Oct. 21 Court Date on Police Brutality

Come Out and Support a Local Court Case with National Implications!

THIS IS A FEDERAL POLICE BRUTALITY/CIVIL RIGHTS CASE AGAINST THE SFPD!

Time and Location:
TUESDAY, OCTOBER 21st 9:00am is the start-date for this week in court

The U.S. Ditrict Courthouse is located at 450 Golden Gate Avenue in SF on the 15th floor, courtroom E

This notice is being sent out in conjunction with the
October 22nd Coalition's National day of Protest
to Stop Police Brutality, Repression and the
Criminalization of a Generation, and the Idriss
Stelley Foundation. My name is Michael Pipkin. I'm a
teacher and education program administrator.

The numerous cases of police brutality, murder, and
wrongful deaths prove that there is an epidemic of
violence by "officers" against innocent people across
our country.

We're writing to get the word out regarding a very
serious matter involving an upcoming case against the SFPD. Myself and others are asking individuals and members of organizations with like-minded concerns about the community to show up at the trial to demonstrate that the people are united against this
kind of police abuse against students, other young
people, teachers, and all people.

If you'd like to have more detailed online
information, an article I was asked to write is
available at http://eserver.org/bs/58/pipkin.html

The 5 main case points are listed below:

1. I am a teacher who went out over the weekend for a
night of dancing. I had a few drinks a couple of hours
earlier, but I was not intoxicated when I began to
drive home.

2. As I was driving home, a police officer pulls me
over right outside my home even though I had done
nothing wrong.

3. I get out of my car and I ask the officer what I
had done wrong. After a time, he asks me for my
driver’s license. After I handed it to him, he
suddenly pushes me against my car.

4. As I am trying to tell them that I am not resisting
arrest, they…

· Knock me down
· Choke me
· Bend my legs behind me and sat on them
· Shove my face into the pavement

Despite telling the officers, "I’m a teacher and I’m
not resisting arrest," and holding my arms out so they
can handcuff me, they yell, "Shut up MF and stop
fighting!" I said, "I’m not fighting. I can’t
breathe."

Other officers jump on me and they were not stopping.

I notice that my wrist and arm are in excruciating
pain when I am put into the squad car.

5. In addition to teaching, my background includes
that my father served 20 years in the Air Force and my
mother taught troubled kids, so I was raised to value
and respect education and authority. I decided to
become a teacher to pass on these values. Because of this unjustified beating, I don’t know whether I still
have faith that these values are held by those who are
supposed to serve and protect the students I have been teaching and the rest of us.

I can follow up with you on any questions you may have or assistance you or your organization could offer. If you prefer to contact me, I can be reached at
510.938.3493, or mapipkin [at] email.com.

See you and the police in court!

Most sincerely and in solidarity,
--Michael Pipkin

Additonal information on the related issues is at
http://www.october22.org and
http://www.stolenlives.org.