On Wednesday, October 18th I joined Ernie Hancock on the first of three hour segments of his show “Declare Your Independence!”
Ernie also puts his broadcasts to video (so he can include relevant pictures), so if you prefer listening/watching that way, or want to hear the other two guests from the day, check out this page.
Ademo and I were fortunate to meet the awesome Freedom’s Phoenix crew when on the road with The Motorhome Diaries in 2009. Since then we’ve only solidified ties both online and off. They have some really forward-thinking thinkers and inspiring doers (which is why I’m actively trying to recruit them to the ‘shire.
In 2010 when on the road with Liberty On Tour their vibrant community were the reason we made a stop in Phoenix. And their banners took up the most real estate on MARV.
After the hour-long segment I told Ernie that the conversation reminded me of a write-up I recently did called “‘A’ Was for America”as it shares a bit of my background.
My story is rather simple, but I must thank the people at Cop Block for the ideas they shared helped me stand my ground today with a Cop. I remember a video with Pete and others in MARV. They were being pulled over at what I believe was a State border crossing? I thought there were only Federal border crossings? I might be wrong, but how these guys handled themselves at this border crossing stuck with me – see video below. It’s rather simple actually, Pete only opened his window so far to talk, and if needed, to pass tax farm ID threw the window. The window would be about 2-3 inches open.
Today when the Cop came to my Jeep, I only rolled the window down about 2 inches, just enought to talk and pass my ID to him. The Cop asked me if my window didn’t roll down. I told him it does, but I will only roll it far enough for us to talk and for me to pass him my ID. He again told me to roll it down because he couldn’t hear me. I said we are talking up to now so he can hear me, and I said I can hear him. He was not impressed and held me there waiting in my Jeep for about 20 minutes while he ran my tax farm ID. He also told me to not get out of my vechicle while he varified my ID, something I have never been told before. At the end of this detention, he hit my door with his knuckles as if to say he is a good guy. Annoying to me for I work hard for my property, and don’t want damage to it. My story is a simple one, but the info you guys at Cop Block give to people is valuable to our safety against those who can, and do hurt us!
19 questions I submitted about departmental policies and content sought related to the Chalking 8 incident
The end result: the ticket is voided, MARV was removed from the “tow list,” and the 19 questions will be treated as a 91A request (NH’s equivalent to a Freedom of Information Act Request). Due to the amount of information sought Cuhna noted he’d need up-to an additional 30 days (outside the 91A’s normal five-day stipulation).
A few of the more-interesting points of the conversation:
MARV was likened to a “FREE STATE VEH” – ostensibly by Kenneth Brunini (#32 at Manchester PD)
neither Cuhna or Hurley know of anyone ever arrested for chalking public property or filming police by Manchester PD
no policy exists to issue receipts for property taken from those arrested
free speech as it relates to chalking near police memorial
We’ll see where this goes. I’m under no illusion that the same institution tasked with enforcing laws (really arbitrary man-made legislation) can ever hold itself accountable. But the police state that now exists – where peaceful individuals are threatened with years in a cage and thousands in fines for using children’s chalk on public property – only emerged because of the idea that a rights-violating action suddenly becomes “legitimate” when done by someone wearing a badge. Hopefully documenting this process will help others question the Statist Quo, thereby making competition for this vital good/service more palatable.
After Ademo discovered a $50 ticket and a “red tag” warning on MARV I headed to Manchester, NH city hall and police department to get answers. Apparently Manchester police employee Kenneth Brunini (badge #32) thought my RV (a “recreational vehicle”) was a commercial vehicle. Also, when it suits his needs, Brunin’s colleague Dana Langton seemed willing to overlook certain text on paper he claims to enforce – in my situation the word “unattended” as used in RSA 262:32 II.
Hopefully I’ll soon get some accountability but as may be evident, going through the “official process” doesn’t often feel like the most-effective use of my time. Most folks I speak with tell me that they can’t help or that I have to speak with someone else or fill out such-and-such a form. Then wait. That said, I know documenting this process will be educational for others, which aligns with my primary motivation – to always continue to question and learn, and encourage others to do the same.
Today, with the stroke of a pen, the threat of up to eight years in a cage that had been hanging over my head evaporated.
I had a motion to suppress hearing in Greenfield, MA, where last July Ademo Freeman and I were unjustly kidnapped, caged overnight, and stolen from, before being threatened with a total of eight charges.
The hearing today was aimed at two charges in particular – a misdemeanor VIN manipulation (266-139-A-0) and a felony ammo charge (269-10-H-2). Even before the hearing started I was approached by DA Jeffrey Bengston, who informed me that he was going to “nolle prosequi” the charges as well as return our property that had been stolen over a year before during our kidnapping.
It’s a good start. Trial on the rest of our charges happens next Monday, July 18th.
On July 1st, 2010 Sgt. Todd M. Dodge (#120) and Lt. William Gordon (#105) of the Greenfield, MA Police Department illegally searched without a warrant my 2000 Four Winds Hurricane with NH PC LOT hereafter referred to as MARV (the Mobile Authority Resistance Vehicle). Charges stemming from their actions that were then wrongly levied upon me that should be dismissed per the below, were a misdemeanor altering motor vehicle VIN (266-139-A-0) and a felony – possessing a firearm/ammunition without a FID card (269-10-H-2).
I had a reasonable expectation of privacy in MARV and its contents. I never gave consent for the search. I never even admitted to ownership of MARV. The search was patently pretextual and illegal, violating both the Fourth Amendment to the United States Constitution, the Massachusetts Constitution and my natural rights.
So began the motion I faxed to the Greenfield District Court last Tuesday, two weeks prior to our already-scheduled hearing. Read the entire motion (two pages, two pictures and an affidavit provided by the manufacturer of MARV that details that there was never a VIN plate on the dash of the RV).
Those in the wrong are the people who assaulted and caged us and who damaged and stole our property. Yet because they wear badges it is us, not them, threatened with thousands in “fines” and years in a cage.
Voltaire said, “It is dangerous to be right when the government is wrong,” but Ademo and I aren’t backing down. We’re standing for what we know is right. If we don’t do it today it’ll only be more difficult to do so tomorrow, hence our decision to make Greenfield the first stop our on upcoming Free State Friendship Tour. Their lies and hypocrisy have to be exposed to the light of reason.
On July 1st, 2010, after arresting Ademo & myself at the Franklin County House of Corrections, our good friends at the Greenfield Police Department (GPD) broke into my home, damaged and stole my property, and charged me with VIN manipulation (a misdemeanor) and possession of a firearm or ammo without a Firearm Identification Card (a felony).
In a classic “let’s pile on as many charges against those who question our commands” Todd M. Dodge of the GPD sought to enter my RV (MARV, the Mobile Authority Resistance Vehicle), though it was parked blocks from our arrest location and not involved in the incident at all. Dodge claimed that the VIN number on the dash was manipulated (submitting a photo of a vent as proof) so he wasn’t able to discern if the vehicle had been stolen. After first threatening to break the window to gain entry, his colleagues took my keys off my person when being I was booked and entered my home without a warrant or probable cause.
During the illegal search, the VIN number was found on the MARV’s frame near the engine, which confirmed that the vehicle was not stolen (as if they actually thought that was the case – they just wanted in and were going to use any justification, no matter how nefarious). And sometime before that, Dodge’s colleague lieutenant William Gordon (badge #105) claims to have “located a metal ammo box containing boxes of .40 cal ammunition in the rear of the RV on the passenger side clothes cabinet,” hence, the additional felony firearms/ammo charge.
We’ve been extremely busy the last week dealing with this incident, launching Cop Block T-shirts and preparing for Liberty On Tour. If you’ve emailed, messaged or attempted to contact us in some way we’ll try our best to get back to you as soon as possible. We’re sorry for the delayed response.
We’d like to be as transparent (unlike bureaucrats) as possible so I’ll start with what money was raised and how it was spent.
There was a total of $3,600 raised through LOLA.
When we arrived in Greenfield, MA $400 had been raised to bail out Rich Paul though his bail was $500. *Rich Paul has stated that if/when his bail money is returned he will donate it to a liberty-oriented organization as well.*
After being released, we had to get MARV back which cost $285 to the tow company.
For a total of $745 or approx 20% of what was raised.
We fully understand that some of you who gave did so even though you could have used the money yourselves. If that’s the case we’d be more than happy to return 80% of what you donated. (Reply to the email we sent you or at copblock[at]gmail[dot]com.)
Though the Greenfield thugs didn’t require money for our (Pete and I) release, they still hit Pete and me hard by confiscating just about every piece of camera gear we had – two hand held cameras, one small ‘hidden’ camera and both of our cell phones, which we use as a means of protection along with documenting our activism.
So we’re asking those who gave for help. We’d like to use the donated money for the following things:
We’d like to buy two new cameras – in order to keep Cop Block, Liberty On Tour and other forms of activism we’re involved with going.
Cover the expenses above – total of $745
We’d like to donate to LOLA ($300), C4ss ($100) and The CD Evolution Fund ($100) for the great work they did, for a total of $500.
$745 + $500 = $1245 leaving $2,355 for new camera gear, if possible.
If you could leave a comment or reply to the email we sent with your preference it would be much appreciated. Please indicate if it’d be okay to be acknowledged in a future post thanking those who helped the cause. For the record, if and when the police return our gear (which could be a few weeks, months or even years – if it’s anything like our still pending Jones Co case), we will then donate it to other liberty-minded organizations in need of such equipment.
Thanks again to all of those who stepped up, stood up and continue to fight oppressive government with us.
On Wednesday, October 18th I joined Ernie Hancock on the first of three hour segments of his show “Declare Your Independence!”
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