Homeless musicians Anna Richardson and Miguel de Leon faced jail for allegedly defying laws against sleeping in Santa Cruz. The city had tried to argue that the pair were in contempt of court as they had been seen by police with blankets and all their possessions. The pair had an injunction preventing them from camping. At a court hearing on March 19th, Judge Timothy Volkman disagreed that the reports showed the pair were intending to camp. For homeless people, taking a nap with your belongings during the afternoon is not the same as camping.

The City of Santa Cruz has consistently argued that shop owners and customers in the downtown area are afraid of homeless people who scare them away. The city’s defence attorney even said it was ironic that homeless people discourage others using the downtown area, which means the city gets less money from taxes and can help fewer homeless people. If the money from taxes went into helping the homeless this argument might hold, but instead it goes into paying police to ticket musicians and homeless people in cars and under blankets who are often asleep.

Read more | Homeless Frame-Up by Cops and City Attorney Defeated in Rare Court Victory | Previous coverage: "Jail for Sleep" Hearing for Two Homeless Musicians