Feature Archives

On July 5th, the new Santa Cruz Police Department policy on spying went into effect. Under the new rules, even if you are engaged in constitutionally protected first amendment activities, Santa Cruz police will still be able to videotape you inside or outside of your home, audio record you, listen to your phone calls, look at the mail you are receiving, read your email, make notes about your organization, tail you, monitor your website, subscribe to your email lists, and examine your membership lists. A parade and protest of the new policy took place on July 5th starting at the Santa Cruz police station.

On June 29, 2006, the US Supreme Court ruled that President Bush overstepped his authority in creating military war crimes tribunals for Guantanamo Bay detainees. The Court, in a 5-3 decision, held that the Bush administration did not have authority to set up the tribunals and found the military commissions illegal under both military justice law and the Geneva Convention.

After a five-month trial and nearly four weeks of deliberations, a Yolo County jury recently convicted three suspected Woodland gang members of first-degree murder in the Halloween, 2002 shooting deaths of two men. Defendants Ernesto Duran Arellano, 34, Oscar Hurtado Cervantes, 32, and James Joseph Olague, 29, were convicted of first-degree murder in the killings of Woodland residents Eric Eugene Folsom, 17, and Robert Michael Stepper, 20.

Arellano and Cervantes both face the death penalty and an all-white jury. District Attorney Jeff Reisig, who is the District Attorney for Yolo County, based his recent re-election campaign in large part on his success in prosecuting this case. The penalty phase in this case will last until roughly mid-July. Family and supporters try to convince the jury that Arellano and Cervantes are valuable to society and should not be sentenced to death. Anti-death penalty organizers are calling for people to gather at the Yolo County Courthouse every Monday at 5pm, until a decision is made. Read more about this case

On Saturday, June 10th, San Francisco will participate in the International Weekend of Resistance Against the Green Scare, along with some 40 other cities worldwide (List). These events will show solidarity and support for those facing charges and harassment in the recent wave of repression against Eco and Animal Rights activists. Organizers of the San Francisco event also aim to contextualize the Green Scare amidst the historic and on-going government oppression and harassment faced by people of color here and abroad, particularly in their struggles for liberation.

June 2006 marks the sixth year that Jeff “Free” Luers has been in prison, and of the 3rd year of International Days of Solidarity with him. Global announcement and statement from Free Environmental activist Jeff "Free" Luers received a disproportionately long sentence (22.8 years) after confessing to attempting to burn three SUVs at a Romania dealership in Eugene, OR. At trial, Jeff clearly stated that his action was a desperate attempt to bring awareness to the destruction of the Earth by this unsustainable form of transportation and its external costs of global warming, pollution, and war for oil.

The San Francisco event will take place on Saturday at Station 40 (3030 B 16th Street @ Mission, San Francisco). Doors will open at 1:30pm, with the show at 2:00pm sharp. All donations will benefit political prisoners. The event will feature bands such as Acts of Sedition and Myth of Progress, speakers such as Black Panther and Grand Jury Resister Richard Brown, and free vegan food. More details There will also be an event in Arcata that evening.

Free Jeff 'Free' Luers! | Resist Grand Juries | California Anarchist Prisoner Solidarity | EcoPrisoners.org | 2005 Indynewswire show about the weekend | Earth Matters Radio - The Green Scare

Mumia's attorneys, Robert R. Bryan and Judith L. Ritter, will file the opening brief in Mumia Abu-Jamal v. Martin Horn, Pennsylvania Director of Corrections on July 20th in the U. S. Court of Appeals in Philadelphia. There was a press conference in San Francisco last month where Bryan and other speakers talked about Mumia's case. Videos & Photos: 1 | 2

Lauren Weiner, arrested along with Zachary Jenson and Eric McDavid in January of 2006 in Auburn, CA, agreed on May 30th to cooperate with investigators and plead guilty to USC 18 371 "conspiracy to commit an offense or defraud the United States," in exchange for a lesser sentence. She along with Zach and Eric were originally charged with USC 18 844(n) "conspiracy to destroy property by means of fire or explosives", for which they could be jailed a maximum of 20 years. The three were originally arrested with the help of an FBI infiltrator who was planted in the group and was said to have been a driving force behind the alleged "conspiracy." An analysis of the implications of the arrests can be found here.

The arrests are a part of the government's Green Scare campaign. Almost 20 people have been indicted in California, Oregon, Washington, and Colorado. Of those arrested, eight are still in custody, six have been released on bail, four are considered fugitives, and one has committed suicide. As for their levels of cooperation; seven are not cooperating with the government, three of their levels of cooperation are unknown, and four are providing information to the goverment and are considered to be "snitches" by many in prisoner support and activist communities.

Sacramento Prisoner Support, the group which was providing the bulk of the support to the trio, has issued a statement which calls for the withdrawl of all support for Lauren as she is now doing the government's job for them in helping put her co-defendants in jail. They will continue to support Zachary and Eric for the duration of their trial and possible incarceration and ask that others do the same. They have both been denied bail and are still awaiting trial in isolation at Sacramento County Main Jail. Imprisoned activist Jeff "Free" Luers has issued a callout for a weekend of resistance against the Green Scare on the weekend of Saturday, June 11th. Read more

Previous Coverage: April 22nd | March 1st | Feb 3rd | Jan 30th | Jan 18th

Skidmark Bob of Free Radio Santa Cruz speaks with Ron Anicich, producer of Bad Cop, No Donut!. Ron talks about the Toronto Police raid of CKLN on May 25th during the airing of the Bad Cop, No Donut! - May 25/2006 radio program. Luckily Ron was not in the studio at the time of the raid. The police say they were responding to a 9-1-1 call after somebody listening to the show believed that someone at CKLN was being attacked.... Read more

audio (mp3): Interview with Ron Anicich (55:18 minutes / 38 MB)

see also: 5/25 Interview on RadioActive SanDiego || Previous BCND! Interviews on FRSC