Keene Activists Invited to ACLU of NH’s 2015 Bill of Rights Awards!

James Cleaveland, Free Speech Attorney Jon Meyer, Ian Freeman

James Cleaveland, Attorney Jon Meyer, Ian Freeman

What an honor to be invited by the ACLU of NH (aka the NHCLU) to this year’s Bill of Rights awards dinner! Free Keene bloggers Darryl W. Perry, James Cleaveland, and I had the pleasure of attending with some of New Hampshire’s most active from both the legal and activist worlds. Arnie Alpert of the American Friends Service Committee gave an entertaining speech in receipt of the 2015 Bill of Rights award and NHCLU partner attorney Bill Chapman also received an award. With speeches from NHCLU Executive Director Devon Chaffee, head NHCLU attorney Gilles Bissonnette, and longtime civil rights activist Lewis Feldstein as well as a record 240 tickets sold – the room was packed.

It was a great event, and I’m grateful that we were invited. James earned it for his amazing organizing of Robin Hood of Keene activism and Darryl heading up the lawsuit against the state of NH for their unfair treatment of third parties.

Record Attendance of 240!

Record Attendance of 240!

Free speech attorney Jon Meyer was in attendance, as were hundreds of other attorneys and activists from inside the system and out. There were far more people than I knew, but some noteworthy attendees that have previously been reported on by this blog included Keene Spiritual Retreat superintendent Rick Van Wickler (who is also now on the NHCLU board and is back on the board of Law Enforcement Against Prohibition), Will Hopkins of NH Peace Action, appeals lawyer Joshua Gordon, and in a pleasant surprise – Cheshire County Sheriff Eli Rivera was in attendance.

Free Keene Bloggers Darryl W. Perry, James Cleaveland, and Ian Freeman

Free Keene Bloggers Darryl W. Perry, James Cleaveland, and Ian Freeman

I’m so appreciative to be here in New Hampshire, where people who care about freedom can have a large impact and change things for the better. There’s no doubt we’re in the right place, surrounded by people who truly care for the future of freedom. Thanks to the NHCLU for continuing to stand for so many who can’t defend themselves against the predatory state. It’s truly an honor to play a small role in all this.

Black Sheep Rising – Ep90 – “As Yuh Mayuh”

Keene mayoral debate – Community approves; Stephen Hawking, not so much • Some women are uncomfortable in gyms. Solution: ban boys • Student housing slumlords and mayors who lie about the current tax rate • Fired union workers petition to get their jobs back • What’s that accent? •Shaunna and Darryl join • Show notes at BlackSheepRising.org

Two NH Liberty Party Candidates on Keene Municipal Primary Ballot This Tuesday!

Conan Salada for Keene City Council At-Large 2015

Conan Salada for Keene City Council At-Large 2015

With sixteen candidates in the at-large race on Tuesday’s primary ballot in Keene, voters have a wide range of choices that they’ll whittle down to ten, then five winners at the general election in November. Two of those choices are NH Liberty Party candidates, Conan Salada and me, Ian Freeman. Of the two of us, Conan is running a more active campaign and has placed yard signs at various strategic points in the city.

Here are our responses to the Keene Sentinel’s candidate questionnaire: Conan’s answers, Ian’s answers

Liberty lovers in Keene should consider bullet voting for Conan and I to help us move through the primary (or if you really want to bullet vote, choose just Conan). A “bullet vote” adds votes only to the most principled candidates, which assists in our vote totals in a multi-seat race like this.

If you live in Keene, please come vote on Tuesday, October 6th from 8am to 7pm. Voting locations and more details are here.

Robin Hood Case Goes Redux

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Considerable time has passed since the city of Keene first filed a lawsuit against the meddlesome youths known as Robin Hooders. Following three days of testimonial hearings in October of 2013, a reunion party was hosted by the court for all initially involved, with three of six activists returning. Fine-tuning their excess to scale down the event significantly, the city would only present two witnesses, countered by two representing the defense, enabling what originally cost three days to wrap up within one.

The complications keeping the Robin Hood of Keene legal saga alive are as convoluted as the civil court system itself, which would have otherwise been unnavigable by the activists on defense if it were not for the appreciated representation by civil rights advocate attorney Jon Meyer. As the city’s attorneys began their case, Meyer declined to offer an opening statement, but instead asked if the city could clarify the specific demands it is seeking for “injunctive relief”.

Robert Dietel outlined that the CoK now requests no more than a ten foot “buffer zone” to float around parking enforcement officers. The request seemed modest compared to prior demands for 50, 30, and 20 feet of bureaucrat safety buffers. The tone of the day, echoing a sentiment expressed at the supreme court, seemed to be that the city’s attorneys would accept whatever “injunctive relief” they could be granted, anything to declare a small victory in what must be a loss of staggering proportions, both financially and politically. (more…)

Full Video: Robin Hooders Return to Cheshire Superior Court for ROUND 2

After the NH supreme court ruled mostly in Robin Hooders’ favor, they sent the injunction request by the “City of Keene” gang back to the Cheshire superior court for it to be considered separately from their failed demand for financial damages.

Hence, we were back in court yesterday for round two of the “evidentiary hearing” (the original was three days long in 2013). The evidentiary hearing looks and feels like a trial, but actually isn’t. We’ve never even gotten to the trial, since the judge dismissed the city of Keene’s case before that could happen.

Once again, Robin Hooders were represented by top-tier free speech attorney Jon Meyer, and he did a spectacular job.

Thankfully, the hearing only lasted one day, and boy are there some amazing moments captured on video. Don’t miss when Jane claims Garret is “taunting” her no matter what words come out of his mouth, even if he were to talk to her about the weather! No kidding – she really says that.

The icing on the cake had to be both Jane and Linda expressing having “anxiety” (Jane even likens her experience to PTSD) due to not knowing when Robin Hooders were going to pop up. Hey Jane and Linda, how do you think the innocent people that park downtown feel? They never know when the parking enforcers will pop up and ruin their day with a ticket.

Now the case is again in the hands of judge John C Kissinger. He ruled correctly the first time around but this injunction portion of the case was remanded back to him by the NH supreme court on a technicality. Did the parking agents’ sob story convince him to issue an unconstitutional injunction against Robin Hooders? Stay tuned here to Free Keene for the latest in this ongoing saga!


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Keene city candidates for mayor and city council 2015

Click on any candidate to read his/her answers to the Keene Sentinel Questionnaire. Answers are being updated as they are printed.

 

Mayor

Kris Roberts

Rick Blood

Kendall Lane

Ward 1

Darryl Masterson

David Crawford

Steve Hooper

Ward 2

Toby Tousley

Brian Hansen

Carl Jacobs

Ward 3

David Richards

Joseph Losh

Ward 4

Bob Sutherland

James Duffy

Ward 5

Jerry Sickels

Thomas Powers

Live Tweet Archive from Robin Hood Evidentiary Hearing, ROUND 2!

Robin Hood of KeeneThe Robin Hood court hearings were back in Cheshire superior court today. Thanks to Darryl W Perry for live tweeting the hearing. Here are his tweets in reverse chronological order:

@DarrylWPerry 2h2 hours ago
Correction: there is no hearing scheduled for the 19th #RobinHoodTrial

@DarrylWPerry 2h2 hours ago
Court is over #RobinHoodTrial

@DarrylWPerry 2h2 hours ago
Judge asks both sides to address floating buffer zones in their memoranda #RobinHoodTrial

@DarrylWPerry 2h2 hours ago
Discussing procedure from here. Both sides to file legal memos, there is a hearing tentatively scheduled for Oct 19 #RobinHoodTrial (more…)