Cop Block founder and Free Keene blogger Ademo Freeman has been arrested while driving in Lebanon, Ohio by Ohio State Police. Despite Ademo not consenting to a search, trooper Jeffrey Martin claimed that because he allegedly smelled the odor of cannabis, that he had probable cause to search.
Ademo was placed into a cruiser, then the trooper(s) broke open a lock on a suitcase. They asked him how much marijuana he had, so presumably that’s what they found inside – at this point we can’t know for sure. Ademo was placed under arrest and taken to the Warren County Jail, all while asking trooper Martin his thoughts about victimless crimes. All of this is heard on a 40+ minute video recorded and live streamed on Ademo’s cell phone to his facebook page.
I’ve taken the time to edit the video down to less than 15 minutes as well as boost the audio levels. I included portions that I couldn’t make out what was being said, in case you can. Here’s the edited video, which does not have long periods of silence and noise of cars passing:
According to Ademo’s jail record, he’s expected to be arraigned at Warren Municipal Court in front of judge Robert S. Fischer on Tuesday, February 14th. He’s facing three charges including “trafficking in drugs“, a third degree felony, and two counts of “possession of drugs“, one a third degree and the other a fifth degree felony. Ohio actually has their criminal court case records online and you can see Ademo’s case record here. (The jail record says the other count of possession is class three, but the court record says class five.) He’s also been charged with a burnt-out tail light. (more…)
This is a crime? – Hampton Beach “Free the Nipple”, 2015
Today was the day of the latest “Free the Nipple” trial in New Hampshire’s Laconia district court. Though the ladies who protested the nipple ban in 2015 were found not guilty after a hilarious trial that I captured on video, this time around three of the ladies were found guilty for a topless event that happened in Laconia early in 2016. Both seemingly conflicting verdicts were given by the same judge. The ladies and their attorney intend to appeal.
Unfortunately I was not there to record today’s trial due to a car breakdown. I was told it was a very short event, as all the testimony in the case was given by the witnesses in a prior hearing in October on a motion by defense attorney Dan Hynes to dismiss the case. Thankfully, Free Keene blogger and legal expert Melanie Johnson was at the original hearing in October to take notes.
Though the very same judge, James M Carroll found the ladies who were topless in 2015 in Gilford not guilty on a technicality because NH is not a “home rule” state, this time he found the Laconia ladies guilty! Heidi Lilley, Kia Sinclair, and Ginger Pierro were sentenced to a $100 fine suspended given 12 months of good behavior.
Judge James M Carroll of Laconia District Court
In November of 2016 Carroll denied Hynes’ motion to dismiss saying that Laconia prosecutors had found an “enabling statute” that allowed the city to ban toplessness.
Since New Hampshire is not a “home rule” state, cities and towns are only supposed to be allowed to make things illegal that they’ve been enabled to prohibit specifically by the state legislature. According to the Concord Monitor’s Nick Reid, the prosecutors argued that RSA 47:17:XIII grants the town the right to regulate female toplessness. The statute does say that cities and towns can,
“regulate the times and places of bathing and swimming in the canals, rivers and other waters of the city, and the clothing to be worn by bathers and swimmers.”
Attorney Hynes, who is also a state representative, told me he’s disappointed in the court’s decision and intends to file an appeal with the NH supreme court. He’s previously stated the statute is unconstitutional and that he doesn’t believe banning female toplessness was the legislature’s intention. He says he’ll also be supporting legislation in 2018 to repeal the statute in question. Stay tuned here to Free Keene for the latest for this important equal rights case.
Liberty Lobbyist Darryl W Perry and his fellow libertarian activists once again drop in on a bunch of hearings at the state house legislative offices. Here are multiple videos of full and partial hearings and some clips:
HB 613 would reform the solitary confinement system in jails and prisons in New Hampshire. There’s some incredibly moving testimony during this full-length hearing video:
HB 562 – NH liberty legislators propose exempting internet gambling from gambling prohibitions. This video is a partial hearing: (more…)
Liberty Lobbyist Darryl W Perry and his fellow libertarian activists once again drop in on a bunch of hearings at the state house legislative offices. Here are multiple videos of full hearings and a bunch of clips:
HB 436 would carve out an exemption for bitcoin and other virtual currency users from the money transmitter regulations, but there are some problems. Here’s the full hearing video:
HB 377 would give the state a monopoly on selling cannabis (the liquor commission), should it be legalized. Here’s the full hearing video: (more…)
Heather Mullins on WMUR-TV’s Cannabis Hearings Coverage
New mover to New Hampshire, Heather Mullins has had a whirlwind tour of the state house and legislative offices. Two weeks ago, on her first visit to the state house, she testified on a hemp bill and immediately got a job offer as a paid lobbyist. Last week she attended the state house hearings to expand access to medical cannabis and testified in favor of the legislation, attracting attention of NH media including the Union Leader newspaper and WMUR-TV.
Heather knocks it out of the park with her comment appearing at the end of the Union Leader piece:
Marijuana saved my dad. He would not be here today if not for it,” she said. “He has PTSD and chronic pain that the VA tried unsuccessfully to treat or years. Who are we to deny my father who served this country for 30 years access to the medication he needs? The data is out there that this stuff works. To deny people access is criminal in my eyes.
You can listen to Heather, every Thursday night on Free Talk Live, 7-10pm Eastern.
Social media is abuzz as video has been shared of Kristopher Kristolaitis being attacked by police Sunday night at Mr. Mike’s convenience store in Winchester, NH. According to an interview for Free Keene with Kristolaitis, his assailants included officer Michael Paul Laska of Winchester Police, as well as corporal Joshua Murray of Hinsdale police and a third as-yet-unidentified officer. Both Laska and Murray are former Marines. The victim says that WPD’s Laska was the hothead in the video, shouting at the frustrated, angry crowd at one point to “GET BACK!”.
Witnesses say Kristolaitis was arguing with another man, Billy Hillock, when someone called over police. Police eventually responded once Winchester firemen came over to see what was going on. Apparently the firemen were there already on an unrelated situation. As Hillock attempted to leave, police questioned him and let him go, prompting Kristolaitis to ask why. (Hillock is an auto mechanic who happens to work on Winchester PD’s cruisers. Things that make you go hmm…) A Hinsdale officer then asked him his name, to which he responded by saying he’d provide once the officer explained why he let the other man leave. During this interaction, officer Laska approached Kristolaitis from behind and handcuffed him on one wrist without ever telling him he was under arrest. The witness says this is when the video begins. (more…)
