Freedom to Travel Event, Part 3

[Russell Kanning]

Thanks also to MikeF for showing up outside the courtroom as we were led into the van and being there with Kat when I got out of the county jail.
I got to see the police state firsthand .....from the FBI stakeout of our home .......to TSA nervousness.....to the civil, yet punishing county.
I had no idea what they had charged me with and how long I was going to be in jail.....I had no chances to contact Kat and only left my 2 man cell once from 2pm Saturday until 8am Monday......that is a long time for someone who was not yet found guilty and even if I was found guilty.....I should serve no jail time. ???

[Russell Kanning]

Well after seeing John .....talking with Kat and Mike and Dada by phone......this forum was the first place I came to.
I will probably call FTL tomorrow...time to relax with Kat and Kira.

I ended up paying the $240 that the evil police state wanted from me.....after Mike mentioned that some of you guys wanted to chip in and help pay. I hate to give them any money....just trouble. 

They charged me with so little....I just plead guilty.....I was not going to see a jury and the deputy and the judge where decent.

You should have seen the smile on John and my faces when the judge asked "So did he set off the metal detector when he stepped through it?" I think that was the only question he had for the deputy.....sure was getting to the heart of the matter.

[John]

I was at the court all day, and just got back after waiting until 2:35 to possiblely drive Russell back to Keene if needed.? I'll spare you all the details for now..

It was great to see John's smiling face when I entered the courtroom shuffling in my ankle shackles with matching waist/handcuffs and bright orange jumpsuit.
Try to post what you remember from the courtroom, when you can John.
I will try to post things as I remember them and can answer peoples questions as we go along.

Oh, I thought it might matter, so I went.
I posted some stuff from court on the Where's Kat thread.

[Russell Kanning]

I survived...it is the no contact and no idea what is going on that is annoying.
My cellmate kept asking....."what are you smiling about"

Guy in booking area had been checking out the website and his parting word for me today was "you are headed in the right direction" or something to that effect. One of the other guys....said "This is my first 'Anti-'....you know Anti-government" they wanted to know what gang they should put me with for their computer...I think I used Liberty Tree Society

[John]

When I talked to Booking, gave your name, and the guy said, "Oh ya, he seems like a realy desent guy." I smiled for the knowing.

[John]

Well after seeing John .....talking with Kat and Mike and Dada by phone......this forum was the first place I came to.
I will probably call FTL tomorrow...time to relax with Kat and Kira.

I ended up paying the $240 that the evil police state wanted from me.....after Mike mentioned that some of you guys wanted to chip in and help pay. I hate to give them any money....just trouble.?

They charged me with so little....I just plead guilty.....I was not going to see a jury and the deputy and the judge where decent.

You should have seen the smile on John and my faces when the judge asked "So did he set off the metal detector when he stepped through it?" I think that was the only question he had for the deputy.....sure was getting to the heart of the matter.

Yes, yes, yes. ?How the hell did I forget about that? ?That was the balls!

How about when the good judge said he assuses you will be pleading inocent?
You were just "too" cool. ?

And how about those public defender boys in their corner (and others in the court room) while the arrresting deputy talked about Saturday?

Russell, You were the one person in that court that NO ONE though was a threat to themselves!

[traveler]

Russell,just wanted to tell you Welcome Home.I was at the airport and I realize how courageous you were to stand up for your beliefs.Thanks

[FTL_Ian]

It would be nice to hear from you directly, Russell.  We read Dada's email tonight.

Oh and Lloyd, the Art Bell comparison was harsh, man.  YES, there were kooks all over our phones on Sat night, but unlike Art, we don't play into their theories.  (In case you missed it, we had callers claim there were cameras in TV sets, and microphones in satellite receivers!  Woo!)

The good news is we did get a caller from NH who was listening to the station, as wasn't one of you guys!

Ian

[Michael Fisher]

Interesting...

After Russell did his event, the FSP deleted my event from their front page, and they did not cover his.? ????

And Sorens wrote an essay including some info about my event, but not Russell's.   ???

[Lloyd Danforth]

It would be nice to hear from you directly, Russell.? We read Dada's email tonight.

Oh and Lloyd, the Art Bell comparison was harsh, man.? YES, there were kooks all over our phones on Sat night, but unlike Art, we don't play into their theories.? (In case you missed it, we had callers claim there were cameras in TV sets, and microphones in satellite receivers!? Woo!)

The good news is we did get a caller from NH who was listening to the station, as wasn't one of you guys!

Ian

I was just pulling your leg and to your credit, you did question their claims. I am sure that I tuned in at an unusual time, plus I was waitibg for it to turn into the 'unidentified flying objector show'.

[AlanM]

Hey Russell you old jailbird,  It's good to know you are out and safe. Congratulations on a job well done!

[FTL_Ian]

I was waitibg for it to turn into the 'unidentified flying objector show'.

So was I.  I was bummed to have to read a news item about it.   ???  We would have lavished time on the issue if we actually had a caller.   

[Michael Fisher]

I figured Russell's event would be on the news again today since he was released and WMUR called me last night about his arraignment.

But tonight when I turned on the TV, it reminded me why I never watch TV.

We have basic cable with a few channels, and live Michael Jackson coverage was on almost every single channel.  What a nightmare!!!   

Why do people care so much about singers and actors?  ???

[Michael Fisher]

Russell,just wanted to tell you Welcome Home.I was at the airport and I realize how courageous you were to stand up for your beliefs.Thanks

I agree.

Thank you for your courage, Russell.  You are a hero! 

Like the Rational Review said, I hope we have "a thousand Manchesters!" 

[Michael Fisher]

Another Union Leader article!?

Keene man pleads guilty to trespassing at airport
By HUNTER McGEE, Regional Correspondent
http://www.theunionleader.com/articles_showfast.html?article=56232

DERRY - A Keene Libertarian who tried to board a plane at Manchester Airport as a protest against security screening methods pleaded guilty yesterday in Derry District Court to criminal trespass.

Russell Kanning, 35, was fined $1,000, with $800 suspended, following his plea; he paid the $200 fine.

Kanning went to the airport on Saturday, carrying only a Bible and a copy of the Declaration of Independence with him. He said he was protesting mandatory identification checks and search methods that call for security personnel to pat down passengers.

Kanning said the search methods are intrusive and harsh, especially on women.

"They used to not feel us up before 9/11. . . . I just want to go back to that," Kanning said.

He was arrested by deputies from the Rockingham County Sheriff's Department when he was ordered several times but refused to leave the screening area of the airport, according to a court record.

Kanning, who stood in the lobby of the court with his wife, Kat Dillon, and daughter yesterday afternoon, said current screening laws at airports don't target terrorists but instead, burden the traveling public.

"I wanted to do this to make it easier for people to come and go to the airport."