Episode 10 – Oct 1st 2012
1. Winchester, NH accepts federal grant for sidewalk project and gets nowhere fast.
2. Public Service of New Hampshire predicts higher energy rates to come.
3. Mass. crime lab tech accused of faking thousands of tests.
4. Mother sentenced to 12 years in prison for $31 of marijuana.
5. Garret Ean discusses this year’s 2nd annual Chalk the Police Day.
6. This week = Banned Book week.
The Brattleboro Reformer’s Bob Audette reports on the right to record the police and covers Free Keene. Specifically, he talks to the Chesterfield police chief, who uses FK as a resource to “rethink how we deal with people”. Glad we could help officers learn more about respecting people’s rights to record then (and other bureaucrats). Here’s the piece.
Some local liberty activists and other concerned locals made an appearance this morning on WKBK‘s “Talkback” as Keene Police Chief Ken Meola was interviewed by former city councilor Cynthia Georgina and current city councilor James Duffy.
Audio of the interview and following calls is here.
During the series of calls, Meola defends the BEARCAT’s alleged use in rescue situations and its militaristic olive green color. He refuses to paint it pink in support of breast cancer research, or even red to be more obvious as an alleged “rescue” vehicle. Cop Block‘s Pete Eyre calls with a challenging question about the contradiction in KPD’s mission statment which is to ostensibly “protect” people, but yet they must first violate those same people in order to get the money to “protect” them. Pete’s question is so challenging in fact, that the only response the hosts can muster is to ignore his question, hang up, then busy out the phones for the remainder of the hour!
Additionally, Meola explains that he refuses to speak with me because he doesn’t like my behavior and the “attacks” on his officers that I “allow” on Free Keene. He claims that the radio was an inappropriate place for me to ask him about this, and I would agree, however I’ve asked him in person and via email, and he refuses to even acknowledge my presence! Of course, I’m not alone in this rude treatment by a so-called “public servant”. He also ignores independent newsman Dave Ridley in this video taken outside a Keene city council meeting.
So, Ken, let me see if I’ve got this straight: (more…)
Baxter, Stevens, and Wright;
bridge pictured.
Sentencing for three of the five men arrested in connection with an FBI plot to destroy a bridge outside of Cleveland on May 1 occurred yesterday. Douglas Wright, Brandon Baxter, and Connor Stevens were handed 138, 117, and 97 month sentences respectively, including a lifetime on supervised release. While the five had initially pleaded not guilty, in July, the oldest individual charged, Anthony Hayne, pleaded guilty to the three charges against him in “hopes to get leniency in return for his testimony”, according to his attorney. On September 5, it was reported that another three had pleaded guilty to federal charges of conspiracy to use a weapon of mass destruction, attempted use of a weapon of mass destruction, and attempted use of an explosive device to destroy property used in interstate commerce. Hayne is scheduled to be sentenced within the next week. The one remaining defendant to have not pled guilty, 23 year old Joshua Stafford, is currently being evaluated for whether or not he is competent to stand trial. Judge David Dowd initially supported a ‘terrorism’ classification for the charges against the youth as recommended by the prosecution, but ultimately opted against it at the sentencing hearing. Such designation would have effectively doubled the sentences. (more…)
Despite a supermajority of Keeniacs opposing the “tank”, as Mayor Kendall Lane excitedly called it, the city council overwhelmingly did as they were asked by Keene Police and accepted the armored Lenco BEARCAT killing machine from the Department of Homeland Security. Now it has arrived and is ready to be used to crush your freedom – I mean to rescue people from floods and save people in burning homes.
Keene police only have the best of intentions for the vehicle – the thermal imaging equipment that can see through walls will only be used to find people in fires – they would NEVER use it to try to find cannabis grow operations. Sure, the BEARCAT has gunports all around the vehicle – but don’t worry – they’ll be using those for… um…
What does it say about an individual that is uncomfortable sharing their first name with you? On November 5, the afternoon before the 2012 election, I was chalking around city hall in Concord when I was approached by an officer. He implied that he needed to know my name because “I got called in”, which is not a valid excuse/reasonable suspicion of any crime. I figured I would entertain him in reciprocity by first asking his name.
Ean: What’s your first name?
Pelliccia: My first name? It’s Officer Pelliccia. That, that’s how we refer to each other here.
E: You won’t give me your first name?
P: Nope.
E: Okay, well I’ll give you only my last name then. My name is Mr. Ean.
As he walked away, I told him that my name was Garret, and asked his. He only repeated, “Officer Pelliccia”.
The nice lady on the phone at the company he works for told me that his name is Andrew.
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