At approximately 8:47pm, Saturday, March 28, 2015, during a teen party event at the Flying Squirrel Community Space, nine Rochester Police Department officers, using bad intel and apparent racial profiling, confronted organizers, Squirrel members, and event security about the party. The reason why they showed up was not entirely clear.
Former political prisoner and United Freedom Front member Kazi Toure was imprisoned for his role in twenty bombings combating Apartheid in South Africa & US Imperialism in Central America.
The United Freedom Front has been considered "undoubtedly the most successful of the leftist [guerrilla groups] of the 1970s & 80s," & struck powerful blows to South African Airways, Mobile, IBM, Union Carbide, & various courthouses & US military targets.
He spoke at the Flying Squirrel Community Space on Thursday, March 26, 2015.
Below is a scanned image of a Times-Union newspaper clipping stating that the Locust Club--Rochester's police union--gathered some 40,000 signatures against the creation of the Police Advisory Board. The clipping can be found at the Local History Department of the Monroe County Public Library, Downtown Branch. "Police Petitions Against Board Get 40,000 Names" was written by Vince Spezzano and published in the Times-Union on March 12, 1963.
Below is a scanned image of an article addressing the fate of the first complaint brought to the Police Advisory Board that was ruled outside of its jurisdiction and dismissed on July 17, 1963. The clipping can be found at the Local History Department of the Monroe County Public Library Downtown Branch. "Police Unit In 1st Ruling," was published in the Times-Union on July 18, 1963.
While the Police Advisory Board became law in March of 1963, the Locust Club police union did everything in its power to thwart it from actually accomplishing anything. Eventually, the PAB was defunded in 1968 and abolished in 1970 by a Republican Party-lead Rochester city government.
Below is a scanned image of the very first set of appointments to the Police Advisory Board in May of 1963. The clipping can be found at the Local History Department of the Monroe County Library Downtown Branch. "9-Man Police Advisory Board Named," was written by Times-Union reporter Vince Spezzano and published on May 20, 1963. The board was comprised of three men of color and six white men, which included an accountant, a treasurer, three members of the clergy, a lawyer, the Labor Council president, a pediatrician, and a history professor.
Ricardo Adams has been active in building a more just and peaceful community in Rochester, NY. This video was created by Rochester Indymedia to honor our comrade and friend on his 60th birthday.
After court and the dismissal of the criminal charge against her this afternoon, Good revealed that her home was broken into during an hourlong period while she visited the library.
Abstract: After court and the dismissal of the criminal charge against her Monday, Good revealed that her home was broken into during an hour-long period while she visited the library.
Below are two scans of newspaper clippings from the Local History Department of the Monroe County Library Downtown Branch. The first image, "Police Advisory Board Should Be Abolished," is an editorial from the Times-Union dated January 11, 1965. The second scanned image, "Police Board's Work is Done," is an editorial from the Democrat & Chronicle dated January 11, 1965. While the Police Advisory Board became law in 1963, the year of 1965 had the most coverage between the years of 1963 to 1971.
Legislation for the Civilian Review Board from October 1992 submitted by then-City Councilmember Wade Norwood. This is the legislation that started the Civilian Review Board we have today. There were some small changes made in 1995 (also included in the .pdf above) that were passed unanimously.
Comments from the public and different organizations expressing their affirmation or rejections of the Police Advisory Board. This document was dated March 4, 1963.
This is a .pdf file of Judge Thomas Rainbow Morse's written decision denying the motion to dismiss the criminal trespassing charges against Sister Grace Miller, Tom Malthaner, and Ryan Acuff in the furtherance of justice.
Sister Grace Miller of House of Mercy and Tom Malthaner of St. Joseph's House of Hospitality stood before Judge Thomas Rainbow Morse on February 9, 2015 and accepted what are commonly referred to as ACDs or adjournments in contemplation of dismissal. The third defendant in the case, Ryan Acuff also of House of Mercy, came back to court on March 2, 2015 and accepted an ACD with the condition that he clean up or organize an effort to clean up the garbage left under the Frederick Douglass / Susan B. Anthony Memorial Bridge where Sanctuary Village used to stand. He had been in South America working with social justice movements when he was summoned back by an angry Judge Morse after he was assured by his attorney, Edward Hourihan, that he could leave the country.
The charge was reduced to simple trespass for the three defendants at their February 2 hearing. According to Judge Morse, because of the reduced charge, the defendants should not have been fingerprinted. The judge stated at the February 9 hearing that the fingerprint evidence would be expunged from the defendants' records.
All three ACDs are for a six month period.
ACDs are not guilty pleas nor are they proofs of innocence. According to Wikipedia, ACDs “may be offered to a defendant in the interests of justice with a view toward ultimate dismissal of the charge. The judge usually adjourns the case for a period of six months (sometimes a year) after which time the case will be dismissed as long as the defendant has stayed out of trouble [like not getting arrested within that six month period]... It is neither a form of probation, nor a conviction.”
The blog continues, “The only claims that an ACD defeats are claims that require the plaintiff to show that a criminal proceeding was terminated in his favor. This includes malicious prosecution.” More case law is cited: Daniel v. Safir. “Therefore, a person who accepts an ACD can sue the police for arresting and imprisoning him, but may not sue the police for prosecuting him.”
The appendix to Chapman and Redd's complaint against the RPD. The title of the appendix is "Additional fact pleadings in support of Monell claims: 'Contempt of Cop' and 'Cover Charge' arrests."
Affidavit from Spencer L. Ash, City of Rochester attorney, dated November 7, 2014. in response to Mr. Warr's motion to compel the City to release discovery material for his case.
Submitted by T. Forsyth / thanks to Davy V. for the photo on Wed, 2015-02-18 17:34
On December 23, 2014, a press conference was held where it was announced that Crystal Chapman, on behalf of her son Raliek Redd, filed a civil rights lawsuit in state court charging that the City of Rochester and several named officers including the name of the arresting officer, Eliud Rodriguez, violated Mr. Redd's constitutional and civil rights. Ms. Chapman and her son are represented by Elliot Dolby-Shields.
Mr. Redd and two other Edison Tech student athletes--Wan'Tauhjs Weathers and Daequon Carelock--were arrested on November 27, 2013, (the day before Thanksgiving) around 9:00am, while they were waiting for a bus to take them to a basketball scrimmage at Aquinas high school. The charges were dismissed on December 3, 2013.
The complaint filed by Crystal Chapman, the mother of Edison Tech student athlete Raliek Redd, against the City of Rochester and the Rochester Police Department. Redd, and teammates Wan'Tauhjs Weathers and Daequon Carelock, were arrested on November 27, 2013 (the day before Thanksgiving), while they were waiting for a bus to take them to a basketball scrimmage at Aquinas High School.
Also, long-time local activist and organizer, husband & father, Flying Squirrel collective member and B.L.A.C.K. (Building Leadership And Community Knowledge) member Ricardo Adams received the Neighborhood Warrior Award for 2015.
On Monday, February 2, 2015, the courtroom slowly filled as court got underway. The weather was less than cooperative, meaning some supporters were not able to get to court, as a half a foot to over a foot and a half of snow fell over the greater Rochester area the previous evening and would continue throughout the day with gusting winds and white-out conditions.
Sister Grace wasn't even sure if court would be held because of the weather.
However, the wheels of what passes for “justice” didn't stop on account of bad weather.
Rochester Indymedia is now requiring editor approval for account creation.
We came to this decision after we had repeated spam posted to our website that caused difficulty with the website's functioning. We will still have open publishing and keep our site as nonrestrictive and accessible as possible.
If you have any questions or concerns, please feel free to contact us. As before, we will continue to be Rochester's grassroots news and education site. Thank you for your continued support and remember, "Don't hate the media, be the media!"
Editorial Meeting Times / Locations
The Rochester Independent Media Center (R-IMC) is no longer meeting regularly. We will set up meetings by necessity and appointment. Please contact us at rochesterindymedia@rocus.org. Our home is still the Flying Squirrel Community Space at 285 Clarissa St. Occasionally, we hold meetings at RCTV located at 21 Gorham Street.
