great amount of effort he puts into liberty activism. Constantly prodding people to do stuff while leading from the front, Keith is a tireless proponent of freedom. Congratulations Keith!
July 9, 2009
By James B Schlessinger Jr.
Cameras have caused quite a stir at Keene City Hall in the past and recent weeks have only seen an increase in the amount of drama surrounding these devices. Whether it is in a court room or a clerk’s office, local liberty activists have made many attempts at capturing the civil servants in action only to be thwarted by police and bureaucrats. At the focus has been a sheet of paper hung on the wall, the text of which declares a ban on the use of cameras in various areas of the building. The paper, which court personnel have alleged to be a lawful judicial order, carries no indication of any official authority nor bears any marking that would confirm its legitimacy. Inquiries about the ordinance from which the “order” is derived have been met with rhetoric and no real answers.
As of Monday July sixth, the people calling themselves the “State of New Hampshire” have imprisoned another videographer at the Cheshire jail. This time it’s Dave Ridley from RidleyReport.com. He’ll be spending six days in Chez Westmoreland because he dared to use his freedom of the press and record video in the lobby of the Keene district court. Videographer Sam Dodson spent 58 days in the same facility for recording video and then using his alleged right to remain silent. Sam, also a blogger here at Free Keene, was arrested at the arraignment forced on Dave. Now having been forced into a trial and found guilty, Dave has turned himself in (under their threat of violence, of course) for a six day sentence. Nearly twenty liberty activists came out and had a picnic and sign-waving rally on the jail grounds. The prisoners were pleased to see us, as always.
Total cost to jail peaceful activists in Cheshire county so far in 2009? At over $30,000 per year to imprison people in NH, Dave’s six days, Sam’s 58, and Andrew Carroll’s nine, that’s at least $6,000. How much they spent on all the bureaucracy (police, court, sheriffs) to get them in jail is another question entirely. Either way, it seems that mass civil disobedience and noncooperation are keys to freedom (plus education and enlightenment) and that when more disobey and say no, it will begin to cost the violent monopolists more and more. May they one day see the error in their ways!
JailedActivist.info has contact info for the court, jail, police, and Dave, so feel free to get in touch. Also, you can write to Dave via mail-to-jail.com, but hurry because he’ll likely be out Sunday.
More video of the jail scene to come, but prior to his arrival at the jail, Dave was interviewed by Motorhome Diaries‘ Jason Talley:
This news just released on KeeneSentinel.com was likely also published today, Friday, in the paper. Though out of jail, the story of Sam’s detainment and trumped up charges is far from over. His courage has gained him and liberty activists in general a lot of public attention and opened a lot of eyes. It looks like that will only continue, as Sam and supporters reveal to people who otherwise wouldn’t be paying attention the corruption within the system.
Jailed Free Stater a free man
Judge orders his release pending trial on misdemeanors
By Anika Clark
Sentinel Staff
Published: Friday, June 26, 2009 1:01 PM EDTEach year, thousands of people are forced into jail and prison cells throughout the country.
Few of them must be pushed out.
But after a nearly two-month standoff, local authorities recently kicked Keene resident Sam A. Miller out of the Cheshire County jail in Westmoreland.
“He was just refusing to leave jail,” said jail Superintendent Richard N. Van Wickler. “We eventually talked him into walking with us to the lobby where he was greeted by some of his friends.”
On June 9 — still wearing his tangerine-orange jumpsuit — Miller left the building a free man.
(more…)
As members, supporters, and followers of FreeKeene know, the Keene District Court has been the site of several high drama situations. From Ian’s arrest for contempt of court, Dave Ridley’s arrest, Sam Dodson’s arrest, and the detainment, arrest, and citations of 6 other activists. So at minimum, we are at the Keene District Court at least twice a month. That will be increasing in the next few months as more activists face ridiculous charges from local police and prosecutors. However, according to the Keene Sentinel, the court could lose it’s legal legitimacy in those same few months if serious issues are not taken care of.
Unfortunately, the issues they speak of are not judicial or ruling related, but rather security related. Anyone who’s been to the Keene District Court knows it has no metal detectors, x-rays, or real “security” outside of a few officers with wands. However, I would go out on a limb and say many activists believe that “security” is more often “security theater”, despite what sort of intricate setup any court appears to have. The best security would be to allow everyone and their handguns into the court. The police are allowed, why aren’t we?
Keene District court is in trouble
By Anika Clark
Sentinel Staff
Published:
Thursday, June 25, 2009 12:46 PM EDTFor years, Keene District Court has been the target of complaints about its lacking facilities — an overcrowded space with little security or privacy for those who use it.
Now, a state commission says the issues are so bad, it plans to yank the court’s accreditation, a move that a judicial branch spokeswoman believes hasn’t happened to a court in years.
And local officials say they don’t know what the commission’s plans mean for the court’s future.
(more…)
Appearing at trial Monday before Judge Burke, activist Dave Ridley was to face charges from when he was arrested for refusing to turn off his camera in the courtroom lobby. Originally thought to be a disorderly conduct charge, activists were surprised to learn at the beginning of trial that Dave was actually facing a class B Misdemeanor contempt of court. The prosecutor brought forth one witness and one piece of evidence to prove that Dave had knowingly broken a “court order”.
The legality of a judge issuing orders that have effect outside the actual courtroom is in question among activists, but Dave was found guilty on the charge. He made it obvious before and during trial that he had no interest in participating in a legal defense of himself, and would take the punishment the court handed down. His caveat though: he would not pay a fine so to not have his money funding further prosecution of victimless “criminals”.
With Ridley’s guilty charge was a $250 fine. Ridley refused and asked the judge about community service. Unlike in the past, where Burke has offered it to people like Russell Kanning or Andrew Carroll without question, Burke questioned Ridley about his financial situation. When Ridley was unwilling to disclose any information regarding it, Judge Burke eliminated the option of community service and said the only other option was jail. After a short conversation, Ridley agreed to turn himself into jail for a 6 day sentence beginning on July 6th.
One final notable question came when Ridley asked the judge about the man who recently died in the House of Corrections in Westmoreland, where Dave will be staying. All these events can be seen in the video below.
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