Group of activists arrested, Keene District Court April 13, 2009

[Coconut]

Hubbub outside Keene District Court

People protest the arraignment of a man who ignored a judge's order to turn off his video camera.

Things get out of hand, and more arrests are made; Free Staters howl.

Well you're negative

I expect a very detailed and truthful report, given the reporter was in the room with us the entire time. maybe my hopes are too high

[Coconut]

Just after I hung up with you, todays paper was delivered to me (for the upload of todays online stories).
On the first page it has "incident was in Keene court lobby" - Sam Dodson was arrested for not turning off a video camera.
This seems like what you were looking for. I can e-mail you the story / link as soon as I put the stories up for the day.
I should be done around 1:ish

I will be out to buy copies of this in about 15-20 minutes

[Josh]

Nick, the quote I posted is exactly as it is on their website. I'm not being negative, they're just being themselves 

http://sentinelsource.com/articles/2009/04/14/news/local/free/doc49e49d05caeff317022069.txt

[Coconut]

Nick, the quote I posted is exactly as it is on their website. I'm not being negative, they're just being themselves 

http://sentinelsource.com/articles/2009/04/14/news/local/free/doc49e49d05caeff317022069.txt

lol. My bad.

[K. Darien Freeheart]

As a side note... Is that Jim on the front page of the website holding the "Leaf us alone" sign?

[Coconut]

As a side note... Is that Jim on the front page of the website holding the "Leaf us alone" sign?

No. It's Richard. (Sam A Robrin)

[Josh]

http://sentinelsource.com/articles/2009/04/14/news/local/free/id_351706.txt

[Josh]

"Basically, it brought the court process to a halt," he said.

[K. Darien Freeheart]

Eli Rivera sounds like a sadist. Is that the reality of the situation? I've seen his name before, specifically with the Keene Freedom Festival prosecution but I got the impression that there was some "higher up" pressuring him to act. Even if that's true here, I can't imagine that he'd think "police force" against non-violent people would be okay unless he was a sadist.

[CharacterClash]

Eli Rivera sounds like a sadist. Is that the reality of the situation? I've seen his name before, specifically with the Keene Freedom Festival prosecution but I got the impression that there was some "higher up" pressuring him to act. Even if that's true here, I can't imagine that he'd think "police force" against non-violent people would be okay unless he was a sadist.

I don't know if he's a sadist, but he was definitely clinging on to his power yesterday to the point of strongly overreacting.

- Patrick

[Coconut]

It is the front page, headlining story, of today's Sentinel

http://www.keenesentinel.com/articles/2009/04/14/news/local/free/id_351706.txt
http://www.keenesentinel.com/articles/2009/04/14/news/local/free/id_351706.img

[Sam A. Robrin]

Eli Rivera sounds like a sadist. Is that the reality of the situation? I've seen his name before, specifically with the Keene Freedom Festival prosecution but I got the impression that there was some "higher up" pressuring him to act. Even if that's true here, I can't imagine that he'd think "police force" against non-violent people would be okay unless he was a sadist.

Elizard's demeanor was, gesture for gesture, that of the stereotypical Nazi commandant figure that I used to see in movies*, and vow with my 8-year-old passionate sincerity, "I'd never let that happen in America."  Now it is--and I'm not. 
____________
*PS  Now read his quotes in the Sentinel article, and add "line for line."

[Lumpy]

Here's what I remember.  Sam came into the courthouse ready to videotape.  A group of us went upstairs.  Sam began taping.  Court officers told him to stop and showed him the note stuck on the wall saying not to tape.  Sam said the note on the wall didn't appear to be an order signed by anyone, so he was under no obligation to follow notes stuck to the wall.  The two police prosecutors come out and start to arrest Sam.  Rivera grabbed the camera from Sam.  BTW, they didn't appear ready for a riot, like they did the day Ridley planned his camera civ. disobedience - there were just the normal amount of cops there...there were tons the day Ridley planned his event.  When they started to arrest Sam, he fell to the ground.  They dragged him into the next room.  We could hear him screaming in pain, "Ow that hurts!" At one point the door was opened and I saw the thugs lifting Sam, who was on his stomach on the floor with handcuffs behind his back.  Kurt called them thugs and the older court security officer went off on him, saying 'who you calling a thug' and acting like he was about to knock Kurt on his butt and generally behaving very thuglike.  Kurt argued with him a little.  More screaming from the backroom and then Kurt's demanding to see what they're doing to his friend.  Lance the court security guy lets Kurt into the back hallway and Kurt sees Sam back there, but Rivera slams the door shut so that Kurt can't see anymore.  They start herding people into the courtroom for Ridley's arraignment.  Some of us headed outside to be there when they took Sam out.  Lauren and Jim and I stood at the back door where they usually haul people out of the building.  Maybe this made them decide to take everyone (except Tim) out the front door?  We heard that they were bringing Sam out the front so went out there.  They were still dragging him with his hands cuffed behind the back, with him screaming in pain.  People on the street were asking what was going on, so told them Sam had been videotaping.  People on the street expressed disapproval with people being hurt for videotaping.  Sam's dragged into the police car with much difficulty and pain and put face down on the floor, but later hauled into a sitting position.  Sam finally told me he was OK when I was asking.  Lauren tells cops repeatedly that they should be ashamed of themselves.  Other police cars start arriving like mad.  There were all the Keene police, some county and state police.  Sam is driven away.  In a few minutes, Kurt is brought out in handcuffs, walking.  Cops are again told by Lauren they should be ashamed.  People on the street are really concerned about what's going on.  David's brought out, walking.  Then they dragged Patrick.  I have to say it was really heartwrenching the way they were manhandling the always-smiling Patrick.  He was also crammed into the back seat of the cop car with much difficulty and pain.  TomSawyer was admonishing them for using an unneccessarily painful way to handle these guys - amounting to torture.    I don't think anyone saw Tim being brought out the back.  I'm guessing he was walking.  SamARobrin and Coconut told us what had happened upstairs - all the freestaters were told to leave.  Those who didn't would be arrested when backup arrived.  Backup arrived and blocked off the room, so no one could leave.  SamARobrin and Coconut gave their info and were released with summonses.  4 guys didn't give their info and were arrested, as we saw below.  The Keene Sentinel reporter and others there were not given summonses.  Back outside people talked to the Sentinel reporter for a while.  I went upstairs with Lauren and Jim to see if the courtroom lobby was still blocked off.  They let us come in but wanted to make sure we had business there.  I overheard one of the ladies who works in the court talking to the police prosecuter (not Rivera):  she said he'd have to take the Keene Sentinel reporter out to dinner that night because she was doing a story on him and he was a hero now.  Back outside, Jim asked the Keene Sentinel reporter if she was going out with the Keene police since she was going a story on them, but she said no.   We all headed to the police station.  David and Patrick were coming out the back when Ian, Dale and I arrived.  Both David and Patrick expressed how what was going on in that courtroom lobby was just so absurd that they felt they couldn't comply with what was going on - but they had not gone there with the intention of being arrested.  I'm sure that was true of all 4 who were arrested after Sam.  Sam had apparently been planning to push the recording issue.  Patrick told how he'd overheard cops complaining about the police prosecutor going too far - that they'd been called and told a violent riot was going on, but in reality it was a couple of guys standing around.  Kurt and Tim were also released.  We waited around to hear what had happened to Sam and were eventually told he was taken to the jail.  We stopped to eat some lunch then headed out to the jail.  Dale and I met up with Jeremy, Rich and Jennifer who had driven out from Manchester.  A couple of us went to the door and asked about Sam, but were told that no one by that name was in the jail.  Sam isn't giving his name, which is why he was held, so it'll be hard to ask about him and get any info, or send him letters.  One guard who was outside having a smoke said there was a guy brought in who woudn't give his name.  We hung out in the demonstration garden for a while and then back outside the jail.  Two state police and one county guy showed up.  They were called apparently because of Rich open carrying.  The first one who showed up and did most of the questioning had been at the courthouse arrests earlier.  It was all pretty laid back though.  He asked if anyone else was carrying and Jeremy said yes, but refused to show ID or his concealed carry license.  The guys explained they weren't required by law to do anything but tell them name and city where they live and the guy seemed to accept this info.  He went inside to talk to the jail guards.  The other statie just stood outside chatting with us.  The county guy never said a word.  First guy came back out and said Sam was in there and would probably have video arraignment in the morning.  I'm guessing the court would like to be spared another freestater visit.  Cops all left.  Rest of the freestater crowd arrived with signs, so we protested outside the jail for a while, with prisoners banging on windows and waving from inside.  We were unmolested while protesting, unlike the first time we tried it there.  Then everyone left for the Keene City Hall meeting, but I went home.

Yeah, what Kat said.  Also there were a bunch of caged people pounding on the small jail windows at Westmoreland Human Cage Facility; we could make them out to be waving hands and giving us the "thumbs up"!  I guess I sure am not alone in my feelings towards the signs we were carrying speaking of police abuses and such. 
Nice job Kat.

Additionally, I want to thank the most wonderful people I've ever been graced with the privilege of sharing space and breath on this here planet.  You truly are the cream of the crop.  Thank you all, everyone who came from distant places in the time others needed your support.  You deserve nothing but respect and gratitude for ACTING and caring, the way you all do.  It's an honor to be part of you.  Thank you.

[Lumpy]

Eli, if you read this, you acted like a Fundillo Grande.     I don't care for your small mind.  I ain't going to hang out with you... willingly.

[J’raxis 270145]

Eli Rivera sounds like a sadist. Is that the reality of the situation? I've seen his name before, specifically with the Keene Freedom Festival prosecution but I got the impression that there was some "higher up" pressuring him to act. Even if that's true here, I can't imagine that he'd think "police force" against non-violent people would be okay unless he was a sadist.

He's Keene's prosecutor, isn't he? The local equivalent of a D.A.. One probably has to be a sadist to get to that level in the system.