Occupy Portland » Legal

Solidarity with Arrestees – Can you come and show support at Occupy Trials?

opdxmycelium — Thu, 06 Sep 2012 17:09:30 +0000

Photo by Paul

The Multnomah County Courthouse was buzzing with Occupiers and their lawyers on August 16 as they awaited Judge Cheryl Albrecht’s latest ruling on matters relating to numerous Occupy Portland arrests, interactions and altercations over the past year.

Beginning on August 23 and continuing through November, Occupiers and their supporters will flood the courthouse as trials unfold on issues including police misconduct, free speech and the right to assemble.

On Thursday, defense attorneys made several motions requesting more detailed discovery information from the prosecution, including the identity of one unnamed Occupy Portland informant. Defense attorneys also noted that the prosecution has provided reports about specific individuals but not for all defendants, as well as failing to provide evidence of all Miranda warnings given to defendants at the time of their arrests.

Judge Albrecht reiterated that the prosecution is required to hand over this information if it exists. Assistant District Attorney Brian Lowney claimed that to the extent such records exist they have been provided. The prosecution also clarified that they have yet to receive a response to their Portland Police Bureau request regarding the confidential source named in police reports. Judge Albrecht made it clear that the defense will have to subpoena the police if it wants this information.

After hearing motions, trial dates were set for most Occupy cases. Because these dates are subject to change without notice at the whim of the court, attendees are encouraged to check with the court before heading downtown.

Occupy trial schedule

Sept. 5-6, Courtroom 602 — Chapman Square eviction on 11/13/11.

Sept. 11, Courtroom 518 — Main Street and 3rd Avenue arrests on 10/13/11.

Sept. 24, Courtroom 428 — trial of Dan Kaufman and the Disco Trike (Tahrir Square solidarity march).

Sept. 26-27, Courtroom 216 — Jamison Square arrests on 10/30/11.

Oct. 2, Courtroom 428 – Col. Summers Park arrests on 2/6/12.

Oct. 3-4, Courtroom TBA — N16 arrests.

Oct. 3-4, Courtroom TBA — N17 (Chase Bank) arrests, except Elizabeth Nichols.

Oct. 8-9, Courtroom 428 — trial of Elizabeth Nichols, arrested on N17.

Oct. 15, Courtroom 428 – trial for arrests on F29 (2/29/12).

Nov. 13 -14, Courtroom 428 – May Day arrests on 5/1/2012.

All trials begin at 9 a.m. unless otherwise noted. Dates are still pending for Occupy the Post Office arrests (5/24/12) and Shemanski Park (12/3/11) eviction.

This story was originally published in the Portland Occupier. Bookmark it to keep up with the latest happenings and also consider contributing articles, share the information!

Occupier Trials Drag On – ELK Legal Krewe Maintains Incredible Support

opdxmycelium — Mon, 13 Aug 2012 21:37:22 +0000

Those of us with violations cases under Judge Albrecht have our next
hearing on THURSDAY, AUGUST 16, 9AM (courtroom to be announced). Trial
dates are likely to be finalized at this hearing, so it’s important that
you attend to make sure you’ll be in town for your trial date. Some
dates were already tentatively set at the last hearing (see tentative
dates at the end of the article here).

If you miss your trial, you will be defaulted. Other defendants who have
defaulted were automatically fined $200 per charge. Judge Albrecht issued her decision about the question of accessing video discovery, given the high cost of getting CD copies from the Discovery
Office. Basically, she ruled that the DA isn’t required to furnish
copies and she’s not going to require them to let us bring in media to
make our own copies. She did require that they let us view the video
without delay. Read the full decision
here.
This means that each of us should contact the Discovery Office and
request an appointment to view your video discovery, if you haven’t done

so already. The number is 503-988-3018. *If you get any run around, you
should contact Judge Albrecht’s courtroom immediately.* The phone number

is 503-988-3835, office number 434, courtroom number 428.

After viewing the video in the Discovery Office, if you need a /copy/ of
video for your defense (e.g. you need to view it on better equipment or
need to slow it down) and you can’t afford to pay $30+ per CD, we should
try to raise some funds for it. If anyone needs this or if anyone has
ideas for a quick fundraiser, let me know and I’ll help get the word out.

Other upcoming hearings: Kathryn Garcia’s trial for May Day is now
scheduled to begin August 27th. Please come show your support. Tequila,
Pablo, and No Name’s trials in Beaverton were also rescheduled for later
in August. Watch the calendar at elkpdx.org for more details. If you have another hearing or trial date coming up and you would like support, please call the ELK hotline (503-902-5340).

For more information, read the latest Portland Occupier article related to the trials. Hearings for Occupy’s Speedy Trials Drags On

Press Release: Following Yesterday’s Community Center Reclamation

opdxmycelium — Mon, 06 Aug 2012 19:29:13 +0000

The Black Working Group is an organization that formed out of Occupy Portland

Join the Rapid Response Network. Protect neighbors! Text @ploc-openrrn to 23559

Newly founded community center targeted by police

Community members respond with overwhelming support for the center

Contact: Lobo (Adrian Guerrero), (925)609-4815

Portland, OR – Sunday night, August 5th, at approximately 11pm, six officers from the Portland Police forced their way into a newly created community center inside of a duplex owned by Alicia Jackson, and arrested one person inside. The duplex was reclaimed earlier in the day by approximately 250 people from the surrounding community during a neighborhood block party. The duplex was built on land that belongs to Ms. Jackson, which had been illegally foreclosed on by the banks in 2011.

“The neighbors have shown that they support this community center and are opposed to this duplex contributing to the gentrification of this neighborhood. The police came in tonight protecting the banks and the developers that are selling out our community and profiting out of the pockets of working people,” says Alicia Jackson. “Developers should not be allowed to profit from stolen land.”

Ms. Jackson had self-evicted from her home, adjacent to the duplex, in late 2011 after a long period of intimidation from the banks and financial institutions. After her illegal foreclosure, the bank sold her home and land, which was then divided and sold to a developer who then built the duplex. The community reclaimed Ms. Jackson’s home on May 1st, 2012. She has been living in the home with the support of her neighbors since then. Ms. Jackson is a member of the Black Working Group and has been organizing with her neighbors to stop the gentrification in NE Portland. The Black Working Group and Blazing Arrow Organization supported Annette Steele in defending her home against eviction on Friday, July 27th.

During the day on Sunday, August 5th, Alicia Jackson hosted a block party on her street in NE Portland where the community and neighbors helped to reclaim and liberate the duplex built on her land. The duplex was intended by the neighbors to be transformed into a community center for people, specifically youth of color, that would house an edible food garden, community fitness center, and meeting space for organizing against gentrification and violence in the neighborhood. These home and community center liberations are part of a broader movement to fight foreclosure and defend the historic people of color communities in north and northeast Portland. The duplex had not been inhabited since construction.

When the police arrived and forced their way into the duplex, a network of community support was activated and within the hour approximately 100 people came out to the homes to offer defense, witness, and assistance to the people living in those homes.

The police arrested one person who was a part of the liberation of that space earlier in the day and is a part of the Blazing Arrow Organization. The police went through the house with a police dog and a forensics unit, and left the homes at approximately 1:40am on Monday morning. The press release written by PPB at the time of arrest contains false information, including a false photo of the person arrested.

Said Lobo of Blazing Arrow: “The police are charging the arrestee with burglary and trespass of a home, but the fact is that nobody was living in this duplex since it was built, because nobody has wanted to move onto land that has been stolen from the original resident. Ms. Jackson and the community have not stolen anything– we have only taken back what was stolen from us. The burglary charge will not hold up in court because they have absolutely no evidence that the person who was arrested stole anything, or that they were planning to commit a crime. The community took this land back, to make a community center. If they’re going to charge one person with burglary, they might as well charge the whole community with it.”

To get updates about urgent community support needs for foreclosed homes and evictions, join the rapid response network by texting @ploc-openrrn to 23359.

***

The Black Working Group is an organization working to fight foreclosure in N and NE Portland.
The Blazing Arrow Organization was formed to organize the community to resist foreclosure and police violence.

Press Release from Yesterday’s Space Reclamation
For Immediate Release
August 5, 2012

Northeast residents reclaim duplex, fight gentrification

Contact Number (Lobo): (925) 609-4815

Portland, OR — On Sunday, August 5th, residents of NE Portland held a block party in the historically black Woodlawn neighborhood, to celebrate the ongoing defense of Alicia Jackson’s home from foreclosure, and to publicly reclaim the new duplex built on her land. This property is also on Ms. Jackson’s land and was taken during the foreclosure process. Community members plan to use the reclaimed duplex, which is currently the subject of a legal dispute, as a base of organizing against gentrification and police violence in the neighborhood.

“This property was illegally taken from me by the banks. This community is strong. We will not sit by and watch developers destroy our neighborhood, while the police harass our youth and drive families from this community,” said Alicia Jackson, member of the Black Working Group and subject of much attention when her home was liberated by 500 people on May 1 of this year.

Northeast is often called “the soul of Portland” because of its historically black neighborhoods, but gentrification, the replacement of locals by wealthier residents through bank investment and uncontrolled development, has changed that. In response, a growing number of people in NE are waging a public fight to keep their homes, rather than be relocated by the banks. The action at Ms. Jackson’s home on May Day was the first of several community supported home defenses in the city this year. On Friday, July 27th, 79 year old Annette Steele declared that she would resist eviction, saying “This is my home. They can’t take it away from me. My neighbors support me and if the sheriff comes, I’m ready… I don’t have a gun anymore, but I keep hot water on the stove.”

“Housing must be defended to end violence in working-class communities. Stable housing creates an environment for community self-reliance and healthy relationships. Without secure housing, families are displaced and communities are fragmented,” said Lobo, co-founder of the Blazing Arrow Organization, a group that formed to fight gentrification and police violence in North and Northeast Portland. “Gentrification breaks the tie between generations, and forces communities to depend more heavily on outsiders such as the police to solve conflicts. Defending homes and stopping eviction protects the community’s safety.”

Continued exploitative development of NE Portland is tied directly to the PPB’s Gang Enforcement program. Since the program began, over 200 people, mostly black youth, have been arrested each month along Killingsworth between N Interstate Ave. and MLK Blvd. In addition to land and building reclamation, Blazing Arrow Organization is beginning community patrols to monitor arrests and support people as police conflicts arise. The community patrols will be based out of the newly liberated center.

“Working people deserve to live without the fear of losing their home or being brutalized by the police. The BAO will use this new organizing center to stop gentrification and respond to police violence. It will be open to anyone fighting for freedom from white supremacy and oppression. We are working class, queer, and people of color, committed to creating a society that both meets our basic needs and respects our human dignity. We are prepared to defend ourselves and the work we are doing, and invite others to work alongside us.”

The Blazing Arrow Organization was formed by a group of community members to address gentrification by way of housing defense. To find out more and get involved, contact Lobo at (925) 609-4815. To become part of the rapid response network and defend homes, text @ploc-openrrn to 23559.

Experienced Police Brutality? Come Testify Aug. 8th – Noon

opdxmycelium — Wed, 01 Aug 2012 16:01:03 +0000

**UPDATE: The end time is 1PM, not 1:30PM as previously reported.***

From our friends at Portland Copwatch-

Hello Occupy friends and others in the community:
The Citizen Review Committee’s Crowd Control Work Group is holding a special meeting next Wednesday, August 8 at noon to hear testimony from people who have experienced police violence or other misconduct at protest actions. Unfortunately they scheduled it at 12 noon when many people may be at work; they meet at the office of Troy & Rosenberg, P.C.
2105 NE Cesar Chavez Boulevard, Suite 270, NW corner of Tillamook and CC Blvd (39th). It will go till ~~1:30 PM~~ 1PM.

If you or someone you know would be willing to talk about your experiences to this all-volunteer group, which is attached to but able to make policy recommendations independent of the “Independent” Police Review Division, can you let us know? And also, let us know if it’s ok to share your name and/or contact information with the Work Group chair, Rodney Paris.

Feel free to circulate this email widely– the Crowd Control Work Group has only met three times but they’ve heard from us about batons, horses, bicycles, “kettling,” pepper spray, lack of identification, and other various issues, but they hear from us all the time. They want to hear more first hand experiences from a wider variety of folks.

Thanks

dan handelman

Legal Solidarity for Arrestees Tomorrow at City Hall

Haze — Sun, 22 Jul 2012 21:26:05 +0000

From the Arrestee Solidarity Workshop:

Join us for a multi-city traveling workshop being hosted by the City of Portland (Mon, July 23, 5pm – 7pm). That’s right! Your tax dollars help us to put on this workshop, by having it take place on the Plaza of City Hall in lovely downtown Portland. Traveling facilitators will conduct role playing and discussions around issues relating to arrests as they are happening, custody wisdom, and post-arrest support. Contact Jimmy at: opdxradio@gmail.com, but be warned, he doesn’t spend much time at the computer, so getting back to you might be tricky. Better yet, just show up and warm us with your presence. This, like Mike says, “is gonna happen”!

Where: City Hall
When: Monday July 23, 5pm – 7pm

These workshops are important to attend and can help people be more prepared for traumatic and chaotic situations, such as the one caused yesterday by Anaheim, California police:

Action Alert! Occupy Northeast Needs Support Today: 3:30PM

opdxmycelium — Mon, 16 Jul 2012 17:01:17 +0000

Action Alert! Sister Annette Steel, an elderly African American active with Occupy Northeast the Black Working Group, is facing an eviction trial today at 3:30pm at the Multnomah County Court House, Rm 528. Her ex parte hearing this morning failed to move the judge to merge her claim (against the banksters who are fraudulently foreclosing on her) with the eviction order obtained by the banksters front group, Liquidation Properties. This afternoon’s judge will order the eviction or agree to merge the cases.

Please show up to support Sister Steel. 3:30 pm, today, Monday, July 16, Rm 528 Multnomah County Court House, SW 4th Ave.

Solidarity!

May Day Arrestee Meeting on Friday, 5:30 to 7pm.

OccupyPDXkip — Fri, 04 May 2012 00:59:36 +0000

May Day arrestee meeting on Friday, 5:30 to 7pm.

Stu Sugarman’s Office – 838 SW 1st Ave., Ste 500.

Take notes and gather evidence now while it is fresh. Write statements
about what happened on May 1st and the circumstances regarding your
arrest. Collect all pictures and video possible.

If you have not checked in with the ELK Hotline ( 503 902 5340 ), please
do so. You can email your evidence to info (at) elkpdx.org.

Please pass on to anyone else that needs this information. It is
absolutely crucial for your defense, and the defense of this movement to
participate actively in this effort. The police are in the spot light like
never before for police brutality. Lets make that light even brighter!

This is posted in accordance of the Occupy Portland GA Solidarity and News policy.

May Day Re-Cap

opdxmycelium — Thu, 03 May 2012 02:08:25 +0000

Thank you to all who came out yesterday to make May Day a spectacular show of love, solidarity and strength from the protesters and a showing of ignorance, hate, and fear from the Portland Police Department. If you captured any footage that could be useful in court, please contact the ELK Legal Krewe at 503-902-5340. Please do not post it online as it can potentially create legal problems for protesters in the future.

There’s a far more in-depth re-cap of all the excitement for those who missed out and for those who want to wax nostalgic. The Portland Occupier did a fantastic liveblog that can be checked out here.

STUDENT STRIKE AND PICKET OF PPS

STUDENTS STRIKE AND PICKET THE PPS

WHY?
Students on Strike is the beginning of a student led campaign aganist budget cuts and the falling quality of our schools. On May 1st in conjunction with International Workers Day – a day celebrating the victories that popular and grassroots movements have made – we will rally at PPS Headquarters and nonviolently shutdown work to express our grievances in an act building towards the May 11th mass demonstration at Pioneer Square currently being organized by Teachers, Parents and Students.

Why shutdown? Because we need to show that we will not stand by as another budget cutting austerity measure is pushed through as we have seen before in the past. Because we need to show that we mean business and that we won’t settle till solutions are found.

Why PPS Headquarters? Obviously PPS isn’t the source of the problem. There are larger economic and political reasons why we are being forced these budget cuts. It’d be great to bus thousands of kids down to Salem or to Washington DC, or the homes of every Multi – Millionaire and Billionaire who enjoys low taxes – but right now that’s not an easily realizable thing. However, PPS Headquarters is home to those who can put pressure on the people who are voting on where our money goes. These workers are facing cuts as well. More than anything this is symbolic; PPS Headquarters is after all the epicenter of the district and of its affairs.
We will hand out literature inviting other PPS employees to join us marching to downtown on May 11th.

PORTLAND LIBERATION ORGANIZING COUNCIL (PLOC) GIVES ALICIA JACKSON HER HOUSE BACK

WHY?

Living in a family house fully paid for, Alicia Jackson, facing foreclosure out of fear and confusion (as most homeowners in this situation are) self-evicted. There was no reason why Fox Capital should have so easily acquired her property. Therefore, the Portland Liberation Organizing Council made it’s first reverse-eviction, reclaiming her land in the name of community and her house as her own. With 1 in 7 homes empty, there’s no reason why developers and banks should be allowed to sit on empty property. This is capitalism in crisis and in direct opposition to humanity. To learn more about the Portland Liberation Organizing Council or P-LOC, visit liberatepdx.org . To join the Rapid Response Eviction Protection Text Loop, text @ploc-openrrn to 23559. A fuller story is available at the portlandoccupier.org

GENERAL STRIKE MARCH

Protesters gathered under the Burnside Bridge to march through the city, displaying the diverse tactics that can be used in protest. Several were beaten and arrested for nothing more than “looking guilty”.

UNDOCUMENTED/UNAFRAID ACTION

WHY?

MAY DAY MARCH – INTERNATIONAL WORKERS DAY

WHY?

Roughly 5,000 Portlanders filled the streets this May Day to show their love, strength, solidarity in this common struggle for social and economic justice. As the cogs of this massive economic machine, we rarely acknowledge the importance of every worker. On this day, we celebrate the power we have when we work together. In 1958, the US Government was so scared of May Day that they changed the US holiday to “Law Day”, in fear of the 99% being reminded that they are the ones that truly hold all the power.

PCASC ACTION

WHY?
Mobilizing around Wells Fargo during the main march, the Portland Central America Solidarity Committee targeted Wells Fargo for investing in GEO Group, a private prison corporation. Groups like GEO work within ALEC to pass laws that land more innocent people in jail. Private prisons create contracts with States to make sure the prison population stays at least 90%. What happens if crime drops? They write new laws criminalizing something else. This is the system we’re fighting, folks. If you or your company banks with Wells Fargo, please move your money.

DANCE DANCE REVOLUTION

WHY?
Because as Emma Goldman says, “If I can’t dance, it’s not my revolution.” This festive activity turned into a skirmish with police as protesters tried to move from Pioneer Square to the Justice Center. A fuller story can be found on the Portlandoccupier.org

Please visit the portlandoccupier.org for full scoops on the day’s events.

Thurs. May 3rd 12PM- CRC’s Crowd Control Workgroup Meeting

opdxmycelium — Thu, 03 May 2012 00:24:14 +0000

A Message from Portland Copwatch

Friends
It looks as though the Citizen Review Committee is moving quickly to start its new Work Groups; after Tuesday’s Use of Deadly Force work group, then Wednesday’s CRC general meeting (agenda still hasn’t arrived), on Thursday next week they will hold the first meeting of their Crowd Control work group. It is open to the public. I should note that CRC Chair Jamie Troy’s office at NE 42nd and Sandy isn’t very large, but it could prompt them to find a larger meeting space if plenty of people showed up.

They were moved to start this group (after having it sitting in their “tracking list” for years) after hearing all the tesimony from Occupy Portland folks at their last public forum.

–dan handelman
portland copwatch
Portlandcopwatch.org

And here’s a couple of videos of Portland’s Police in full shame.

Apr. 24th, 5:30PM – Our Streets: The Police, The Public, and the Law

opdxmycelium — Tue, 24 Apr 2012 01:50:18 +0000

Polie Chief Mike Reese will be speaking at PSU. Come out and ask the questions that need to be asked!

Tuesday, April 24^th, 2012

5:30-7:00pm

Portland State University

Smith Memorial Student Union (SW Park & Harrison), Rm. 296

1.5 General CLE credits

For questions, please contact Sarah Radcliffe: sarah.radcliffe@lasoregon.org, 503- 224-4086

Program Topics:

·        The Public’s Right to Protest

·        Legal Issues Affecting Homeless People Sleeping Outside

·        Civil Disobedience and the Civil Rights Movement

·        U.S. Department of Justice Pattern and Practice Investigation of the Portland Police Bureau and Police Response

Program Speakers:

·        J. Ashlee Albies, Creighton & Rose PC

·        Monica Goracke, Oregon Law Center

·        Dr. LeRoy Haynes, Chair of the Albina Ministerial Alliance

·        Adrian Lee Brown, U.S. Department of Justice

·        Chief Michael Reese, Portland Police Bureau

·        David Wobiril, Senior Deputy City Attorney

·        Moderator: Diane Schwartz Sykes, Oregon Department of Justice