Near the beginning was the Police Department's presentation: "Telling our story." The Chief of Police, Gary Michel, told of some of the recent accomplishments of the department, including the city's very low statistics for certain crimes, like burglary for example. I couldn't find information about the presentation in the council meeting packet (I didn't take notes, sorry.). The Chief's presentation made the police department sound very good. If all I had to base my understanding on was the presentation, I might think that there were very few to no problems with the police department's operations.

Thursday, February 28, 2008

This is the statement that Jeff wrote and read to the Judge this morning

Jeffrey (Free) Luers Resentencing Hearing, Feb. 28, 2008

Statement of Jeffrey Luers to Judge Billings at Sentencing

It has been many years since I first stood in court to be sentenced for these actions. I now not only have the benefit of hindsight but also possess the knowledge and understanding that comes from leaving the naiveté of youth behind.

I can now say with all honesty that I was wrong to think that arson would inspire social change. But, my failure in understanding that does not mean I have changed my opinion of radical activism.

Mr. Hassleman has a written statement from me in which I have acknowledged being wrong. I have also committed to living the life of a law-abiding citizen and promoting my activism through legal means and channels. Understandably, the prosecutor has expressed some skepticism of my sincerity. I wish to lay those fears to rest.

I am truly excited about my future. Through the love and support of my family, friends and many people I do not even know, I have numerous options available to me. I am looking forward to furthering my education, and pursuing my goals through hard work. I am ready to share my life with my loved ones and I am dedicated to giving back to the community that has shown me so much love and support through these years of imprisonment. That is not the lip service the prosecutor may fear, but my sincere desire to move on with my life.

However, choosing to take a new path and recognizing my mistakes and failures does not make me ashamed of them. I am sorry if my actions instilled fear or the sense of victimization in the Romania family. That was never my intent.

You get what you give. What goes around comes around. As the call, so is the echo. All these sayings come from traditional wisdom. That wisdom guides us in how we treat the people in our community. If we look at our own lives history often we can see this is true. Unfortunately the police are determined to seek retribution beyond what is fair. Unless we stop them, rationality and wisdom will be defeated by vengeance and abuse of power.

The Olympian states, “Physically damaging or disabling an emergency vehicle constitutes first-degree malicious mischief, a Class B felony punishable by up to 10 years in prison and a $20,000 fine.”

Historically, challenges to power have been met with fury and retribution in orders of magnitude larger than what could be considered fair and just. One destroyed cop car is not equal to ten years in jail served by people used as scapegoats. The police officers will receive no punishment for beating and dousing the public, yet again, with pepper spray, sending one student to the hospital with bruised ribs. Instead they will receive over time pay, which will continue to increase the costs of the incident.

The police have detectives issuing subpoenas for photos and videos taken of the riot. "We will get it," said Sheriff Dan Kimball.

Finding someone to blame is a priority for the police force. Anyone who was there knows that it is impossible to fairly blame one person or even a small group of people. How many people were shouting ‘fuck the cops’? A hundred. I stood in front of the cop car, I shouted to ‘let him go’. I stood unable to stop the increasing mayhem, provoked by the police. I watched people getting angry as their friends and community members were crying from pain.

Check out this article in the Olympian.   These two twin brothers came home and found a burglar in their house.  One of the brothers "assisted" the burglar out of the house.   I wonder if the brothers just getting over a visit to the dentist had any effect on this?   Great job to the two brothers!

Before arrest, burglary suspect was seeing double

Jeff Brigham

Bringing Resistance Home with Kathy Kelly
Thursday, Jan 24
7pm
The Evergreen State College
Lecture Hall 2

Kathy Kelly is the co-founder of Voices for Creative Nonviolence which has deep, long-standing roots in active nonviolent resistance to U.S. war-making. Begun in the summer of 2005, Voices draws upon the experiences of those who challenged the brutal economic sanctions imposed by the U.S. and U.N. against the Iraqi people between 1990 and 2003. She is the co-author of Other Lands Have Dreams: From Baghdad to Pekin Prison and appeared in Live from Palestine: International and Direct Action Against the Israeli Occupation.