Free Speech Trial

[Russell Kanning]

We got our police reports today.
The cop was instructed to keep the secure area free of demonstrators ..... so he arrested us.

[president]

The cop was instructed to keep the secure area free of demonstrators ..... so he arrested us.

does ..... mean " so he asked/told us to move and we refused"?

[jgmaynard]

Sounds to me like the two of you have a great case.
Best of luck.

JM

[Tom Sawyer]

You guys go the distance... :icon_cheers2:

My respect to you two.

[1984IsNow]

I really really hope you guys have better luck in court with your free speech case than I did.
One thing I learned from my 11 month (and still going) case with my school is that you really can't effectively fight the system from within the system, in far too many cases.
Good luck, guys.
Looking for anyone to come stir up trouble outside while it goes on?  Muahahaha

[Russell Kanning]

Yea .... in some ways I don't even feel like showing up for the court date. Really the main reason I am is because I said I would when they let us out on $0 bail. Just being there makes their crazy system seem a little bit legitimate.

[Caleb]

I think it bears saying that Russell and Kat were not fighting the system from within the system.  This legal battle is not some sort of contrivance of theirs ...

They were minding their own business, peaceably assembling, exercising their right to free speech, when the SYSTEM CAME AFTER THEM.

It's not like Russell and Kat were sitting around one day and said, "Hey, let's start a court battle."  They had no intention of getting arrested that day.

Caleb

[1984IsNow]

I'm not saying they did, but whether it was intended or not, they still have to show up to court, thus working in the system.
It's clear neither of them did anything wrong, all I was saying was that the truth isn't always what comes through in the court system.

[FTL_Ian]

Russell, have you read Adventures in Legal Land?

Here's the author, Marc Stevens on FTL:

http://freetalklive.com/files/stevens1.mp3
http://freetalklive.com/files/stevens2.mp3

[Kat Kanning]

... you really can't effectively fight the system from within the system

So young, and already so wise.

[Russell Kanning]

I have no intention of showing up for their hearing on the 5th, but I told them I would show up on the 19th. That will probably be the last time I willingly show up at a trial.

[Russell Kanning]

Russell, have you read Adventures in Legal Land?

Yea .... that is funny.

[FTL_Ian]

I find it an excellent approach.  If you're going to court, why not challenge their authority with questions instead of playing their game?

Good stuff!

[FTL_Ian]

Best case, the case gets thrown out because the judge doesn't want to reveal the inherent violence in the system.  Worst case, they get violent and throw you in the clink, which you'd be risking by not showing up anyway.

[Dave Ridley]

ok so what exactly do we want to do the day of the hearing and when?
i basically wrote in the LTE to the union leader that folks should show up at 815


LTE to union leader:


(This is for publication, if you wish)

Dear folks at the Union Leader:

With regard to your Feb. 9 article "Two arrested as protesters gather," I have an update.  As you reported then, Manchester police arrested two Keene residents for carrying signs and refusing to be herded into a "Free Speech Zone" during President Bush's last visit.   The demonstrators, Russell Kanning and Kat Dillon, declined to plea bargain at their initial hearing.  So in the absence of schedule changes, their "Free Speech Trial" will be at 8:15 a.m. on April 5 at Manchester District Court, 35 Amherst St.

They make this sacrifice so you don't have to.  But you are invited to a demonstration in their support, which will occur outside the courthouse at that time.   Details are at NHfree.com, or you can call me: 
_____

Gandhi said "non-cooperation with evil is a sacred duty."  Manchester police, like the British troops Gandhi faced down, are not evil persons.   But the practice of arresting individuals-  simply for carrying a political sign in a public area where everyone else was allowed to be -.that practice *is* evil.  It constitutes an assault upon one of the few freedoms Americans have left - the freedom of expression.  New Hampshire officers should have no part in it.