Pelham jails 76 kids for being at party

[Dave Ridley]

With regard to the big drinking bust over in Pelham,  where they arrested 70 plus kids for being at a party where there was drinking...

CAPT. JOSEPH ROARK of PELHAM, NH POLICE

Was intervwed on channel 25 and basicaly implied that all of them were drinking and all of them would have gotten in cars and driven.  Kinda sounds like guilty  until proven innocent to me. 

However the kids did apparently defraud the American Legion in a sense, where they scheduled the party, by telling them it was for a college fundraiser when in fact it was to raise bail money for a friend imprioned on burglary charges.

[KBCraig]

Plus, they're talking about charging the 18 and 19 year old guys who rented the hall, under the "party host" act.

[aries]

Plus, they're talking about charging the 18 and 19 year old guys who rented the hall, under the "party host" act.

Is "NH PARTY HOST" some sort of crazy acronym like USA PATRIOT  ???

[Dave Ridley]

http://www.lowellsun.com/front/ci_3628120

Opposing stories from rowdy Pelham benefit
By DENNIS SHAUGHNESSEY , Sun Staff

PELHAM -- Four days later, this remains a tale of two parties.

And while the hangovers for some of the young revelers who prompted a police response to American Legion Post 100 on Saturday night may have subsided, the post's headaches might be just beginning.

James McCarthy said only a handful of teens were drinking when 76 minors were taken into custody at a concert held at post.

Police said the parking lot was littered with about 200 empty beer cans.

McCarthy, an 18-year-old Dracut resident, said one teen was struck in the back of the head with a nightstick. Police said that is unlikely.

McCarthy said Taser guns were pointed at young people in a holding cell at the police station. On that point, there appears to be agreement. Police said it is possible and, in fact, likely.

"It was clear from the moment our officers arrived that they were not dealing with a subdued crowd," said Capt. Joseph Roark. "Several teens resisted arrest and a couple fled the scene. Some were desperate enough to jump out the windows. We had three officers in the middle of an unruly crowd. It wouldn't be unreasonable for officers to unholster their Tasers."

Roark said the teens were unruly both at the Legion and in the holding cells.

McCarthy, who said he helped organize a fundraiser for a friend's brother, who is in jail, said police intimidated the crowd inside the hall, made up of 15- to 17-year-olds who were only listening to music.

"Any drinking that was going on was taking place outside or the kids were drinking before they got there," McCarthy said. "I was at the door all night, and I know I didn't let anyone in the hall that was drinking or smelled like they were drinking."

David Lyko, a senior at Dracut High School, said police were unfair by lumping the innocent with the guilty.

"I admitted I was drinking, and I was let go," Lyko said. "They kind of (got) everyone into admitting they were drinking even if they weren't. They took their names down and called everyone's parents. It was unreal. The majority of the kids weren't doing anything wrong."

More than a half-dozen kids who were at the benefit were at an open-microphone night at the Mambo Grille in Lowell last night, and Brian Robson, 17, of Dracut, said most media reports have incorrectly labeled the event a party.

Robson said it was merely a benefit show meant to raise money for a friend. He suggested that those who attended write letters to media outlets to voice their side of the story.

Those at last night's open-mike night politely listened to musical performances and some poetry, drawing on some discarded bottles and scrap paper, and getting a bite to eat before speaking up.

Joanne Smith, a bar manager at the American Legion Hall on Windham Road, said organizers tricked the Legion into thinking the event was a college fundraiser.
   
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It was actually a fundraiser to support the family of Lee Landry of Dracut, who is serving a sentence in the Middlesex House of Correction in Billerica on charges of breaking and entering an occupied dwelling in the nighttime, armed robbery, and two counts of assault and battery.

"I was tricked," Smith said. "I issued the permit, and I told them in no uncertain terms that alcohol was not permitted. It's not typical for us to rent the hall for this type of fundraiser. We usually have legitimate fundraisers like bean suppers and casino nights and raffles. But they said, 'Give us a chance,' so we did."

Smith has not heard from the New Hampshire Bureau of Liquor Enforcement with regard to any action that might be taken, but she expects a call soon. Lt. Kyle Metcalf of the Bureau of Liquor Enforcement was not available for comment yesterday.

"If I was from the (BLE), I'd be looking into it," Smith admitted. "It's just unfortunate. American Legions are struggling as it is. Maybe they should have these kids do community service at a local Legion and find out what volunteerism is all about."

McCarthy and Lyko also complained that parents were not allowed to take their children home before they were transported to the police station.

"They weren't even allowed to drive their cars away," McCarthy said. "It's not fair that somebody that wasn't doing anything wrong had to pay $125 to get their car back."

Roark said once a person is in protective custody, he cannot be released until all the information is processed electronically.

"We do that so we don't lose track of anyone that has been detained," he said. "We do that so they aren't released to the wrong people. When we have the situation we had the other night, it is imperative that everyone comes back to the station for processing."

Six arrests were made, and several more are pending, Roark said, adding that charges may still be filed against the two teens who organized the event and sought the permit.

"I'm very proud of my officers for the way they handled this," said Police Chief Evan Haglund. "It's unfortunate that some of the kids were in the presence of alcohol and had to be put in protective custody when they were probably just listening to music with their friends, but that's the procedure that we have to follow."

Dennis Shaughnessey's e-mail address is dshaughnessey@lowellsun.com.

[Dave Ridley]

http://www.seacoastonline.com/news/03222006/maine/93787.htm

Legion wants to go after party planners

By Associated Press

Complete Maine News Index

PELHAM - Members of an American Legion Post say they were tricked into renting their hall during the weekend for what turned out to be an underage drinking party, and they want charges filed against the party planners.

"We?re a struggling club, and they took advantage of us. They had a plan ahead of time," said Joanne Smith, bar manager at American Legion Post 100 in Pelham. "It just went incredibly bad."

Police said 76 minors were taken into protective custody Saturday night and six of them were arrested on a variety of charges, including unlawful possession of alcohol, resisting arrest and indecent exposure. Police also said they plan to charge the two youths who rented the hall.

Smith said organizers took advantage of the post, saying they were holding a battle of the bands to raise college tuition money. It turned out to be a party to raise bail money for a teen in jail in Massachusetts on burglary charges.

Smith said when she was approached about renting the hall, she made it clear that no alcohol would be served or present.

One of the hosts reassured her. "He said, ?Don?t worry, we?d like to even do it again sometime if this one is successful,"? Smith said. "So we didn?t issue them a liquor license and we rented them the room."

Smith said the front room that was rented to the youths did not have a bar, and club workers could monitor the room through a sliding glass door connected to the club?s lounge area. She said no club member was allowed to enter the room with a drink.

But partygoers "kept on trying to close the curtains (to the door)," she said. Smith was home when the event took place and received a call from her bartender to tell her that police found people drinking outside.

Police said the Legion did not sell any alcohol to the teenagers, and that most of them had been drinking long before they arrived at the hall.

[KBCraig]

http://www.lowellsun.com/front/ci_3628120

"I'm very proud of my officers for the way they handled this," said Police Chief Evan Haglund. "It's unfortunate that some of the kids were in the presence of alcohol and had to be put in protective custody when they were probably just listening to music with their friends, but that's the procedure that we have to follow."

Had to be put in protective custody because they were in the presence of alcohol, huh? So if someone talks to the chief's daughter while holding a beer, his daughter should be arrested, right? That alcohol might jump out of the bottle at her, so she should be placed in protective custody.

I used to not have a blood pressure problem. That might be changing.

Kevin

[1984IsNow]

Clearly the average teenager has the mental capacity of a lamp, and simply being in a room with alcohol puts them at complete immediate risk of mindlessly consuming it in mass quantities *sarcasm*.

Busts like this are ridiculous.  You are being punished for simply being around an activity, not even participating.  That's like.. if I was standing in school and some kid down the hallway got busted for dealing, me getting arrested.
I love when police flex their muscle on us horrible children.

[Atlas]

WTF!

[Russell Kanning]

The cops really are out of control ..... we need to taser them.

[1984IsNow]

The cops really are out of control ..... we need to taser them.

Anyone for starting a tasers-for-revolutionaries fund raiser? =P