Feature Archives

On Tuesday, November 21st, attorneys for jailed indymedia journalist and video blogger Josh Wolf appeared before Federal District Court Judge Alsup to argue for Josh's release from federal prison; the request was denied. This 90+ day imprisonment is believed to be unprecedented for a journalist who refuses to hand over information to a grand jury. Josh is one of dozens of US political prisoners who will not be with their loved ones for the holidays. A benefit for Josh was held at Balazo in San Francisco on December 7th.

On November 14th, a student at UCLA who objected to showing his ID was repeatedly given electrical shocks with a Taser and then dragged from the campus library. Video posted to LA Indymedia and YouTube confirm witnesses reports of police brutality so extreme that some are describing it as torture. Video On November 17th, 500 students took part in a rally and march to campus police station.

On November 7th, California voters overwhelmingly approved Proposition 83, or "Jessica's Law." It adds extra punishments, retroactively, for Registered Sex Offenders (RSO's). One provision of the law says that RSO's cannot live within 2,000 feet of a park or school. This portion of Prop. 83 was blocked by a judge the day after the election, pending a November 27th hearing. Critics of the residency requirement point out that it would force RSO's to move to rural areas, where those at risk of offending again might not find the services they need or government monitoring that Prop. 83 requires. Although it was named after a little girl who was raped and killed, Jessica's law does not distinguish between violent sex offenders and those who were convicted of more minor offenses, such as indecent exposure or public urination.

On Sunday November 19th, there will be a benefit for exonerated former prisoners at 4:00pm at the Marin Academy Theatre, 1600 Mission Ave. in San Rafael. Pam Maffei's Justice in America class will show the film, "After Innocence," and several exonerees will be present.

A march to end police brutality went from Justice Corner (C and Fresno street) to the new amphitheater across from the Fresno Police Department (FPD). Many of the marchers were family members who had lost loved ones at the hands of the FPD. At the amphitheater testimony was given by the family members about their sons, brothers, or husband’s stolen life.

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A Rally for Police Accountability was held in Berkeley on Wednesday October 25th. Berkeley Copwatch, the Clown Army, and the Tactical Ice Cream Unit called for people to gather at the Berkeley Public Safety Building (Martin Luther King at Center St) at 6 pm, and then march to North Berkeley Senior Center (Hearst and Martin Luther King) for a Public Hearing on "The Future of Civilian Review in Berkeley," beginning at 7:30 pm. The march and rally demanded that the Police Review Commission (PRC), the nation's oldest independent civilian review organization, take bold action to preserve civilian review.

Free Battered Women presented Our Voices Within: Out of the Shadows, on Saturday October 21st from 2:00pm to 5:00pm, at the Humanist Hall in Oakland (390 27th St. between Telegraph & Broadway). Flyer/Volante This event celebrated the freedom of formerly incarcerated survivors of domestic violence, and honored those who remain imprisoned. Arts and crafts by incarcerated battered women were featured, and battered women who have been released from California prisons were present.