MANCHESTER — A video showing a confrontation between a Manchester West High student and the school’s resource officer last week was not a setup, according to the student who filmed it.
But Mike Proulx, 17, says when he saw Detective Darren Murphy approach his friend Frank Harrington in the school cafeteria last Monday, he did think about the two men he and Harrington recently met who call themselves CopBlock and encourage civilians to videotape police officers.
So Proulx pulled out his iPod Touch and hit record.
What happened between Murphy and Harrington led to the student’s arrest and an internal investigation by the Manchester Police Department, expected to be completed early this week.
Adam Mueller and Pete Eyre, the founders of CopBlock.org, said they met Proulx and Harrington by happenstance a few weeks ago at a park on the city’s west side. They told the youths about their crusade to encourage people to film police officers on the job and gave them a DVD featuring videos of their activities in New Hampshire and other states. (more…)
Ian Freeman was released from the Cheshire County yesterday, a day early, and today at 2 pm a man – Fred Parsells, former Keene Police Det – claiming to represent the City of Keene came to Ian’s home with demands. The “city” seems to be upset that gravel, cars and MARV – an RV – are on Ian’s property. Something that was brought to the “cities” attention by a “city employee” who just so happens to live down the road.
Sad “the city” is targeting Ian. Just one day after being caged in ‘house of corrections’ the last 60 the “city” comes with more threats. They know Ian has 10 months of jail time hanging over his head. That if the RV – that came back to visit their recently released friend -, car or gravel aren’t removed than Ian could be charged, which would violate his good behavior clause and send him back to jail. Sad thing is it will cost the city alot more to cage Ian than it is to simply leave these issues alone.
Does the “city” have the right to tell you what you can park on your property? Can they tell you if you can or cannot have a driveway? Where is the line? What can’t the “city” tell you to do on your property?
This morning (September 23, 2011) around 8:40 AM, Jason Talley, Cecelia, and I went to the Superior Courthouse in Keene for Ian Freeman’s habeas corpus hearing scheduled for 9:00 AM. At the ‘security’ checkpoint, Jason checked his bag of recording equipment in exchange for a receipt. He then walked through the metal detector and was immediately questioned about the device attached to his belt. Jason replied, “That’s my personal camera,” then expressed that he was walking to the window a few feet away to fill out a form asking permission to film the proceedings upstairs.
As Jason approached the window, the bailiffs began touching him. At first it appeared that the bailiffs were patting down his pockets, but they then attempted to steal his camera from his belt. Jason held onto his property while the bailiffs were grasping his wrists, very tightly it appeared, and trying to pull his hands away from the camera. Jason was told he was under arrest and put into handcuffs. Although he did not resist, Jason did not assist the bailiffs in his kidnapping. One of the bailiffs grabbed onto the handcuffs, in the center, and dragged Jason, backwards, into the elevator.
The bailiff, when questioned, stated that Jason was going to be seen in Keene District Court on two misdemeanor charges, including resisting arrest. He would not state the specific charge for which Jason was arrested, only that it was in relation to walking through security with a recording device. Cecelia and I went to the Keene District Court to inquire about when Jason would be seen by the judge, but the clerk was not able to provide any information.
At the Cheshire County Sheriff’s Department (located in the Superior Courthouse), we were informed that Jason would be seen by a judge this afternoon. We then spoke with the County Attorney and learned that Jason will be seen “sometime after 1:30 PM” this afternoon at the Superior Courthouse.
Today in Keene’s Central square, beginning at 4:00, a weekly event known as Free Speech Fridays was held. The idea behind the event is to provide an open microphone for the people of Keene to come out and speak to the general public. This is the third such event to be held in Keene’s Central Square, and so far it has been a success. Unfortunately, it’s not without its bumps in the road.
At approximately 5:00PM two individuals wearing blue outfits with small pieces of metal on them, carrying large firearms approached the gazebo in Central Square. The demanded in the name of some person calling themselves ‘The City’, who at this time is unidentified, that the persons gathered in Central Square cease using the publicly available power outlets due to a lack of a ‘permit’. After some questioning, these two individuals, against the requests of the owner of the PA system set up for Free Speech Fridays, unplugged it. After some further discussion between the attendees and the aggressive individuals, the aggressors left the are. An unknown individual then restored power to the PA System and Free Speech Fridays continued.
The aggressive individuals did not further harass any attendees. Talley.TV was there, and will post video later.
Hello from the Keene Spiritual Retreat, aka, the Cheshire County “House of Corrections!” In case you aren’t aware, I have been sentenced to 90 days here (plus 270 days “suspended”) for the “crime” of “obstructing government administration.” In other words, my friend Heika was being kidnapped by the people calling themselves the Keene Police because she was enjoying an afternoon in the park with an alcoholic beverage, and I chose to peacefully stand in front of police car to prevent the kidnapper’s escape. Turns out, I merely delayed them for a few minutes before they kidnapped me and the other brave activists who stove in front of, and behind the police cruisers -Rich Paul, Meg McLain, and Wes Gilreath.
So began an odyssey into “legal land” that has lasted over a year. Apparently, waiting over a year for a trial is “speedy.” That is one of several absurdities about this sick, slow, stupid system to which we are all subjected, that I experienced personally. Here are some more “highlights,” which you will be able to see in the trio video, thanks to Talley.TV:
• KPD’s Jason Thompson admits that he doesn’t really think about liberty, even though it’s his fundamental duty to protect it, according to KPD’s “Statement of Ethics”
• KPD’s Colin Zamore appears to be oblivious to what “subject” means, even though he and fellow officers use it all the time to refer to us non-police-folk
• “judge” John P. Arnold claims the constitution does not apply in this case
• Arnold ejects members of the public from court under threat of violence because their moral or religious beliefs prevent them from standing for another man.
There are more, but I only have so much space. Another interesting aspect was the jury. This was the third jury trial in Keene, and the first time they have returned a non-guilty verdict. They found me not guilty of “resisting arrant.” Unfortunately, they found me guilty of the “obstructing” charge, which is why I am in jail. There had been jury nullification outreach done to the potential jurors and the concept was the cornerstone of my defense. Was their “not guilty” a nullification? I’d speculate it wasn’t, but simply their decision regarding the facts of the case. Perhaps someday we will know for sure, as I have heard NHJury.com intends to contact them with a survey.
So here I sit at the Keene Spiritual Retreat, as my work responsibilities go unmet and email piles up – I am having months of my life stolen from me because I delayed the police for five minutes! It’s a clear violation of NH Constitution Article 18, which says punishments should be proportionate to the crime. Of course, if you are reading this, you probably know the government people don’t give a damn about their founding document, or any of their rules, for that matter. Look at the camera/audio ban at “Superior Court” – it violates both the NH Constitution and RSA 91-A:4, but good luck getting anyone to enforce their own laws on their buddies!
I am already jotting down ideas for future blogs from jail – for now though, I bid you goodbye. First though, THANK YOU to all who came to my trial and to everyone who has moved or will be moving to New Hampshire as part of the Free State Project. The more people who come here and get active in the way that is right for them, the better our chances of someday living free. Special thanks to the financial uprooters or Mail-to-Jail.com – one of the most useful activist tools out there!
Ian Freeman has a hearing at the Cheshire Superior Court in regards to his supposed right to a speedy trial. Judge Arnold threatens activists with arrest for hat wearing.
