My G20 Trial is this Tuesday, March 2

[Dan Sullivan]

I appear this Tuesday before Judge Gallo, Allegheny County Court of Common Pleas, to appeal my summary conviction. I had not been part of the protest, but had been walking from my house to a garage-workshop that I rent, and my route intersected with the confrontation between police and protestors. The police went right past me, knowing that I was not a protestor, but I was arrested anyhow after making a comment about excessive force used by the police.

Anyhow, I am supposed to be at the Count Courthouse at 8:30 AM. The trial could be at any time thereafter. I was originally charged with three misdemeanors, but they were reduced to a summary charge. I believe the reduction was in hopes that I would not appeal, but the charges were ludicrous, and I feel like it's my duty to appeal.

Also, anyone who pleads guilty to a lesser charge loses all rights to sue for wrongful arrest. The DA said he was going to dismiss the charges against most of the protestors until he got word that the ACLU was looking into pressing charges against the police. Then he refused to dismiss any charges and pressed for plea bargains.

The whole story of what happened to me is interesting, but long. Maybe I will post it elsewhere.

[Mik]

You were convicted already, or are you just contesting the initial charge?

[Dan Sullivan]

The magistrate reduced the charge to a summary offence and convicted me of that. Now I'm appealing.

[scottpigeon]

I read about a couple cases where people called 911 right before getting arrested at G20.  They told the operators that they could not disperse as told, because they were essentially surrounded.  This wall of police says go that way, and another wall of police tells you to go back.  It was either very disorganized, or boxing people in for mass arrest was exactly the plan.  The 911 calls were apparently used in their favor when they got arrested and all charges were dropped, if I remember the article/blog correctly.  Whether or not calling 911 is an abuse of the system is subjective, I suppose.  But if what you're telling the operator is true, it's certainly a tool to consider.

[Dan Sullivan]

I read about a couple cases where people called 911 right before getting arrested at G20.  They told the operators that they could not disperse as told, because they were essentially surrounded.  This wall of police says go that way, and another wall of police tells you to go back.  It was either very disorganized, or boxing people in for mass arrest was exactly the plan.  The 911 calls were apparently used in their favor when they got arrested and all charges were dropped, if I remember the article/blog correctly.  Whether or not calling 911 is an abuse of the system is subjective, I suppose.  But if what you're telling the operator is true, it's certainly a tool to consider.

I'll give y'all the details after the hearing. You are referring to the Friday evening police attack. The police are playing coy, but protesters have recordings on the police scanner of the police referring to it as "operation hammer and anvil."

I was arrested on Thursday afternoon. The police line had already walked right past me, treating me as a non-protester. I would not have been arrested had I not commented on the brutality the police were applying to actual protesters.

[scottpigeon]

At last week's meeting you mentioned interest in video for a phone that could record and upload live, so that if they took away your phone, there would still be a copy of it elsewhere.

I found Qik, which has software for iphone, android, and other phones probably.

Here is an example of a guy recording and uploading to facebook in almost real time (slight lag).  I presume when he stops recording, a complete copy of the video is available.

Here is another example where the guy streams to the Qik website.  Again, I presume when he clicks stop or the connection is lost, the video will finish with correct headers and be available as a complete file.  It wouldn't be too useful if people had to be watching live.

[Mik]

So what was the outcome of the trial already! (maybe Dan is stuck in jail and cannot post)

[vern]

At last week's meeting you mentioned interest in video for a phone that could record and upload live, so that if they took away your phone, there would still be a copy of it elsewhere.

I found Qik, which has software for iphone, android, and other phones probably.

Here is an example of a guy recording and uploading to facebook in almost real time (slight lag).  I presume when he stops recording, a complete copy of the video is available.

Here is another example where the guy streams to the Qik website.  Again, I presume when he clicks stop or the connection is lost, the video will finish with correct headers and be available as a complete file.  It wouldn't be too useful if people had to be watching live.

Really interesting!  I can see these being essential to "field operations" around the world.

[Dan Sullivan]

So what was the outcome of the trial already! (maybe Dan is stuck in jail and cannot post)

Not stuck in jail. The Judge ignored the law and found me guilty, though. The prevailing view is that I could "easily" win on appeal, but at a cost of about $2,000. I have to pay an outrageous price for the transcript of the original trial, plus pay lawyers to do a lot of work. I also don't get most of my court fees back, even if I "win." The whole process is sickening, and I have to step back and find some other way to impact our corrupt court system.

During most of this month, my kidneys were not functioning properly, and the toxin levels in my blood were high, making me weak and nauseous. It turns out that I had stones in both kidneys (or in the ureters below the kidneys. I get them often and don't notice them much, because for some reason I don't have much pain passing them. However, the blocked kidney itself gets, and I get ill if both are blocked at once. Anyhow, I am so far behind on commitments that I can't come to the state conference.

Since my trial, some cops beat the living crap out of a black honor student, and there has been a great deal of scandal over it. In a show of solidarity with the cops who administered the beating, the city police marched en masse at the Saint Patrick's Day Parade wearing green T-shirts with the badge numbers of the rogue cops.

I figured this was a good opportunity to complain about the police to Pittsburgh City Council. Here is my testimony, delivered during the "public comments" portion of the city council meeting of Wednesday, March 17, 2010 (Saint Patrick's Day), four days after the parade:

<sub>Happy St. Paddy's Day from the Sullivan clan. I'm Dan Sullivan. I live at 631 Melwood Avenue in North Oakland, and my phone number spells OUR-LAND.

Some parade it was! Nothing conjures up the spirit of my ancestors in their native land like parading in the rain and having it thrown in our face that we're living in a police state.

Being Irish, I have relatives and friends who are policemen. They are very fine individuals. They only become arrogant and act like they're above the law when they get together in gangs.

Well, they are above the law! Last fall, they came to my house with no warrant, opened my door uninvited, stuck their heads in and had me produce ID in my own kitchen. They did the same thing to people in several houses on my street. That's not the America I love; it's the Ireland my ancestors left.

Two days later, during the G-20 protests, a police line walked right past without paying the slightest attention to me, because I had just been talking pleasantly with Sargent Duffy. But when I commented that they were using excessive force on the protesters, they arrested me. That's not the America I love; it's the Ireland my ancestors left.

After the G-20, the District Attorney announced that he was going to drop the charges against most of the protesters. But when he realized that people were going to sue the police and probably win, he charged everyone he could and then offered them deals - because if they take deals, they can't sue. That's not the America I love; it's the Ireland my ancestors left.

One of the magistrates announced in advance that he was going to teach the protesters a lesson, and he found almost every person guilty. That's not the America I love; it's the Ireland my ancestors left.

The other magistrate considered the evidence honestly and dismissed the charges against almost everyone who came before him. That is the America I love, but one honest magistrate does not make an honest system.

When I went before a judge, I was scolded for not hiring an $800 lawyer to appeal a $200 charge and for not serving the arresting officer with a subpoena at my own expense. The prosecution didn't have anyone who could testify to anything, other than that I was there at the time. The judge found me guilty anyhow, directly contradicting the law. That's not the America I love; it's the Ireland my ancestors left.

Network news showed Pittsburgh police kicking and beating a protester who was curled up in a ball against a chain link fence. All across America, the grandchildren of immigrants thought, "Pittsburgh's not the America we love; it's the Europe our ancestors left."

So it is only fitting that our police should use the St. Patrick's Day parade to make it clear that they will beat people as they see fit, and nobody better get in their way.

My only request is that when the police march with us next year, they wear black and tan, just like the English police who beat my ancestors. Disgrace your badges if you must, but don't disgrace the Irish at our own parade.</sub>

Several council members reacted quite strongly and favorably. One repeatedly slapped the arm rest of his chair while grinning hard and appeared to be suppressing a desire to laugh out loud. Interestingly, we seem to have an excellent city council and a terrible mayor. As a result, council has been at odds with the mayor over several issues. I think there is an opportunity to reason with council.

I have been speaking fairly often to city council, both by making appointments with individual council members and by speaking at the public comments section. Council members have become more and more friendly toward me as a result.

I don't know how to make the most of this. I am a very good advocate and an excellent analyst, but I am a terribly inept organizer. To really shake up the system, I need a great organizer. Meanwhile, I will keep doing what I can.

There is no forum section for public testimony, but it is similar in some regards to letters to the editors. I think I will post some of my testimony there. Meanwhile, I'm going to cut my losses with regard to this conviction.

[Mik]

There was a great talk from Julian Heicklen about the police an the criminal justice system at he convention. I had a chance to chat with him about it and about salads after that. I also had a chance to talk with some folks from Luzern County about the situation there with judges sending kids to jail for profit. Apparently that is a much more extensive problem than was initially reported.

[vern]

It certainly is sickening.  You would think government should protect our rights, but it seems that Justice isn't a priority for them.

I've always said-- in America, you get all the justice you pay for.

Interesting too, because proponents of "user fees for everything" are all behind this kind of injustice.  Hey, if you can't afford the court's time, you can't afford justice.

[JAB94]

It certainly is sickening.  You would think government should protect our rights, but it seems that Justice isn't a priority for them.

I've always said-- in America, you get all the justice you pay for.

Interesting too, because proponents of "user fees for everything" are all behind this kind of injustice.  Hey, if you can't afford the court's time, you can't afford justice.

Government protect rights? Now thats funny.

[Mik]

I think just because there are problems with the criminal justice system it does not invalidate the concept of government. As Locke said, it is to better secure property. As Jefferson said, there is much more to it than that.

[Eviker]

Yes, all the voluntaryists and anarchists are interesting in a poly-sci bull session sort of way, but those philosophical meanderings and righteous indignation won't change anything in the socio-political climate we all really live in.  What will improve our government?  Getting Libertarian Party candidates elected and fighting unfair ballot access laws in court.  So let’s keep our eye on the ball.