Showing posts with label Ed Frey. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Ed Frey. Show all posts

Saturday, June 11, 2011

Six Months Jail for Sleeping -- $50,000 Bail Judge Jails Two Homeless Activists who refused 400 hours of Community "service"

NOTE TO READER: As always, a careful reading is required of any SENTINEL article about the Sleeping Ban. A good reading between the lines is in order, as always. Not that I fault writer, Cathy Kelly. She is more thorough than most, but conforms, as they all do to a certain...shall I say bias? At issue:

Missing from Kelly's article is that the DA asked for 400 hours of community service from Frey and Johnson, which is excessive. They were convicted of sleeping which is non-violent and has no victim. Also missing from Kelly's article was that Gallagher issued a $50,000 bail should Frey want to be at liberty to file his appeal. Also, the "registered sex offender" was originally luridly called a "child molester" in a previous SENTINEL headline. That charge was later retracted. The man arrested, ha, at age 14 impregnated his 12 year old girlfriend. He is now 27. He does not belong on any sex offender's registry and poses no threat to anyone. While Kelly accurately reported that Gallagher did deny the juror misconduct, he did so by labeling our recordings of jurors saying that one juror did commit misconduct in a recorded interview after the verdict with DA Dabkowski participating. Gallagher ruled the tape "hearsay" and quashed any further investigation involving the juror misconduct. Refused to allow Frey access to juror names or contact information so he could depose the jurors and bring back those charges in a "non-hearsay" form for the Judge. Gary Johnson said he'd be unable to comply with the probation restriction to "obey all laws" since he is homeless and has to sleep at night. "I can't go three years without sleeping."When pressed as to where Johnson could sleep, Gallagher said "You can sleep in jail" and ordered him immediately jailed. The law says nothing about "sleeping in public" and only prohibits "illegal lodging". Lodging is not defined by the law. So Kelly got most things right. Of course, she wasn't there. She must have interviewed Dabkowski later on because she didn't return my phone call. ---Becky Johnson

(my apologies for the formatting. For better reading quality, go to the SENTINEL website and read it there.)


FROM THE SANTA CRUZ SENTINEL --- JUNE 10 2011 "Two 'Peace Camp 2010' Protestors
(sic) Jailed for 6 Months"


SANTA CRUZ - Two men arrested during a lengthy homeless protest last year on the steps of Santa Cruz County Superior Court and City Hall were sentenced Friday to six months in County Jail.

Homeless activist and attorney Ed Frey, 69, and Gary Johnson, 47, were "remanded into custody" directly from the courtroom of Judge John Gallagher.

The case began July 4, 2010, in what activists called Peace Camp 2010. Initially, it comprised a group of more than 50 who began sleeping and holding signs and more on the courthouse steps. It lasted roughly three months, before sheriff's deputies began warning, ticketing and arresting protestors under a criminal misdemeanor law for unlawful lodging and the protest died.

Protestors included one elderly woman with serious health problems who seemed committed to a cause she ardently believed in, and others who included, one day, a registered sex offender arrested near City Hall.

Without doubt, it was political. Sheriff's deputies waded in cautiously after protestors and others realized that though they were protesting the city's so-called "camping ban," they were actually on county property.

Frey faced three misdemeanor counts and Johnson faced four, prosecutors said.

In April, Frey represented himself and others in a legal challenge and jurors upheld the charges against most of the five people Frey was then representing. Friday, he was representing three people, one who didn't come to court, prosecutors said.

And though Frey alleged juror misconduct, Gallagher denied his request for a new trial.

The judge offered the two men a sentence of community service and probation with minimal supervision plus an agreement they don't camp at the courthouse, prosecutor Sara Dabkowski said. But the men declined. Johnson said, given his life situation, he could not abide by the probation directive to "abide by all laws," she said.

So Gallagher ordered the men to jail on the maximum six-month sentence for a misdemeanor criminal violation, Dabkowski said. They will be released after serving two-thirds of the sentence, or 108 days.

Dabkowski said Frey can appeal and has at least 30 days to file a notice of intent to appeal.

She said the three others who Frey represented at trial either did not come to court or have not been sentenced and that warrants have been issued for at least two of them. One, Eliot "Bob" Anderson, was not convicted, as the jury "hung" on his one count of violating the anti-lodging law, she said. The other two are Arthur Bishoff and Collette Connolly. Bishoff was due in court Friday, and was still being represented by Frey, Dabkowski said.

Because the law targets sleeping in public for those who don't have a home, Frey had challenged its essence on constitutional, human rights and other grounds.

After the protest, the city said tickets for violating the city's law against sleeping outside at night can be invalidated if a person gets a statement from the Homeless Services Center stating there were no beds for them that night.

In a July 11, 2010 guest editorial published in the Sentinel about that change, Frey stated that still amounts to "pre-judgment punishing" on top of the punishment of being awakened by police in the middle of the night when one has nowhere to lawfully sleep. The new policy requires "the accused to run three separate errands" to obtain a dismissal, he stated.

"We set our protest at the courthouse for one simple reason," Frey wrote. "That is the only place left where freedom, justice and peace in the world can start."

Friday, asked to comment, Santa Cruz Vice Mayor Don Lane said, "The risk you take when you do civil disobedience is you are expecting some consequences for that. That is part of what he took on here. They were really trying to make a political statement in this action."

Lane, a longtime advocate for the homeless, looks to the day when there is enough shelter to serve that population. But Lane said, "There are other folks who are advocates for civil rights, and that's fine. But that is not my focus. Their goal is to change that law (the city law), and my goal is to get people into shelter."

Dabkowski simply said it's her job to enforce the law.

A public defender, after court, volunteered the information that jail time costs the county $77 per day per person.



Monday, March 14, 2011

Peace Camp Six Jan 21 2011 Hearing Transcript

Transcription by Becky Johnson

TRANSCRIPT FOR "MOTION TO DISMISS" HEARING

Jan 21, 2011
1:30PM

Santa Cruz County Superior Court
701 Ocean St.
Santa Cruz, Ca. 95060
Department 2


JUDGE JOHN GALLAGHER, Presiding Judge
ED FREY
, defendant and attorney for the defense,
Assistant District Attorney, SARAH DABKOWSKI, for the prosecution
Peace Camp Six defendants, COLLETTE CONNOLLY, ARTHUR BISHOFF, ELIOT ANDERSON, and GARY JOHNSON were present.
CHRIS DOYON, also a defendant was not present



misdemeanor 647 (e) California State anti-lodging law

PC 647 (e) Who lodges in any building,
structure, vehicle, or place, whether
public or private, without the permission
of the owner or person entitled to the
possession or in control of it.
BACKGROUND:

ED FREY, and four of the Peace Camp Six defendants, including COLLETTE CONNOLLY, ARTHUR BISHOFF, ELIOT ANDERSON, and GARY JOHNSON appeared in court at 1:30 PM as required. However, Judge JOHN GALLAGHER was still going through his arraignment calendar and several people had been there all day and still were not done.

Included in this group was DAN COYRO, a photographer for the SENTINEL. He asked Judge Gallagher about his motion for permission to make recordings for broadcast. Judge Gallagher said that he "won't deal with that matter until about 4:30 or so. No. More like 4PM. " Coyro asked if he would be allowed to make a recording then. Judge Gallagher told him, "I'll deal with that matter when I call the case." Coyro left and never returned.

"Shall we return at 4PM then?" asked ED FREY.
"You're welcome to leave and come back," Gallagher stated, "but you have to be here when I call the case."


THE HEARING BEGINS AT 3:50 PM


JUDGE JOHN GALLAGHER: Mr. Frey. I believe you are representing everyone on the motion to dismiss. Is that true?
ED FREY: Yes it is.

JUDGE JOHN GALLAGHER: Is there anyone else here in the courtroom waiting for a matter to appear other than people represented by Mr. Frey? (silence)
Okay. I think we can take your matters now. I'll call them for the record.
So the matters that are remaining are the People v Eliot Mathew Anderson et al. Is Eliot Mathew Anderson present?


ELIOT ANDERSON:
Yes, sir.
JUDGE JOHN GALLAGHER: Perhaps all of Mr. Frey's clients could sit in the first row near the bailiff station. If others sitting there would kindly vacate that area. Gary Allen Johnson is present. Eliot Mathew Anderson is present. Mr. Frey is present. Christopher Mark Doyon?

ED FREY:
Is not here, your Honor
JUDGE JOHN GALLAGHER: Collette Marie Connolly is present. Good afternoon. Arthur William Bishoff is present.

JUDGE JOHN GALLAGHER: Mr. Frey, Can you tell me anything about Christopher Mark Doyon's status?

ED FREY: No. Mr. Doyon lives in a place that is very inaccessible, he lives about 20 miles out of town, and has no telephone. I don't know why my client is not in court.

JUDGE JOHN GALLAGHER: All right. Given that you are his counsel and you're here, I am going to excuse his absence for the purposes of this hearing. And who is handling this for the people?
DA SARA DABKOWSKI: Sara Dabkowski, representing the people

JUDGE JOHN GALLAGHER: Good afternoon to all the people represented by Mr. Frey. I'm sorry you had to wait all day to have this happen. Or perhaps all afternoon. I have read the moving papers, the opposition, and the reply. And I will hear your arguments at this time. Mr. Frey it's your motion.

ED FREY: Thank-you, your Honor.
JUDGE JOHN GALLAGHER:How much time do you think you need?

ED FREY: I'd say 15 minutes.
JUDGE JOHN GALLAGHER: Excuse me . I need to deal with the media request. I have a media request to record, photograph for broadcast submitted by the Santa Cruz Sentinel, a Mr. Dan Coyro of the SENTINEL. Is Mr. Coyro present?

(voices: he's not present)
All right. Then if he's not present then I don't need to deal with that request. Mr. Frey, your other request?

ED FREY : That it be recorded aurally.
JUDGE JOHN GALLAGHER:: "It IS being recorded by the court's recording system. And that will be the only audio recording. If you want a copy that will be the official copy.
ED FREY: Very good.
JUDGE JOHN GALLAGHER: Ms. Dabkowski, how much time do you need?
DA SARA DABKOWSKI: I guess it will depend on if the court would like me to address the specific issues: I'd say 10 minutes.
JOHN GALLAGHER: Perhaps, since to some extent this is an evidentiary hearing because Mr. Frey has asked me to address a number of items for judicial notice. Why don't we first address the issues of judicial notice. Mr. Frey, why don't you go forward.
FREY: Okay. The first is request for judicial notice is that the fact that this courthouse is a place...that's traditionally been a location for public protest.

JOHN GALLAGHER: Do the people have a position on this?
DA SARA DABKOWSKI: Your Honor, I thought the type of fact... it's not the type of facts that would be taken under judicial notice in the evidence subsection 452, facts that one would take judicial notice of, items of common knowledge, like what kind of (unintelligible) there would be on a particular day. Such as what day of the week is Feb. 14th is on. I don't think it's the type of fact that the court can take judicial notice of.


ED FREY: Your Honor, I believe that we cited not section 452 for that, but we cited section 452 for that fact, but section 451 subdivision F

JUDGE JOHN GALLAGHER: "Facts and propositions of generalized knowledge that are so universally known that they cannot reasonably be the subject of dispute."

ED FREY: Yes.

DA SARA DABKOWSKI: I'd have the same argument, that that is not something that is generally universally known. It is a proposition or opinion. It could be disputed.
JUDGE JOHN GALLAGHER: Mr. Frey, your response?

ED FREY: Yes. Actually 452 (g) is probably the most appropriate : "Facts and propositions that are such common knowledge within the territorial jurisdiction of the court they cannot reasonably be the subject of dispute."
JUDGE JOHN GALLAGHER: All right. Is your response any different to that sub- section Ms. DabKowski?
DA SARA DABKOWSKI: No, your Honor.
JUDGE JOHN GALLAGHER: "Mr. Frey, I've lived in this community for roughly 31 years, and if I had been asked to say whether I think that is a fact, that that is undisputable under any of these sections, even though I've been coming to this courthouse for 32 years, my personal opinion is "no". I know it's not my personal view that supports whether or not judicial notice should be given. But I did want to tell you that even as from someone who's been coming to this building for nearly 32 years, I would not have found that that is true.
ED FREY : Can we think about all the times, for example, that the SEIU would hold demonstrations here? And in front of the stairway over in front of the high rise building. Then there's all the public groups that hold meetings and public demonstrations here. SAM FARR came here and spoke . It's a place where the public has gathered. I've been to about thirty or so myself at this location. "
JUDGE JOHN GALLAGHER: Your specific request is that the County courthouse and civic center of the City of Santa Cruz, City Hall.... you mean city hall, that complex?
ED FREY: Yes.
JUDGE JOHN GALLAGHER: Have been used as sites for public gatherings, public demonstrations , for many decades and are still so used.
ED FREY: Yes
JUDGE JOHN GALLAGHER: You're not asking me to say that this is a frequent occurrence, just that these occurrences have happened in these two locations for many decades continuing till today. Is that a fair statement?

ED FREY: Yes.
Now Ms. Dabkowski, now that I'm focusing on that particular language, do you have anything to add?
DA SARA DABKOWSKI : I guess I would add that Judicial notices are irrelevant, since what we are arguing today is whether or not 647 (e) is valid or invalid on its face and this particular judicial notice does not go to the argument and is irrelevant.
JUDGE JOHN GALLAGHER: Mr. Frey, what is your response to that?

ED FREY: Well, as I understand the demurrer process, and that is essentially what this is as counsel has pointed out. Evidentiary facts...any facts are not permissible. However, the exception is if facts are taken by judicial notice.

JUDGE JOHN GALLAGHER: That is the rule of law and that I accept that it is accurate.
ED FREY: It's relevant especially to our first amendment argument of course.
JUDGE JOHN GALLAGHER: I'm going to grant the request for judicial notice as stated on number one. I'm not ruling whether that evidence is admissible on the motion to dismiss.

ED FREY: "The second request for judicial notice is "the defendants purpose and what they did was, well one of their purposes was, to protest the Sleeping Ban. And that again was under section 452 (g).
JUDGE JOHN GALLAGHER: "I'm denying that request for judicial notice. I'm guessing that Ms. Dabkowski, you won't want to talk me out of that decision?

DA SARA DABKOWSKI: No, thank you.

ED FREY: "The last request I have is one of those general propositions. That it is safer to sleep in group when you are sleeping outside than it is to sleep by yourself."
JUDGE JOHN GALLAGHER: "I will deny that request for judicial notice. I assume the people have no objection. Are there any other evidentiary matters before we go to arguments?
ED FREY: No.
DA SARA DABKOWSKI: Your Honor, I also would object to Mr. Frey's declaration.
JUDGE JOHN GALLAGHER: Is Mr. Frey's declaration attached to something?
DA SARA DABKOWSKI: I believe it was attached to the motion that he filed.
ED FREY: It is filed as separate document, I believe. It was filed contemporaneously with our opening brief.
(long silence)

JUDGE JOHN GALLAGHER: I'm looking over all the files and I can't find it.
ED FREY: It may be in Mr. ANDERSON's file as that is the case that it was filed under.
JUDGE JOHN GALLAGHER: do you have a copy?

ED FREY: I do. (gives Judge his copy)

JUDGE JOHN GALLAGHER: Let me refresh my recollection here. Mr. Frey, this would not be something I could take judicial notice of in the demurrer process. This kind of submittal is not acceptable, traditionally at least. So do you have any response to that?

ED FREY: No, I think in general counsel is right. We are challenging the statute on its face and therefore to bring in new facts would not be appropriate. We have to just take just the statute itself.
JUDGE JOHN GALLAGHER: I will treat this as an evidentiary objection by Ms. Dabkowski. And I will sustain that objection and not consider the contents of the declaration or the attachment or any other references to the attachment. Any other evidentiary issues?

DA SARA DABKOWSKI: No, your honor.

JUDGE JOHN GALLAGHER: Let's go for it.

ED FREY: May I request of the court whether you have a tentative decision? Or if the court wants to hear arguments on a particular issue vs a request for others?
JUDGE JOHN GALLAGHER: I don't have an opinion and I don't have a request for issues.

ED FREY: The point I would make first, your Honor, is that even though The Ninth Amendment to the United States Constitution has hardly ever been cited by the Supreme Court of the United States. The same can be said with regard to that portion of article 1 section 24 in the California State Constitution that says basically the same thing the 9th Amendment says, and that too has not been a subject of appellate review or application.

But we are faced with is applying the law set out in the Constitution directly in this case without having to examine how other appellate judges have treated it. Obviously, there is almost no history there. I don't know if the court had a chance to review the book I mentioned about the 9th amendment in my briefs?

JUDGE JOHN GALLAGHER: If you did not submit it for me to review, I did not review it.

ED FREY: But I do cite several points made in that book about the 9th amendment that the purpose of the 9th Amendment, was that the authors of the Bill of Rights were concerned that if we list certain rights then are judges going to assume that those are the ONLY rights available? And that was precisely what the drafters and the authors of the Bill of Rights did not want to happen. So that was the purpose of putting it in --the 9th amendment in. To say clearly to everyone, especially the judges, that the enumeration of these rights above --such as freedom of expression, freedom from unreasonable searches and seizures, etc.--- are not, that list was not meant to exclude other rights that are retained by the People. Rights which obviously are too numerous to mention, and too obvious to mention. As I said, the right to breathe was not put into the Constitution. Because it's pretty obvious to everyone, if you can't breathe, you can't live. I think the same thing can be said about the right to sleep. If one cannot sleep one will not live very long. One cannot survive without sleeping. And that the right to sleep has to be one of those unenumerated rights.


JUDGE JOHN GALLAGHER: "Did the founding fathers side to protect any rights associated with the physical process of living?

ED FREY: Not to my knowledge. I don't believe so. Of course the right to freedom of speech, freedom of religion, unreasonable search and seizure, the right to counsel, the right to jury trial. It seems that none of these have anything to do with bodily functions.

JUDGE JOHN GALLAGHER: Does that tell us something?

ED FREY: Yes, it tells me that those bodily functions are so ingrained in human life, so necessary to human life that if one were to apply a modicum of common sense, one would say we need not list these things.
JUDGE JOHN GALLAGHER: Isn't it also a reasonable assumption that they were protecting political rights but not physical rights?"

ED FREY: Well I think they were reserving all sorts of rights that were not listed, not specifically listed. But I certainly couldn't give a catalog of what I would surmise to be what those rights might be. But the right to sleep, I certainly would say is included in there, because, as I said, if you can't sleep you can't live.
JUDGE JOHN GALLAGHER: Is the right to pursuit of happiness anywhere found expressly in the Constitution?

ED FREY: Not in the United States Constitution, but in the California Constitution, it's right there: the right to pursue and obtain happiness. That's another broad set of rights, article 1, section 1 of the California Constitution that is extremely broad, and yet it has to mean something. It means, really, that the people retain the right to do whatever they want to do so long as they don't interfere in someone else' rights.
JUDGE JOHN GALLAGHER: the "Right to pursue happiness" was found in other documents around the Revolutionary period. Were they not?

ED FREY: In the Declaration of Independence but not in the United States Constitution. But in the California State Constitution.
JUDGE JOHN GALLAGHER: Don't you see the dichotomy there? By the time the Declaration of Independence they were expressing that right, but by the time they got around to writing the Constitution, they were focusing on political rights, and not more personal or physical rights.

ED FREY: Yes. I believe that's an accurate statement. The California Constitution, the drafters of that...actually it was adopted by the voters, I believe, in the State of California in 1874. They decided they wanted to put it in. So we have that right as Californians. We have much greater rights as Californians under the California Constitution than Americans generally do under the United States Constitution.
JUDGE JOHN GALLAGHER: But even in that much broader document, voters did not choose to enumerate the rights you're seeking here. Is that correct?

ED FREY: Yes, it's correct. But again, for the same common sense reason. They wouldn't put in "the right to breathe" because it would seem silly. Everyone has the right to breathe. It's kind of absurd to put that in a legal document.

JUDGE JOHN GALLAGHER: I didn't mean to steer you off course. I just had some questions. Please continue.

ED FREY: So I believe what we are talking about here is precisely what the drafters of the Bill of Rights had in mind. And that is the right to do something that they weren't prepared to list in their very basic list of political and civil rights listed in the Bill of Rights.

Then with regard to our second basic set of rights under due process of law. The 5th and 14th amendments to the United States Constitution, generally that the law that we're dealing which here which outlaws "lodging" whether it be on public or private property, at any time or at any place. There's no limitations on it, there's no definitions on it. A citizen reading that law would have no clear idea whatsoever what is permitted and what is prohibited. "Lodging" in general, means, as I have always understood the word, living in a particular place. You are lodged in a house, you're lodged in a trailer. You're lodged at a big... Yosemite Lodge. To me it's always implied a structure. Unless you're using it in the other term as when an object gets "lodged" between two rocks, but that's not the sense in which the statute speaks, I don't think. Unlawful lodging means a person is in a place where they are not supposed to be. How can a person know what they can or can't do just by reading it? Your Honor, as I pointed out in my opening brief, "lodge" has been used very specifically for various statutory purposes in California and it is always surrounded with the rights that go along with real property occupants; tenants rights; lodger's rights. That sort of thing. Even, as I point out, if you are considered a "lodger" because you rent one room in a home, in a single family residence that is occupied by the owner, you are then considered to be a "lodger." You can be ousted by the police from that, but you have to have 7 days written notice before that can happen. It's one of the only cases where under landlord/tenant law, an unlawful detainer is not necessary to dislodge someone from real property. You can just call the police and have them come. In fact, if the policemen come to oust you, one of the questions they will ask the owner is, "Have you given this person 7-days notice in writing?" If not, if the answer is "no," the policeman will go away. There is no right of the owner to dislodge the person without having first given that 7 days written notice.

So reading this entire body of California law, a citizen could say, if I'm just sleeping in front of the courthouse, I'm not lodging. Because "Lodging" has always implied that you had permission. That you have some sort of written contract with the owner or the person who is in control of the property. Here we had no contract. We just came and we slept. We didn't ask anybody first.

So we're not lodgers. Or we don't think we are lodgers and the statute doesn't make it clear. And because that's so, that's one reason the law should be held void. Another basic reason it should be held void for vagueness is, of course, that Sheriff's and the police have no guidelines for them to know what to do and what not to do, and who is breaking the law and who isn't breaking the law. It opens up the situation to the possibility of arbitrary and capricious enforcement and that is precisely the most important factor that the United States Supreme Court has held, when present, to find the statute void for vagueness.

JUDGE JOHN GALLAGHER: You don't think the statutes acknowledges the permission element in the standard for "lodging?"

ED FREY: It says "without permission" but what does "lodging" mean? Lodging implies a structure--it implys a lodge or it implies.... If you are walking down the sidewalk and you're really tired and want to sit down and rest, that doesn't require permission, generally.

JUDGE JOHN GALLAGHER: But doesn't the statute provide definition to that when it says "building, structure, vehicle, or place?"
ED FREY: No. That is so broad in includes every square inch in the State of California. "Every place" in California. Every place. It could be on a sidewalk. It could be in a park. It could be in front of the Courthouse.

JUDGE JOHN GALLAGHER: Why should any place be unprotected?

ED FREY: It's not that any place should be unprotected. What we need here are reasonable guidelines. For example, if the County authorities felt it was not a good thing to have people sleeping here at night, they could write a regulation or an ordinance that says "not here" "not permitted here" but they can't prohibit it everywhere in the county. Because the people have a right to be here, and they have the right to remain here as I pointed out in the reply brief, there is a statute in California which tries to answer the dilemma that public welfare authorities would have, "If a person is homeless, how do we know where he resides?" Well, that statute says he resides where ever he remains unless he's called away. So anyone who remains in the County of Santa Cruz, has a right to remain here....but this statewide statute takes away his right to sleep while he remains here."

JUDGE JOHN GALLAGHER: Your time has been exceeded. But please take a minute to wrap up if you like.

ED FREY: I know I'm asking the court to do something that is unprecedented. But that's just in the nature of things. We have these very broad Constitutional provisions. The fact that they've not been applied or referred to by other judges, especially other appellate judges doesn't mean we can ignore them. Those are the basic rules that the court goes by, as the court well knows. The Constitution must be applied. You can't just say those are just pretty sounding words. Those words mean something. The right to pursue safety. The right to pursue privacy. The right obtain privacy. The right to obtain safety. These words have to mean something and given meaning. And in this context, the right to pursue happiness, the right to pursue privacy has got to include the right to sleep. Because otherwise, your life is ruined if you can't sleep.



ASSISTANT DISTRICT ATTORNEY DABKOWSKI gives her summation


DA SARA DABKOWSKI: Your honor, Mr. Frey is correct that this is an unprecedented request he is making. And that there is no law which supports granting his untimely request. Let me point out that this is an untimely motion that is being treated like a demurrer. A demurrer is something that must be filed before a plea is entered. All defendants have entered pleas. And if a demurrer has not been filed prior to a plea, then all rights to a demurrer are waived. And that's something that's found in the penal code. And it is untimely to proceed as a demurrer. And that would be the proper motion or format to address these particular issues. Particularly the question of whether 647 (e) is void on its face. Because that is something that a demurrer definitely asks, whether the charge or code section is valid and addressing the code section on its merits and asking if 647 (e) is unconstitutionally vague.

Case law supports that it is not unconstitutionally vague. It does put people on notice. As case law says, it does have to "provide sufficient definite guidelines for a potential violator and to the public and sufficient definite guidelines to law enforcement" so there is not arbitrary enforcement of the particular section. In this case, there is sufficient information to give notice that it is illegal To 'lodge' somewhere you don't have permission. To "lodge" somewhere, it's a common word. It does put people on notice. It's a word that can mean that you are a lodger at a motel, spending the night, staying the night. Or as Mr. Frey pointed out, it can have a more permanent meaning. That you are a "lodger" in someone's home. But it is a common word that puts people on notice that they can't lodge, can't live, can't stay the night, can't sleep somewhere, can't set up roots somewhere if they don't have permission. So it's not unconstitutionally vague on its face as written. To lodge at a hotel, to live, stay the night, sleep somewhere, set up roots where they don't have permission.

So it is not unconstitutionally vague. Particularly because in this case a person can ask themselves, "What do I have permission to do here?" A person coming up the courthouse grounds at night should ask, what is it I can do here? I can't file a court case right now since the courthouse is closed. And I should know that no person gave me permission to sleep here.

And so there are guidelines to put the public on notice, to put law enforcement on notice, and put juries how have to decide on such things on notice. It's not unconstitutionally vague. It uses common words which have common meanings. No law is going to be absolutely perfect where every single time everyone has the exact same idea but the point it, it has to provide sufficient and definite guidelines, which this particular statute does.

Turning to the 9th amendment. There is no ninth amendment violation right here. There is no constitutionally protected "right to sleep." It's not a recognized right under the US Constitution nor under the California State Constitution. while sleep may be a need and a very important need, and in no way are we down-playing the importance of the need, and we're not unsympathetic to the plight of a lot of people, but here in Santa Cruz, homelessness is a pervasive and common issue here that we are all as a community dealing with. it's not a right at this time. It is not recognized as a right. There is no authority to support it. But there is no Ninth Amendment violation in this case. Nor is there any particular section of the California State Constitution either cited by counsel or otherwise that shows that there is any California violation in this case.

Finally, in Counsel's case, Counsel raised the issue that defendants' first amendment rights may have been violated. But the defendants were not cited for their speech. They were not being punished for any speech. They were cited for conduct after they were warned to leave. This is not a punishment on speech. 647 (e) on its face is content neutral. It doesn't in any way target particular types of speech or types of expressive conduct. It does have reasonable time, place, and manner regulations because 647 (e) just applies to areas where you don't have permission. As the cases we cited, it's reasonable for the government to maintain the safety, maintain the cleanliness of common places. That is a government interest that they can protect. The cleanliness of public spaces. They have a right to have reasonable time, place, and manner restrictions put on even expressive behavior and expressive speech. So I think it is reasonable time, place, and manner restrictions that you can't lodge in places where you don't have permission.

Is there anything else which the court specifically would like me to address?

JUDGE JOHN GALLAGHER: I don't think so. Mr. Frey, would you like to reply?

ED FREY'S FINAL ARGUMENTS

ED FREY: Just briefly, your Honor. When the People say there is no law that supports our motion, I'm sorry, but I have to basically disagree in a very arduous manner. The law that supports our motion is very strong. It's right, directly in the Constitution. It's not law that appellate judges have established, but it is law that is right in the Constitution. To say that "there is no law.." is simply inaccurate. With regard to providing guidelines, the only guideline is that counsel mentioned is the one that says you have to have permission. that means in effect that the requirement of getting consent from someone, then if you are so poor you can't afford a motel room, you have no where in the State of California where you can go and legally sleep. That is simply and morally unacceptable.

JUDGE JOHN GALLAGHER: Thank-you Mr. Frey and Ms. Dabkowski. You both made well-prepared written and oral presentations.


GALLAGHER'S RULING

JUDGE JOHN GALLAGHER:"It's my intention to deny the motion to dismiss. I think the People make a good point when they say that "Sleeping is not a Constitutionally protected activity." And that this statute provides a reasonable time, place, and manner restriction. I am not unmindful of the difficult situations of people who don't have the assets or means to purchase lodging, don't have the means to purchase a campsite. And what it means to buy accommodations in a given area. But I don't think it was the intention of the people of California amending the Constitution to say that someone could sleep on any piece of public property or private property without permission as part of the pursuit of happiness under the State Constitution. I'm even more comfortable that the founders of the did not envision a "right to sleep" anywhere when they were drafting the United States Constitution's Bill of Rights and I think I followed that with my argument that that is a document that protects political rights and not physical rights and those who drafted the Bill of Rights did not envision to allow anyone to sleep on ANY public or private property without permission.

They did not envision an ingrained "right" to sleep anywhere when they were drafting the Constitution. As I suggested in my discussion that that is a document that highlights political rights and not physical rights.

I appreciate that as a society we have not found a good solution to the terrible economy we have in this State and we haven't for quite some time. But the People of the State of California did not

"The Constitution elucidates political rights, not activities meant to support human functions. The people who wrote the Constitution did not intend it to allow the right of the people to sleep anywhere they wanted without permission from the landowners. I have to deny this motion to dismiss. So I'd be happy to set consistent dates as counsel wishes. Do the people move to intend to join these cases?

DA SARA DABKOWSKI: I guess I'll file a motion to join these trials unless Mr. Frey objects.

ED FREY: No. We don't object. We don't want separate trials. That would be wasteful to everyone.

JUDGE JOHN GALLAGHER: So you'll stipulate to the rejoinder?

ED FREY: Yes your Honor.

JUDGE JOHN GALLAGHER: Can you contact CHRIS DOYON and inform him his presence will be required at these trials?

ED FREY: Yes I will do that. Your Honor, may I make one additional one-sentence comment about your ruling?

JUDGE JOHN GALLAGHER:I request that you do not do that.










Saturday, February 12, 2011

Cops and Courts Jan 21 2011 -- SENTINEL

Found online here.

SANTA CRUZ

Homeless protest defendants in court

Several demonstrators arrested at the county courthouse this summer who were accused of violating California's unlawful lodging law are expected to challenge the charges today, citing a combination of state and federal protections.

Attorney Ed Frey, an advocate for the homeless who was among those arrested, will represent the defendants, who participated in a demonstration deemed Peace Camp 2010. The protest was designed to criticize the city of Santa Cruz's overnight camping ban, but got muddied when city police declined to cite or arrest the demonstrators because the courthouse is county property.

Sheriff's deputies eventually began making arrests and issuing citations before the demonstration moved to City Hall, where police also issued a number of tickets. Today's case relates to the sheriff's cases, which are based on the state's lodging law.

In a statement issued Thursday, Frey said he intends to argue the charges should be thrown out because they violate the First and Ninth Amendments to the U.S. Constitution, as well as parts of the California Constitution and the principle of due process. The defendants are slated to appear at 1:30 p.m. before Judge John Gallagher in Department 2.

Saturday, January 22, 2011

Judge denies dismissal of camping tickets from Peace Camp 2010

Civil Rights worker, Collette Connally, trying to sleep in front of Santa Cruz City Hall to protest the Sleeping Ban, dons sunglasses in the face of bright Kleig lights brought in to harass protesters at an expense of $100 a day. Photo by Becky Johnson

Judge denies dismissal of camping tickets from Peace Camp 2010




SANTA CRUZ - A judge refused Friday to dismiss misdemeanor unlawful lodging charges against six people involved in the Peace Camp 2010 demonstration, despite their attorney's claim that the state law banning sleeping outdoors is unconstitutional.

Peace Camp 2010 began July Fourth as a protest against a Santa Cruz law, which makes it an infraction to sleep outside from 11 p.m. to 8:30 a.m. It began on the county courthouse steps, moved to Santa Cruz City Hall and fizzled out on Oct. 2. Participants wracked up several citations for sleeping outside.

At the courthouse, after issuing warnings, deputies cited sleeping people using a state law that makes lodging outside a misdemeanor offense.

Attorney Ed Frey was arrested during the protest and is representing himself and five others - Gary Allen Johnson, Colette Marie Connolly, Elliott Matthew Anderson, Christopher Doyon and Arthur William Bischoff. A jury trial is set for Jan. 31.

Frey vowed to fight on after Friday's setback, and to appeal if defeated at trial.

About 20 supporters came to the hearing.

Frey argued that the U.S. and California constitutions give people the right to the basics of life, including the right to sleep and the right to be left alone as long as no one else's rights are being infringed upon. He further argued the language in the statute is too vague and that the campers had the right to sleep as a form of protest and that it should be protected as freedom of expression.

"We are not claiming we can sleep anywhere we want; just that we can sleep somewhere," he said outside court.

But prosecutor Sara Dabkowski filed a document opposing the motion to dismiss, stating the right to sleep was not a Constitutional right. And she stated that simply because a person performs an act as an expression or for a symbolic purpose, that does not make that act constitutionally protected.

After court, she said she had no personal opinion about the argument that sleeping is a basic right, but looked forward to presenting evidence at trial.

She said several other anti-lodging cases are working their way through the system.

Homeless advocates say there are about 2,000 homeless in the county and about 200 shelter beds, and that of the 30 homeless people who died in the county last year, four died as a result of exposure coupled with acute substance abuse.

"That is part of why we're doing this. It's very real," advocate Becky Johnson said.

Gary Johnson, 46, said he wracked up 21 lodging violations. Each carries a possible six months in jail and $1,000 fine.

Johnson said he has been in Santa Cruz about 20 years and homeless for about a year. He said he has worked in the computer software field, but has not been able to find work recently.

"How are they going to reform me? Put me in jail and tell me to quit sleeping?" he said.

After Peace Camp 2010, the Santa Cruz City Council voted to dismiss citations for camping if a homeless person was on a shelter wait list when the ticket was issued.

Thursday, January 20, 2011

Peace Camp 2010 goes to court







by Becky Johnson
Jan 20 2011

Santa Cruz, Ca. --- While dozens of campers from Peace Camp 2010 still have not seen their charges see light of day on any court calendar, there have been a few exceptions. Peace Camp 2010 founder and lead counsel, Ed Frey, will be challenging the state anti-lodging charges used to arrest and harass protesters on the steps of the Santa Cruz County Courthouse and later, at Santa Cruz City Hall.

Protesters suffered arrests for illegal 'lodging', had Klieg lights shined on them all night long, were spied on by hired First Alarm security guards, locked off the property of the Public Library, and arrested for real and imagined 'crimes' such as using a blanket, smoking a cigarette, or for lying on a sidewalk. The HUFF table was seized by police along with signs and literature as 'unclaimed' property, even though protesters were right there, willing to take charge of the table and signs. When HUFF member, Robert Norse finally retrieved the HUFF table, he found that all property had been stored outside in the rain and weather, rather than locked safely in storage.

This Friday, following a flurry of briefs filed back and forth between the City and the District Attorney's office, the first major court hearing will be held this Friday, January 21st, 2011 at 1:30 PM in Department 2. The State anti-lodging law makes it illegal to "lodge" anywhere within the state boundaries absent a deed, a mortgage, a lease, a rental agreement, or a receipt for a local motel room. This is a misdemeanor which allows for immediate arrest and jailing.

Peace Camp 2o1o had been protesting the City of Santa Cruz' MC 6.36.010 section a also known as the Sleeping Ban, which is an infraction, when sheriff's surprised them by making arrests under the more serious, anti-lodging law.

Frey, representing himself, along with six other defendants including Gary Johnson and Collette Connally, two of Peace Camp 2010's most courageous protesters. Both are protesting the law which makes it a crime to sleep out of doors anywhere within the city limits outside of a home or motel room, outdoors or in a legally parked vehicle. A separate provision outlaws the use of a blanket at night even if the person remains wide awake.



Friday is also the day when PeaceCamp2010 goes to court with Ed Frey challenging they "lodging" charges with constitutional arguments. 1:30 PM in Dept. 2.

Tuesday, November 9, 2010

Is California's Lodging Law (647e) Constitutional?



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


by Linda Ellen Lemaster
Monday Nov 8th, 2010 1:09 PM
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.

Wednesday, October 6, 2010

Peace Camp 2010 ends protest phase, begins judicial phase

A homeless couple sleep together on the courthouse steps as part of Peace Camp 2010, a protest against the Sleeping Ban which criminalizes those who have no legal place in which to sleep at night. Photo by Becky Johnson July 12, 2010

by Becky Johnson
October 6, 2010

Santa Cruz, Ca. -- A note under the windshield wiper of the white, pick-up truck said it all. It said that the night of October 2nd would be the last night of the "protest phase" of Peace Camp 2010. Peace Camp 2010 founder and local attorney, Ed Frey, would no longer be bringing a porto-potty nightly to either City Hall at 809 Center Street in Santa Cruz, nor to the courthouse steps at 701 Ocean Street nightly between 8PM and 8:00AM.

"More than enough citations have been issued for multiple ordinances, including the new "trespassing" at City Hall citations," Ed Frey explained. " All three sections of MC 6.36.010 have been cited. And the State "anti-lodging" misdemeanor law have all been used, so we can now challenge them in court. We will continue to protest when and where it is needed, but there is no need for anyone to put themselves in harms way to intentionally be cited at this time."



On October 5th, Ed Frey appeared at 8:30 AM before Judge John Gallagher to represent Frank Lopez and Gary Johnson. But only Johnson's name appeared on the crowded docket. When called, Judge Gallagher expressed doubt as to why Johnson was on his docket at all, but did not explain why he was concerned. Gary Johnson faces a jury trial on October 18, 2010 at 10:00 AM in Dept 2 for his misdemeanor "lodging" on the courthouse steps last August.

Frey faces his own citations as well and is defending these pro per.

Frank Lopez of Peace Camp 2010 on the courthouse steps July 12th. Photo by Becky Johnson

But so far, the citations have not yet been filed, though in many cases, the 30-day time limit has long passed. Ed and defendant, Todd Hill, combed through the records at the Santa Cruz County Courthouse, but no record of Hill was in the county records.

From its inception on July 4th 2010 through October 2nd, Peace Camp 2010 provided a clean, well-lit (at times TOO well lit!) place to sleep each night using existing public spaces, and, with the presence of the porto-potty with hand-washing station, a hygienic and safe place for an estimated 1953 shelter/nights.

These people found safety in numbers, a welcoming atmosphere, a sense of belonging, mutual support, demonstrating for a good cause, and the comfort and sanitation of a bathroom at night. Peace Camp 2010 is not over. Just the demonstration/protest phase. Now our battle goes to court!!

Those wishing to contribute to the Peace Camp 2010 Legal Defense Fund may send donations to Ed Frey, 2820 Porter Street, Soquel, CA. 95073 or by calling his office at (831) 479-8911 to make arrangements.

Sunday, October 3, 2010

SENTINEL disses Peace Camp 2010...again

Peace Camp 2010 co-founder, Ed Frey arrives on July 4th, 2010 at the County Courthouse steps with a porto-potty in tow to launch a night-time safe sleeping zone in protest of the City's Sleeping Ban. Photo by Becky Johnson

NOTE TO READER: Peace Camp 2010, which ended it's protest phase on October 2nd, was to demonstrate against the portions of Santa Cruz' Camping Ban which outlaws sleeping at night between the hours of 11PM and 8:30AM anywhere out of doors or in a vehicle within the City Limits on both public and private property. Use of a blanket is banned as well during those hours. Frey and other advocates claim that citing and arresting homeless people for sleeping and for staying warm with a blanket in a City with annual shelter for 8% of its homeless population constitutes a human rights abuse. With the SENTINEL continually calling the Sleeping Ban, the "camping ban" as though it didn't exist, the public remains unaware of the scope of the abuse. ---Becky Johnson, Editor


FROM: HITS AND MISSES SEPTEMBER 28TH 2010

Santa Cruz Sentinel

Santa Cruz, Ca.

Misses

Moveable protest:

found online at: http://www.santacruzsentinel.com/opinion/ci_16192152

The activists protesting Santa Cruz's camping ban uprooted again last week and returned to the county courthouse, where their poorly conceived protest began on July Fourth. They say they will remain at the courthouse until the city changes its policy outlawing "camping" on public property in the city. We continue to support the ban, which aims to eliminate some of the problems associated with homeless campers -- noise, trash, waste and crime -- and would ask the activists to consider why there is a lack of public support for their cause.


Friday, August 27, 2010

Free Speech Radio News: Protest over homeless rights brings issue to Santa Cruz’s City Hall



Report by Judith Scherr
August 27, 2010

found online at:

http://www.fsrn.org/audio/protest-over-homeless-rights-brings-issue-santa-cruz%E2%80%99s-city-hall/7391

In Santa Cruz, California a two-month long protest continues in front of City Hall.

Since July 4, a group of homeless people and their advocates have been holding “peace camp 2010” to protest a four-decades-old law prohibiting people from sleeping in public places and vehicles overnight. Groups say law enforcement is targeting the homeless and ticketing them for sleeping outside, even though they have no place else to go. FSRN's Judith Scherr has the story.

Wednesday, August 25, 2010

Peace Camp 2010 protesters march to Santa Cruz police station



Camping ban protesters marched Tuesday from Santa Cruz City Hall to the lobby of the Santa Cruz Police Department where they attempted to retrieve all their property that has been confiscated from their camping sites. (Dan Coyro/Sentinel)


NOTE TO READER: After only three people had been processed, police pre-emptively shut down the office, ordering all those waiting in the lobby (and cooling off from record heat) out of doors. While police take blankets/property of homeless people 24/7, they only return it during a 1 hour time slot, two days a week leaving homeless people out in the cold without their survival gear. ---Becky Johnson, Ed.



FURTHER NOTE: The photo of the interior is a tribute to the (occasional) journalistic independence of Dan Coyro, the Sentinel photographer. Trisha Husome, records manager, came out from behind the thick glass enclosure in which the employees work. She told him and the rest of us that photographing and recording wee "not allowed" in the building (though police have a video camera monitoring the lobby).

Dan and Peacecamp2010 supporters, myself included, ignored Husome's repressive advisory. I'll be playing some audio of the protest which will be archived at http://www.radiolibre.org/brb/brb100826.mp3

Last year Husome actually refused to provide documents under the Public Records Act because I was openly making an audio of our interaction (because of past difficulties and to keep an objective record of what went down). See "SCPD Covering Up False Police Report From Councilmember Mike Rotkin?" at http://www.indybay.org/newsitems/2007/12/26/18468941.php

Not only were those homeless waiting for their property (and the public generally forced out of doors by four officers and a lieutenant ("lobby is closed"), but the police refused to give an explanation.

After Peacecampsters sat down (or lay down in the intense afternoon heat) to await the next 15 minute interval when the property officer would be "available", the police announced that the entire property room would be closed until next Thursday. When there would again be a narrow opening between 12:30 and 1:30 and another between 3:15 and 3:30. Unless the police again decide otherwise.

I did ask for the return of a table, two chairs, several "End the Sleeping Ban" signs, and the Peacecamp2010 teddy bear. I was told they couldn't help me because I had no "incident number". It did me no good to tell them the items weren't put in an incident report, as far as I knew. If anyone sees the downtown Officer Forbus, please advise him I'm trying to get my teddy bear released.
--Robert Norse


Camping ban protesters march to Santa Cruz police station
By J.M. BROWN
Posted: 08/25/2010 01:30:17 AM PDT

found online at: http://www.santacruzsentinel.com/localnews/ci_15886112



SANTA CRUZ --" A small group of demonstrators taking part in the protest against the city's overnight sleeping ban marched to the police department Tuesday in hopes of retrieving blankets, sleeping bags, signs and other items seized during recent arrests.

Participant Becky Johnson said at least two people were given paperwork to retrieve their property but wasn't sure whether any actually received it. Police confirmed some property was collected.

"We went there en masse and apparently overwhelmed their staff," Johnson said.

The police department allows people who have been arrested to pick up property during brief windows of time on Tuesdays and Thursdays. Due to cutbacks, the department only permits property pickup between 12:30-1:30 p.m. and 3:15-3:30 p.m. on those days.

No arrests or problems were reported during Tuesday's event. Johnson said there were no immediate plans to have another march Thursday.

Police arrested four people and issued 12 tickets outside City Hall between Saturday and 5 p.m. Tuesday. Protesters, who began their seven-week demonstration at the county courthouse lawn, are opposed to the ban against sleeping outside from 11 p.m. to 8:30 a.m., a law they believe unfairly targets homeless people.

They have asked police to check whether local shelters are full before writing citations and have vowed to stay until the City Council overturns the ban. The city attorney routinely dismisses citations if shelters were full on the evening of the day they were written.

"After failing to get traction at the county building, then failing again at City Hall, apparently the protesters are trying to gain traction at the police department," police spokesman Zach Friend said. "It's safe to say it's unlikely they'll get any traction here."

Camping ban protesters marched Tuesday from Santa Cruz City Hall to the lobby of the Santa Cruz Police Department where they attempted to retrieve all their property that has been confiscated from their camping sites. (Dan Coyro/Sentinel)

Wednesday, August 11, 2010

Santa Cruz homeless protest relocated to City Hall lawn: Officials vow to enforce camping ban



Attorney Ed Frey uses his truck mirror to put on his tie before heading... (Shmuel Thaler/Sentinel)




Article found online at: http://www.santacruzsentinel.com/localnews/ci_15748265

SANTA CRUZ - One person was ticketed when a six-week protest of the Santa Cruz camping ban took up residence on the City Hall lawn early Wednesday.

The so-called Peace Camp 2010 changed tactics overnight when campers moved their demonstration from the county courthouse steps to the city property. Protest leader Christopher Doyon said they moved so they could better target the city ordinance that prohibits camping from 11 p.m. to 8:30 a.m.

Wednesday morning, a few men rested under a tree on the City Hall lawn while a woman and her puppy sat amid cardboard protest signs.

"We have not heard anything from City Hall," the woman, who goes by Red, said. "Basically, we'd like people to notice."

A First Alarm security guard patrolling city property noticed the camping demonstration around 5 a.m. and notified police. A 20-year-old Salinas man was cited, according to police.

Officers will return nightly to ticket demonstrators, Deputy Santa Cruz Police Chief Kevin Vogel said.

"We're not going to issue any warnings," Vogel said. "The people involved in this protest have been warned for the past six weeks."

The Peace Camp demonstration began July Fourth on a swath of county-owned land in front of the Santa Cruz County Superior Courthouse. Initially billed as a sleep-only protest, the activity morphed into an all-day hangout and drew criticism because of health and safety concerns.

Demonstrators were cited for violating a state anti-lodging law, not the so-called "sleeping ban" that has been contested on and off in Santa Cruz for years.

The sleep-in was designed to specifically violate the municipal ordinance, but county officials said they couldn't enforce the city's law and city police said they wouldn't write tickets on county property.

Demonstrators moved to encourage the City Council to rescind the camping law and forgive all tickets ever issued under it. Red said it's unfair for people to have to pay hundreds of dollars in fines for falling asleep.

She said she started living on the street in May when her motor home broke down, was towed and sold at auction. She can't go to the homeless shelter because her pup, 8-month-old Wiley, isn't allowed. Also, according to protesters, all of the beds at the Homeless Services Center on Coral Street are taken.

"There's no room at the shelter," Red said. "There's absolutely nowhere for us to go."

City attorney John Barisone typically dismisses camping tickets if the shelters were full the night the citations were issued. However, Vogel said officers would continue to cite campers at the City Hall demonstration regardless of the situation at the shelter.

"The plan is enforcement," he said. "City Hall is not a place for people to sleep during the nighttime hours."

Councilman Don Lane, a longtime volunteer at the Homeless Services Center, said he supports ticketing those who violate the camping ban.

"The folks who are protesting are not really doing any favors to the greater homeless community in Santa Cruz, most of whom aren't involved in that protest," Lane said, adding that the demonstration tests the community's will to help those who truly need it. "People don't always make a distinction between activists trying to make a political point and the average homeless person who is just trying to get services and make their life a little better."

Although Lane knows shelter beds can be hard to come by, he said he doesn't believe the demonstrators have necessarily tried to seek shelter.

"From their perspective, they want the (camping) law to be enforced and get arrested to make a political point," he said. "What we're trying to do is say to people who are vulnerable to homelessness, 'At least go over and get on a waiting list.'"

Monica Martinez, executive director, confirmed there were no beds available Wednesday and that only five people signed up for the list, which is consistent with the five to 10 people who sign up on average every day. The center has 46 beds available for 30 days at a time, and every Monday beds open for those who are leaving.

"It could take a couple of days or it could take a couple of weeks, but those people who want beds get beds at the center," she said.

The River Street Shelter, a separate facility on the same Harvey West property as the Homeless Services Center, has a 32-bed emergency shelter for adults to stay up to 30 days, but about 60 percent of the space is set aside for referrals from the county mental health agency for clients to stay up to 90 days. The remainder of the beds are subject to a waiting list that requires checking in every two days.

Saturday, August 7, 2010

5 Arrests, Over a dozen misdemeanor citations -- 12 more await arrest

By Becky Johnson

Santa Cruz, Ca. -- As nearly 40 people, mostly homeless, settled into their spot on the Santa Cruz County Courthouse steps, plaza, and lining the wheelchair ramps, a team of Santa Cruz County Sheriff's, headed up by Sgt. Fred Plageman, arrived and routinely shined flashlights into faces, shook people awake and handed them a typewritten letter claiming they were violating "California Penal Code section 647 (e)" the state's anti-lodging law. This, despite a letter recently delivered to Peace Camp 2010 co-founder, Ed Frey, by County Counsel saying that City ordinances can be enforced on the County -managed property located within the City Limits of Santa Cruz. Campers, who on Thursday night numbered 60 humans and 4 dogs, braced for citations under the infamous "SleepingBan" MC 6.36.010 section a, outlaws the act of sleeping between 11PM and 8:30AM while section "b" bans the use of a blanket.

Since Ed Frey had previously determined that the County camping ordinance only applies to unincorporated Santa Cruz County, that could not be used against the campers. No one expected to be charged with the antiquated State "anti-lodging" law which dates back to the days of slavery. And a misdemeanor at that.

Everyone was rousted. Old women. The sick. A young woman begged for a safe place to go. "I'm homeless, " she told the young deputy. "I feel safe here. If I go back down by the river I'm afraid I'll be raped."

"I don't know what to tell you, " he replied, " You can't stay here."

"Curbhugger"Chris Doyon who was videotaping,was the first to be arrested, apparently for a past warrant on a minor charge. Then Orbit, who had earlier in the day tried to get shelter at the Homeless Services Center, but was denied due to the lack of availability, was the next person arrested. Orbit didn't have the letter he had sought stating that there was no shelter for the night of August 6th - 7th since he had "not yet been cited."

One man repeatedly begged for a place where he could go and sleep legally. The stony-faced deputy kept repeating "I can't help you with that, but you can't stay here."

Gary Johnson and Romero were the next to be arrested for failing to leave when told. Finally, for merely lying down on a blanket, a deputy determined that Amber G. was "illegally lodging" within the State of California and arrested her.

Dianne,who has been sick for days,and only yesterday returned from a hospital visit, was ordered to get up, pack up, and leave. She tearfully begged deputies to not ticket her. "I'm leaving. Please don't cite me!" The shame-faced deputy had to back off while Dianne painfully got her things together.

Sgt. Plageman was heard to order overtime with his deputies to accomplish the task.

As of this writing, 12 more await arrest, covered with blankets and some even daring to sleep.

Tuesday, August 3, 2010

Attorney, Ed Frey tells Supes "Stay out of it!"

Local Attorney, Ed Frey drops off the porto-pottie in front of the courthouse at 8PM every night for Peace Camp 2010, a protest against the Sleeping Ban portions of the City's camping ordinance.
Photo by Linda Lemaster July 2010


Peace Camp organizer urges County Supes to steer clear of their protest of city's camping ban


SANTA CRUZ - A lead organizer of the protest at the county courthouse urged county supervisors Tuesday to stay out of the fray and allow demonstrators to make their case against the city's homeless policies.

"I hope you'll encourage the sheriff not to get involved," said attorney Ed Frey, addressing the Board of Supervisors at its weekly meeting. "These folks are not guilty of any crimes."

The duration of the protest, which began July Fourth and has continued 24 hours a day since, has led to complaints about bad behavior and unhealthy conditions at the County Government building, and many employees and visitors have begun advocating for police action.

Last weekend, sheriff's deputies spoke with demonstrators, who now number in the dozens and have set up several make-shift campsites at the courthouse, but deputies have made no demands nor issued any citations.

"The issue seems to be with the city of Santa Cruz," said county Supervisor John Leopold. "To me it's clear that the protesters want to invite confrontation in order to make their position to the (Santa Cruz) City Council. The question is are we going to play into their strategy."

Leopold said he didn't know if and how the county would respond.

Some campers have said they want to be cited by police to invite a legal showdown. The demonstrations, organizers say, come in protest to the city's ban on camping in public.

"What we're after is just a safe place for people to sleep at night," said Frey. "The ranks of these folks (homeless) are growing every day."

The county courthouse falls within the city limits, and county officials say the city's camping ban can be enforced here.


Notes by Robert Norse:

The protest is described as "making a case against the city's homeless policies". In fact, the protest is about much more than that. There is no walk-in shelter available in the City at all. Police continue to harass and ticket innocent sleepers in other locations who have no shelter options at the whim of the officer or complaining private person.

PeaceCamp2010 serves as a safe sleeping zone for 40-60 people each night form whom the city has no alternatives. The City has 1500-2000 homeless people from whom less than 5% have access to city shelter (on some future night). None of these facts makes it into the article.

The supposed "complaints about bad behavior and unhealthy conditions" resulting in alleged "advocating for police action" by "many employees and visitors" are nowhere documented or itemized.

The Sentinel writer whether intentionally or not seems to be setting the stage for police action based on vague and unsubstantiated concerns. He could instead specify the particular complaints, citations, arrests, etc., but nowhere does so.

A similar attack on the 2007 City Hall "Homies for the Homeless" protest was used to cover an illegal police dispersal of the protest encampment (see "Striking Back Against Sentinel/SCPD Smears and "Progressive" Silence on the Sleeping Ban" at http://www.indybay.org/newsitems/2007/08/23/18442736.php ).

Supervisor Leopold also seems to be clueless about this issues, though as a longtime SCAN (Santa Cruz Action Network) insider, he must know better. SCAN has repeatedly opposed the City Sleeping Ban, though those elected with their endorsement almost invariably have supported it.