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July 31, 2006: Russell arrested

Started by Kat Kanning, July 31, 2006, 09:26 AM NHFT

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Lex

Quote from: katdillon on August 01, 2006, 12:59 PM NHFT
The only thing untrue said at the trial was that Russell "lowered his head and plowed through them"...making it sound like a bull charging or something.  That wasn't the way I remembered it.  I've reviewed the video now and it's perfectly clear that all he did was try and walk past them.  He did not lower his head or his shoulder to get more leverage or something.

Someone must've been lying under oath then?

Revmar

Quote from: DadaOrwell on August 01, 2006, 11:28 AM NHFT
Third news release local version

This is a fifth draft of the new Local news release, and is ready to send.  Please do so!  What we are doing is 10% message, 90% getting the message out...and i think the latter is still our weak link.  So please distribute this as I am doing!


Well I've sent a copy of this release to the local paper here ( the Milwaukee Journel / Sentinal).  We'll see if they run it.

Dave Ridley

other places that might benefit from this news release include media in wherever russell moved from

Dave Ridley

i've sent the new release to 6 or 7 NH media now.  looks like caleb made it to free talk live and brought them up to speed, they read dennis's great synopsis on the air almost completely.

Kat Kanning

Quote from: Lex Berezhny on August 01, 2006, 01:56 PM NHFT
Quote from: katdillon on August 01, 2006, 12:59 PM NHFT
The only thing untrue said at the trial was that Russell "lowered his head and plowed through them"...making it sound like a bull charging or something.  That wasn't the way I remembered it.  I've reviewed the video now and it's perfectly clear that all he did was try and walk past them.  He did not lower his head or his shoulder to get more leverage or something.

Someone must've been lying under oath then?

I prefer to think he was mistaken.  It did not effect the outcome of the trial.

hook

How can someone be arrested on Thursday and have a trial on the following Monday?

lildog

Quote from: hook on August 01, 2006, 03:14 PM NHFT
How can someone be arrested on Thursday and have a trial on the following Monday?

Constitutionally it should be quickly.

After all Amendment VI states:

In all criminal prosecutions, the accused shall enjoy the right to a speedy and public trial, by an impartial jury of the state and district wherein the crime shall have been committed, which district shall have been previously ascertained by law, and to be informed of the nature and cause of the accusation; to be confronted with the witnesses against him; to have compulsory process for obtaining witnesses in his favor, and to have the assistance of counsel for his defense.

Tom Sawyer

Hey that's one of the benefits of having Shorty Dawkins on your legal team.

Kat Kanning

Talked to the Union Leader gal just now.  I guess she's doing another story.

hook

Quote from: lildog on August 01, 2006, 03:25 PM NHFT
Quote from: hook on August 01, 2006, 03:14 PM NHFT
How can someone be arrested on Thursday and have a trial on the following Monday?

Constitutionally it should be quickly.

After all Amendment VI states:

In all criminal prosecutions, the accused shall enjoy the right to a speedy and public trial, by an impartial jury of the state and district wherein the crime shall have been committed, which district shall have been previously ascertained by law, and to be informed of the nature and cause of the accusation; to be confronted with the witnesses against him; to have compulsory process for obtaining witnesses in his favor, and to have the assistance of counsel for his defense.

I guess the short answer is today's hearing was originally going to be an arraignment... But all rights were waived and he plead guilty/nolo contendere...


powerchuter

I wanted to know if there were any events tonight?
Thanks,
Rob

Kat Kanning

There's just a meeting in keene at Cheshire Village Pizza.

user812006b

Quote from: d_goddard on August 01, 2006, 10:26 AM NHFT
Quote from: bwisok on August 01, 2006, 12:04 AM NHFT
it's clear the state has overreacted.
I disagree.
The judge, the police, the Feds, and even the Gov't prosecutor took every opportunity to do as little to Russ as possible.

They only arrested him when he directly initiated force.
As I understand it, they were only present at the building that day because of the postings about intentionally destroying the office's paperwork and computers.

It is simply revisionist history to say that Russ was arrested "simply for handing out flyers". HE WASN'T.
They even invited Russ to hand out flyers, heck, while carrying a pitchfork if he desired -- just to do so outside, where he would not be in a position to break stuff or bother people who had business to conduct. Given that there were was the expressed intent to initiate force, they did the minimum possible in order to minimize the impact of the direct use of force on the other people, by removing the person directly inititating force.

Russ is a courageous man, who has done heroic things. And he does not deserve to be in prison.
But this was not a heroic act. And, based on his statements and actions, he had to be somehow restrained.
There was every reason to believe Russ would have directly damaged property.

I am truly sorry that all of this came to pass. You may crucify me now. I hold no ill wishes for anyone.

d_goddard,

I've been reading about Russell's actions on this forum after hearing about his arrests on Hammer Of Truth, but only felt compelled to post here after reading your comments quoted above. I enjoyed your first-hand account of the courtroom proceedings, but I'm dismayed that you would dare criticize a fellow Free State activist in this manner. I have read your blog and so I am aware that you are a Free State Project member from California (my state). I have considered joining the Free State Project, but I have serious doubts after hearing of Russell's heroic, yes heroic actions, only to see you publicly attack him while he sits in jail.

Were you present for Russell's arrest(s) at the IRS office? Did you hear Russell tell the cops he was going to "directly damage property" that day? Did you see him push/shove/hit an officer? I realize from reading his posts that he mentioned overturning tables, but I also read his statements that such actions were not on his agenda for last week. http://forum.soulawakenings.com/index.php?topic=4531.msg80909#msg80909 If the answer to these questions is "yes" then you've pointed out something many folks have missed in discussing these events. If the answer to these questions is "no" then I have to wonder why you a. took the word of federal cops over that of your fellow Free State Project activists, b. publicly denounced a brave man who doubtless has motivated many to stand up to federal tyrrany, and c. consider someone asserting his 1st Amendment rights to be bothering "people who had business to conduct".

How did he "directly initiate force"? If he only tried to step past the cops, how is this initiating force? If you encounter a man on the sidewalk who physically blocks your way, would you just stand there indefinitely? Isn't blocking someone's way on "public" property the initiation of force? By your comments, I'm led to believe your philosophy is that police can't initiate force if it's government sanctioned.

I thought the Free State Project was about pro-liberty activists making a stand in New Hampshire. I don't think I can join a group with this kind of public back-stabbing from a major player. I certainly won't leave my home to surround myself with "activists" who take the side of the federales.

Good luck Free State folks, with people like Denis on your side, you'll need it.

Godspeed Russell Kanning!

Michelle in CA

Kat Kanning

Russell wasn't going to damage anything last Thursday.  It was never mentioned by the fed guys.  It was never mentioned in the trial.

Follow

Wow, that was kinda pissy...

Generally, you're going to find dissent in your opinions or actions anywhere you go and in anything you do.  That's just how things roll.  Some people cheer you on, and others jeer you down.

Are you saying that a person should advocate what he doesn't believe in or at least shut up if he happens to belong to the same group?  Denis didn't arrest Russell, nor trip him, nor testify against him, he just happened to disagree with him and voiced that dissent.  Looks to me like he's been entirely supportive of the man, but disagreed with this one action, even though he has a great respect for him.

I'm pretty new to this site myself, but from my limited knowledge thus far, that's what I see.  Try not to be so hard on your fellows who are working toward the same end as you are; even if they are quabbling a bit over the means.




Follow  :)