Police
People v. Wes Modes: Trying to Remove DIY from Santa Cruz
Jul 18th
Wes Modes returned to Santa Cruz County Court on July 16th. This high-profile infraction case, claimed by supporters as harassment of Modes, a well-known anarchist activist, stems from his alleged participation in the Last Night DIY New Year’s parade on December 31st, 2009, as well as a knowledge that the 2009 parade did not receive a permit. A ruling in the case is expected shortly after August 9th.
According to supporters, the parade infraction is the latest in a series of police harassment that Wes has received since outing Santa Cruz police officers who infiltrated activist meetings in 2005. Longtime Santa Cruz resident and parade participant Grant Wilson stated that Wes, an outspoken critic of the Santa Cruz Police Department, is being unjustly targeted from a crowd of community organizers, facilitators and participants. Wes is apparently one of three people that were issued a citation for participating in the DIY Parade.
The July 16th hearing, originally scheduled at 1:30 in Dept. #2, was delayed and moved to Dept. #5, and eventually heard before Judge Jeff Almquist. Wes was represented in court by defense attorney Jonathan Gettleman. John Barisone argued the case for the city of Santa Cruz.
Each side called two witnesses to testify on the stand. Kathy Agnone, Special Event Permit Coordinator for the city of Santa Cruz testified on behalf of the city, as did SCPD officer Lauren Sconfield. Testifying on behalf of Wes were two parade participants, including Sherry Conable, an organizer of the Peace Walk which which led off the DIY Parade.
Approximately 30 people attended the hearing in support of Wes, and against what many people view as a clear case of selective enforcement. 30 people seems to be an impressive number of supporters to show up at a court hearing, however Wes has done so many positive things for the Santa Cruz community, therefore it would be more appropriate to have seen hundreds of people calling for the charge to be dropped due to selective enforcement. Read More and View Photos
Oscar Grant Rally in Santa Cruz Against Injustice and Police Murder
Jul 11th
In the early hours of January 1st, 2009, Oscar Grant III was murdered by BART police officer Johannes Mehserle, shot in the back as he lay face-down on the Fruitvale BART platform with BART officer Tony Pirone’s knee in his shoulder.
On July 8th, 2010, Mehserle was found guilty of involuntary manslaughter, but acquitted on the more serious charges of second-degree murder or voluntary manslaughter. The jury included eight women and four men. A white police officer killed a black man, yet no African-Americans served on the jury. The killing took place in Oakland, but the trail was moved out of Alameda County to Los Angeles.
It was announced that Mehserle will be sentenced on August 6th**. However, other reports suggest that sentencing may take place later, perhaps in September. Judge Robert Perry now has the discretion in sentencing to decide how to apply the findings of the jury.
** 65 years ago, on August 6th, 1945, the U.S. Military dropped a nuclear bomb on the city of Hiroshima, Japan. Three days later, on August 9th, the U.S. detonated a nuclear explosion over Nagasaki. Read More and View Photos
Hundreds Demand Justice for Oscar Grant Outside L.A. Courthouse
Jun 14th
On June 14th, hundreds of people demonstrated outside the Los Angeles Superior Court at 210 W. Temple to demand justice for Oscar Grant. Angelenos made it very clear that the significance of the trial of Johannes Mehserle is bigger than just Oscar Grant’s case, and that police brutality is part of systematic oppression. Connections were drawn between police killings in Los Angeles and the Bay Area, as well as in New York.
And not forgetting the six month long uprising, which began on June 14, 2006, loud cries of “Oaxaca Vive Vive, La Lucha Sigue Sigue” rang through the downtown streets. Read More and View Photos
Santa Cruz City Council Votes to Ban Additional Medical Marijuana Dispensaries
Mar 9th
On Tuesday, March 9th, the Santa Cruz City Council voted 6-0 to support a recommendation from the city staff which bans the opening of an additional medical marijuana dispensary in Santa Cruz. This was the first reading of the vote and there will be a second vote in two weeks to finalize the ruling.
Under the new ordinance, Greenway Compassionate Relief and Santa Cruz Patients Collective (SCPC), the two existing medical marijuana dispensaries, will be permitted to operate a cultivation facility up to 3,000 square feet, which must comply with the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA). The new ordinance specifically bans any new dispensaries from opening, and it also specifies that the entire city is off-limits for dispensaries, except for two industrial zones in the Westside and Harvey West area. Read More and View Photos
Oral Arguments Presented on Motion to Overturn the Animal Enterprise Terrorism Act (AETA)
Jul 13th
On July 13th, defense attorneys for Joseph Buddenberg, Maryam Khajavi, Nathan Pope and Adriana Stumpo (the AETA 4) presented oral arguments on their motion to strike down the Animal Enterprise Terrorism Act. The AETA 4 are being represented by the Center for Constitutional Rights (CCR), Civil Liberties Defense Center (CLDC), and other well-respected civil rights attorneys, including Tony Serra. The defense demanded that the Animal Enterprise Terrorism Act (AETA) be struck down as unconstitutional before Judge Ronald Whyte of the United States District Court, Northern District of California in San Jose.
The AETA is being used for the first time since its passage by Congress in 2006 to do exactly what civil rights advocates feared it would do – criminalize activities protected by the First Amendment of the U.S. Constitution. The oral arguments presented on July 13th were not about the allegations as directly applied to the AETA 4, but rather that the whole case should be dismissed now because AETA itself is unconstitutional.
Photo of the AETA 4 courtesy of the AETA 4 Support Committee. From left to right: Nathan Pope, Adriana Stumpo, Maryam Khajavi and Joseph Buddenberg.
