Feature Archives

As of February 23rd, Zachary Jenson did not have any running water in his new cell (he has been moved) and was drinking from a bag of water that the guards brought to him. He had a hearing in front of Judge England on February 21st. After being denied the right to counsel for nearly three weeks, the judge finally signed off on Zachary's court appointed attorney. This delay meant that Zachary's court-appointed attorney did not get discovery, hire an investigator, or get paid. The government has been interfering in ways that seem to indicate their intent to deprive both Zachary and Eric from their constitutional right to representation by competent counsel.

After nearly six weeks of incarceration Eric McDavid is still not receiving vegan food. Nearly two weeks ago a jail nutritionist recommended that he be given two vegan protein shakes a day. In order for Eric to get these shakes it has to be approved by the doctor and the doctor has done nothing. Phone calls on his behalf are still needed. Currently Eric has all the books he needs but would still like to receive letters. He has a bail hearing scheduled for March 7th

Read more on Indybay's Police and Prisons News Page

As the federal government continues its aggressive "green scare" by sweeping environmentalists into prison, constitutional rights come under fire. The February 22, 2006 arrest of Rod Coronado at his workplace in Tuscon, Arizona by the FBI and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms & Explosives (ATF) for a speech he gave in San Diego in 2003 will test a rarely-used law, as well as the government’s apparent desire to criminalize free speech.

San Francisco civil rights attorney Ben Rosenfeld said “the government has turned speech into violence.” A legal memo issued by Rosenfeld said “the federal government has been chomping at the bit to put Rod Coronado back in prison since the moment he got out, and his indictment in San Diego for an exercise of pure speech is a flimsy pretext to do just that. Make no mistake. This is a pure free speech case.”

Read more here, here and here. More info: Arizona Indymedia
Listen to an interview with attorney Ben Rosenfeld

Medical Marijuana Week 2006 has begun. Kickoff parties were held in Sonoma County and the LA area. On Monday, February 12th, the California Marijuana Party held an Art Party. On Tuesday, people gathered at 2:15pm at Hippie Hill for a "Spread the Love Valentines' Seed Planting." On Wednesday night, "2/15," (Proposition) 215's 10 Year Anniversary Party will be held in San Francisco. Other events during the week included a film fest, a comeday night, a medical cannabis town hall, and a medical marijuana university. The MMJ University will be held on Sunday, February 19th from 12-4pm at New College of California.

Read more about these events, and others

Two years ago on February 12th, Gavin Newsom opened the doors to City Hall and over 4,000 same-sex couples walked into City Hall and got married. Those marriages were later overturned but the determination to end discrimination is stronger than ever. Equality California (EQCA) has launched a month-long campaign to galvanize people around the cause of ending marriage discrimination against same-sex couples. EQCA's Get Engaged Tour has hit the road, carrying the message of marriage equality to virtually all 58 counties in California.

Anti-equality opponents hope that supporters of same-sex marriage stay at home on Valentine's Day. Randy Thomasson will be travelling around the state on what he is calling his "real marriage tour." A highlight of the Get Engaged Tour will take place on Valentine's Day, when thousands of LGBT Californians will put their hearts into the marriage equality cause. In each county, couples will to go to their county clerk's office to request a marriage license. These actions will highlight the government's discrimination against same-sex couples, and give a face to the part of the population that is negatively impacted by the inability to marry.

Find local EQCA chapters and their Valentine's Day actions

2/21 6:10pm update: The execution of Michael Morales has been postponed indefinitely, as the state was unable to comply with mandated changes to the method of execution. Read more
2/21 9:00am update: The planned execution of Michael Morales was delayed until 7:30pm tonight night after two anesthesiologists refused to participate because of ethical concerns. Michael will now be killed with a single dose of the barbiturate sodium pentothal and no anesthesiologists will take part. Updates

Michael Morales was scheduled to be executed by the state of California at 12:01am. On the 20th, Protests and vigils were held at San Quentin in Marin County ( Photos | Video ) in Santa Cruz ( Photos ) and in Redwood City, Palo Alto, Modesto, Fresno, El Cerrito, and Alameda .
Read more about upcoming anti-death penalty events from Death Penalty Focus

Based on their observations from the long, slow death of Stanley "Tookie" Williams and Clarence Ray Allen, Morales' lawyers argued that lethal injections violate the Constitution's ban on "cruel and unusual punishment." It was announced on February 14th that Morales will be put to death with barbiturates alone, or the prison will provide an anesthesiologist or other medical professional to monitor that the prisoner is unconscious before they deliver a fatal dose of a heart-stopping chemical.

Two men were responsible for the 1981 rape and murder of a woman named Terri Winchell. Only Michael Morales, who is Latino, received a sentence of death. In the 25 years since, he has continued to accept responsibility, seek atonement for his actions, and affirm his sincere and unquestioned remorse for the anguish he caused the victim and her family. The jury was misled by an informant, and now even the judge who ruled in Morales's case is opposed to executing Morales. People who are opposed to the death penalty are once again calling on Governor Schwarzenegger to grant clemency to a man who is on death row. Read more

Solidarity with Morales and against the death penalty was expressed in many ways on days leading up to the execution. On Monday, February 20th, a walk for abolition started at 6:45am in San Francisco, and ended at San Quentin State Prison hours later. A press conference against the death penalty was held in San Francisco on Monday, February 13th.

National Coalition to Abolish the Death Penalty's Morales Page | State of California's Page about Michael Morales | ACLU NC's Michael Morales Page | Attorneys' 2/7 Reply to DA's Opposition to Clemency Request | Fact Sheet by Stop Executions Ca

The March/Caravan for Migrants stopped at the South Steps of the State Capitol in Sacramento on Monday, February 6th. There was a press conference at 12:00 noon and a Rally from 4:00 to 5:30 pm. After its stop in Sacramento, the caravan headed to Arizona, and then eastward across the US. There will be rallies in Washingron, DC on February 18th through 20th, and then the caravan will head westward via Chicago, Wisconsin, and Minnesota, with its return to San Diego estimated for February 26th.

The march for migrants plans to lobby senators and legislators to vote no on issues such as HR 4437; demand justice for Guillermo Martinez Rodriguez, who was assassinated by the Border Patrol in San Diego on 12/30/05; pay homage to the 4000 migrants who have died since the inception of the failed operation gatekeeper in 1994 (4000 crosses will be planted in their honor during the march across America); and hear the voices of migrant and immigrant communities across the country.

Border Angels' March/Caravan for Migrants Page

Steve Kubby was released from jail on March 6th. He faces a March 14th court date on a charge that he violated his probation when he did not return from Canada. He had not returned because he feared being jailed without any form of cannabis by Placer County.
By the end of a week in the Placer County Jail, Steve Kubby's medical condition stabilized. Reports say that his blood pressure appears to be under control, and he is being well attended to by the medical staff. Kubby has asked for people to stop calling the jail on his behalf. He said, "I want everyone to know that I'm alive today because of their calls."

Steve Kubby's reports from 1/31-2/2 An Interfaith Prayer/Meditation Circle of Healing was held before Kubby's February 3rd court date. At that appearance, his attorney withdrew his request to use edible forms of cannabis in jail. It was reported that day that Kubby could be released to house arrest within days. The next hearing in his case will be February 15th.

Read ASA's post about other medical marijuana prisoners|| Indybay's Past coverage: 1/31 Court Date | 1/29-30 Health Update | Kubby arrives in US, detained | 1/12: Kubby Family in Canada