Sagon Penn Chapter News & Events

Rookie cop in hot water after video shows him slamming biker

2008-07-29T20:06:00.000-07:00

By TAMER EL-GHOBASHY
DAILY NEWS POLICE BUREAU

Updated Tuesday, July 29th 2008, 3:13 AM

A rookie NYPD cop was stripped of his badge and gun Monday after a stunning video caught him slamming a bicyclist to the ground in an apparent unprovoked attack.

Officer Patrick Pogan, 22, of the Midtown South Precinct, was bounced to desk duty soon after the video of Friday's incident in Times Square appeared on YouTube.

"The video is bad - what can you say?" a police source said. The damning video not only revealed an out-of-the-blue attack but also seems to show Pogan lied about the incident in court papers.

Pogan was one of two cops at Seventh Ave. and 46th St. monitoring a Critical Mass bike rally when a swarm of cyclists rode by ringing their bells about 9:35 p.m. Without warning, Pogan, a former high school football offensive lineman, appears to single out one cyclist, jog toward the sidewalk and then slam his shoulder into the biker.

The impact sent Christopher Long, 29, crashing to the pavement in front of shocked onlookers.

"All of a sudden the cop picked this kid out and bodychecked him," said cyclist Craig Radhuber, 54, who was riding about 3 feet to the right of Long. "I couldn't believe what was going on."

When Long tried to get up, Pogan and his partner tackled him to the ground and tried to handcuff him, witnesses said. Long "was startled and shaken, and the officers were being really violent," said witness Bill DiPaola, director of Time's Up! an environmental group that supports Critical Mass.

Long, of Bloomfield, N.J., was arrested and charged with attempted assault, resisting arrest and disorderly conduct. He declined to comment yesterday. His lawyer David Rankin said "the video speaks for itself" and said he may sue.

In court documents, Pogan said he saw Long weaving in and out of lanes and obstructing traffic before he ordered the cyclist to stop. The cop claimed Long deliberately drove his bike into him, sending both of them falling to the ground. Pogan claimed to have suffered cuts from the impact.

The video clearly shows Long trying to dodge Pogan, who appears to have remained upright the entire time.

Long, a grocer at the Union Square Green Market, has been described as an Army veteran and mild-mannered environmental activist. "He is a very well-meaning guy," said his boss, Morse Pitts, 56.

A law enforcement source said the charges against Long would likely "go away" and another source predicted Pogan would be fired.

Police spokesman Paul Browne said the incident is being investigated.

Pogan's father, a retired NYPD detective who worked on the Joint Terrorism Task Force, defended his son's actions last night. "You gotta do what you gotta do to make an arrest," said Patrick Pogan Sr., 51, who retired in 2002.

He said his son is the third generation of NYPD in the family. "I'm proud of my son. He's a good kid."

Critical Mass and Time's Up! - which advocate for environmental issues with the monthly protest ride - have long complained about NYPD harassment. Police officials said the groups disrupt traffic and lack permits.

"Cyclists here already face enough obstacles - law enforcement shouldn't be one of them," said City Councilman David Yassky (D-Brooklyn), a supporter of biker rights.

tel-ghobashy@nydailynews.com

With Alison Gendar, Wil Cruz, Edgar Sandoval and Simone Weichselbaum
http://www.nydailynews.com/news/ny_crime/2008/07/28/2008-07-28_rookie_cop_in_hot_water_after_video_show.html

'Critical Mass' Bicyclist Assaulted By NYPD (VIDEO)

2008-07-29T19:56:00.000-07:00

July 25 2008
Times Square NYC

Woman in Wheelchair Tased to death by FL police

2008-07-24T19:10:00.000-07:00

The Florida Times-Union
February 13, 2007State rules Taser death homicide
By DANA TREENThe Times-Union

Ten shocks from a police Taser were enough to kill a wheelchair-bound Green Cove Springs woman whose death in a confrontation with two officers in April has been ruled a homicide but, according to prosecutors, justified.

Emily Marie Delafield, 56, was in poor physical and mental health but would not have died if she had not been shocked for a total of 121 seconds by two Green Cove Springs officers, according to the autopsy included in a State Attorney's Office report released Friday. Delafield called police to her house then confronted them with knives and a hammer.

Associate Medical Examiner Valerie Rao, who performed the autopsy in Jacksonville last year, said the Taser shocks were a "very small factor" in the death of Delafield, who was obese and had an enlarged heart and was confined to a wheelchair. But the Tasers were a contributing factor, she said.

"You can't ignore it," Rao said Monday.

In July, Rao listed homicide as the manner of death, according to the State Attorney's report. She described Delafield as a woman who was on a "precipice" health-wise and said Taser shocks could have impacted Delafield's breathing.

But the State Attorney's Office report said officers James Acres and Barbara Luedtke were justified in using the Tasers on Delafield after she threatened the officers in the street in front of her home on Harrison Street.

Though the report said the two officers were using what are considered non-lethal weapons in the face of knives and a hammer, the actions raise questions about whether the reaction was proper considering Delafield's physical condition, said a nephew, Ryan Delafield.

"She was a dead woman walking," he said Monday. "There was no way she was going to survive that."

On the day after the incident, Emily Delafield's brother, Arnett Chase, said he and other family members believed police acted properly and it was the least-dangerous way to stop her from hurting herself or others.

Until last week, Ryan Delafield said, he believed his aunt had been shocked about three times and is baffled at the police handling of the case. He said his aunt had a limited range of motion, was restricted to a motorized wheelchair and that police should have used other means to calm her.

"There are some questions," he said. "Why is the Taser used at all? The second question, 'Why so much?' "

Tasers deliver 50,000-volt jolts at low currents - generally considered safe but enough to disrupt the nervous system and disable a person temporarily.

Police knew Emily Delafield and had been at her house 28 times in the past, according to the state attorney's report. They knew of her mental health issues and had talked that day with family members who were concerned that she was not taking her medication for schizophrenia. Emily Delafield called police to say she believed her life was in danger and that her sister was trying to kill her, an accusation that was later ruled unsubstantiated, the report said.

Luedtke and Acres arrived at the house and decided not to use police batons or pepper spray on Delafield, who was on oxygen due to her medical condition. The officers discussed using Tasers with the family, including some who agreed with their use, authorities said. After a 13-minute standoff, Luedtke fired her Taser when Delafield raised the knife as if to throw it. When the shock did not appear to have an effect, Luedtke told investigators she recycled her Taser up to four times. Acres shocked Delafield two minutes later after Luedtke's shocks appeared not to be having an effect.

Later examination of the two weapons shows Luedtke's Taser was fired nine times and Acres' once for a total of 121 seconds.

Delafield collapsed several minutes after being shocked and died after she was taken to Orange Park Medical Center.

Ryan Delafield, who was not there when his aunt was shocked, said he questions why police supervisors were not called or why other tactics were not used. The police station is about three minutes from his aunt's house, he said. Delafield, who was teaching high school in Georgia at the time, said he talked to his aunt and his mother less than three hours before police were called to the house.

"They both answered me, 'Everything was OK,' " he said.

Delafield, 35, who is the executor of his aunt's estate, said he became frustrated after waiting three months for a death certificate and has hired Jacksonville attorney Rick Alexander to investigate the case. Alexander said no suit has been filed and that his office is beginning an investigation.

In a similar finding released Friday, the State Attorney's Office said the death of John David Johnson III, who died Sept. 30 after he was tased by Clay County Deputy Chris Faircloth, was an accident.

Johnson, 27, was acting irrationally in the street of a South Hampton subdivision off College Avenue when Faircloth was called. Johnson started striking Faircloth in the face and was shot by a Taser. Johnson was taken to Orange Park Medical Center, where he died about an hour later.

dana.treen@jacksonville.com (904) 359-4091

This story can be found on Jacksonville.com at
http://www.jacksonville.com/tu-online/stories/021307/met_7960731.shtml.

Berkeley Grandmother Slain by Berkeley Police Officer

2008-07-24T15:18:00.000-07:00

Family and friends of Anita Gay gathered on Thursday February 21st at the South Berkeley Community Church (at 1802 Fairview Street) to celebrate her life and to share concerns about police conduct in Berkeley.

Anita Gay, a long-term Berkeley resident and beloved neighborhood grandmother, was shot dead by a Berkeley Police officer on February 16th at her home on Ward Street. She is survived by her six children, grandchildren, relatives, and neighborhood community.

Family and community members have organized the creation of the Justice for Anita! Justice for All Campaign! to press the City Council to take action to address residents' concerns about the conduct of BPD. Although many are shocked and angry about what happened and they are prepared to protest this outrage, they focused on supporting Gay's family and celebrating the woman on February 21st.

http://www.indybay.org/newsitems/2008/02/20/18480678.php

Gig Harbor woman killed by Utah police

2008-07-24T15:02:00.000-07:00

01:56 PM PDT on Tuesday, June 24, 2008

SEATTLE – A former Gig Harbor, Wash. resident has been killed by police in Lehi, Utah after allegedly shooting an officer.

Media reports say 34-year-old Kelly Wark was shot by police after the incident during a traffic stop Monday morning.

A clerk at a gas station reportedly called 911 after believing Wark was driving under the influence.

The officer who stopped Wark is in the hospital with two gunshot wounds to the head.
Wark was killed by backup officers. Police are awaiting toxicology results on Wark.

Wark was living in Utah and attending school at the Utah College of Massage Therapy in Lindon.
Lehi is about 25 miles south of Salt Lake City.

http://www.king5.com/localnews/stories/NW_062408WAB_gig_harbor_woman_killed_in_utah_TP.3603f9c9.html

San Diego Police Rescue, Then Kill, Aggressive Man

2008-07-24T14:58:00.000-07:00

Posted:
July 21st, 2008 10:58 AM EDT

ARI B. BLOOMEKATZ
Los Angeles Times

A man who went overboard during a party cruise in San Diego Bay was killed by police Saturday night after he attacked the officers who had tried to rescue him, police said today.

Police said the man was on the cruise with at least 800 other people when he somehow ended up in the water after 11 p.m. He was identified today as Steven Paul Hirschfield, 37, of Los Angeles.
The boat's captain sent a distress signal, and two Harbor Police boats and one Coast Guard vessel pulled Hirschfield from the water.

But Hirschfield began fighting with police as soon as he was on board, said San Diego Harbor Police Sgt. Dave Fouser.

"You're trying to help some guy out the water, and he's fighting," Fouser said. "He became very combative with the officers, and somewhere in the course of the fight, he was able to get one of the officer's Tasers away from him."

Fouser said Hirschfield knocked one officer to the deck and then used the Taser to strike him in the face.
When Hirschfield then tried to grab one of the officer's guns, Fouser said, the other officer shot him. Hirschfield was taken ashore to an ambulance and was pronounced dead from the single gunshot wound, Fouser said.

The San Diego Police Department's homicide unit was investigating the shooting along with the San Diego Harbor Police Department and the county District Attorney's Office.

It's unclear how many of the 800 passengers on the party cruise saw the incident, but police said they took the names and contact information for all those on board.

http://www.officer.com/publication/printer.jsp?id=42418

Salinas woman was killed by police

2008-07-24T14:52:00.000-07:00

July 14, 2008

Police shots kill woman

Officers say she appeared to be stabbing herself

By DAWN WITHERS

The Salinas Californian

A Salinas woman was killed by Salinas police early Sunday morning after two officers believed she was lunging at one with of them with a knife or a ice pick.

Maria Irma De La Torre, 45, was shot twice in the torso around 3:45 a.m. by a police officer outside her home at 1143 East Laurel Drive. The officers have been placed on four days administrative leave pending an investigation.

"It's a wrongful death," said Diana Hernandez, De La Torre's niece, who added De La Torre suffered from epileptic seizures but had no history of violence or hurting herself during seizures. She was taking medication to control the seizures, Hernandez said.

De La Torre, Hernandez said, was a shy woman born in Michoacán, Mexico, but lived in Salinas "forever and a day." Hernandez said she was devoted to church and her family and because of her epilepsy was unable to work.

"It's grief everywhere," Hernandez said describing the family's mood. "My aunt, she didn't harm anyone, she was the kindest person."

According to information from the Salinas Police Department, officers responded to a 9-1-1 call "involving a woman acting strangely" at the residence.

Cmdr. Kelly McMillin said the officers thought their lives were endangered and reacted to protect their lives. De La Torre did not show any signs of having a seizure, McMillin said, and was unresponsive when police tried to talk to her.

"This is pure tragedy," McMillin said. "No one is happy the way this happened."
It is the first officer-involved shooting this year and the second since January 2007, McMillin said. The shooting last year didn't result in any injuries.

When the two officers arrived they found De La Torre sitting in a minivan in front of her home "stabbing herself in the neck with a small implement." She moved from the driver's seat to the passenger seat as the officers tried to remove her from the car, according to police.

The officers, who are not being named, had difficulty trying to restrain De La Torre while in the van, McMillin said, and claim De La Torre lunged at one of the officers with what they thought was a knife or ice pick, causing one of the officers to fire his Taser and the other officer to fire his gun shooting the woman twice.

The entire incident took place in less than 10 minutes, McMillin said, and the officers independently made the same decision to draw their weapons to stop De La Torre, one choosing his Taser, the other his gun.

McMillin said it turned out De La Torre had a metal crochet hook in her hand, not a knife or ice pick, and it isn't clear if it was the same item she used to stab herself.
De La Torre was taken to Natividad Medical Center and Hernandez said the family was notified of her death around 9 a.m. Sunday.

Police were still outside De La Torre's small green house Sunday afternoon with yellow crime scene tape blocking the driveway.

Hernandez, who did not see the shooting, said De La Torre had been sick in recent days following another death in the family and that her husband, Jose Licea, called Hernandez's mother, Hilda Hernandez, around 1 a.m. Sunday saying De La Torre was unwell and needed to go to the hospital.

Hilda headed over to De La Torre's house and called 9-1-1, Hernandez said, only to request an ambulance, not any police officers.

McMillin said the call that came to police was of a woman acting erratically and people who call emergency services can't request only an ambulance because medics won't to go an emergency that may be unsafe until police have secured it.

When police arrived, Hernandez said, they told Hilda to "move out of the way" so they could get to De La Torre, Hernandez said. Her mother, she said, didn't see the shooting but later called Hernandez saying, "They killed her! They killed her!"

Licea, Hernandez said, did see the incident and the officer who shot his wife. The family, she said, is hiring a lawyer to look into the shooting.

"She was handicapped," Hernandez said. "They could have Tased her."

McMillin declined to comment on the specifics of what was said at the scene, adding that police have several independent witness statements corroborating the officers' account and the evidence that's been gathered from De La Torre's home.

Family members are coming to Salinas from Texas and Mexico. Hernandez said memorial services will likely be held this week.

http://thecalifornian.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20080714/NEWS01/807140302/1002

Baron Pikes, 21, was Tasered nine times by a police

2008-07-24T14:39:00.000-07:00

From Drew Griffin and David Fitzpatrick CNN

WINNFIELD, Louisiana (CNN) -- A police officer shocked a handcuffed Baron "Scooter" Pikes nine times with a Taser after arresting him on a cocaine charge.

He stopped twitching after seven, according to a coroner's report. Soon afterward, Pikes was dead. Now the officer, since fired, could end up facing criminal charges in Pikes' January death after medical examiners ruled it a homicide.

Dr. Randolph Williams, the Winn Parish coroner, told CNN the 21-year-old sawmill worker was jolted so many times by the 50,000-volt Taser that he might have been dead before the last two shocks were delivered.

Williams ruled Pikes' death a homicide in June after extensive study.
Winn Parish District Attorney Christopher Nevils said he will decide on any charges against the ex-officer, Scott Nugent, once a Louisiana State Police report on the case is complete.

see more @ Man dies after cop hits him with Taser 9 times http://www.cnn.com/2008/CRIME/07/22/taser.death/?iref=mpstoryview#cnnSTCText

Story Highlights
Suspect died after police officer Tasered him nine times; investigation launched
Coroner rules death homicide, says man might've been dead after seventh shock
Family outraged it has taken months for any action: "The family wants justice"
Prosecutor is expected to decide soon whether to file charges

17-year-old youth died by an officer's Taser

2008-07-24T14:23:00.000-07:00

Winnipeg police say the 17-year-old youth who died Tuesday after being stunned by an officer's Taser gun was suspected of having stolen property and refused police warnings to drop the knife he pulled out. These barest of details offer a slim explanation amid rising public distrust of the "non-lethal" Taser and shaken faith in the Winnipeg Police Service.

The death is the first in Winnipeg connected to police use of Tasers, a controversial weapon of law enforcement -- more than 20 people in Canada have died after being hit with the 50,000 volts it releases. Police across Canada have defended its safety, noting it can quickly incapacitate a person and defuse a volatile situation without loss of life or serious injury. That was sorely tested by the death of Polish immigrant Robert Dziekanski last fall. It triggered an outcry and broad concern that the manufacturer's assurance the weapon cannot interfere with the heart was false. A study in the Canadian Medical Association Journal indicated that experiments on pigs suggest that the heart muscle can be affected.

Winnipeg Police are saying little about the Taser incident, which is being investigated as per routine by the department's homicide branch. An autopsy on the Tasered man and a review of the homicide investigation by an outside police agency will fill in some of the blanks and scrutinize the Winnipeg Police Service's handling of the back-alley incident. These are all necessary checks, but it is unlikely Winnipeggers will get good answers until an inquest is held sometime in the future. The delay damages the interests of transparency and makes for poor accountability.

The RCMP's complaints commissioner found in the wake of Mr. Dziekanski's death that police comfort with Tasers led them to stray outside the policy on its use. Paul Kennedy recommended that the RCMP return to the original policy to use it on combative individuals and that Tasers not be used against those exhibiting signs of "excited delirium," a condition often seen in cocaine users. Winnipeg's policy allows for the use of the Taser on those in such a state, as it is regarded as a quick way to safely restrain those whose energy is hard to subdue.

Police data do not show that Winnipeg police are using the Tasers with greater frequency. Last year, Tasers were used either coercively (shown, but not fired) or to stun an individual 173 times, while by mid-2008, they had been used 63 times.

The statistics will be cold comfort to relatives of the teenager. They are unlikely to reassure Winnipeggers who are struggling to maintain trust in the department amid an inquiry into the death of a woman killed by an off-duty officer who drove into her vehicle after a night of drinking with colleagues. Winnipeg police do not, by practice, publicly release the reports of third-party investigators who review internal investigations. There is no good reason for this. Police Chief Keith McCaskill should recognize that the prevailing public interest and mood demand that the report be released as soon as possible.

http://www.winnipegfreepress.com/editorial/story/4203450p-4795245c.html

Probe: Police dog died of heatstroke

2008-07-24T11:46:00.000-07:00

DA to decide whether to charge its handler
By Kristina Davis

UNION-TRIBUNE STAFF WRITER
July 23, 2008

The San Diego police dog left in the back of his handler's patrol car last month died of heatstroke, county investigators said yesterday, and it will be up to the District Attorney's Office whether it will charge the officer.

A monthlong investigation by the county's Department of Animal Services found that the 5-year-old Belgian Malinois was left in the car with the windows rolled up.

Officer Paul Hubka told authorities he found his dog Forrest in the car, parked in the driveway of his Alpine home June 20. Temperatures reached 108 degrees that day.

Hubka, a 22-year veteran of the Police Department, declined to give any further statements to investigators on the advice of his attorney, said Animal Services director Dawn Danielson.
Investigators say the dog was in the car for possibly as long as seven hours; even a half-hour could be fatal. Interior car temperatures can reach 130 degrees on such hot days.

“It's a horrific way to die,” Danielson said. “He's panting hot air, his insides heat up, he bleeds internally. He's in a state of panic, trying desperately to get out.”
The necropsy, performed by a veterinary pathologist with the county's Animal Disease and Diagnostic laboratory, found no signs of disease or injury.

The Police Department will launch an administrative investigation into the death once prosecutors are finished with the case, said department spokeswoman Mónica Muñoz.
Hubka, who also serves on the board of the San Diego Police Officers Association, is working a desk job in the meantime.

Another of Hubka's police dogs, Rexo, died last year from gastric torsion, a condition also known as bloat, Danielson said. Deep-chested dogs are susceptible to the sudden illness, associated with the stomach filling with air and twisting.

Rexo died in the care of another officer while Hubka was on vacation in June 2007.
Police dogs die every year from being left in squad cars or working in sweltering heat, according to the U.S. Police Canine Association. However, no agency tracks the number of heat-related deaths.

In Chandler, Ariz., a K9 sergeant was arrested last year and charged with misdemeanor animal cruelty for leaving his dog in the back of his car for 13 hours, according to news reports. A trial is pending.

In 1999, a San Diego police dog died when it was left in the back of a hot patrol car for 90 minutes during the summer.

Officer Lawrence Cahill said his air conditioning wasn't working well that day, but it was functioning. He chose to leave the dog in the car, with the windows rolled up, rather that put him in a kennel a few feet away.

The air conditioning gave out and the dog died of heat exhaustion.

Cahill was charged with misdemeanor animal cruelty, but his 2000 trial ended in a hung jury. The City Attorney's Office later decided to drop the case completely.
Kristina Davis: (619) 542-4591; kristina.davis@uniontrib.com

Find this article at: http://www.signonsandiego.com/news/metro/20080723-9999-1m23dog.html

Foley settlement puts focus on new guidelines

2008-07-24T11:19:00.000-07:00

UNION-TRIBUNE
July 9, 2008
Our legal system is not perfect, but it seems to have achieved a just result in the lawsuit by former Charger Steve Foley against the city of Coronado.
The city and its insurers will pay $5.5 million to Foley to compensate him for lost earnings and medical expenses after an off-duty Coronado police officer shot him twice in September 2006 near his Poway home.

It took two weeks of trial in Superior Court – and, notably, the able intervention of mediator and retired U.S. District Judge Lawrence Irving – for the two parties to evaluate the strengths and weaknesses of their cases and decide to settle rather than trust the outcome to jurors.

Attorneys for Coronado, which had offered a low-ball settlement in the mid-six figures before the trial began, had the unenviable task of trying to persuade the jury that the conduct of rookie Officer Aaron Mansker that morning was anything but negligent. Mansker, in plain clothes and his personal car, followed Foley from downtown San Diego to Poway and attempted to pull him over without even displaying a badge.

Foley's attorneys, who contended their client suffered losses in excess of $14 million, had their own challenges. The jury would hear that the incident never would have occurred if the linebacker had not driven up the freeway after a night of drinking, with a blood-alcohol level eventually measured at more than 2.5 times the legal limit.

There also likely would have been mention of Foley's previous altercations with law enforcement, including an ugly confrontation with three San Diego police officers. Not the kind of stuff that warms jurors to a plaintiff's case, no matter how reckless Mansker's conduct.
Then, the player's lawyers would have had to persuade the jury that Foley, 31 at the time of the shooting, really would have been awarded free-agent riches stretching through 2012 in a league that increasingly cuts ties with younger players who can't avoid run-ins with law enforcement.

We urge all law enforcement officers to take to heart the regionwide guidelines adopted in the wake of the Foley shooting. Those procedures stipulate that off-duty officers should strongly consider all options, notably calling uniformed officers, before deciding to intervene.

http://www.signonsandiego.com/news/op-ed/editorial1/20080709-9999-lz1ed9top.html

March for police accountability April 25th

2007-04-16T22:11:00.000-07:00

Hola a todos,Despues de la represion policiaca brutal en contra de los participantes en la manifestacion pacifica "Recupera las Calles" de la noche de viernes cuando unos compañeros resultaron victimas de la violencia de la policia de San Diego (incluyendo a Kooky, la galleta, que ha tocado durante los eventos de vAPPOroaxaca, y que pasó 2 dias en el carcel por el crimen de filmar los sucesos como periodista y a los payasos que fueron golpeados y que tambien nos han apoyado en nuestras acciones) hicimos una decision como la coalicion vAPPOroaxaca ampliar el tema de nuestra marcha en contra de premiar a Fox para incluir no solo los crimenes de la policia mandado por Fox pero tambien a la represion policiaca en todas sus formas por todos lados. Lo que paso la noche de viernes no es un evento unico ni en San Diego ni en Mexico. En el ultimo año, más que 17 personas han sido asesinatos por la policia y la migra en el condado de San Diego, desde Vista hasta la frontera. Incluimos a esas crimenes igual cuando reclamamos a Fox y a las fuerzas estatales de todas partes que implusan esta brutalidad inconsciente.

Se puede encontrar más información en la pagina de vAPPOroaxaca (deletetheborder.org/vapporoaxaca) y tambien reprodujo la informacion abajo. Si tienen preguntas o inquietudes, por favor manda un correo a vappor-oaxaca@riseup.net.

After the brutal police repression against the participants in the peaceful "Reclaim the Streets" that took place on Friday night when several compañeros were the victims of violence by the SDPD (including Kooky, who que played during vAPPOroaxaca events and who spent 2 days in jail for the crime of filming the events as a journalist and the clowns who were hit and who also have supported us in our actions) we made a decision as the vAPPOroaxaca coalition to expand the target of our march against Fox to include not only the crimes the police sent by Fox but also police repression in all forms in all places.

What happened on Friday night was not a unique event in San Diego or Mexico. In the last year, more than 17 people have been murdered by the police and border patrol in San Diego county, from Vista to the border. We are including these crimes equally when we denounce Fox and the state forces in all parts that engage in senseless brutality.

You can find more info on the website of vAPPOroaxaca (deletetheborder.org/vapporoaxaca) and also in the text below.
If you have questions or concerns, please send an email to vappor-oaxaca@riseup.net.

paz y solidaridad,kilo
Vicente Fox, el ex-presidente de Mexico, responsable por masacres de gente indígena en Chiapas, por las desapariciones de participantes en la lucha en Oaxaca y por la negligencia en el caso de las mujeres asesinadas en Juarez y Chihuahua, viene a San Diego el 25 de abril para recibir el "Premio de la Democracia y la Paz", dado por el Instituto de las Americas, una organización derechista que está ubicado en el campus de la Universidad de California de San Diego.

Como la coalición vAPPOroaxaca, creemos que premiar a Fox es un insulto profundo a toda la gente afectada por las grandes violaciones de derechos humanos hechas por su gobierno.
Como respuesta, hacemos una llamada de accion a toda la comunidad de San Diego a participar en la marcha "Fox, NO estás bienvenido!" que empezará a las 6 pm en frente de la estatua de Benito Juarez en Pantoja Park (en el G Street, entre las calles Kettner y State) y terminará en una manifestación en la esquina de 4th y Broadway, frente al hotel US Grant donde Fox recibirá su premio:
http://tinyurl.com/yp4et3

Habrá una reunión para planificar la marcha en la estatua de Zapata en Chicano Park a las 12 pm el sabado, el 21 de abril durante las festividades del día de Chicano Park.
Las violaciones de derechos humanos cometidas por el gobierno de Fox están bien documentadas:
http://hrw.org/spanish/informes/2006/mexico0506
http://web.amnesty.org/report2006/mex-summary-esl http://mostlywater.org/vicente_fox_not_welcome_in_vancouver_rally_at_2_pm_at_gm_place_on_iwd
The march will be starting on April 25 at 6pm at the Benito Juarez statue in Pantoja Park on G Street between Kettner Blvd and State Street:
http://tinyurl.com/yp4et3

Former Mexican president Vicente Fox, responsible for brutal police repression in Oaxaca, Atenco and Chiapas, is coming to receive the "Award for Democracy and Peace", given by the Americas Institute, a right-wing organization located on the UC San Diego campus. On April 13, several participants in the non-violent Reclaim the Streets were victims of police brutality. In the past year at least 17 people have been murdered by police and the border patrol in SD County. We need to show them that we will NOT be intimidated by their violence! Bring your bike! La lucha sigue!

This will be a march against police brutality in all its forms in all locales, whether it is Oaxaca or San Diego. The march will end with a demonstration at the intersection of Broadway and 4th St, the location of the police violence against the peaceful Reclaim the Street participants and coincidentally the location of the U.S. Grant Hotel where Fox will be receiving his award.
There will be a planning meeting for the march at the Zapata statue in Chicano Park at noon on Saturday, April 21, during the Chicano Park day festivities.

For more information about the excessive force and police violence ordered by San Diego Police Department Central Division Captain Chris Ball, click on the following link:
http://sandiego.indymedia.org/en/2007/04/125771.shtml

We in the coalition vAPPOroaxaca believe that giving the award to Fox is a grave insult to all people who have been affected by the gross violations of human rights committed by his administration. The human rights violations perpetrated by the Fox administration are well documented:
http://hrw.org/reports/2006/mexico0506
http://web.amnesty.org/report2006/mex-summary-eng
http://sandiego.indymedia.org/en/2007/04/125627.shtml

Question: Who is shooting at activists during the protests in Oaxaca, Mexico? Police? Paramilitaries? Answer: Fox
-- -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------Mainstream communities have sold themselves to commercialization that re-emphasizes dominant socialized stereotypes that the communities internalize and then further perpetuate.
Bob Alba(619) 977-7014

Visit http://sandiego.indymedia.org
http://www.organiccollective.org
http://www.deletetheborder.org

Cesar Chavez tribute this saturday!

2007-03-28T20:56:00.006-07:00

A Benefit for the Cucapa Community, with Olmeca, los Nativos, El Vuh

2007-03-28T20:56:00.005-07:00

Presale tickets are available at the Rubber Rose for $6 dollars.

A Benefit for the Cucapa Community, with Olmeca, los Nativos, El Vuh (celebrating their new release - Elvuhlution), and Tolteka. www.olmecamusik.com www.theaecenter.com
www.soynativoyexisto.com

Sat.Mar.31.2007 7pm
Arts and Entertainment Center, 3026 University Ave., San Diego 92104
$6 presale / $8 at the door / all ages

Earl B. Gilliam Bar Association's Neighborhood Law School

2007-03-28T20:56:00.004-07:00

SPECIAL NOTICE FOR COALITION MEMBERS FROM L. MARCEL STEWART

Mondays, May 7th - June 25th, 6:30 p.m. to 8:30 p.m.
Earl B. Gilliam Bar Association's Neighborhood Law School
Christian Fellowship Congregational Church, 1601 Kelton Road , San Diego , California 92114

Contact: L. Marcel Stewart at (619) 791-3644 or lmarcelstewart@hotmail.com
(email Marcel for a flyer)
Cost: $20 for entire course

The Neighborhood Law School is a public service offered by San Diego lawyers and judges to empower the growing number of people who seek to better understand the law, their rights and responsibilities within the legal system. The purpose of the Neighborhood Law School is to provide general legal education, as opposed to specific legal advice. The Neighborhood Law School focuses on legal topics that are relevant to people's daily lives.

This year's topics include: 1) Domestic Violence/ Civil TRO; 2) Estate Planning; 3) SSI & SSDI Benefits; 4) Educational Law; 5) Family Law; 6) 501(c)(3) - Nonprofit organizations; and 7) Criminal law. Email A flyer and registration form can be requested via email from lmarcelstewart@hotmail.com.

REMINDER:

COALITION FOR JUSTICE MEETING
MONDAY, MARCH 26, 6 PM

Dr. Cleo Malone’s Office
Palavra Tree
1212 South 43rd Street, SD
619 263-7768

Dee Sanford International
375 Winewood Street
San Diego, CA 92114-5955
Home ofc: 619 263-6868; Cell: 619 203-1590; deesanford@cox.net; www.deesanford.com

We work with business professionals who want to magnify their visibility and boost their success! Contact us today!

GAPP to Participate in Fast for Peace

2007-03-28T20:56:00.003-07:00

GAPP to Participate in Fast for Peace

March 21, 2007
This message will repeat in Spanish..

Dear Friends:
On the fourth anniversary of the invasion of Iraq and the death of my son Jesús Alberto, I will begin a fast in front of the San Diego Federal building on March 27 at midnight.

The fast will last two days to symbolize the two hours that it took before my son received medical aid as a U.S. Marine slowly bleeding to death after he stepped on an illegal U.S.-made cluster bomb. I cannot bleed for two hours but I can fast for two days in order to protest the deaths of our young soldiers and marines as well as those of innocent Iraqi children. I also fast to oppose the sending of more U.S. troops.

I invite you to join this small demonstration of our disgust with Bush's criminal war. You are all welcome to accompany me for however much time you can spare so that I am not alone. If you cannot join me, do whatever you can to show your disapproval of the war.

For more information, contact me at 858-774-0172 or Juan del Rió at 619-665-0538.

Thanks to all of you who support peace.

P.S. We are accepting donations of water or other necessary items as well as monetary donations.
****************************************************
Amigos, En el marco del 4 aniversario de la guerra y del fallecimiento de mi hijo Jesús Alberto, el próximo día 27 de Marzo a partir de las 00.01minutos, iniciare una huelga de hambre enfrente del Federal Building de San Diego, serán dos días de huelga, porque dos días, porque mi hijo sufrió una agonía de desangrarse por dos horas cuando la bomba ilegal americana lo hirió, yo, no puedo desangrarme dos horas, pero si dejar de comer por dos días, y además lo hago como una protesta por las muertes de nuestros jóvenes soldados y los niños inocentes de Irak, y como una forma de protesta por el envió de mas tropas.

Los invito a unirse a esta demostración de repudio a la administración del criminal Bush, así mismo, invito aquellos que puedan a ayudarme a no estar solo durante esas 48 horas de ayuno. Todos son bienvenidos, todos pueden hacer algo para demostrarle al mundo nuestro repudio a la guerra.

Para mas información pueden contactarse con Juan del Rió al 619-665-0538 o con un servidos al 858-774-0172 Gracias a todos ustedes que siempre han apoyado la paz.
P.D. se aceptan donaciones de efectivo y de agua, así como cualquier otra cosa que ustedes consideren útil.

Fernando Suarez del Solar Fernando Suarez del Solar, Founder/Director
Guerrero Azteca Peace Project
email: fernando@guerreroazteca.org
phone: 760-746-4568
web: http://www.guerreroazteca.org

Annual Las Colinas Vigil for Womyn's Herstory Month

2007-03-28T20:56:00.002-07:00

Sisters and Brothers!

The California Coalition for Women Prisoners-Theresa Azochar Chapter is sponsoring the Annual Las Colinas Vigil for Womyn's Herstory Month.

The vigil is scheduled to take place on Saturday the 31st of March from 8:00am-4:00pm in front of the Las Colinas Detention Facility in Santee, California.

Please note the flier attached to this email.

If you have any questions, please call 619.475.8227 or 619.847.4458.

Peace & Resist,
Janice Jordan
Outreach

Outrage over Imminent Execution of Iraqi Women

2007-03-28T20:56:00.001-07:00

Published on Saturday, March 3, 2007 by the Inter Press Service

Outrage over Imminent Execution of Iraqi Women
by Dahr Jamail and Ali al-Fadhily

BAGHDAD - Three young women accused of joining the Iraqi insurgency movement and engaging in "terrorism" have been sentenced to death, provoking protest from rights organisations fearing that this could be the start of more executions of women in post-Saddam Hussein's Iraq.

The execution of the three -- Wassan Talib, Zaineb Fadhil and Liqa Omar Muhammad -- and a fourth, Samar Sa'ad 'Abdullah, found guilty of murdering five members of her family, are scheduled to begin Mar. 3, according a member of the BRussells Tribunal.
All four are being held in the Khadamiya female prison in northern Baghdad.
One of the three alleged "terrorists", Muhammad, 25, gave birth to a daughter after her arrest and is still nursing the child in prison. A second, Talib, 31, is also in prison with her three-year-old child, according to Amnesty International.

Talib and Fadhil, 25, were sentenced to death by the Central Criminal Court of Iraq (CCCI) on 31 August 2006 for the 2005 murder of several members of Iraqi security forces in the Baghdad district of Hay al-Furat. Both women denied any involvement. Fadhil reportedly claimed that she was abroad at the time of the alleged killings, according to Amnesty International.

Muhammad was sentenced to death on 6 February 2006 by the CCCI, for kidnapping an official from the 'Green Zone' in 2005, according to sources in the Iraqi Lawyers' Union. Her husband is said to have been detained and accused of the same crime.

It is not known whether the three alleged "terrorists" will lodge appeals. But while this is possible, it is unlikely they will be successful without their own legal representation, according to sources.

An appeal by Abdullah was earlier rejected and she faces imminent execution, according to Amnesty International.

Many lawyers here are interpreting the death sentences on the three alleged "terrorists" as an attempt by the Iraqi regime to intimidate insurgents. Two of those sentenced to death -- Fadhil and Mohammad -- were accused of joining their husbands and two members of their families in their alleged crimes, according to the Iraqi Lawyers' Union.

Some Iraqis here have openly expressed surprise and disbelief that these women could have been involved in any insurgency.

It was a question of honour for Iraqi men that their women did not participate in any form of violence, they told IPS.

Independent lawyers have expressed strong criticism of the trials, saying they were "unfair" and violated international conventions.

The accused were denied the right of legal defence, Walid Hayali, a lawyer, said. He was barred from representing the three in court, he added.

"No lawyer was given the opportunity to do his job," a close friend of Talib confirmed to IPS.
But the right to independent legal representation was guaranteed under international law, lawyers here said.

The passing of a death sentence on the mother of a newly born child was also in violation of a specific UN safeguard, they added.
Iraqis questioned here said they believed the executions, if allowed to take place, would raise the level of violence across Iraq.
"This won't go unpunished," Fadhil Aziz, 40, from the Amiriya district in Baghdad told IPS.
"The U.S. and their Iraqi collaborators must pay for the crimes they are committing against our honour," he warned.

The impending executions are likely to increase the exodus of Iraqis out of the country.
"I am taking my family anywhere in the world rather than staying here and facing this," Abi Muhannad, an Iraqi teacher from the Kadhamiya district in Baghdad told IPS.
The UN estimates that some two million Iraqis have already fled the country. Approximately 50,000 are leaving every month, threatening to overwhelm other Middle Eastern countries, particularly Syria, Jordan and Lebanon.

Approximately one million are today living in Syria and up to 750,000 in Jordan, according to the UN High Commission of Refugees.

Roughly 40 percent of Iraq's middle class is believed to have fled the country since the U.S. invasion in 2003, according to the UN.

After the overthrow of Saddam Hussein's regime, the American occupation authorities suspended the death penalty. But in August 2004, the new interim Iraqi government reinstated it for crimes including murder, kidnapping and threats to national security. In October 2005 a tough new anti-terrorism law was introduced, setting capital punishment for "proving, planning, financing and enabling" terrorism.

Last year Iraqi courts sentenced 235 people to death and over 6,000 to life imprisonment, according to the London daily al-Sharq al-Awsat.

There are over 2,000 women classified as "security detainees", according to Mohamed Khorshid, quoted by the newspaper.

It is not known for certain how many have been executed since August 2004, but it is believed the figure is between 50 and 100. During 2006 at least 65 men and women were executed by the Iraqi government, including former Iraqi president Saddam Hussein.

Ali al-Fadhily is our Baghdad correspondent. Dahr Jamail is our specialist writer who has spent eight months reporting from inside Iraq and has been covering the Middle East for several years.

Coalition For Justice February 19, 2007

2007-03-28T20:56:00.000-07:00

Coalition For Justice
Minutes
February 19, 2007

The meeting was called to order at 6:08 p.m.
Individuals present introduced themselves. (Please see Dee Sanford for Sign-in sheet)

We were opened in prayer by Beverly Hudson.

The agenda was approved by silent assent.

Notes from the previous meeting with District Attorney Bonnie Dumanis were distributed.
Additional comments on these notes included noting that, of the 148 officer involved shootings, two were prosecuted. One of those was dropped and the other was acquitted after the jury deliberated for ten minutes.

The issue of officers being “on duty 24/7” was clarified.
The question was raised as to whether the Coalition should have additional conversations with the D.A.?
It was determined that Coalition will send a letter to the D.A. inviting her to a quarterly meeting sponsored by the Coalition.

We will advise her of the Coalition’s concerns/questions prior to the meetings.
Such questions and concerns should be forwarded to Art Cribbs by e-mail in a timely manner (artcribbs@aol.com) or to a person assigned to liaison with the DA’s office.

Review of Recent Actions
Letter and Petitions to Attorney General

There are three letters pertaining to the A.G. (Please see Art Cribbs for copies of the letters.)
As promised to the D.A., within 48 hour of our meeting with her, we began to move forward on the issue of an independent investigation. A letter was delivered to Jerry Brown, Attorney General for California, on February 7th, 2007, at the San Diego office of the A.G., along with petitions gathered by the Coalition, and a letter from El Grupo calling for an independent investigation.

Attorney General’s Response
We received a response from the Attorney General’s office on February 14th, 2007, that basically said the matter would be handled by the San Diego office, and that they declined our request for an independent investigation, but that there would be a process of evaluating and reviewing the District Attorney’s decisions regarding five of the seven shootings in San Diego County. The A.G has included the Civil Rights Enforcement Section of the A.G.’s office in Los Angeles in the review.

El Grupo sent another letter to the A.G.’s office on February 19th, 2007, continuing to press for an independent investigation on the five closed Vista shootings.

There was discussion about a timeline for anticipated action and the capacity of the Attorney General’s office to muster the resources necessary to actually perform investigations of officer involved shootings statewide. There was also input regarding the value and capacity of the officer’s own agency to conduct such an investigation. It was suggested that the issues may need to be addressed through the legislative process.

Next Steps
We need to continue to press for an independent investigation.
It was determined that we would refer the issue of how we proceed from here to our law committee

Call for Uniform Protocol
Association of Chiefs and Sheriff developed terms.
We received an e-mail from the San Diego Chief of Police indicating that the San Diego County Association of Chiefs and Sheriff has signed off on the Uniform Protocol and has forwarded them to their attorneys.

Proposed Protocol Under Review by Attorneys.
The Chief also indicated that when the Protocol comes back from the attorneys he will bring the Protocol to The Coalition for final sign off and then take it to the public. This looks like a victory for the Coalition for Justice.

Joint Press Conference Bring Considered.
Next Public Action: Forum on Citizen Public Conduct
We have several samples of expectations for how citizens should respond to contact with a peace officer: One from the ACLU, one from the San Diego Police Department, and some research was done on the internet.

We discussed three scenarios:
If you are stopped by an officer in uniform, in a marked car, in a public place, you are required to pull over and cooperate with the officer.
If you are stopped by an officer in uniform, in a marked car, in an isolated place, you are required to pull over and cooperate with the officer. Pull to a place that is public and has witnesses.

If someone attempts to pull you over and they have no identification, go to a public place where there are witnesses and call 911.

What we don’t know:
What are the current protocols for 911 operators?
What do the police expect us to do?
There was discussion regarding the role of citizens in public. Part of what we want to focus on in the forum is pubic politeness, especially in traffic. Also, how do we identify a private vehicle that is in an emergency situation?

Dee Sanford offered her television show as an option for dissemination of this type of information. This could be done as a panel. This could also be used to produce a recorded item for distribution.

It was suggested that the District Attorney’s office could approached to assist with financing, producing, and distributing a clear message in a media campaign.
It was also suggested that there needs to be a multi-faceted approach to dissemination of the information.

Future Leadership
It was suggested that this item become the first item on the agenda for the next meeting, and that it take priority at that meeting. This was accepted by consensus.

The meeting was adjourned at 7:43 p.m.

Recorded and Submitted by Clovis Honore`
Reviewed by Art Cribbs

02.19.2007 meeting

2007-02-20T00:15:00.005-08:00

Attendees: ayesha, gypsy, J, chrisy, joey

refreshments: coffee, juice, bubbly, sugar cookies, lime chips, veggies, dip

Case updates:

Shane Hayes killed by sdpd last september
Sean Bell killed with 50 shots in NYC just a few hours before his wedding.
Jacob Faust would have been 27 this month. he was killed by sdpd in dwntn sd just blks from his loft apt.

Coalition for justice agenda items/ response/ suggestions:

DA review of shootings -
Have they really agreed to do anything at all? We signed those petitions and will see how the coalition reports back for next steps.

February 15, 2007 sdnt reported: "Spurred by complaints from citizens, the state Attorney General's Office said yesterday it intends to review reports by local prosecutors who examined seven shootings by sheriff's deputies over the past two years.

But that review will not be the independent investigation that community groups called for last week. Instead, the Attorney General's Office will evaluate only the process by which the District Attorney's Office reached its conclusions, rather than investigate whether the shootings were justified..."

Uniform Protocal provided by SD County assoc of sheriffs-
Don't they already have one?

This would be a good tool to point to something in writing and say, Why didn't you follow the protocal on this? Why are cops above the law? It will be nice to see how they respond. The current "protocal" appears to be, if you're wearing a uniform, you answer to no one and it doesn't matter whose mama's baby you wipe from the earth.

Citizen's forum on public conduct. "public politeness?"-
This would be exciting with a speakers bureau or panel inclding transgender, deaf, lesbian folks. Also with role-plays and Legal observation / copwatch training.
We will share suggestions for the coalition.

Other discussion-
Involving more local players, gov reps. Leaders in public schools and other sd institutions.
How do we make police accountable to the people?
Elected citizen oversight with equal representation for area demographic.
Copwatch speaker's bureau for schools and other groups
Youth involved in violent crime seem to get younger and younger. What is the cause of the trend?

Web updates-
Ayesha changed layout and added new improved blog per ftp.

To Do:
provide complaint process outline and step-by-step online to supplement complaint form.

How are bad seeds weeded out? recruit practices? psych analysis requirements? national registar, recordkeeping to prevent killer cop immgration.

Track down ground works books officer of record for grant statement. Get a contact person and written account of funds remaining.

Marlene Rojas, Noe Rojas' cousin. Contacting family.

Vista group update. get back in touch with ladies who spoke at october 22nd last year. how can we support eachother's struggle?

Meet with other groups already working on these issues. State sanctioned violence is a police/ war/ immigration rights issue. connect the dots.

What is the code of law for copwatching? Any city codes? Is legal right to observe protected outside of constitution?

besos & conclude.

Bloggers Who Criticize Government May Face Prison

2007-02-20T00:15:00.004-08:00

Bloggers Who Criticize Government May Face Prison
Bill would allow rounding up and imprisoning of non-registered political writers
http://www.infowars.net/articles/january2007/180107Bloggers_Prison.htm

Steve WatsonInfowars.net
Thursday, January 18, 2007

You'd be forgiven for thinking that it was some new restriction on free speech in Communist China. But it isn't. The U.S. Government wants to force bloggers and online grassroots activists to register and regularly report their activities to Congress in the latest astounding attack on the internet and the First Amendment.

Richard A. Viguerie, Chairman of GrassrootsFreedom.com, a website dedicated to fighting efforts to silence grassroots movements, states:

"Section 220 of S. 1, the lobbying reform bill currently before the Senate, would require grassroots causes, even bloggers, who communicate to 500 or more members of the public on policy matters, to register and report quarterly to Congress the same as the big K Street lobbyists. Section 220 would amend existing lobbying reporting law by creating the most expansive intrusion on First Amendment rights ever. For the first time in history, critics of Congress will need to register and report with Congress itself."

In other words Nancy Pelosi and the Democrats may redefine the meaning of lobbying in order that political communications to and even between citizens falls under the same legislation.
Under current law any 'lobbyist" who 'knowingly and willingly fails to file or report." quarterly to the government faces criminal charges including a possible jail term of up to one year.
The amendment is currently on hold.

This latest attack on bloggers comes hot on the heels of Republican Senator John McCain's proposal to introduce legislation that would fine blogs up to $300,000 for offensive statements, photos and videos posted by visitors on comment boards.

McCain's proposal is presented under the banner of saving children from sexual predators and encourages informants to shop website owners to the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children, who then pass the information on to the relevant police authorities.

Despite a total lack of any evidence that children are being victimized en mass by bloggers or people who leave comments on blog sites, it seems likely that the proposal will become legislation in some form. It is well known that McCain has a distaste for his blogosphere critics, causing a definite conflict of interest where any proposal to restrict blogs on his part is concerned.

In recent months, a chorus of propaganda intended to demonize the Internet and further lead it down a path of strict control has spewed forth from numerous establishment organs:
During an appearance with his wife Barbara on Fox News last November, George Bush senior slammed Internet bloggers for creating an "adversarial and ugly climate."

- The White House's own recently de-classified strategy for "winning the war on terror" targets Internet conspiracy theories as a recruiting ground for terrorists and threatens to "diminish" their influence.

- The Pentagon recently announced its effort to infiltrate the Internet and propagandize for the war on terror.

- In a speech last month, Homeland Security director Michael Chertoff identified the web as a "terror training camp," through which "disaffected people living in the United States" are developing "radical ideologies and potentially violent skills." Chertoff pledged to dispatch Homeland Security agents to local police departments in order to aid in the apprehension of domestic terrorists who use the Internet as a political tool.

- A landmark legal case on behalf of the Recording Industry Association of America and other global trade organizations seeks to criminalize all Internet file sharing of any kind as copyright infringement, effectively shutting down the world wide web - and their argument is supported by the U.S. government.

- A landmark legal ruling in Sydney goes further than ever before in setting the trap door for the destruction of the Internet as we know it and the end of alternative news websites and blogs by creating the precedent that simply linking to other websites is breach of copyright and piracy.

- The European Union, led by former Stalinist and potential future British Prime Minister John Reid, has also vowed to shut down "terrorists" who use the Internet to spread propaganda.
- The EU also recently proposed legislation that would prevent users from uploading any form of video without a license.

- We have also previously exposed how moves are afoot to clamp down on internet neutrality and even to designate a highly restricted new form of the internet known as Internet 2.

---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------Want to start your own blog or website, get the word out and support Alex Jones? Infowars.net offers high-quality webhosting services at very competitive prices, and most importantly, withinfowars.net, privacy is paramount! We don't sell the names of our customers to marketing firms or the government. Click here for more info.---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Make no mistake, the internet, one of the greatest outposts of free speech ever created is under constant attack by powerful people who cannot operate within a society where information flows freely and unhindered. All these moves mimic stories we hear every week out of State Controlled Communist China, where the internet is strictly regulated and virtually exists as its own entity away from the rest of the web.

The phrases "Chinese government" and "Mao Zedong" have even been censored on China's official Web sites because they are "Sensitive phrases". Are we to allow our supposedly Democratic governments to implement the same type of restrictive policies here?

Under section 220 of the lobbying reform bill, Infowars.net could be required to seek a license in order to bring this information to you. IF we were granted a license we would then have to report our activities to the government four times per year in order to bring you this information. Does that sound more like free speech or more like totalitarianism?
***********

Take action:

As well as calling the Senate you should go to GrassrootsFreedom.com which has a petition that you can sign against Section 220 of S. 1, the lobbying reform bill.

Paul Joseph Watson contributed to this report.

SD Indie Music Fest March 3rd

2007-02-20T00:15:00.003-08:00

SD Indie Music Fest Tix are now
Officially ON SALE
via Phone & at the Box Office!
Phone:
619. 231.5714 x 100
Box Office:
Stephen & Mary Birch North Park Theatre
2891 University AvenueSan Diego, CA 92104
#(619) 231-5714
Regular Box office Window Hours: 12-4 Tues.- Fri.

also open some evenings before various theatre events:
Open this Saturday, Feb. 3 - 5-9:00 PM
Open Thursdays Feb.8, 15, 22 - 5:30-8:30 PM
& Open Sundays Feb.11, 18, 25 - 12 noon -3:00 PM
Interested in Volunteering?
Go to http://www.SDIMFv.com

SDIMF is now on You Tube! Check it OUT:http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-EQDNFb12qI
Please stay tuned for more Updates.
See You MARCH 3
for one of the most invigorating, music and art-filled days EVER.
-DLPM
--

Say It Records and Champ Records present, in conjunction with 91X :
San Diego Indie Music Fest (SDIMF) III
3.3.07
!12 Noon to 12 Midnight!
In North Park on University Ave. (between Ray & Utah Streets)
FULL ARTIST LINE UP BELOW!!
Hugely diverse Independent music all day long,
12 Noon to 12 Midnight, over 75 Artists on SEVEN Stages!
Rock, Jazz, Folk, R&B, World, Funk, Spoken Word, Latin, Punk, and more...
And introducing, for the first time, Indie Film!
Indie artisans selling their creations, interactive art, henna tattoos, tarot readings,
Voter Registration, SD Indie art and businesses, and delicious food and drink all day long

Stages:
The Stephen & Mary Birch North Park Theatre - Main Stage
Claire de Lune - The Celebrate Women's History Month Stage ...FREE!
29th Street - The Elan Indie Coffee Garden Stage ...FREE to ALL!
Caffe Calabria - Acoustic Stage
North Park Arts & Entertainment - Indie Film Stage
Heaven Sent Desserts - Busker's Corner Stage ...where ANYone can sign up to perform!
The Rubber Rose - Mature Audiences Stage - on Ray Street

!All Ages welcome - All Day Long!
http://www.SDIndieMusicFest.com http://www.MySpace.com/SDIMF
"Fortunately, not everyone is willing to abide by the notions of safety in sameness. The people who push the creative envelope whether in art, music, politics, or even business, do their fellow man a great service by adding facets of what's possible in life..." -John Rippo, Editor - The Espresso, Aug. 2006

"[SDIMF] looks to be one of the premiere indie music
events on San Diego's annual musical calendar, and
shouldn't be missed by any music fan."
- San Diego CityBEAT

The 2007 San Diego Indie Music Fest
Official Artist LINE UP!

Fishbone
Michelle Shocked
REDCAR - Heather Grody (of the Murmurs) new Band
Al Howard & The K23 Orchestra
Amandla - featuring Claude Coleman of WEEN
Bargain Music
Gingger Shankar- World renown Double Violinist
Vegitation
Danielle LoPresti & The Masses
Alicia Champion
Tam Tam Mandigue
Alfonso de La Espriella
RunhoneY
Danny "SlapJazz" Barber
Hayward Williams
Sven Erik-Seaholm & The Wild Truth
Eveoke Dance Theatre
Grey Area
Francesca Valle
Gina W.
Kontious 1
The Underground Railroad
Barbarella
Ron Jones
J.D. Boucharde
Laura Jane
Sean Wiggins
David Kidd
Dan Mackenzie
Josh Damigo
Kevin Wood
Carol Ames
Michael Tiernan
Mark DeCerbo & Four Eyes
The Coyote Problem
Chris Klich
Gideon Freudmann
Isaac Cheong
Lissa D.
Amy Garcia
Lindsey Yung
Angel Short
Elena
Bella Sorella
Fishtank Ensemble
Holly Light
Adrianne
Sara Petite
SABA
Sarah Green
Anna Troy
Francesca Valle
Scissors For Lefty
Allison Gill
Drive A
Hit By A Bus
Laurie Morvan
Antedote
Boxtone Suite
Audible Mainframe
MISTY
Ecotonic
JIBILIAN
The Fabulous Rudies
Manganista
Naked Highway
Sutro
Eric Lige
Cyndi Vellmure
Corday
Alu
Emily Moultrie
Ebony Tay
Una
Sixteens
Shitting Glitter
Amelia Browning
Jefferson Jay Band
And on the Indie Film Stage:
Maquilapolis
Starved

The Edge of Each Other's Battles -The Vision of Audre Lorde
What is INDIE?
Creating a Place at The Table
Invisible Children
Look Us In The Eye -The Old Women's Project
Leading The Way To Peace
AAAAAAAAND, the SDIMF Official After-Parties!
Happening right down the street!
at
Bacchus House on University and Ohio
&
Dino's and Shooterz on 30th

"Danielle Lo Presti and The Masses / "DLPM" thank you for supporting independent music, art, business and thought in your community.

http://www.DanielleAndTheMasses.com and http://www.IndieByDesign.com
http://www.MySpace.com/DLPM

"Danielle's music is raw and emotive, an impressive album for a new millennium where women will seize the music industry and turn it upside-down".- Ani Difranco

new amadou diallo documentary

2007-02-20T00:15:00.002-08:00

"365 DAYS OF MARCHING" New Amadou Diallo Documentary

For a sneak preview log onto:http://www.365daysohttp://www.365dhttIt's important that the community know that the legacy of Amadou Diallo and the organizing efforts of all those who participated, was not in vain. Although New York City may have tried to sweep this one under the rug, Sean Bell and 50 SHOTS reminds us that Police Brutality & Police Community Relations are systemic and we must never forget.

To do so... "365 DAYS OF MARCHING"Seven years ago when an unarmed African immigrant by the name of Amadou Diallo was shot at 41 times (hit 19 times) by 4 New York City Police Officers, the people took to the streets charging the NYPD with police brutality. Over the next two years that followed, a series of marches and protests was set into motion that would forever change the lives of New Yorkers. At its conceptual rootâ€”spearheaded by Rev Al Sharpton and the National Action Network, was the march for justice for Diallo.

However, in the midst of the struggles a new breed of protestor began to emerge. Along the side of the activist stood politicians, students & professors, unions, and laborers. The shout of â€œNo Justice No Peace!â€”What do we want? JUSTICE!â€ Now became â€œWhat do we want?â€”BOOKS! HOUSING! JOBS!

Dialloâ's death became a symbol for justice on all fronts. 360 Media recounts this bitter and yet compelling part of New York City history in the upcoming documentary entitled â€œ365 Days of Marchingâ€”AMADOUâ€ DIRECTED, WRITTEN & PRODUCED by Veronica Keitt CO-PRODUCED by Michael Drake, Ozzie Thompson, Nat Wood,Darryl Stith

with SPECIAL APPEARANCES BYRev. Al Sharpton, Seiko & Kadiatou Diallo, the parents of Amadou Diallo, David N. Dinkins, former NYC Mayor,Charles Rangel, US Congressmen, Rev. Jessie Jackson,Charles Barron, Councilman, Norman Siegel, ACLU,Community Activists, Leaders and others . . . Scheduled to be released early Spring/2007

For a sneak preview log onto:http://www.365daysohttp://www.365dhtt

ACLU Sues U.S. Immigration Officials and For-Profit Corrections Corporation Over Dangerous and Inhumane Housing of Detainees

2007-02-20T00:15:00.001-08:00

ACLU Sues U.S. Immigration Officials and For-Profit Corrections Corporation Over Dangerous and Inhumane Housing of Detainees

In a Legal First, ACLU Seeks to Change Overcrowded and Degrading Conditions at San Diego Facility

January 24 2007 - SAN DIEGO - The American Civil Liberties Union today joined a lawsuit on behalf of immigration detainees at San Diego Correctional Facility, charging that chronically severe overcrowding places detainees' health and safety at risk and is unconstitutional.

"Immigration detainees are held under civil rather than criminal laws," said Gouri Bhat, a lawyer with the ACLU National Prison Project. "Since they are detained for non-punitive purposes, immigration detainees are legally entitled to better living conditions than convicted prisoners or pre-trial detainees."

The proposed class action complaint filed by the ACLU's National Prison Project and Immigrants' Rights Project, the ACLU of San Diego & Imperial Counties and the law firm of Cooley Godward Kronish LLP, addresses the practice of long-term overcrowding at the San Diego facility and is the first of its kind to seek broad improvements in the housing of immigration detainees based on their status as civil detainees.

According to the complaint, immigration detainees at the facility are literally living on top of each other. More than 650 detainees live three-to-a-cell, meaning that one of them sleeps on a plastic slab on the floor by the toilet. Additional detainees sleep on bunk beds in the recreation area, driving the population of some housing units to more than 50 percent over design-capacity.

The backlog of immigration cases in the Ninth Circuit is the largest in the country, according to court statistics. While some detainees at the facility are held for relatively short periods, hundreds live in these overcrowded, intolerable conditions for many months or years, as their immigration cases are reviewed on appeal, the ACLU said. More than half of the detainees in ICE custody have never been convicted of a crime and are only in custody to await civil proceedings related to their immigration status.

"Immigration detainees are at a particular disadvantage because they have no right to appointed counsel," said Judy Rabinovitz, Senior Counsel with the ACLU Immigrants' Rights Project. "Detaining these people in crowded, unsafe conditions for months or years on end is perverse and inhumane."

SDCF is one of the largest immigration detention facilities in the country and houses about 1,000 detainees in the custody of U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE). Corrections Corporation of America, Inc. (CCA), the nation's largest for-profit prison company, manages the facility under a contract with ICE. The ACLU's complaint charges that both ICE and CCA are responsible for the widespread practice of packing three detainees into cells designed for two.

According to the ACLU, overcrowding at SDCF has led to incidents of violence at the facility, including a September 2006 disturbance in which detainees who peacefully waited to speak with ICE officials about the new triple-celling policy were abruptly tear-gassed and pepper-sprayed by CCA officers. The complaint also states that triple-celling has resulted in delays in medical and mental health treatment, physical and psychological suffering, the spread of infectious diseases, lack of adequate exercise, and poor sanitation.

"As we have seen in so many California prisons, overcrowding increases tensions among detainees and prison guards, and it is only a matter of time before those tensions erupt into violence," said David Blair-Loy, Legal Director of the ACLU of San Diego and Imperial Counties. "The conditions at SDCF are not only unconstitutional, they are dangerous for the health and safety of everyone at the facility."

The San Diego facility was one of five immigration detention facilities audited by the Department of Homeland Security Office of Inspector General (OIG) in 2005 to assess the overall treatment of detainees in ICE custody. The OIG's long-awaited report was released last week and disappointed many immigrant advocates who expected a more critical and comprehensive report on detainee living conditions.

The report, for example, does not address the issue of triple-celling at SDCF although the practice was pervasive at the time of the audit and the subject of many detainee complaints. Despite its narrow focus, however, the OIG report identifies several instances of egregious physical and sexual abuse by officers at SDCF, as well as significant failures on the facility's part to provide adequate health care and monitor suicidal detainees.

In legal papers filed today, the ACLU is seeking to amend a complaint filed by detainee Isaac Kigondu Kiniti, who has been representing himself in a case he filed in May 2005 that challenges overcrowded conditions at SDCF. Kiniti was taken into ICE custody in May 2004 and sent to SDCF in November 2004. Since 2004, he has been awaiting proceedings to determine whether he will have to return to Kenya, where he fears he will be subjected to persecution and torture. Living conditions have worsened since Kiniti's case was filed almost two years ago and the ACLU hopes its involvement will help improve conditions at SDCF so that they meet constitutional standards.

The ACLU's proposed second amended complaint is filed in Kiniti v. Wagner, Case No. 3:05-CV-01013-DMS-PCL (S.D. Cal.), and is be available online at: www.aclu.org/prison/conditions/28128lgl20070124.html

SDCF detainees are represented by Bhat, Tom Jawetz, and David Fathi of the ACLU National Prison Project, Rabinovitz and Mnica Ramirez of the ACLU Immigrants' Rights Project, Blair-Loy of the ACLU of San Diego and Imperial Counties, and Anthony M. Stiegler and Mary Kathryn Kelley of Cooley Godward Kronish LLP.

Deputies cleared in deadly Vista shootings

2007-02-20T00:15:00.000-08:00

Story: Deputies cleared in deadly Vista shootings

SAN DIEGO ---- None of the deputies involved in the spate of deadly shootings over a five-day period in Vista last summer will face criminal charges, District Attorney Bonnie Dumanis announced Wednesday afternoon.

"These deputies did not commit a crime," Dumanis told reporters. "After months of reviewing these cases, I'm satisfied that our office made the right decision."

For more of this story, click on or type the URL below:http://www.nctimes.com/articles/2006/07/06/news/top_stories/705102005.txt