Peace Camp 2010 on the morning of July 20th, before the Sheriffs began enforcing
647 (e). Photo by Becky Johnson
LINDA'S HEARING IS FRIDAY, November 12th, 10 AM in Dept 1
at 7o1 Ocean St. Santa Cruz County Superior Court
Santa Cruz County's Superior Court hears Friday, Nov 12, Constitutionality of state Lodging law 647(e) used against demonstrating sleepers from Peace Camp 2010.
While I was attempting to support demonstrating homeless and other sleepers at PeaceCamp2010, I got a lodging ticket. So now am slated to appear in Superior Court Friday, November 12, at 10am to plea. Continued Arraignment? I have asked my Public Defender, Mark Garver, to ask for a court hearing to determine whether or not the lodging law is even constitutional these days. Am told I can demurer having to say "guilty" or "not guilty" until after this hearing.
While it is hard to imagine such an antique law being constitutional, use of similar cruel tools is spreading around the country, and especially "lodging" gets applied against homeless people. I feel this resumption of laws from the past is a form of retaliation against people for their status of being "homeless" and often without money or significant property.
Another concern I felt when I first GOT a citation for allegedly trying to sleep on cement: the legal words appear to be supportive of private property and it's agents, yet the presumed crime of "sleep" occurred on public property. I believe it was selected initially by PeaceCamp2010 creators because it could be a refuge, however briefly (PeaceCamp2010 lasted over 3 months but in two locations).
Consider witnessing this hearing to determine the constitutionality of California's Lodging law: Friday, November 12, 10 am. And join me if you want, I'll be "warming up" for it in the Court/County Bldg Atrium at 9:20am, or out on the same walkway PeaceCamp2010 occupied this summer if it's warm.
Let's talk. Lives are at risk by what unfolds. This story feels "incomplete" without mention of campers' totem, Porto Potty, but you'll have to show up to hear more.
While it is hard to imagine such an antique law being constitutional, use of similar cruel tools is spreading around the country, and especially "lodging" gets applied against homeless people. I feel this resumption of laws from the past is a form of retaliation against people for their status of being "homeless" and often without money or significant property.
Another concern I felt when I first GOT a citation for allegedly trying to sleep on cement: the legal words appear to be supportive of private property and it's agents, yet the presumed crime of "sleep" occurred on public property. I believe it was selected initially by PeaceCamp2010 creators because it could be a refuge, however briefly (PeaceCamp2010 lasted over 3 months but in two locations).
Consider witnessing this hearing to determine the constitutionality of California's Lodging law: Friday, November 12, 10 am. And join me if you want, I'll be "warming up" for it in the Court/County Bldg Atrium at 9:20am, or out on the same walkway PeaceCamp2010 occupied this summer if it's warm.
Let's talk. Lives are at risk by what unfolds. This story feels "incomplete" without mention of campers' totem, Porto Potty, but you'll have to show up to hear more.
Hi Peace Campers and Peaceniks! this story has a MISTAKE. According to Phil at Court clerk's window, reports Robert Norse, the hearing of lodging law will be at TEN a.m.
ReplyDeleteTen, not Eleven, am hearing this Friday.
I think that the problem with Peace Camp was that they did not come down hard enough on consumption of distilled alcohol early on. A bunch of hard line spiritual people has a lot more weight than a bunch of drunks. A sign to the effect that no alcohol was permitted would have absolved us from that type of guilt. The cops were sent, they did not just decide to ticket us. The people who complained did so precisely because they were accosted by drunks who also were at Peace Camp. Also those who do not get enough vitamin B often behave in a paranoid fashion and even get so demented that they are not able to be helped, they just strike out at everyone nearby. So a vitamin issue would have also helped our cause.
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