by Carl Dix

The judge who handed down the sentences in the Queens’ Stop & Frisk case got personal.  I got a $250 fine, 5 days court observation and $120 court costs.  Morgan Rhodewalt got the fine, 5 days community service and court costs.  Jamel Mims got 5 days community service and court costs.  And Bob Parsons got court costs.  1st off, we shoulda gotten off with time served—no fines and no community service.  Stop & Frisk is wrong, and we were right to protest it!

In handing down these sentences, the judge said, ‘The jury saw thru Dix’s arrogance, and Rhodewalt’s false statements.’  Of course, the jury hadn’t said any of this.  The judge was really spitting his own venom at us, and he followed that up by giving Morgan and me extra punishment.

Why did the judge say I was arrogant?  Because he feels it was arrogant of me to decide Stop & Frisk was racist, illegal and illegitimate and to call on people to join a campaign of civil disobedience to stop it!  And to come into his court and say that what we did was the right thing to do.  He probably thought my statement before sentencing was also “arrogant.”  I noted that “Ray Kelly told 3 Black legislators he wanted every Black and Latino youth to be afraid they might be stopped & frisked every morning when they leave their house.”  I added, “This was wrong, and we were right to stand up and say NO MORE to this outrage.”

Morgan’s “false statement” was about his complaint to the Civilian Complaint Review Board over the police having tightened his handcuffs so tight he lost use of his thumbs for several weeks.  Before the trial, the prosecution argued, unsuccessfully, that this complaint amounted to a confession of guilt in this case.  But the jury never saw this statement, so it’s ludicrous to say they saw thru his false statements.  (There’s something to learn from this.  The complaint to the CCRB didn’t in any way deter cops from making handcuffs too tight on people they arrest, but it did serve to give the government an added way to target the defense in this charged political case.)

There’s another wrinkle to the judge sentencing me to court observation.  He said he did this in consideration of my physical condition.  Rev. Steven Phelps, the Senior Minister at the Riverside Church had offered that we could do any community service we were sentenced to could be done thru ministries at their church.  If the only issue was coming up with community service that fit my physical condition, the Riverside Church’s offer would’ve fit the bill.  The judge was essentially saying that he was going to take this arrogant Black man and make him sit in his court room, under his thumb, and maybe teach him some humility.

That won’t happen!  Stop & Frisk is still wrong.  Mass Incarceration is still racist and illegitimate.  It is right to stand up and say NO MORE to this slow genocide strangling inner city Black and Latino communities across the country!  Watching this judge operate in court for a week won’t change any of that.

Jaisal Noor captures the impact our protests have had on public discourse in NY, along with efforts by the NYCLU, CCR, and other groups.  According to a recent poll 53% of New Yorkers oppose stop-and-frisk.  We are building momentum and we will keep fighting.  Includes interviews with activists Jose LaSalle, Jamel Mims, and Christina Gonzalez.

Originally posted on No War No Torture by Nancy Van Ness

Police can and do make errors and give orders that are not legal, sometimes accidentally like every other human being and sometimes on purpose. It is chilling that a judge, who is supposed to be impartial and not a tool of the police, would tell someone that he has to do what the police tell him.  The moment that we citizens allow the police to think for us, we live in a police state and when judges back that up, we are in real trouble.

It appears from the following incident in the Bronx court today that we are in real trouble. Below is a report from that court room today:

“Josh [Norkin, attorney for Noche Diaz, activist against the Stop and Frisk police, see more here and here] went in front of the judge, who immediately started lecturing Noche that when a cop tells him something, he has to do it.  She went on at length speculating that, whatever Noche had done, he didn’t want to obey the cop, or tell the court what he was doing.  Josh took her on in a loud clear voice.  ‘We know exactly what was going on. The police were beating a man terribly in the street, and a crowd gathered.  Noche was in the crowd, observing.’ The judge said Noche had to follow the police order to move.  Josh said no, he didn’t.  ‘It wasn’t a lawful order.’

“The judge didn’t like this at all.  ‘I suppose he wants to stand on his constitutional rights, but he doesn’t have them here.’  She asked the DA if they would offer an ACD (adjournment in contemplation of dismissal).  They did offer it.  Josh told the court, “‘We will refuse an ACD’

“Hell, yeah.  The whole point of defending ourselves against these unjust arrests is to establish that people have the right to observe and document police abuse.  Just because the NYPD arrests you while doing it, doesn’t mean they’re right.  It’s great to have attorneys on our side who see this, and who are just as outraged as we are.”  See the rest of Debra Sweet’s report here.

Are you outraged at the way the NYPD treat people of color in this city?  Are you outraged that the judge lectured Noche and wonder if she would lecture a Wall St criminal?

If you are, what are you doing about this?  Go the Stop Mass Incareration website, learn more and sign the resoultion.  Go to the fundraiser on Thursday for legal expenses for these defendentants who are standing up to police abuse in this city and to a policy that targets black and brown persons.  If you can’t make the party, you can still contribute online.  Link that site to your facebook page and other social media.  Go to a hearing yourself if you are in NYC.

Stop Stop and Frisk protesters are making an impact.  Though the corporate media don’t give this very much attention, alternative media in this city do.  Maybe most importantly,  the people in the courtrooms where these hearings are held, many of them from the populations being targeted, are getting to see resistance for a change.  They may be gaining some hope for a better world.

WE WON’T STOP TILL WE STOP STOP AND FRISK

EVENT: Thursday December 6, 2012
TICKETS: suggested Donation $40 (whatever you can afford $10+)
TIME: Doors Open 6:30pm- 7:00pm Shout out to Freedom Fighters, 8-9:30pm Dance Party
PLACE: St. Augustine’s Church 290 Henry Street,  New York, NY 10002
GUEST: Cornel West, Nicole Paultre Bell, Randy Credico, Suprecute, Big Apple Playback Theater,  DJ MacNificent, &  YOU!

Dear Supporters & Friends

I, am writing to you on behalf of our FREEDOM FIGHTERS who risk their lives for our freedom and liberties every day. Support 19 people on trial for protesting at precincts with the highest incidence of Illegal & Unlawful incidences of NYPD Stop-Dehumanize-Frisk. We, at STOP MASS INCARCERATION NETWORK & HEAL Network Inc., have taken up this cause on behalf of our City’s children, and families, but we need your help.

All, donations are 100% tax deductible. You can donate in product, cash, or service, and help us get closer to our goal. Our organizations  are clearly excited and eager to see our dream project succeed. You too can be a part of this dream by supporting our budding talent with a donation. You can donate food, decorations, material, paper, accessories, etc. related to preparation of this event December 6th, 2012 and to continue our support of all FREEDOM FIGHTERs, their families, and children.

                                                                                                                  Thank you,

                                                                                                                  Aleah Holland RN

I would like to thank you for considering our request and becoming a part of our creative dream to stop the mass incarceration of Black & Brown children and families.  If you have any queries regarding our fund management policy, various projects, or our organization, please feel free to contact Steve Yip at 347-979-SMIN (7646) or  Email: stopmassincarceration@gmail.com.

1. Make a tax-deductible donation online through our fiscal sponsor, the Alliance for Global Justice, on our web site at http://www.stopmassincarceration.org/donate.html  Choose "FSP-- Stop Mass Incarcerations" on the Cause list.

2. Donate by mail.  Send a check payable to "Alliance for Global Justice,"  a 501c3 tax-exempt organization, with "Stop Mass Incarceration" on the memo line to:

Stop Mass Incarceration Network P. O. Box 941 Knickerbocker Station New York, NY  10002

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