This morning we had a video arraignment in Keene District Court for Pete Eyre, arrested yesterday for peacefully wearing a hat. We started the day at 8am and it wasn’t until around noon that Pete’s arraignment occurred. We spent the first hour from eight until nine passing out Don’t Plead Guilty flyers.
The video was set up in a way so that Pete could not see supporters in the audience. Earlier, people had asked a bailiff if Pete would be able to hear us and he paused, before informing us that he would, but that we should stay quiet. Michele Seven, filming the video and judge as an independent source, asked if she could say hi to Pete before the judge walked in, but was denied that privilege by the bailiff.
The proceedings began with a lengthy charge, that sounded far more ludicrous than actual events. Earlier, we had been attempting to protect his identity, but information had already been leaked as they knew his name, but Pete refused to identify. Most of the proceedings were repetitive with Judge Burke telling Pete it was in Pete’s hands whether he got out, all he had to do was identify. Pete politely asked if he had a chance to speak his mind on what had occurred, which Burke denied, instructing that the only thing they needed from Pete was identification and choosing counsel, if desired. Pete kept firmly, but politely, insisting that it was Burke that had the decision and could let him go.
At one point, Burke said one of many numerously redic things, to which Smeg laughed louder than usual. Judge Burke then instructed the bailiffs to remove us all from the room, but Smeg insisted she was the only one who’d laughed, taking responsibility for her actions, as many anarchists do. The bailiffs continued to ask us to all leave until finally Smeg’s petitions of responsibility were heard and Burke changed his statement to only Smeg, and not the entire group.
As the repetitious conversation between Pete and Burke continued, Ademo grew upset, and likely knowing Pete could hear his comrade, began walking out of the room, calling the court a joke and saying it had no life. Burke immediately ordered him arrested. We soon learned there may be an immediate arraignment and waited. The bailiffs allowed us to communicate through a partially closed door and let him enter his password on the phone so we could access it. They also ignored us listening to Ademo through the closed door later.
In a few minutes, we learned there was going to be a right of allocution (not arraignment), followed by sentencing, so we returned to the courtroom. A right of allocution is where the individual in contempt gets a chance to speak their mind on the matter. After determining, Ademo’s legal name, the right, in reality a ritualized privilege, was given. Ademo stated that he was sorry for hurting Burke’s feelings, but thats how he felt about the proceedings. Burke denied that he offended the individual, but offended the court, but insisted it was a matter of societal civility that determined the policies. Ademo informed Burke that he was never informed of these laws. This did not go on long before Burke sentenced Ademo to sixty days in the county jail. As he was being drug away, he yelled out that he would not be eating.
Smeg had been part of the audience during the proceedings with Ademo and started asking why they were harming her friends, insisting they stop. For several minutes, she stood, petitioning the bailiff to get the judge and make him stop this nonsense, but was ignored. Meanwhile, he was also demanding we leave the courtroom. Several left, but several others remained seated. The bailiff threatened arrest against Smeg several times before she finally relented, but he did not actually use any violence and remained calm, far better than Sergeant James Cemorelis or Judge Burke.
We ran outside to see him off via the sheriff’s vehicle and he was smiling and waving, with his hands in the front, as he left. I flashed him a peace symbol as the vehicle drove away.
Plans are being discussed now and we recommend writing op-eds to the Keene Sentinel and Union Leader. I would recommend reading Tom Knapp’s Recommendations for Writing a Libertarian Op-Ed. Smeg is talking about not eating in conjunction with Ademo. I’d invite people to consider joining her, if they’re interested. There is a facebook group coordinating a response as well. I’m sure there will be discussion on FreeTalkLive as well as a special show by Todd Andrew Barnett, Smeg and I *may* be on.
Videos should be coming shortly on Free Keene, Liberty On Tour, and Cop Block.
Update:
I thought it’d be important to include where you can write to Ademo while he’s caged. Pete, as he’s not identifying, probably won’t receive mail.
Adam Mueller
Cheshire County D.O.C.
825 Marlboro Road
Keene, NH 03431
The jail website has more information on mailing procedures, calling caged humans, and other pertinent information. Continue to call the jail and police station, along with emailing Sergeant Cemorelis is important, as well.
- The Cheshire Co Jail where they are being held: 603.903.1600
- Keene Police 603.357.981
- Two officers in video attacking Pete:
- James Cemorelis (full uniform, possible Sgt) – Number above + extension 7117 (email: jcemorelis@ci.keene.nh.us)
- Matt Griffin (grey shirt) extension 7182.
Update II
- Free Keene: Keene Sentinel Reports on Pete Eyre’s Arrest
- Protest/Candlelight Vigil for Pete Eyre and Ademo Voluntaryist Freeman
- Help Build Social Media Buzz for Pete Eyre and Ademo Freeman
- Invite ALL Your Friends to this Event
- CD Evolution: Pete Eyre Arrested
Update III
Media
- Knappster: Three Points
- George Donnelly: Free Pete Eyre, Caged Wearing a Hat
- Corey Moore: The ‘All Out’ Activist War in Keene, NH (Free Pete!)
- Strike The Root: Free Pete Eyre
- YouTube: Ademo Freeman Kidnapped During Pete Eyre’s Arraignment
- FreeKeene: Ridley Reports On Pete Eyre’s Arrest
- FreeKeene: Ademo Freeman Arrested for Contempt at Pete Eyre’s Arraignment
- FreeKeene: Ademo Freeman is Sentenced to 60 Days in Jail for Speaker
- Todd Andrew Barnett: Ethan Lee Vita and Meg McLain Talk About Keene Arrests
Reaction
- Free Pete Eyre and Ademo Freeman Letter Writing Party
- Hunger Strike to Support Pete Eyre and Ademo Freeman
Update IV
Yesterday, the Pete intro video reached #2 on the libertarian subreddit, #6 on the main reddit, #1 in the anarchism subreddit, #1 in the voluntaryism subreddit, #1 in the FreeSpeech subreddit. The youtube video froze at 11k views, but could be between 12k to 15k according to George Donnelly. Pete is ranked #28 on Freedom Watch. Pete and Ademo were also declared Silver Underground’s Rebels of the Week.
I also got a call from Lance Weber, a liberty-oriented attorney friend, who informed me that Pete Eyre had been moved to segregation. This means he’s no longer in booking. Booking would have had 24-7 light, no amenities, full glass wall for guards to see into room, and a cold, concrete bench. Segregation lets you get a light switch, smaller glass window, a bed, sheets, pillow etc. Segregation is 24 hours, but its only 23 hours active because you get to walk around for an hour, take a shower etc, but you’re still by yourself. Often times, you can wander and talk to people in their cells, especially if you’re cleaning their glass window at the time. One is allowed to gain books as reading material too.
Most importantly, I learned that Pete is also joining the hunger strike. Guards informed him that if he did such, he’d eventually be taken to the hospital and force fed via IV. There is already a group planning to support them in a hunger strike, with talk of people pledging funds to go to Pete and Ademo. There is a link further down.
Media
- George Donnelly: It’s Easy to Get Discouraged, but Persevere We Must
- Center for a Stateless Society: Tipping My Hat to Disobedience
Complete List of Ways to Help Pete Eyre and Ademo Freeman
Free Pete and Ademo Facebook Group
Call Flood
- The Cheshire Co Jail where they are being held: 603.903.1600
- Keene Police: 603.357.981
- Two officers in video attacking Pete:
- James Cemorelis (full uniform, Sergeant Prosecutor) : KPD Number above + extension 7117 (email: jcemorelis@ci.keene.nh.us)
- Matt Griffin (grey shirt): KPD Number above + extension 7182.
Letters to the Editor
Write to Pete and Ademo
Adam Mueller
Cheshire County D.O.C.
825 Marlboro Road
Keene, NH 03431
John Doe
Cheshire County D.O.C.
825 Marlboro Road
Keene, NH 03431
Mass Participation Projects
- Hunger Strike to Support Pete Eyre and Ademo Freeman
- Help Build Social Media Buzz for Pete Eyre and Ademo Freeman
- Invite ALL Your Friends to this Event
Local Participation Projects
- Free Pete Eyre and Ademo Freeman Letter Writing Party
- Protest/Candlelight Vigil for Pete Eyre and Ademo Voluntaryist Freeman
- Pete’s next court date is February 9
You might want to edit the first paragraph to ensure that Pete’s last name is spelled correctly. It’s “Eyre” vice “Ayre”. Feel free to delete this comment afterward.
–PRW
No worries, thanks PRW. I was trying to get this out quickly and have been responding to people since then, so I didn’t have time to check it for errors. I appreciate your contributions to this, and Mike Segal who pointed out it was allocution, not allocation.
Lol I can’t wait until they put a felony on you dipshits and lock you down for 20~!
Smeg was not, *NOT* talking to the “bailiff”…He’s a “CSO”(Court Security Officer) employed by the State of NH, Administrative Office of the Courts. A “bailiff” is typically employed by the courts…Somebody correct me if I’m misinformed…The fact that you guys typically get so many little facts wrong shows how little you understand the system…get a good lawyer to go over this stuff with you…The more you know and understand, the more effective your actions will be…I criticize not to tear down, but to build you up…I*WANT*YOU*GUYS*TO*SUCCEED*, but you keep making it hard on yourselves by insisting on remaining such dumb-asses…EDUCATE.THE.PEOPLE.by Educating yourselves…And yes, even if they came from the thrift shop, showing up in court in suits & ties would cause the Court to take you more seriously…just sayin’…
Does Pete want counsel?
You rock, Dustin…As if these little idiots deserve 20 years of 3 hots & a cot…at ~$50,000 / year???…WTF???…They *ARE* dipshits, though, especially that punk-ass Ethan Lee Vita, who ripped me off on rent$$$, and still owes me…The *ONLY* place in Keene you’re safe from *ME*, Ethan, is in Court!…BWA, Ha,Ha, ha, ho hum……
Pete *NEEDS* counsel!…Can you offer any help, B.D.Ross???…or are you just asking???…
I am willing to represent him pro bono. But that’s up to Pete.
I don’t claim to know the legalese of court proceedings, but thank you for the information. Thank you for the information; I appreciate its usefulness. Myself, I don’t care to know the system. From what I know of Pete and Ademo, they usually appeal to natural rights, not the rituals of court. Thats why Pete is being held indefinitely.
We want to succeed too.
However, we might have a different idea of what it means to succeed.
I don’t know B.D. Ross; but he won’t identify so the the matter of counsel is unknown. None of us have gotten to talk to him yet. *Maybe* Ademo will get a chance to talk to him and then inform us afterward of things Pete wants to get out, but they’d have to likely yell to communicate, which would irritate the guards. I’ll let him know your offer, if I can get through to him.
I informed you clearly that you needed to pay me back so I could reinvest in order to begin paying you with the next investment. That didn’t happen. You would have gained much more but you chose a measly $10 again. For some time, I considered repaying you while I had the ability, if you’d pay me what was owed. Instead you rejected my attempts to communicate with you calmly by being very hostile, as I will detail below.
I do recognize you could have a legitimate complaint depending how you were treated due to my actions regarding the holes in the wall I placed after learning about my sisters being molested by someone I’d hung out with constantly for two years, which I’ve tried to peacefully communicate to you my desire to reach out and see if you were harmed by my actions.
Instead you refused to discuss the matter calmly, but yelled and spewed saliva at a peaceful 4:20. Later, you followed me through Keene, threatening bodily harm. At another point, you continued to threaten, yell, and insult me, then aggressing against me by flicking a lit cigarette at my face and then knocking over another person’s property, then threatening to put me in a hospital saying that it’d be okay, the government would pay for it anyway.
If you’re willing to have an open dialogue on how we can resolve our dispute, I look forward to it and would begin discussing terms of such a resolution. However, if you’re going to continue to threaten my assault, I have no choice but to expect the need to defend myself from your assault. I would rather you wish to resolve this matter in a voluntary, ethical manner.
Re: the video – I noticed when Burke starts off reading the charge to Pete he says “when requested to do so by the bailiff”.
I challenge the use of the word “requested”. It’s either a request or a demand, it can’t be both. Not only should some legal method be available to bar such sugar-coated bs, challenging them on it should certainly expose them and their actions for what they really are, not this fantasy version where all their actions are filled with polite bows, handshakes, “thank you’s”, and “please’s”.
Ademo and Pete have been added to Mail-to-Jail. Please write them in jail to let them know they are not alone or to thank them for their liberty activism.
Opinion: Pete can’t get “counsel”, i.e. a “representative”, if Pete is not a JURISTIC PERSONALITY.
They are hardly freedom fighters by purposely ignoring civility and custom. They need a lawyer to help get them out on some kind of low mental status that they don’t understand social custom.
EAT. You need to food for the fight. Instead uses BLOGS and TWITTER as a form of protest.
And, of course, JC, you’ve never purposely ignored civility and/or custom. rotflmao
In this case, after hearing the particulars, I’m not as certain as you seem to be that it was “purposely”. It may have been “ignorantly” (without knowledge) because these freedom fighters may have believed that it was “public property”, in the sense of publici juris (q.v.), [of public right] and therefore considered as being owned by “the public,” the entire state or community and not restricted to the dominion of a private person”, not realizing that there is an alternative “legal” definition of “private property”, “property owned by the state, nation, or municipal corporation as such”, just as you may not have.