Treesitters in Federal Court

A federal court trial against two accused treesitters, Kristi Sanchez and Amelia Vasquez began in Redding on Tuesday, November 18. The two, along with a third alleged treesitter who was not present, are facing three federal misdemeanor charges apiece for treesitting in trees in the Glassups Timber Sale, a 655-acre parcel of the Klamath National Forest sold by the government to a private purchaser to be logged. As the trial began, Vasquez spoke out saying the court had failed to offer her the right to be tried by a jury, as is (or was) clearly stated on the website of the Redding federal court. On the contrary, both women were told they did not have right to a jury trial. Vasquez also expressed frustration with her public defender, Adam Ryan, whom had made himself completely unavailable to her as she tried to prepare her defense. With little consideration, magistrate Craig Kellison dismissed Vasquez’s concerns, saying the right to be tried by a jury had changed in 1998, and called the first witness.

A ranger named Chance took the stand. He talked of safety concerns regarding forest activists and said he had prepared them a “more secure” (and therefore ineffective) area to conduct their protest. Due to the presence of forest activists, Chance had seven road closures drawn up for the area. Violation of this road closure is one of the charges against the two. He testified the purchasers of the Timber Sale were dismayed at being unable to access their “product” (the forest). He says he kept loggers, who had threatened to take “the matter into their own hands,” away from the area where protests were being conducted but had no control over how helicopters (as in the infamous Columbia Helicopters) moved the “product over the sale area,” i.e. flying cut logs over the forest. It was an example of the typical bland and benign language used to disguise the destruction of the natural world, and our ability to live healthy lives along with it. Chance claims he was not aware the treesitters were being deprived of food and water, or that they were being tortured and endangered with sleep deprivation caused by floodlights, sirens and loud country music. Chance repeatedly indicated Vasquez as one of the treesitters.

Also taking the stand was Lori Necais, law enforcement for the Forest (dis)Service. She also pointed out Vasquez as one of the treesitters, but could not positively identify the others.

Next on the stand was Jay Powers, also of the Forest (dis)Service. He admitted to shining lights on treesitters to annoy them and deprive them of sleep, as well as to sounding his siren “several times” during the night and playing loud music. He conferred with two others on duty about this torture (which constitutes a conspiracy but there was no mention of that). Vasquez’s public defender moved to strike Powers testimony from the record as the prosecution had failed to disclose reports made by Powers during the discovery phase, which is a pre-trial process in which both sides disclose any and all evidence they will use during trial. Prosecutor Jeff Brown (who is not a lawyer, but works for the Forest [dis]Service) said he had disclosed all relevant documents. Upon further questioning, Powers said the reports were not actually “reports,” they were just emails. And whom did he send the emails to? The audience erupted in laughter when he said he sent them to the prosecution, Jeff Brown. The magistrate, in a further display of bias, denied having Powers’ testimony stricken from the record.

Jason Tacbas is another officer of the Forest (dis)Service who took the stand. He worked the night shift and also participated in the sirens, floodlights and loud country music used to deprive treesitters of sleep. He said it was not to annoy them, but just to get a response from them, to make sure they were still there. He testified Vasquez had complained of being deprived of food and water, but said he had no knowledge of who was depriving them. He said he did not threaten with arrest any person who tried to give the treesitters food. Several onlookers at the trial had been threatened in just this way by Tacbas, and were disgusted to see him lying under oath with them present.

Finally on the stand was Brian Harris of the Forest (dis)Service Public Affairs office. He identified several pictures of treesitters in trees and crossing traverse lines. The pictures were taken May 29, the day before the road closure was put in effect. The defense moved to have the pictures stricken on these grounds, but, of course, the magistrate wouldn’t hear of it.

The trial has been continued to Tuesday, November 25 at 2:00. Supporters of living forests and those who work to defend them are encouraged to come (Redding Federal Courthouse, 2986 Bechelli Lane, Redding, California).