Roses On My Table: Film by Ethan Silverstein

“A small portrait of the Richmond, Va based Wingnut Anarchist Collective between February and August of 2011” by Ethan Silverstein of Boston, MA.

Roses On My Table from Ethan Silverstein on Vimeo.

Check out this movie our friend put a lot of work into! Keep in mind that not everyone in this film is still a Wingnut resident, or necessarily supportive of all Wingnut projects. Clearly a 20 minute film can’t capture the complexities of our lives. Things aren’t always sunshine and roses. But we hope that everyone in this movie is doing awesome anarchist things and having a great time doing them!

Jeremy Hawthorne’s Address at the Richmond City Jail

From the Flying Brick Library website:

Jeremy’s Address:

Jeremy Hawthorne

Tier G1 #134359

Richmond City Jail

Richmond, VA 23223

He can receive letters and unlimited photographs, but there are lots of other restrictions on other types of items. Jeremy could also really use money for his commissary fund, so he can pay for stamps and write people back. Please consider donating, and contact us at theflyingbrick@riseup.net or call Pablo directly at 804-248-2496.

Thanks for all the support y’all, and please keep checking back here for updates on Jeremy, as well as the Ashley Williams case that has recently been getting publicity. A coalition has just been formed of community leaders that include current councilman Marty Jewell, former councilman Saad Al-Amin, VA State NAACP, and the Defenders for Freedom, Justice, and Equality.

Jeremy Hawthorne is a former member of the Wingnut Anarchist Collective

Results from Jeremy Hawthorne’s Trial Today

Today was Jeremy Hawthorne’s trial for charges brought against him back in September. Numerous posts on this website and others (www.richmondlegalsupport.org) detail the charges and circumstances around them. He was facing felony charges for vandalism that happened to 7 tires of VCU vehicles, including 2 cop cars in August.

Over 40 friends showed up to the court building today to show their love and support for Jeremy. It was clear that he is part of a large community that likes and appreciates him.

Unfortunately, today he was found guilty. There were many aspects of this case which were bogus, including the last minute cancellation of his lawyer, leaving him stranded with a public defender unfamiliar with the case. Jeremy was found guilty of Felony Destruction of State Property worth greater than 1000 dollars. He was sentenced to 12 months in jail, and a fine of over 1300 dollars (the alleged cost of replacing the tires).

Fortunately, Jeremy is being allowed to remain out of jail until April 6th, when the details of his sentence will be decided in court. His lawyer will also hopefully be able to begin an appeal process before that date. We hope that court on April 6th and any future appeal dates go in Jeremy’s favor.

Our friend Kontra has written a very good article explaining in more detail the situation today in court, as well as the context which helps to better explain the overall case. Please take the time to check it out here:

http://kontradictions.wordpress.com/2012/02/02/apolitical-politics/

Jeremy Hawthorne is an asset to the Richmond community, loved by many, friend to many, and will continue to be supported by these people and community, including us. Solidarity and hugs to Jeremy.

Richmond Anarchist Jeremy Hawthorne, Felony Trial Feb. 1st

Jeremy Hawthorne, arrested September 5th, 2011 while on a Copwatch patrol, is going on trial before a jury for allegedly slashing 7 tires on Virginia Commonwealth University vehicles, including two police cars. The charge is Destruction of State Property > $1,000, a Class 6 Felony.The case is clearly politically motivated; as a part of Richmond Copwatch, Jeremy is one of several who have been targeted by Richmond police in past months for their work against police brutality and poor jail conditions in the city. The notoriously heavy-handed RPD and its officers, ever the subject of much controversy, have bristled and taken a particularly antagonistic attitude with activists, protestors, and copwatchers, reacting in a consistently aggressive, violent, and reckless manner. Accountability, on the other hand, has been elusive.

The “evidence” used to indict Jeremy is insubstantial, and many details surrounding testimonies evidence gathering, and the circumstances leading to Jeremy’s arrest, are questionable at best.
Commonwealth Attorney Christopher Toepp is handling the case per his personal request, intent on a full conviction. Toepp has had a long year of high-profile cases, having been on the prosecution for the Monroe Park Occupation, and the African burial ground demonstration. If Chris Toepp has his way, Jeremy would face 5 years in prison.
The description of the person depicted in the so-far unreleased surveillance footage is incredibly mundane: a beard, a hat (maybe camo, brown, or black?), tattoos, a black sleeveless or rolled-up shirt, a bag, and a step-thru frame bike. In Richmond, this could easily be thousands of people. The alleged acts occurred on August 23rd, the Monday proceeding Best Friends Day, meaning hundreds more out-of-town hipster look-alikes were wild in the streets.

We encourage all those who think they may roughly fit this description to come to the hearing, inside the courtroom and out, as part of a “beard bloc.”

Folks who wish to come out in support- the hearing will be in courtroom 305 of the John Marshall Court Building, 400 N. Ninth St., Richmond, Virginia; 9:30AM Wednesday, February 1st.

For more information, you can contact rvaabc@gmail.com and check richmondlegalsupport.wordpress.com for updates.
We ask all to donate to his legal fund, via the Richmond Anarchist Black Cross (2005 Barton Avenue, Richmond, VA 23222).

Update on Jeremy’s Court Case

The next court date for Jeremy Hawthorne will be on February 1st 2012 (provided the world has not yet ended).

If you can come support Jeremy, who was arrested during a Richmond Copwatch First Fridays Patrol in September, show up for a 9:30 am court at room  305 (Judge Stout) at the John Marshall Courthouse located at 400 North 9th Street in downtown Richmond.

You can find more about Jeremy’s case on the Wingnut site and soon at http://www.richmondlegalsupport.org

Icon Gallery, Soma, and Whoa! at the Nile October 20th- Support Jeremy!

3 bands, one night at the Nile Restaurant at 309 N. Laurel Street. Icon Gallery (from Pittsburg), Soma (RVA Peace Punk), and Whoa! (RVA post-apocalypitc stoner pop). 9pm on October 20th

A percentage of money raised at this show will be donated to our friend Jeremy Hawthorne to aid in his legal fund in a case against the VCU Police. Please bring a little extra to show solidarity and help a richmond community member in need!

Updates on Jeremy’s run in with the law.

On September 27th, several of us went to the Manchester court building to support Jeremy at his preliminary hearing for the charges filed against him by the VCU Police. For those of you who might not know, Jeremy was arrested on charges of slashing 7 VCU car tires, worth $1,330.00, making the charge a felony destruction of property. Jeremy and his public defender, at the hearing, were allowed to see some of the evidence that VCU has against him, and surprise surprise, without having any physical evidence (besides a few pictures of Jeremy AFTER he had been arrested and the picture of a tool confiscated after his arrest), the judge ruled that the case would be continued in a Grand Jury hearing on November 7. The Commonwealths’ attorney, Christopher Toepp, is the same friend of the police who tried to convict those arrested in the Monroe Park Occupation at the beginning of the year, as well as the Defenders in the African Burial Ground protest. He lost both of those cases,  but Jeremy was also told that he specifically requested this trial because “he wants to see it done right” and that he is looking for a felony conviction and jail time for Jeremy.

Jeremy will be sticking with his public defender for the time being, and has been fundraising for the last month or so to raise money for another attorney. Unfortunately, lawyers are unrightfully expensive, and the person he has in mind to represent him requires a $2,500 retainer fee to even start working on the case. Any help would be greatly appreciated, whether it be financial, advice, a friendly word, or  helping to put on a fundraising event to benefit his legal fund.  Also Jeremy has requested that as many people who can attend further trial dates as supporters is essential and appreciated, the more eyes and ears during this ordeal the better.  There has been no word yet as to whether or not Jeremy will be able to attend the Nov. 7 date, as it is usually private to the judge and attorneys involved.

Anyone who wishes to donate can do so using our handy PayPal button on the website, and be sure to specify what you want the money to be used for.

Thanks everyone for your support so far and in the future!

Richmond Copwatch Files Against Richmond Police Department Re: FOIA

For Immediate Release:

Richmond Copwatch filed petition in general district court today May 25th, 2011 for mandamus against the Richmond Police Department in regards to the Freedom of Information Act.
Jeremy Hawthorne, a member of the Wingnut Anarchist Collective and Richmond Copwatch made a Freedom of Information Act request (FOIA) on behalf of Richmond Copwatch originally on January 11th. The request is for the remainder of the protocols and manuals that  RPD has, but which Copwatch did not request with the documents they received in December of 2010. Only individuals, not organizations may make requests under VA FOIA.

The Virginia Freedom of Information Act gives  the public body  five days to respond to the FOIA request. If the public body is unable to respond within that five days they are required to notify the petitioner that they are requsting an extension. The extension may be for a maximum seven days.  The public body may continue to extend the time period, but most notify the petitioner and have a legal reason for the extension.

Due to failure of the RPD to respond within those five business days, we enlisted the aid of an attorney from the ACLU. On February 4, the RPD notified our attorney and Mr. Hawthorne of their request of a seven day extension.

According to VA FOIA, the public body may charge for the requested records. They are also allowed to request a deposit of two hundred dollars if they believe the costs of duplication will exceed that. In this case on the last week of March Jeremy Hawthorne made a deposit of two hundred dollars with the Richmond Police Department. Despite this deposit, they continued  to not respond to his calls or e-mails.

In fact, on April 21 when Mr. Hawthorne went to the Police Station to request the records agian, in person, they told him they had no record of his two hundred dollar deposit.  Fortunately, Mr. Hawthorne had requested and received a receipt for his deposit. He was eventually able to prove to them that he had indeed paid his deposit to their department for these records. The excuse given was that the person who took the money from Mr. Hawthorne was not authorized to do so.

To date, Mr. Hawthorne has not received the requested records or any notification from the Richmond Police Department in 34 days. They do not answer or return his phone calls or emails.

As Richmond Copwatch we believe that the failure of the Richmond Police Department to respond to Mr. Hawthorne’s FOIA request in a timely and legal manner constitutes a knowing and willful violation of the Virginia Freedom of Information Act.

The Richmond Police Department’s attempt at a suit in January against Mo Karn, also of Richmond Copwatch, on the grounds that they had given the information to a “known and admitted anarchist”, turned into an utter embarassment for the Richmond Police Department. We believe the Richmond Police Department is now refusing to honor FOIA requests made by anarchists or members of Copwatch.
In our opinion this constitutes a violation of VA FOIA and also of the First Amendment of the U.S. Constitution.

Background:
FOIA law, for reference
http://www.opengovva.org/virginias-foia-the-law

Richmond Copwatch is a non-heirarchical network of groups