Feature Archives

The Carrisalez family and their supporters held a press conference today to discuss the shooting of Jesse Carrisalez at Roosevelt High School by a Fresno Police Department officer. Elisa Ortega, Jesse’s sister, said “my brother shouldn’t have died. He was too young. He was a good kid that wanted to live.”

The Carrisalez family and their supporters held a press conference today to discuss the shooting of Jesse Carrisalez at Roosevelt High School by a Fresno Police Department officer. Elisa Ortega, Jesse’s sister, said “my brother shouldn’t have died. He was too young. He was a good kid that wanted to live.” A 14:43 minute video of that press conference is below.

At 9:45 in the morning of March 31st, a large force of Yolo County Sheriffs stormed the buildings at D-Q University, battering their way into the hallway of the large dorm with guns drawn, and arresting 18 students, community supporters, and elders. In a similar incident on February 20th, Sheriff's deputies came onto the sovereign campus and arrested three students. The students arrested on February 20th have their court date on Wednesday, April 2nd at 7:30am at the Woodland Courthouse and they have put out a call for supporters to attend. The court date for the 18 people arrested on March 31st is not yet known.

On March 19th, Dr. Marion "Mollie" Fry and Dale Schafer walked out of a US Court in Sacramento free on bail pending appeal after being sentenced to a five-year mandatory minimum for conspiracy to cultivate and dispense medical cannabis. US District Judge Frank Damrell deplored the sentence as a "tragedy" that should "never have happened." Judge Damrell released the defendants on bail. Doctor Fry has stopped writing medical cannabis recommendations as a condition for release.

2008 has not started out very good for homeless people in Fresno. While there is talk by city officials to make improvements, things have actually gotten worse.

The Sixth Annual Rally in the Valley for Peace and Justice ... Now! was organized by Peace Fresno. Shortly before the event Scott Key, Peace Fresno president, said "once more we will Rally to insist that enough is enough. We must stop the immoral and unjust Occupation of Iraq. We must stop the immoral, unjust, and senseless killing of more than a million Iraqis and of more than four thousand of our own troops. We must stop spending $1 trillion plus per year on war and preparing for war and on subsidizing the wealthy corporations that support this military killing machine. As a nation, we must take the lead in establishing peace and justice for all, both nationally and globally."

A Federal jury delivered their verdict on March 14 in the Sammy Galvan wrongful death lawsuit. The jurors unanimously agreed to dismiss the lawsuit, agreeing with the defense that the officers who shot and killed Sammy Galvan, were justified and did so because they believed their lives were in danger.