Russell arrested 4/10/07

[Raineyrocks]

Kat,

I wish there was something I could do for you!

rainey there is a great deal you can do.  i've done some of it myself or wouldnt suggest that you do it.  you don't have to be in keen either. 


Support Russell Kanning, jailed until May 14, 07 for driving without a license

Write Russell: Cheshire County Jail 160 River Rd S, Westmoreland, NH 03467
Phone his jailers at the jail: (603) 399-7794
Phone his captors: Keene Police Dept. (603) 357-9813

Thanks Dada!  What do I say when I call though?  I already plan to get a whole bunch of comedy cards for Russell when I go to the store today or tomorrow, does that sound like a good idea?

[Tom Sawyer]

Maybe ask them if it is their policy to bring nonviolent prisoners before the court in shackles and leg irons.

I in the past have made contact in situations like this and said I was researching a Letter to the Editor I was writing and wanted to make sure I got my facts straight.

I think just making them aware that people are paying attention helps alot.

(My two cents for what it is worth)

[Kat Kanning]

I'm kinda scatter-brained right now, so not sure how this turned out.

http://www.keenefreepress.com/mambo/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=496&Itemid=36

Russell Kanning is imprisoned at the Cheshire County Jail.  He's going to be there at least until May 14th.  Why is he there?  Whom did he harm?  The answer to that is he harmed no one.  Did he destroy another's property or even disturb anyone?  No, he did none of that.  Russell has simply refused government paperwork.  He has questioned the legitimacy of government - not just this government, but any.  He refuses to carry government paperwork or to comply with government demands.  So the government has come down on him.

The main purpose of government is supposed to be to protect us.  Do they do this?  The victims at VA Tech may roll over in their graves at the question.  For hours students were not warned that a killer was roaming the campus, shooting.  Government failed. 

Just how is the public being protected when nonviolent people are locked up?  According to  Lt. DeHotman of the Cheshire County Jail told Russell that approximately 80% of the people imprisoned there are in there for drugs.  How many of these are for simple possession?  This is what we need a bigger jail in Keene for?  For locking up nonviolent people who are guilty of perhaps messing up their own lives, but not harming others?

Russell is a completely peaceful person.  He is a pacifist and tries to follow in the footsteps of Gandhi.  If government is supposed to protect the peaceful, just how is Russell being protected?  Guys with guns kidnapped him and have him locked in a tiny room 23 hours/day.  How is he protected from evil?  How am I, or the rest of our family?

A Lieutenant at Keene Police department told me (basically) that he thought that if everyone were like Russell Kanning, there would be no need for government or laws or wars.  But he wanted to point out that not everyone is like Russell Kanning.  He related his horror stories of the awful things that people do to one another from his unique perspective of a police officer.

From what I can see, using violence to combat violence has not been working.  Government is violence.  Disobey any law, and the violence comes out of its lurking state - obey of suffer imprisonment or death.  Russell Kanning is trying another way.  He is offering himself as an example of how to live nonviolently.  He is trying to bring about change without resorting to the violence inherent in government.  He is willing to suffer to make his example.  And he is suffering.

In protest of his imprisonment, I am also suffering, not just the agony of being deprived of my jovial husband, but I have also begun.  The fast began on April 17th and will continue, hopefully, until he is released.  Until that time, I will have only water.

If you would like to write to Russell, please send your letters to:

Russell Kanning
160 River Road
Westmoreland, NH 03467

[error]

I'm kinda scatter-brained right now, so not sure how this turned out.

http://www.keenefreepress.com/mambo/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=496&Itemid=36

Looks good to me. As an editor I wouldn't change a word.

FREE RUSSELL KANNING!

[Insurgent]

That's a wonderful heartfelt article. I hope this case gets widespread coverage  There's one grammatical error I noticed which you might want to change-"In protest of his imprisonment, I am also suffering, not just the agony of being deprived of my jovial husband, but I have also begun." I think you meant to finish the sentence with "to fast"?

[error]

Obviously I suck as an editor.

[Dreepa]

I like the article.

This sentence also reads funny:
According to  Lt. DeHotman of the Cheshire County Jail told Russell that approximately 80% of the people imprisoned there are in there for drugs.
maybe it should be:
Lt. DeHotman of the Cheshire County Jail told Russell that approximately 80% of the people imprisoned there are in there for drugs related charges.

[Kat Kanning]

Thanks, guys

[FTL_Ian]

Okay, here's what I've learned so far about cameras in the courtroom.

The relevant portion of their silly rules:  http://www.nh.gov/judiciary/rules/dmcr/dmcr-1_4.htm

According to Pat Ryan the Clerk of Court at 352-2559, interested media should send a request to both the clerk of the court and the relevant prosecutor in order to have a recording device in the courtroom.

The police prosecutor appears to be one Sergeant Rivera.  I have left a message for Mr. Rivera so as to verify if he is indeed the prosecutor.

When I asked Mr. Ryan about permanent media credentials, he wasn't too forthcoming about that information.  In fact, he was generally reticent to tell me much of anything, while appearing to be helpful.

[TackleTheWorld]

...  Disobey any law, and the violence comes out of its lurking state - obey of suffer imprisonment or death.  ...

[Dave Ridley]

kat when writing an article dont forget to assume that the reader knows nothing and is starting from scratch.

[d_goddard]

he was generally reticent to tell me much of anything, while appearing to be helpful.

It is entirely all too likely that he simply had no clue, and nobody but himself to to the legwork to find the actual particular "rules and guidelines"-documents

[Tom Sawyer]

Video still frames from Ian's video coverage of Russell's hearing.

Russell was in a good mood


The judge adresses the camera


Bailoff instructs the camera be turned off


Russell shuffles in his shackles and leg irons


In front of the judge


Leg irons


Leaving the court

[firecracker joe]

that really pisses me off when i see someone like russell in handcuffs and leg irons. I'm surprised they didn't have him in an orange jump suit.
I could't agree more tackle.
Hopefully the govt. is turning everyone off one by one we all have different breaking points but being thrown to the ground and cuffed mybe even battered  for anything short of murder is ludicris cops are nothing but adrenaline junkies getting a fix everytime they kick someone when there down.
One of the five biggest lies.... Were from the government and were her to help. Remember KATRINA!

[Quantrill]

If you can't videotape the court proceedings, surely you can audiotape them?  Isn't there a stenographer or whatever it's called?  Can you get copies of that?