Sheriffs Too Cozy With Maxxam

Brenda Gainey, of the Humboldt Sheriff’s Department, calls lawyer Ed Denson’s comment
that sheriffs have a “cozy” relationship with Maxxam/Pacific Lumber “reckless" and "profoundly
insulting” (Eureka Times-Standard 2/24/04). When it comes to objective fairness, and the ability
to offer “equal protection under the law,” I find the relationship between the Sheriffs and Maxxam/PL
to be “reckless" and profoundly disturbing. Consider the following:

1. PL security chief, Carl Anderson, is an ex member of the Humboldt County Sheriff’s
Department.

2. Maxxam/PL and Sheriffs planned the Freshwater treesit extractions for weeks. Sheriff’s
never verified whether Maxxam owned the trees. It has yet to be proven.

3. Humboldt County sheriffs enforced an illegal road closure to aid Maxxam in removing two
long-time treesitters. Sheriffs cited a permit allowing closure for eight hours. In reality, the permit
allowed twenty minutes, and required 24-hour prior notice. No notice was given.

4. On March 17, sheriffs indiscriminately pepper sprayed into a peaceful crowd of forest advocates
containing women with small children in their arms.

5. Dozens of law enforcement were present but refused to witness one particularly dangerous
extraction, even when frustrated residents requested them to.

6. Maxxam provided lunch to Sheriffs during this incident.

7. Sheriffs forced a woman to witness the 1,200 year-old redwood tree she risked her life to save
be viciously limbed for no legitimate harvest purpose before taking her to jail.

8. Witnesses to the destruction were arrested on the orders of Carl Anderson. Charges were
later dropped, as they had broken no law. One such person was a journalist with a legitimate press
pass.

9. Sheriff’s deputies served a lawsuit to everyone arrested on behalf of Maxxam. Several people
were dropped from the lawsuit after a judge ruled they had been prejudicially served.

10. When Judge Golden put a court-ordered “stay” on PL logging, they ignored it. Residents
who presented the order to loggers were reported to the Sheriff Department. When officers were asked
to enforce the order, they responded that Sheriff’s would not enforce the order unless Judge
Golden issued a Contempt of Court ruling.

11. A deputy who hauled away one protestor during the Stay order announced he was a good
citizen because he was “removing trash from the woods.”

12. Many old-growth trees harvested along Greenwood Heights stood at the edge of the public road
in what appears to be the easement or Public Right of Way. Did our sheriffs department
help Maxxam to steal trees that belong to the County?

13. A month before the Freshwater treesit extractions, I thought my wallet had been stolen from
my car. I called the Sheriff’s Department and was told my wallet was no doubt stolen by a
“dirty Earth First!er,” and that the Sheriffs Department would “take care of them” soon.

14. Maxxam paid for the recall ad featuring a sheriff in uniform.

These are just a few points that have lead people to perceive an inappropriate relationship
between Humboldt County Sheriffs and Maxxam/PL.

Jeanette Jungers is a Eureka schoolteacher who is currently “Fasting for the Forest” in solidarity
with Naomi Wagner, a 58 year-old grandmother of 5, who is serving a 40-day jail sentence for
hugging an old growth tree in defense of the Freshwater watershed.