Gangsters in Blue

With the Secret Service now investigating cocaine use by its agents in Colombia, I think it is a good time to point out some serious hypocrisy in the United States Code with regard to the 2nd Amendment.

Federal law in the United States makes it a serious federal offense to possess a firearm or ammunition if you are a user of illegal drugs:

18 USC 922 – Unlawful acts

(g) It shall be unlawful for any person -

(3) who is an unlawful user of or addicted to any controlled
substance (as defined in section 102 of the Controlled Substances
Act (21 U.S.C. 802));

to ship or transport in interstate or foreign commerce, or possess
in or affecting commerce, any firearm or ammunition; or to receive
any firearm or ammunition which has been shipped or transported in
interstate or foreign commerce.

If you use cocaine and get caught possessing even a single round of ammunition, you can go to federal prison for multiple years depending on where you fall on the federal sentencing guidelines as established by the United States Sentencing Commission.

If you are a federal agent or police officer and decide to use cocaine, luckily, you are exempt from the laws that normally would put you in federal prison for being a “prohibited person” under the Gun Control Act of 1968 for ingesting your choice of intoxicating chemical substance:

18 USC 925 – Relief from disabilities

(a)(1) The provisions of this chapter, except for sections
922(d)(9) and 922(g)(9) and provisions relating to firearms subject
to the prohibitions of section 922(p), shall not apply with respect
to the transportation, shipment, receipt, possession, or
importation of any firearm or ammunition imported for, sold or
shipped to, or issued for the use of, the United States or any
department or agency thereof or any State or any department,
agency, or political subdivision thereof.

If government agents use cocaine with prostitutes and possess handguns and machine-guns on the cusp of the very serious responsibility of protecting the President of the United States in Colombia, they can only get fired because federal law doesn’t apply to them.

They are above that particular law.

CopBlock’s motto says: “Badges don’t grant extra rights,” but in reality… they do.

They just shouldn’t.

Secret Service Badges DO Grant Extra Rights is a post from Cop Block - Badges Don't Grant Extra Rights

“All that is necessary for the triumph of evil is that good men do nothing, which is why YOU should do something.”
-Benjamin Bartholomew

Delaying a police officer. That’s the action Russel and Benjamin Bartholomew are supposedly “guilty” of. Today a man in a black robe will tell the brothers whether he thinks they should be stolen from or caged. Or both.

UPDATE: Benjamin and Russel were sentenced to six months probation, one day in jail (time served), and the state of California’s mandatory minimum of a $120 restitution fine & a $70 court security fee, each. For a more-exhaustive overview of the sentencing, including the text of passages read by the brothers and their dad Cory, check out the post Results From Sentencing And Statements To The Court, which Benjamin made live tonight.

Ademo and I were able to meet Russel and Benjamin in late 2009 when in northern California on the last leg of Motorhome Diaries. They’re good guys – friendly, genuine, principled. It’s no surprise then, that they founded Good Men Do Something!

From the site:

we had decided to try and get a conversation started in our area over taxation.  We had seen people wave signs from overpasses before, but thought it would be more effective to have one large sign that was easy to read.  So we connected 11 pieces of poster board together (each having an individual letter on it) that said “TAXES=THEFT”.  Now, you can make practical arguments for taxes (we disagree with them), but you can’t argue logically that taxation is not theft.  We wanted people to think about how taxes were collected, even if they thought taxes were good or necessary.

We took our “TAXES=THEFT” sign to a local highway overpass on April 28. It took us 5 minutes to setup our sign, 5 more minutes for police to show up, and 10 more minutes for them to put us in handcuffs and take us to jail, for wearing masks (which isn’t against the “law”).  Our sign, sunglasses, phones and camera have been held since then as “evidence”. But, thanks to Qik, video of our arrest was streamed to the internet and was waiting for us by the time we got home.

The mask-related charge (PC 185) essentially seeks to deter someone from wearing a mask in the commission of a crime. Obviously the brothers weren’t committing a crime and this charge was dropped. Another charge (PC 602) related to trespass / damaging “state” property ostensibly levied due to the hanging of the sign was later added then also dropped.

Even Kenny Sowles – the Yuba County Sheriffs Department employee who approached and handcuffed the brothers – verbalized that he was not correct in telling the brothers that they were committing a crime.

Yet Yuba County Deputy District Attorney Mike Byrne wanted his conviction so he claimed the brothers “willfully resisting, delaying or obstructing a peace officer while he or she was attempting to discharge the official duties of his or her office.” Yet at the incident in question it was Sowles who approached and engaged the brothers out of his own curiosity, which soon changed to being dumbfounded when the brothers chose to not turn-over their IDs on demand.

Bryne told the brothers that if they pled guilty to the charge they’d only each have to give him $195 for “court restitution.” In a phone conversation earlier this week Benjamin told me that, “I couldn’t be more offended,” and asked how “the court” had ever been victimized and thus deservant of their money.

To make the “delaying an officer” threat more palatable for the community Bryne and his colleagues worked to frame the Bartholomew’s as anti-tax protestors – a label not entirely true. Benjamin noted that he acted because he wanted people to ask themselves “if they’re willing to go to their neighbors to rob them,” that he “just want people to acknowledge what taxation is.” Theft. As Russel noted,  “It is what it is. it’s a fact.”

In their almost year-long misadventure the Bartholomew brothers have been subjected to many guilty-until-proven-innocent tactics  – their property (two Qik-enabled cell phones, a video camera and tripod, and the sign itself) was stolen, threats against them kept changing, dates they were ordered to appear constantly shifted and weird plea deals were offered.

On April 5th Benjamin and Russel were told to report to a Yuba County courtroom. After a two-hour trial that they were prohibited from filming an an hour of deliberation, the brothers were told that they were “guilty” of delaying an officer. They hadn’t violated any person or property, nor any man-made legislation but the don’t-question-someone-with-a-badge mentality ran deep among those in the jury.

Benjamin rightly noted that such a conclusion “essentially makes California a ‘stop-and-identify’ state, even though that’s not the law.” He added that the only thing he would have done differently was to ask from the very beginning if he was being detained.

Byrne – who had argued that they brothers actions necessitated punishment, stated, “this was never about the First Amendment. Protest to (legislators), not the blue collar cop just doing his job; he can’t do anything about it anyway . . . You don’t pick on the help. You go to the boss.”

Why should an individual first plead with strangers for permission before they engage in victimless actions? Are not “the help” responsible for their actions? And just how does Byrne (or the jurors for that matter) think “the boss” will ever hold himself or herself accountable? What incentives exists within the monopolistic institution that could ever result in such a desired outcome?

Paul Nicholas Boylan, the Bartholomew’s lawyer wrote afterward, “I should have won. I didn’t because every single person on that jury believed that, when a police officer asks for your identification, you should provide it. Period.”

The brothers face a maximum term of one year in a cage and/or a ransom of $1,000. If a ransom is imposed, morning radio show hosts Armstrong and Getty from 650 KSTE noted they’d personally contribute and would encourage their listeners to donate as well. Like I said, Benjamin and Russel are good guys. It’s easy for others to see.

Russel said the ordeal has “reaffirmed my principles.” Benjamin echoed the sentiment, “I still firmly believe that people should do something for that which they should believe in. Good men should do something.”

Whatever happens today in legal land, Benjamin and Russel are in control of their own lives, noting that “Once our trial ends, our focus will return to activism and moving to New Hampshire where our activism will continue and be amplified by all the wonderful activists already there.”

Post-trial Boylan wrote on his blog, “I don’t want to believe that I live in a society where someone in uniform can say ‘your papers, please’ and I have to comply or else risk arrest and incarceration.” Me either. That’s why I encourage you to heed Benjamin and Russel’s call to action – stand on your principles, speak out when you see injustice, and join them at Facebook.com/GoodMenDoSomething

April 29th, 2011 – Brothers Film Arrest After Hanging Sign on Highway – CopBlock.org
May 27th, 2012 – Update on Brothers Arrested for Hanging Sign – CopBlock.org
February 14th, 2012 – Welcome to “Good Men Do Something 2.0″! – GoodMenDoSomething.Fr33Agents.com
April 5th, 2012 – Wheatland brothers convicted of delaying Yuba County deputy – Appeal-Democrat.com
April 11th, 2012 – Rebel of the Week – the Bartholomew Brothers – SilverCircleMovie.com

Click for three-video playlist from YouTube.com/GoodMenDoSomething

The Bartholomew Brothers – Good Men Doing Something is a post from Cop Block - Badges Don't Grant Extra Rights

Police are so loved and respected in this country, that even when they are rapists and murderers, they are treated better than the average human being, and certainly better than the average criminal. Recently examples are illustrative.

Jose Guerena, a former Marine who was the victim of a mistaken drug raid, was the target of 120+ rounds shot by Pima County Sherriff’s SWAT team. He was left to bleed to death, while his wife begged for medical attention, and eventually died because police refused to let paramedics through. Such is how police treated a suspected drug violator. (More here).

Neli Latson was wrongfully suspected of being a suspicious character with a gun. When he refused to submit to wrongful arrest, he was beaten by police. While being beaten, he yelled that he had done nothing wrong, to which the police replied,  “You don’t have to – Welcome to Stafford County.” Neli reported a gun was held to his head, and the officer stated, “I will blow your head off, nigger.” (More here and here). Such is how police treated a person suspected of exercising their 2nd Amendment (alleged) rights.

Fred Skinner, aged  76 was eating when police mistakenly burst through his door with guns drawn, put him in handcuffs, and ransacked his house in search of drugs. Police did not even stop to apologize when they realized they had entered and extensively damaged the wrong house, although when the matter attracted substantial media attention, they finally agreed to pay to repair Mr. Skinner’s porch. (More here). Such is how police treat an innocent old man minding his own business.

John Williams was walking down the street in the opposite direction with a small, folded whittling knife when Officer Ian Birk of Seattle Police Department called out for him to stop. Being deaf in one ear, Mr. Williams did not hear, and did not stop. He was executed on the spot.  (More here). Such is how police treat a person who dares disobey orders, even unreasonable ones.

18-year-old Ramarley Graham, was shot to death in front of his grandmother and younger brother after he attempted to flush a bag of marijuana down the toilet. Police did not have a warrant to enter the home, and Mr. Graham was unarmed. (More here and here). Such is how police treat drug offenders – and in a city where pot is allegedly “decriminalized.”

Alan Kephart disobeyed officers’ orders in connection with a traffic matter, and instead gave officers the middle finger. He was tasered to death. (More here). Such is how police treat traffic violators who are rude to them.

Kelly Thomas, a schizophrenic homeless man, attracted the attention of Fullerton police, who were allegedly looking for a suspected car thief matching his description. One glance at his face after police were done with him tells pretty much the whole story. He eventually died from his injuries. Such is how police treat people potentially suspected of car theft.

On the other hand, police themselves seem to rarely face such harsh consequences for minor transgressions. Indeed, they often face no consequences at all, and when they are charged and imprisoned, they are treated with a great deal of dignity and respect.

Officer Art Perea faced no consequences in relation to his employment when the accusations of rape surfaced. He was permitted to resign on his own accord, and ultimately faced no charges after investigations, which took several months, cleared him of wrongdoing. (More here). Such is how police treat a potential rapist among their ranks – they have such faith in him, that they don’t even bother to take him off duty, or quarantine him from the public.

Officer Anthony Arevalos similarly was accused of sexual assault. Although he was finally duly punished, he was not fired and faced no repercussions after he was accused of sexual assault for the first time. (More here). Again, such is how police treat rapists among their ranks.

In another particularly heinous tale, Officer Stephanie Lazarus of the LAPD was found to have been a major suspect in the brutal murder of Sherri Rasmussen, which occurred in 1986. Saliva and broken fingernails collected at the scene of the crime had been preserved. A detective secretly followed Lazarus and was able to retrieve a sample of her saliva from a straw she threw away. When the time came to arrest Lazarus in 2009, she was at her desk at the LAPD headquarters. She was told to go attend to an issue about an inmate in the jail downstairs. When she removed her gun and passed through the security gate, she was uneventfully intercepted by detectives and taken into interrogation. (More here).

When innocent people are suspected of crimes, they are regularly beaten, tasered, have their doors kicked in, their homes ransacked, or have their pets shot. When ordinary people have committed minor crimes, they are often tasered or shot and killed. However, when police rape and murder, they are treated with surprisingly reasonable measures (or maybe not so surprising – after all, the police essentially police themselves).

Perea was not beaten or tasered when accused of rape; he wasn’t even fired. Arevalos didn’t have his door kicked in and his house ransacked. Lazarus who was a violent, psychopathic murderer was disarmed non-violently, and faced neither a hail of 120+ rounds of bullets, tasers, fists, nor boots. This is not to say that murder suspects should be beaten, or that potential rapists should be tasered – but perhaps the rest of us are human beings as well, and should be treated in a similarly reasonable manner.

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Police who rape and murder are treated better than ordinary peons is a post from Cop Block - Badges Don't Grant Extra Rights

The below block quotes were sent to CopBlock.org via the submission tab. I decided to add my two cents into this post because I think Terrance missed a few points pertaining to Occupy events. He states:

I keep seeing so many of these OWS people getting busted by police videos. I get it, OWS wants… well, nothing clear. No defined goal… But what they are doing is trespassing into streets and impeding traffic, vandalizing public parks and roads and buildings… Then you film it and complain that your rights are violated when the police arrest you while trespassing and/or vandalizing. I only have one issue with this. You commit a crime, then you complain your rights are violated. Your being hypocritical with your actions and words.

How does one trespass on public property? How do you vandalize a public property such as a park? Isn’t public property owned by the people? I’m not justifying or saying I support these tactics – destroying private property is always wrong – but look at it this way.

Sure the Occupy movement has no clear agenda, goal or demands. IMO, that’s because there are so many government caused issues that everyone’s demands are different. When “the government” (via politicians – who claim to be working for you) forces you to comply with “the law” and punishes (with fines, prison or seizing property) those who refuse to do so, what other recourse do people have?

I say lets start the conversation where the conversation begins, why are people in the parks and streets anyways? Maybe the endless wars in the Middle East, troubled economy and growing police state have something to do with the increased displeasure for government controls (ie, laws). One day people, like those at occupy, will realize the common factor – the cancer to most any social problem today – the government.

This is something Terrance has over looked as well.  Using his logic, the people have a right to protest or assemble as long as they don’t break the law. Yet, as you seen in the Occupy movement, the government (police and politicians alike) create city ordinances and/or state laws against being on public property at certain times (that they decide as they go). Yes, this is confusing because as I stated above, public property is owned by everyone but regulated by few.

How can a government that claims to be the freest in the world arrest people for peaceful assembly and free speech? Or, on a small side note, cage the most people than another country in the world? Isn’t Freedom of Speech, the right to peacefully assemble and to be free to live your life  the pilars of some crazy government document that was written hundreds of years ago? Why aren’t people questioning the government as much as the protestors Terrance?

The police do NOT decide who breaks laws in these OWS marches/camps. They only follow their orders which is to clear out the camps/rallys when they become a problem. I love what this website does when it comes to accountability, but come on.

Don’t be the NEED for change, be the change that is needed.

I could go on about police and their ability to use discretion, or the fact that most of the violence at Occupy events happens after the police initiate force. Instead, I’ll agree with you. “Don’t be the need for change, be the change that is needed” is exactly what every officer should be telling themselves before they go out on their shift. Start with those who believe badges grant extra rights.

OWS Isn’t a play on rights, it’s vandals at work. is a post from Cop Block - Badges Don't Grant Extra Rights

by Kate Ager, via LadiesinKeene.com:

Around 6:30PM, April 12th in Greenland, NH, five police officers were seen standing on the front porch and peering into the windows of 517 Post Road. The officers were at the home to serve a ‘search warrant’ as part of a ‘drug related investigation.’ Kevin Clay from WMUR reports: “Police went to 517 Post Road and entered the home. They were confronted by an armed suspect.” A man who noticed the police officers on the porch and a cruiser on the lawn as he was driving by said that he then heard gunshots and saw police running away from the home. After the passerby pulled over to direct traffic away from that area, the cruiser went flying past him, presumably to the hospital with an injured officer.

A woman living across the street from the house said she was cleaning when she heard the gunshots and looked out the window to see four police officers running away from the house and three of them falling. More officers arrived very quickly and steadily continued arriving. The woman reported that an officer came to her daughter’s bedroom window and told her that they needed to stay in their basement. Other neighbors were told to stay in their homes and as the area was blocked off, other residents were prevented from returning home.

As of right now, the standoff is still underway: helicopters, SWAT teams, and police officers from numerous areas throughout the state are present in the area of the home. Portsmouth Regional Hospital, where the five officers shot – one who did not survive – were taken for medical attention, is swarming with LEOs from dozens of departments.

WMUR reports, “That [male] suspect and a female were still inside the home Thursday night as police tried to negotiate a peaceful resolution.”

It is very unfortunate that this incident occurred, and though many will blame the man who shot at police officers entering his home for the outcome of this interaction, he probably did not act with malicious intent. Reacting to an aggressor with force is commonly known as self-defense and generally viewed as acceptable and often applauded – unless the aggressor wears a badge or is deemed a “government official.”

Many have been conditioned to believe and accept the idea that police officers and other government officials have authority over them and that through the written word of ‘law’ and threats of imprisonment or force in other manners, it is acceptable for those with special uniforms or job titles to forcefully control the actions of others or use force to punish them for actions with which they or written ‘law’ disagree.

The officers who arrived at the home on Post Road were there to enter the man’s home without his consent, search through all of his belongings, take anything deemed ‘illegal’ if they were to find it, then try to put the man in a cage for possessing it. Although the men approaching the door of the Greenland home wore uniforms with “police” written on them and had a man in a robe also deemed to be a “government official” sign a fancy-sounding permission slip [search warrant] supposedly granting them access into another man’s home, they were there with the intent to break in to the home, steal his property, and force him into a cage.

I’m sure some will deny that police with a warrant entering a home constitutes breaking in; entering a person’s home against their wishes is breaking in. Some will say that taking items deemed to be ‘illegal’ isn’t theft, but taking somebody’s property without their permission is theft. Clearly a cell fits the definition of a cage.

Like I said, I’m sure many will blame the man who shot at police officers entering his home for the outcome of this interaction – but this could have been prevented. Due to the seemingly endless War On Drugs, a man lost his life tonight, four others were shot, and the occupants of the Post Road residence will either be killed by “government officials” trying to extract them from the home, or put in a cage for the rest of their life.

WMUR reported that the police were trying to negotiate a peaceful resolution, but peacefully is an inaccurate way to describe how this situation will end. As I just mentioned, many lives have been severely affected in a negative manner due to this interaction. Why? What did the man inside the home possess that would warrant people to come into his home and put him in a situation where he feels the need to defend himself and his property – a plant, a powder, a liquid? What drug voluntarily ingested by a person could possibly be more harmful than all the damage and despair caused by the War On Drugs?

People should be free to make their own decisions so long as they don’t initiate force on others.  If people did not feed in to the idea that badges or government titles grant extra rights, this horrible incident would have never unfolded. The trauma, injuries, and death that family members of the officer and others in the community now must cope with could have been avoided. I hope this event causes people to realize the harm caused by the War On Drugs is much greater than the harm caused by voluntarily ingesting the substance itself.

If I were the man inside the home in this situation, I probably would not have reacted to the officers on the porch in the same manner that the man in his Greenland home is, but the United States Government is one of the largest criminal gangs in the world and he wanted to protect his life and his property from them. I do not advocate violence or the initiation of force, but I can not condemn a man for acting in self-defense; it makes no difference whether one is defending themselves from a random aggressor on the street or a random aggressor with a badge.

“In an ideal world, cops would do nothing except protect people from thieves and attackers, in which case shooting a cop would never be justified.” - Larken Rose, “When Should You Shoot A Cop”

What do you think?

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The War On Drugs Claims Another Life is a post from Cop Block - Badges Don't Grant Extra Rights

This post on Tyler Perry‘s – movie star, director and more – Facebook page was posted to my wall by a friend and though I tend to disagree with Tyler’s view on the stand your ground law (I don’t think you need a law to state you have a right to defend yourself, just as you don’t need law to tell you the difference between defense and murder – all you need are facts, something the police seem to get in the way of alot), I appreciate him speaking about these issues to his fans.

A few days before President Obama was supposed to speak at my studio, I was leaving the studio, headed to the airport. Most times when I leave the studio I have an unmarked escort. Other times I constantly check in my rearview mirror to be sure that I’m not being followed. It’s a safety precaution that my security team taught me. As I got to an intersection, I made a left turn from the right lane and was pulled over by two police officers. I pulled the car over and put it in park. Then, I let the window down and sat in the car waiting for the officer. The officer came up to the driver’s door and said that I made an illegal turn. I said, “I signaled to get into the turning lane, then made the turn because I have to be sure I’m not being followed.” He said, “why do you think someone would be following you?”

Before I could answer him, I heard a hard banging coming from the passenger window. I had never been in this position before so I asked the officer who was at my window what was going on and why is someone banging on the window like that. He said, “let your window down, let your window down. Your windows are tinted.” As I let down the passenger window, there was another officer standing on the passenger side of the car. He said, “what is wrong with you?” The other officer said to him, “he thinks he’s being followed.” Then, the second officer said, “why do you think someone is following you? What is wrong with you?”

Before I could answer the officer on the passenger side, the one on the driver’s side had reached into the car and started pulling on the switch that turns the car on and off, saying, “put your foot on the brake, put your foot on the brake!” I was so confused as to what he was doing, or what he thought he was doing. It looked like he was trying to pull the switch out of the dashboard. I finally realized that he thought that switch was the key, so I told him that it wasn’t the key he was grabbing. I reached down into the cup holder to get the key, not realizing that the key had a black leather strap on it. As I grabbed it they both tensed up and I dropped it as I heard my mother’s voice from when I was a little boy.

My mother would always say to me, “if you get stopped by the police, especially if they are white policemen, you say ‘yes sir’ and ‘no sir’, and if they want to take you in, you go with them. Don’t resist, you hear me? Don’t make any quick moves, don’t run, you just go.” My mother was born in 1945 into a segregated hotbed town in rural Louisiana. She had known of many colored men at the time who were lynched and never heard from again. Since I was her only son for ten years, growing up she was so worried about me. It wasn’t until after I heard her voice that I realized that both of these officers were white.

The officer on the driver’s side continued to badger me, “why do you think someone is following you?” I then said, “I think you guys need to just write the ticket and do whatever you need to do.” It was so hostile. I was so confused. It was happening so fast that I could easily see how this situation could get out of hand very quickly. I didn’t feel safe at all. But one officer stopped his questioning and said, “we may not let you go. You think you’re being followed, what’s wrong with you?” At this point, I told him that I wanted to get out of the car. I wanted the passersby to see what was happening.

As I stepped out of the car another officer pulled up in front of my car. This officer was a black guy. He took one look at me and had that “Oh No” look on his face. He immediately took both officers to the back of my car and spoke to them in a hushed tone. After that, one of the officers stayed near his car while one came back, very apologetic.

I said all of that to say this: do you see how quickly this could have turned for the worse?

Now I know that there are many great officers, patrolmen and security guys out there. I am aware of that. But although we have made significant strides with racial profiling in this country, the world needs to know that we are still being racially profiled, and until this situation has improved greatly, I’m not sure how a murder in Florida can be protected by a “stand your ground law.”

And in another case that I have been screaming at the top of my lungs about, also in Florida, is the case of Terrance Williams and Felipe Santos, a young black man and a young Mexican man. Eight years ago, in Naples, FL, they were both put in the back of Deputy Steve Calkins’ police car and never heard from again.

They were never arrested, never brought to jail. They were put into the back of Deputy Calkins’ car and never heard from again. And to this day Deputy Steve Calkins is a free man.

I guess it’s time to march in Naples now.

RACIAL PROFILING SHOULD BE A HATE CRIME INVESTIGATED BY THE FBI!!!

That way local government can’t make the decision on whether or not these people get punished.

-Tyler

Tyler Perry’s Run In with the Law is a post from Cop Block - Badges Don't Grant Extra Rights

By Steve Holman, Guest Writer

In the latest saga of the failed war on drugs, a young woman’s life has been thrown into chaos. Amanda, a mother of 2 who has already been forced to live with her ex due to the housing bubble and the recession is scheduled to be arraigned on April 10th for felony possession of ephedrine with intent to manufacture.

That’s legal speak for they believe she was trying to make meth. Never mind that she has never manufactured meth nor ever intended to. However, unfortunately for her, a box of Sudafed she had allegedly purchased was found at a meth lab the cops raided last month. She was never seen at the meth lab. The people actually cooking the meth have been taken into custody by police already. The lab has been raided, the drug manufacturers have been arrested, but somehow Amanda, a seemingly unrelated party, is being charged with a felony in connection to all of this.

This gross miscarriage of justice is attributed to a single box of Sudafed found in the meth lab, which authorities traced back as having been purchased by Amanda. Out of all the chemicals and other boxes of Sudafed found in the lab, one box led back to her. Ultimately, Amanda’s real crime was that of being a good neighbor. She thought nothing of it when a friend asked for some cold medicine during cold and flu season (and why would she?). She gave him some Sudafed, a decongestant, which can also be used in the manufacture of the drug known as methamphetamine or crystal meth.

She had no idea lending someone cold medicine would lead to the manufacture of meth. Even if she had, it’s hard to say who in all this mess has been harmed. While meth is certainly one of the more volatile drugs to manufacture, this again can be attributed to the Drug War itself – because it is illegal and people are forced to use unsafe methods to produce it, it is created, distributed, and sold under conditions that lack quality control and accountability. This is not to say that anyone should be smoking meth or that meth is an acceptable drug to abuse. This is not even to say that the manufacture of meth is acceptable.

However, it is quite clear that the Drug War has failed, and as it flounders and fails miserably, it drags countless innocent people into its violent, destructive mire. At its worst, innocent people pay with their lives in mistaken SWAT raids and overdose deaths from drugs that are dangerous because they are illegal. Others pay as Amanda has – being railroaded for helping a friend out, based on tenuous evidence and draconian laws.

Woman charged with felony for sharing cold medicine is a post from Cop Block - Badges Don't Grant Extra Rights

Derrick J Freeman was assaulted by Fintan Moore.

The video below shows background, the incident and the follow-up, of the exchange. It was completed thanks to the collaboration of many of Derrick’s friends and the editing talents of Beau Davis.

Support Derrick by subscribing to his YouTube channel and donating via WePay. Stay tuned to CopBlock.org & FreeKeene.com for updates.

Have thoughts or questions for Fintan Moore? Talk with him in-person:

12 Orchard Street
Keene, NH 03431
(603) 352-7195 (hm)

Derrick is right now caged at the Cheshire County Jail. Feel free to call and question those who are actively keeping him caged:

825 Marlboro Road
Keene, NH 03431
(603) 903-1600

Derrick’s slated to be “arraigned” on Monday, April 2nd, 2012 at Keene District Court. He’s threatened with “resisting” and “violations of bail.”

Ask yourself:

• Why did Fintan Moore think Derrick needed to be served a second time? Are Keene police department employees so inept, so bureaucratic, that it wasn’t yet in their database and therefore Fintan acted on stale information? There was simply no reason for the contact.
• Was the amount of force Fintan Moore used necessary? Even if Fintan was “correct” in “serving” Derrick, is there anything justifiable about the escalation of force Fintan employed? Not too long ago similar tactics ended in the death of the bicyclist. What if that would have happened to Derrick? Would Fintan still stand by his actions?
• What about the integrity (or lack thereof) exhibited by Timothy Peloquin,who “served” Derrick at the high school an hour or so before the incident with Moore, who had this exchange (fast-forward about half-way through clip):

Dispatcher: I don’t know if it matters or not at this point but there was some specific hours of 6:30 to 6:30 Monday through Friday. I don’t know if that makes a difference for you or not.
Peloquin: Doesn’t make a difference anymore. It says all the property all the time.
Dispatcher: Perfect. Thank you.

• Instead of asking that ‘no trespassing order’ at the station be brought to the location, Peloquin drafted one in his cruiser, but instead of creating an accurate copy he further restrict Derrick’s “legal” rights. And his colleagues thought it was “perfect.” Do those with badges have the “right” to create and enforce “law” at their whim?
• Even if Derrick had yet to be served, couldn’t Moore have waited for Derrick at his residence? That would still achieve the same ends, but with a safer means.
• And, to start the argument where it beings, what, you ask, precipitated Moore and Peloquin’s interaction with Derrick in the first place? Derrick engaged in the dastardly act of singing anti-prohibition songs at state-run liquor stores. The consequence – after being “served” he was supposedly banned from such locations. Derrick’s completely peaceful action (singing) caused Moore and others to believe they had the right to initiate force against him. To drove his car toward Derrick’s bicycle. To place his asp in Derrick’s spokes. To punch Derrick. Just who is the aggressor?
• And Moore (or at least his boss) believe they should have access and the use of an armored personnel vehicle?!

Will Moore do the right thing and apologize? While there be any repercussions for his actions? What might help mitigate such incidents from even occurring?

For another perspective on the incident, read Derrick J Freeman Unlawfully Arrested from Cecelia over at LadiesInKeene.com, who asks “Question of the day: When do you tell them no? How many people do they have to hurt before people stand up and tell them no more?”

The raw content captured by Derrick camera (1-minute)

Keene PD Employee Fintan Moore Assaults Derrick J Freeman is a post from Cop Block - Badges Don't Grant Extra Rights

Martin Luther King Jr. once said, “One has a moral responsibility to disobey unjust laws.” The image below of MLK and his famous quote have been circulating the internet for some time now. Perhaps MLK did not mean to make such a broad, unqualified statement, but I find this statement to be patently incorrect. Taking this sentiment literally and to its logical conclusion would necessarily mean that regardless of my wishes, I have a moral obligation to jaywalk every chance I get, use every illegal drug possible, drink on the beach, buy alcohol for people under 21, gamble, carry a gun without a permit, among other such absurdities. Since resisting illegal arrest is prohibited by law in almost all 50 states, if I were ever wrongly arrested, according to Martin Luther King, I would be morally bound to resist my unlawful arrest, and likely get shot and killed in the process.

“Moral obligation” presumably means that if one does not engage in some action, he or she is behaving immorally. To say that a person is immoral because he or she doesn’t want to shoot heroin, jaywalk every opportunity possible, and get shot for resisting police, doesn’t seem to make much sense. This is not to say that civil disobedience is not a highly effective and commendable form of protest. I have nothing but respect and admiration when Ademo and Pete take to the streets with cameras, and actively risk their freedom to keep police accountable. However, this is an entirely different matter from claiming someone has a moral obligation to do so. It’s the difference between saying it’s wonderful if someone donates to charity, versus claiming someone has a moral obligation to donate to charity.

I bring this up only to clarify what I am about to say shortly – I am not by any means trying to say that people have a duty to do something to advance the cause of liberty, or that they have an obligation to contribute their efforts or time to promote a freer society. After all, what do I do? I’m just sitting here drinking a beer and ruminating from behind a laptop screen.

But Dear American Public, I do ask that you at the very least, stop thinking like a pack of slaves with a severe case of Stockholm Syndrome. You are so smitten, deferent, even servile, to your captors and abusers that it is pathetic, and difficult to watch. The manner in which Americans excuse abuse, violence, and even murder by police and government is so ingrained that I am fairly certain it would be most accurately characterized as a form of mental illness. I share just a few notable examples of late -

Last week, CNN columnist LZ Granderson wrote a piece called “Why black people don’t trust the police.” While he hit some lucid and valid points, Granderson prefaced the article in this manner -

 I don’t trust cops and I don’t know many black people who do. I respect them. I sympathize with them. I am appreciative of the work they do. [Emphasis added]. But when you’ve been pulled over for no good reason as many times as I have; when you’ve been in handcuffs for no good reason as many times as I have; when you run out to buy some allergy medication and upon returning home, find yourself surrounded by four squad cars with flashing lights and all you can think about is how not to get shot, you learn not to trust cops.

Let’s think about this for a moment. A group of people has on multiple occasions used force to detain Mr. Granderson for no reason, forcibly restrained him for no reason, and arbitrarily caused him to fear for his life – even so, he holds these people in high esteem. Forget the badge and uniform for a moment, and assume that police are ordinary human beings like everyone else (at least grant me this one, will you?). Surely, with any group, people will argue that not every single member is bound to be evil. Yet, I guarantee you that if any other group of people (e.g. a gang, a mob, or a corporation) had terrorized Mr. Granderson in the manner police have, Mr. Granderson would not be qualifying his article with sentiments of respect, sympathy, and appreciation for the gang/mob/corporation.

Mr. Granderson’s propensity for groveling is almost too much to bear. He has internalized his own inferiority as a human being so severely that he feels compelled to dilute his criticisms of some very heinous aggressors, and in effect, he practically issues an apology for his very valid complaints. This would be akin to being forcibly restrained by a stranger, or threatened with deadly force by a stranger, and reacting in this manner – “Well, I understand life is hard for my attacker, I appreciate him, and I admire him, but really now, that wasn’t very nice, I’m so sorry I have to say this, but please, if you would just allow me to explain, you might understand where I am coming from.” This absurdity would almost be comical, if it weren’t downright sad.

Another example of this creepy type of self-effacement comes out of Illinois, where a well-meaning man offered 2 girls a ride in the middle of a snowstorm. The two girls not only turned down the ride offered by Rodney Peterson, they called the police because they were “alarmed” and “disturbed” by Mr. Peterson’s act of kindness (more here). As someone who has taken rides from strangers in a variety of situations all over the world, I cannot emphasize how astoundingly stupid and evil these two girls are. At any rate, although Mr. Peterson had done nothing wrong, the police acted on the complaint by the 2 girls, and charged Mr. Peterson with “disorderly conduct.”

The fact a well-intentioned family man was charged with a vague crime for the mere act of offering a ride is preposterous enough – but not so preposterous as Mr. Peterson’s own reaction to the investigation by police. CBS local reports that “the Petersons don’t blame the girls, their families, or even the police for following up.” This self-loathing and willingness to subjugate the self to the unreasonable and corrupt demands of police authority can only be explained by the total acceptance of one’s place as a slave or underling to the system.

This sort of self-denigration and self-loathing, in which an individual suffers arbitrary, undeserved violence, yet repeatedly excuses the violent aggressor, and even continues to worship the abuser is no less serious and perverse than any other type of self-destructive behavior.

On the other hand, if you have any semblance of dignity, and are educated on the matter, you know that police do not protect you. Chances are, if you are ever a victim of a crime, it will be because the laws and restrictions enforced by police against knives and guns will prevent you from being able to defend yourself when the need arises. Chances are, after you have been attacked, robbed, beaten, and/or raped, the police will only show up in time to take a report (well, they are only human after all; they can’t fly, for fuck’s sake).

If you are logical, you will observe that since you are forced to pay police and cannot fire them for their incompetence and preference for arresting weed smokers over solving real crimes, chances are, they will never find the perpetrator. If you are anything but a naive dolt, you know that police generate a great deal of revenue for the state with tickets, fines, and other arrests involving no victim, but generate very little revenue for the state by solving thefts, rapes, or murders.

Thus, if you are informed on the matter, you will never apologize or make excuses for police, as if you are some abused woman stuck in a vicious cycle of a violent relationship, taking beating after beating, while reassuring yourself and those around you that the beatings/abuse/violence were justified, necessary, well-meaning, or even accidental. If you are anything but a subservient, mindless drone, you will not qualify your stance on police brutality and your criticisms of police violence with, “but they work so hard,” and “but I still appreciate them” and “but of course I know they are necessary.”

If you are logical, educated, and aware, you will simply say, “Fuck the police.”

Dear American public, you are mentally ill is a post from Cop Block - Badges Don't Grant Extra Rights

A PoliceOne.com article was the topic of a post submitted to CopBlock.org recently. The author was pointing out comments, in defense of an Orlando officer who slammed a woman to the ground, in the post and while grabbing a few screen shots I noticed another interesting trend. Several officers (only LEO’s are allowed to post to PoliceOne.com, yet the comments are public – for now) commented about quitting their job or getting out soon.

To be honest, I was smiling as I read the comments by LEO’s discussing the troubles of the job, to the point that quitting – or hoping to make retirement – as their only option. No, I was not smiling because these officers seem to be at their limit, trapped between wanting to protect people and government politics. I smiled because officers are starting to get sick of their professions and this is a necessary step. Step two is when they realize who caused the problem, which I’ll discuss below, and three is when they act toward the solution, hence ending the problem.

As you’ll see in the screen shots below, the LEO’s give several reasons as to why they want to leave law enforcement and how it’s changed. Some hold water, yet, point the finger/blame in the wrong direction and others have completely misguided view of the issues plaguing policing today.

Joe319 just realized he’s “trying to make a difference in a society that doesn’t want them or appreciate what they do.” Oh poor Joey, have you ever asked why that is? Why don’t people appreciate an officers job like they did in the past? Do you blame people or the job for this change of view towards LEOs?

I bet Joe319 hasn’t.

Joe goes on to say the “better the police department does in their community, the less they want you.” Really? I think when Joe says better, he means arresting more people (even though most aren’t violent and the victim is commonly the statet), buying more toys and hiring more police buddies. The only time I’ve heard of a police station being shut down was when the cops tried to frame the Mayor, who then – in retaliation – fired and disbanded the whole department. I’m sure most police departments increase their number of arrest, amount of revenue and total budget each year. Sure there are sad Super Trooper type stories about a station or two being shut down but the reality is that police state is booming. After all, Keene, NH is getting a BEARCAT - + $300,000 to the police!

After going on to defend racial profiling Joe gives us some insight into the mentality of a police officer employed by the government. He says, “NO CONTACTS, NO COMPLAINTS!” claiming this to be a LEO creed. I can’t blame Joe or other LEO’s having this moto but the solution is simple. If Joe319 wants to open his eyes… moving on.

This earlier statement by Joe talks about the computer age ruining his career. I disagree with Joe, it’s not computers that are hurting your career. It’s the boss, it’s your orders and the LEO’s mindset of “I’m just doing my job” without question. A large number of people don’t like what they pay you to do to them.

The government has you and your co-workers doing things that most would say is morally wrong for an individual to do. For example, telling people what they can or can not put in their bodies is wrong, no one has that right. If I went up to someone and stopped them from buttering some bread (because butter is bad for you) most would say I’m crazy and call the police. Yet, there are tens of thousands drug raids on people’s homes and no one says, “Wait a minute, this is messed up.” If it’s wrong for the individual to do then it’s wrong for the police to do it as a group.

Yes Joe, cameras and computers help hold you accountable but they also protect you – after all, police had the camera first – but don’t blame the camera for telling it how it is, LEO’s are violating people’s rights on a daily basis, but there is a solution and it’s not too late.

Here Smeared1 talks about how dangerous a LEO’s job is and how he can’t wait to hit 25 years, then get the hell out. Claiming to have “defended himself more times than he can count” I can’t help but ask, “Is Smeared1 a DEA, Narc or war on drugs cop?” If so can you really blame people for defending their property? How do they know if you’re a criminal or a ‘righteous’ cops?

Is there a difference between a robber and the police? Both damage your property to gain access to your house. Both seek to take some or all of your property. The only real differences are that if you shoot the robber you’ll most likely be a hero – depending on what state you live in – but if you shoot the cops, 10 more will empty their clips in you. The other difference is one group claims to have a right to do this while the other knows they’re simply stealing from you.

Do you really believe the government – something that is created by people and nothing more than an idea – gave you the power to break into people’s homes in order to keep them safe?

Smeared1 then complains that “our word doesn’t cut it anymore.” HA! I wish that were true. Sure, cops (at times) are held accountable for their job and more so than 20 years ago, but it took huge technological advances to make that happen and even still officers get away with wrongful acts all the time. For every officer that is caught how many (like Atkins) get way?

Then, taking it even further Smeared says, “Innocent until proven guilty does NOT apply to Cops.”

I almost fell out of my chair reading that.

My last court hearing was for using Chalk on a police station and unlike these cops, I was sentenced to the maximum punishment – 1yr in jail and $1248 (I was never offered a plea deal, most likely because they know I won’t take one, nevertakeaplea.org). Yet, four officers can beat up a guy and never face criminal prosecution at all, in fact, not only did the police department clear their own of wrong doing but the Attorney General backed them as well.

Yeah, I think Sapdmas sealed up the dumbest comment ever award with this.

Sapdmas is trying to make you believe that for 16 years they’ve allowed themselves to be “battered, injured, threatened” and yelled at? And ‘this crap’ (the video of an officer throwing a woman to the ground face first) furthers his “negative mindset.” Like he needed help with that.

So I must ask.

Who would tolerate what Sapdmas claims policing to be? Especially if they saw “LEO’s being killed on a near[ly?] daily basis in THIS country and no one gives a rat’s ass.” Which is absolutely false, according to this link, 23 officers (including jailers, park rangers and more) have died in the line of duty this year – leading cause, traffic accidents at 5.

This means Sapdmas is either an absolute liar or the dumbest cop in the country. Working for low wages while being assaulted and fearing death everyday… I mean seriously, just quit ASAP? Go work in a factory buddy, you could get paid the same and not be bullied, as you claim.

The smartest thing stated by Sapdmas is that he’s not encouraging his children to be LEO, thankfully, considering Sapdmas seems to prefer aggression over peaceful persuasion. “I still go out and do my job but not as aggressive as I was or would like to be.” Really? How much more aggressive can police be?

LOL, oddball you do realize that the “apathetic” and/or “hostile” people you speak of are also the ones who pay your salary, provide the department’s funding, that pays for all those cool toys police have. One day those who pay for your salary and benefits might stop, or maybe a large number will. At that time, everything you’ve worked for will be lost, you’ll have no pension because people will refuse to pay you.

Which brings me to my conclusion.

All these officers are either upset with the system, the public’s reaction to the system or a mixture of both. Either way, they also fail to make the connection between their complaints and the reason a solution is so difficult under the circumstances today, the government. I am not a cop hater, I care deeply for all people, and if cops really wanted to do good. The first thing they should do, IMO, is stop working for Uncle Sam.

All of the complaints above, and including those of police accountability activists, would be solved by ending the government’s monopoly on protection.

Joe319 would then be free to start his own protection agency, responding to customer feedback and needs. He would no longer have to worry about lame duck chiefs or anyone else forcing their political agenda into his profession. His business would succeed or fail on his choices alone.

Smeared1 thinks all cops are guilty until proven innocent and feels his record of honorable protection work should speak for itself. I agree, a good reputation will go a long way in business. Maybe teaming up with Joe319 – to offer more protection services – would be ideal for the both of you. Smeared1 stated he doesn’t work without a camera, something I as a potential customer would appreciate, which is a great start for a business offering to protect others.

Maybe Sapdma would join Joe319 and SMeared. Seems he’s skilled in protecting travelers and could head the division of “officers” that are contracted to protect private roads. As I’m sure private business (in this case road owners) would have speed limits, drunk driving restrictions and others rules that would need enforcing. (and every business would need some sort of protection)

I know this sounds similar to what ya’ll do now and it is. The major differences, and there aren’t many, is that you’ll be paid directly by people who either want and need your business to protect their investment. And if you or your business owner decide to start violating people’s rights then they’ll stop paying for your service. Then you and the boss will be out of a job. That’s how you gain accountability, by allowing people the freedom to choose their own form of protection and to withdraw their funding if they so wish.

And to the LEO’s out there who think I’m crazy, that privatization can’t possibly work, fine. You’re free to think what you want. Just remember that your boss, the government, is trillions of dollars in debt. If you don’t believe privatization is the solution, I hope you’re thinking of something because this bubble is about to burst. What happens when your government check is no good?

That’s why I can’t blame LEO’s for losing faith in your job, and I hope more do, the government has really screwed us all here. It’s time we fire them and conduct ourselves via consensual interactions.

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PoliceOne.com Officers Losing Faith is a post from Cop Block - Badges Don't Grant Extra Rights