by Meg McLain | Oct 21, 2009 |
Today I witnessed something that I found so shockingly callus, while at the same time unsurprising.
I went to Keene City Hall to file the asinine “required papers” to capture video of the ‘public trial’ Burke is holding for Sam this Friday. As I came into the 2nd floor lobby, the bailiff recognized me, and I gave him a friendly smile and a ‘Hello’. The bureaucrat behind the window began looking for some information I requested, I noticed a state trooper walking around in the area behind the counter. As he exited through the side door, and entered the hallway that leads into the courtroom, I could no longer see him; however, when he began to speak to the bailiff, I could hear him plainly:
“Hey, remember those Free Staters we got the other day? We just got him again!”
He exclaimed this in a tone of absolute joy, and then began laughing.
(more…)
by Ian | Oct 21, 2009 |
After being tortured allegedly on the orders of Edward Burke with no mattresses or blankets in jail, Yadra and Brandon apparently gave their slave names to the robed Burke today (he would likely have held them indefinitely if they didn’t reveal their legal names, as he did to Sam) and were released with trial dates for “trespassing” in March. Remember to to keep your eyes on the Calendar for upcoming events, such as another trial for Sam coming up this Friday, 1:30pm at district court in Keene.
Kurt remains in the jail on a 180 day sentence for asking to be told please by the robed man.
Will you help us change this insane, violent situation? More liberty activists of all stripes are needed here in Keene.
by JJ Epic | Oct 21, 2009 |
UPDATE!! Ryan Maddox is released after being arraigned this afternoon! He has a curfew now and another court case for “Hindering the Prosecution” of our neighbor lady.
The Sheriffs had an utter disregard for safety and speed off while turning the car and ended up running over the foot of Jesse O’Keene.
by Ian | Oct 20, 2009 |
Thanks to the Union Leader’s Melanie Plenda for this article:
KEENE – Several marijuana protesters are facing misdemeanor charges after being arrested during a demonstration at last weekend’s Pumpkin Festival.
About two dozen protesters, who meet daily in Central Square in Keene at 4:20 p.m. to protest drug laws by allegedly smoking pot in public, set up camp in front of City Hall Saturday with signs and bull-horn messages promoting legalization.
State and local police stood on the outside of the group, which managed to draw a small crowd for about 30 minutes, but largely allowed the protest to proceed. But at 4:20 Richard Paul, 40, of Keene, allegedly lit a marijuana cigarette.
Paul was arrested without incident.
Though the crowd booed when he was led away, the demonstration remained peaceful. (more…)
by JJ Epic | Oct 20, 2009 |
See the video here on WMUR’s site. Here’s the text of the report:
KEENE, N.H. — Two witnesses helped police track down and arrest a man charged with robbing a Keene pharmacy at knifepoint.
Police said a man robbed the Apothecary Pharmacy at about 5 p.m. on Monday. Police said he left with painkillers and was spotted by at least two men nearby.
“Basically, he came right out the door and was running, so I followed him into the alleyway,” said witness James Schlessinger.
Schlessinger openly carries a gun and said he wasn’t concerned about the possibility of the man having a weapon.
“I was armed and I wasn’t so scared because his attention wasn’t so much on other people as it was running away,” Schlessinger said. (more…)
by Sam Dodson | Oct 20, 2009 |
While in the Cheshire County Jail, I requested to use the law library on a few occasions to defend myself. The requests were generally approved after anywhere from 3-8 days later after several follow-up requests, and in one case, a petition signed by 20 other prisoners.
Unfortunately the law library at the jail is severely deficient. The New Hampshire RSA set, updated last in ’94, has volumes missing. They have the RSA’s on one computer, which was down for weeks, but that doesn’t include much useful case law.
The Federal code volumes are from the 50’s and have more volumes missing than on the shelves. The NH court rules haven’t been updated since 1979, and that’s important because they have added hoops to jump through to call witnesses in your own defense, which are not even in the 1979 rules. The Keene city ordinances are nowhere in sight, and several activists continue to be charged with them.
While in the Jail Richard Van Wickler said it’s not his responsibility, and that I should call the Public Defenders office because they maintain the law library, and they have assured him that it’s up to date.
Today I called and spoke with Jan who has managed the Public Defenders office for over 20 years.
Guess what, they have never been responsible for the law library at the jail. (more…)
by John Smith | Oct 20, 2009 |
[Transcribed from Kurt’s “Mail From Jail” letter, which can be found here. Be sure to visit Mail-to-Jail to write letters to Kurt in jail.]
Tuesday, October 19, 2009 A.D., Day 19
It appears as though the names of the three individuals that are still in the holding cells (aka “the bubble”) are still NOT “processing.” THank you Sam for starting a trend. I refused as well. No photo, no prints, but they put me back in what they call a “day room” (God only knows why they are called that). The quiet, reserved, seemingly nice social worker I warned not to push me at the tax-payers expense, against their will and can you imagine what they would think if they knew why most of these people (including belligerent me) are actually in here? He said only what a person does who knows what they do for a living is deceptive, but they must still protect themselves and each other and say nothing. We all know the score. They may smile and act friendly but their hearts are black or at least misguided… but that excuse seems to be going away now. These days they just shut up until they get a chance to frame you for some supposed “crime.” We all know that the police have lied and embellished, and do it often. All I want them to do is examine their reasons and get honest about why they do it… not just with their “buddies” but with the people they oppress daily. The drug war is an obvious failure. There is a man here who is now on his 17th marijuana charge. He’s a very nice guy really, and he knows what treats his A.D.D. properly and that he has been able to make a living for himself and his family. He’s also told me about how a Swanzey cop framed his once as well. It’s awful that he spent (lost) an entire year and a half of his life in prison and… it’s so, just so sad. We’ve managed to put up our “pumpkin” in a way. The article and photo in the Sentinel about the “4:20 EVERY DAY” pumpkin has been torn out and toothpaste has adhered it to the wall.
While I was still in “the bubble” I heard them (the guards) telling people who were leaving not to go to the 4:20 celebration and that there would be people there trying to force or influence them to join “their cause”… it sounds like they know a) that the gig is up and b) that they are afraid of losing control… Keep up the good work and rest assured people, that the “cause” isn’t “us,” it’s the one that has been in the heats and minds of everyone they have abused and surely LTOS of people in here. (more…)
