An archive of articles about abuses by security agencies, updates about the civil rights movement.
Friday, March 15, 2013
BEWARE OF THE AGENT PROVOCATEUR
The agent provocateur may be a paid, or unpaid agent enlisted by the enemies of our folk. His function is
to infiltrate, disrupt, and/or destroy.
Like a Trojan Horse, the agent provocateur works to destroy our folkish communities from within. He does
this by first winning the trust and confidence of those he has targeted.
There are two kinds of provocateurs: the soft provocateur, and the hard provocateur. Both are dangerous to
the kindred, so be on guard.
The soft provocateur is an expert at the three D’s of destruction: Dissension, distraction, and disruption.
His arsenal includes fabrications, distortions, misrepresentations, and misinformation. He spreads slander
systematically and craftily; seeking to undermine the kindred leadership, and thus deny it of it’s driving force.
He plants seeds of doubt with the object of turning the kindreds attentions away from folkish activity, and
instead diverting it and it’s resources against itself. His modus operandi is: divide and conquer!
The hard provocateur is a more direct animal, and therefore a bit easier to detect and contain. He presents
himself as a man of action, and is consistently trying to lure others into illegal actions. It is implied that if you
don’t follow his plans of illegality, then you are somehow lacking in spirit or dedication. He thus uses
intimidation and peer pressure to entrap otherwise intelligent folk into participating in illegal schemes that are
both doomed to fail, and designed to place the kindred in a poor public light.
It’s imperative for kindred leadership to take decisive action against suspected agent provocateurs.
Whether a person is just plain gossipy or an actual provocateur is immaterial if, after repeated warnings the
gossiper persists, and the damage is real. As for suspected hard agent provocateurs, conspiracy laws demand quick and decisive action.
Consequently, the folk should be alert to the signs described, and report them to the kindred leadership.
Quick expulsion should follow if accusations are verified as to wrongful conduct, and net proof of whether one actually is an agent provocateur should be the standard. And if so proven, that person must be avoided by all, with even friendship taking a back seat to kindred security.
The folk communities must establish guidelines both within their own kindreds, and between each other.
Intra-organizatonal cooperation is absolutely required to prevent “floaters” from traveling from one group to
another.
* Beware of all strangers. Historically, resistance to tyrants has taken the form of small autonomous groups
whose members know and trust one another from long experience. These groups are then united by
common interest, common goals, and common literature. But, a strict hierarchy will soon be broken by the
tyrants’ agents.
* Beware of the man who is “too perfect.” He says all the right things, he needs little persuasion, and he
supplies money. The wealthy are usually in bed with the tyrant, and they are the last to oppose despotism.
* Be doubly aware of a stranger who proposes illegal activities. You will soon find him testifying against
you in Federal court.
* Beware of those who draw checks from the enemy. They are very likely to have divided loyalties. It is
difficult for a man to destroy the beast from whose teats he sucks.
* Avoid drunks, drug users, and anyone of unstable character. Always chose quality over quantity.
* Recognize the media tactics, and don’t react to buzz words. Religious separatists, White separatists, tax
resistors, and other groups are called cultists, bigots, Nazis, and other words which the masses are
conditioned to hate. After the media have demonized the target, as in Waco, Texas, the Government is free
to murder at will. Ask yourself, “Is it wrong for people to preserve their religion, their race, or to resist
oppressive taxation?”
* Beware of someone whose intellect, education, and background appear different from those with whom he
attempts to associate. Most people inter-relate with others of the same interests and backgrounds.
* Investigate. Do a little investigation. To be sure, the Federals can create good cover. But, they seldom
bother because up to now resistance groups have almost never checked their associates’ backgrounds.
* Recognize the ruthlessness of the tyrants, and act accordingly. A government which will mass murder
innocent women and children is not going to play “Fair” with you.
2013-03-15 "Berkeley Copwatch brutality alert: Where is Jeremy Carter?"
[http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LfJk93rQguM]:
Berkeley Police Deliver Mental Health Services Rodeo Style!
This video was provided to Berkeley Copwatch on Wednesday March 13, 2013 by individuals who happened to be on the scene at the time. This incident is especially disturbing for several reasons.
1. Where is Jeremy Carter? The man in this video says his name is Jeremy Carter. Berkeley Copwatch has contacted Berkeley police, Santa Rita jail and John George Hospital. As of 3/16/13 none of these institutions has a record of any interaction with this person. WE DEMAND THAT BPD RELEASE INFORMATION ABOUT PERSONS TAKEN INTO THEIR CUSTODY AND THE NAMES OF PEOPLE WHO DIE IN THEIR CUSTODY.
2. According to witnesses, this person was not violent or resisting the officers involved. Although it alleged that he had a stay away order related to the library, he was not alleged to have harmed himself or anyone else. Were police justified in taking this person into custody and were they justified in using the level of force and restraints shown in this video?
3. According to dispatch records and the officer, this encounter became a "mental health" evaluation. If this is how people with mental health issues are treated in Berkeley at 11:30am on a busy city street, it raises troubling questions about what happened to Kayla (Xavier) Moore on February 12 in Berkeley when police decided to do a "medical eval" on her in her home. She died and if this is how BPD approaches these types of encounters, it is likely that BPD escalated the situation and then used great physical force on her.
4. Why are Berkeley officers continuing to harass by standers who are attempting to monitor the actions of officers? Why are they putting their hands on copwatchers?
Berkeley Police Deliver Mental Health Services Rodeo Style!
This video was provided to Berkeley Copwatch on Wednesday March 13, 2013 by individuals who happened to be on the scene at the time. This incident is especially disturbing for several reasons.
1. Where is Jeremy Carter? The man in this video says his name is Jeremy Carter. Berkeley Copwatch has contacted Berkeley police, Santa Rita jail and John George Hospital. As of 3/16/13 none of these institutions has a record of any interaction with this person. WE DEMAND THAT BPD RELEASE INFORMATION ABOUT PERSONS TAKEN INTO THEIR CUSTODY AND THE NAMES OF PEOPLE WHO DIE IN THEIR CUSTODY.
2. According to witnesses, this person was not violent or resisting the officers involved. Although it alleged that he had a stay away order related to the library, he was not alleged to have harmed himself or anyone else. Were police justified in taking this person into custody and were they justified in using the level of force and restraints shown in this video?
3. According to dispatch records and the officer, this encounter became a "mental health" evaluation. If this is how people with mental health issues are treated in Berkeley at 11:30am on a busy city street, it raises troubling questions about what happened to Kayla (Xavier) Moore on February 12 in Berkeley when police decided to do a "medical eval" on her in her home. She died and if this is how BPD approaches these types of encounters, it is likely that BPD escalated the situation and then used great physical force on her.
4. Why are Berkeley officers continuing to harass by standers who are attempting to monitor the actions of officers? Why are they putting their hands on copwatchers?
Saturday, March 9, 2013
2013-03-09 "CASMR help Train Army National Guard"
"California State Military Reserve (CSMR; CASMR)" is a "State Defense Force", composed of Citizens who act as an auxiliary to the California State National Guard (which is Federally controlled), and the USA Federal Military. CSMR is not technically controlled by the Federal government, but is instead under the direct control of California's State government.
2013-03-09 "CASMR help Train Army National Guard"
69th Public Affairs Detachment Story by Sgt. Ian Kummer, posted at [http://www.dvidshub.net/image/882269/deputy]:
re-posted at [http://statedefenseforce.com/database/2013/03/09/casmr-help-train-army-national-guard/]:
California State Military Reserve Staff Sgt. Andrew Cater, the acting first sergeant of Alpha Company, Northern Regional Support Command, participates in a crowd control class given to members of the 69th Public Affairs Detachment and Headquarters and Headquarters Company, 49th Military Police Brigade, in Fairfield Calif., March 2, 2013. CSMR soldiers’ skill sets are a crucial training asset to the California Army National Guard. (Army National Guard photo/Capt. Will Martin/Released)
FAIRFIELD, Calif. – What might otherwise have been a typical March afternoon in Northern California was broken by a head-on collision between the forces of order and disorder. A tight and highly disciplined wall of soldiers in riot gear marches into a swarm of angry protesters. The troops push the crowd back, gaining ground inch by inch.
Finally, the conflict is over. The road has been cleared. The objective has been met, the mission has been accomplished.
This was not a real-life civil disturbance, but an exhaustive riot control training event taught to California National Guardsmen with the 69th Public Affairs Detachment and the Headquarters and Headquarters Company, 49th Military Police Brigade, by members of Alpha Company, 1st Special Troops Battalion, Regional Support Command North, in Fairfield, Calif., March 2.
Crowd control is a crucial job skill for any Guard soldier. Anyone from any unit might be called upon to restore order to the local area in the event of a crisis, so many of these soldiers were not MPs. Vehicle operators, public affairs specialists, radio operators, and many other job specialties were represented. Most had very little or no experience with crowd control techniques.
Fortunately, they were taught by instructors from Alpha Company, volunteer soldiers with extensive and relevant law enforcement experience. Soldiers like Staff Sgt. Andrew Cater, the acting first sergeant of Alpha Company.
Cater, like most of his peers, has a long and varied work history, not only in law enforcement, but in other skill sets necessary to the California Guard.
“I have been a medical trainer for many years,” said Cater. “Even before I was in law enforcement I worked as an EMT [emergency medical technician] for 10 years.
After being approached by a coworker already in the CSMR in 2008, Cater immediately found a demand for his knowledge in the California Guard.
“One of our main functions is teaching the [combat lifesaver] course,” said Cater. “They told me ‘We could use someone like you.’”
While the CSMR found a need for Cater, Cater himself found a higher goal to fulfill in his service.
“The organization is changing,” said Cater. “I saw a potential for what it could be.”
His service to the CSMR is an asset to Cater, who learns and grows with his experience as a leader and a trainer.
“My civilian career is a benefit to [the CSMR], and my work at CSMR is a benefit to my civilian career, said Cater.
Cater envisions an increased need for service members like himself in the future. No first response organization can function properly without timely and accurate communication both internally, and with other first responders. With his work experience and contacts in the Guard and civilian agencies, Cater could facilitate such communication.
“In the event of a large scale incident, civilian law enforcement and emergency response would need assistance from the National Guard,” said Cater. “In my position, I could be a better liaison for both.”
The other members of Alpha Company agree that Cater performs admirably in his military role, and express confidence of his ability to take control of a situation.
“He’s always been a very good resource,” said Staff Sgt. Carlos Talamantez, the company operations noncommissioned officer. “Since I’ve been here, he’s always been in a leadership position.”
From the CSMR website [http://www.calguard.ca.gov/casmr/Pages/default.aspx]:
Welcome to the California State Military Reserve -
The California State Military Reserve (CSMR) is the State Defense Force of California authorized by United States Code (32 USC 109c) and the California Military and Veteran’s Code (CM&VC 550).
The mission of the California State Military Reserve is to provide an adequately trained and organized State military reserve force under the exclusive control of the Governor. The CSMR is meant to be capable of accomplishing those State emergency responsibilities normally assigned to the National Guard, when the Guard is federalized or otherwise not available.
In addition, the CSMR performs such military duties as the Governor directs within the parameters of applicable federal and state law. Typically those additional military duties include assisting civil authorities during domestic emergencies and assisting in the mobilization and demobilization process of the National Guard.
The CSMR is a volunteer operational force upon which the California National Guard depends. Its members are subject to call to state active duty by the Governor of the State of California.
---
"State Guard Association of the United States (SGAUS)" [www.sgaus.org] [36 Thorn Oak, Suite 200, Dove Canyon, CA 92679] [949-888-5792] [info@sgaus.org]
2012-08-24 "CASMR assists CA Army Guard"
photograph [http://www.flickr.com/photos/statedefenseforce/7849199906/in/set-72157631145769318]: Soldiers from The 1st Battalion, 2nd BDE, California State Military Reserve (State Defense Force) assisted Soldiers from The California Army National Guard with Range Operations, Chow Hall duties, & Logistics.
2012-08-24 "CASMR Troops undergo Base Security Training"
photograph [http://www.flickr.com/photos/statedefenseforce/7849140946/in/set-72157631145769318/]: Soldiers from The California State Military Reserve undergo training to certify for The Joint Forces Training Baes Security Force Training Program
From the CSMR website [http://www.calguard.ca.gov/casmr/Pages/Albertson_bio.aspx]:
CSMR Commander, State Military Reserve Brigadier General (CA) Timothy E. Albertson:
Brigadier General (CA) Timothy E. Albertson was appointed Commander of the State Military Reserve in January of 2013. He joined the State Military Reserve as the Director of Medical Services in February of 2011.
He was directly commissioned in the USAR as an Emergency Medicine physician and served with the 6253rd USAH. He has served in several units of the California Army National Guard as a flight surgeon including the 3/140th Aviation Battalion, Company G, 540th MSB of the 40th ID, the 146th CSH, and as Deputy Chief of Staff for Health Services, HHC 175th Medical Brigade. In addition, he was the State Aviation Medical Officer, Deputy Commander of Det 8 Medical Support Team and Commander and State Surgeon with the State Medical Detachment. He has been and continues as the State Medical Review Officer for drug testing issues for the California National Guard.
In 2004, he was requested to come to Baghdad, Iraq by the 30th Medical Brigade to participate in the first International Medical Specialty Conference. Later that year, he served as the Battalion Surgeon for the 1/185 AR, 81ST BCT in Iraq. Upon return, he was assigned to be the Assistant for Mobilization and Reserve Affairs in the Office of the Assistant Secretary of Defense for Health Affairs where he was promoted to the rank of Brigadier General of the line.
General (CA) Albertson’s military education includes Army Medical Officer Basic and Advanced Courses, Aviation Officer Advanced Course, Flight Surgeon Course, Army Command and General Staff Officer Course, Medical Review Officer Course, and the Army War College. His education includes BA from the University of California, San Diego, MS, PhD and MD from University of California, Davis, MPH from the University of California, Berkeley, and MSS from the Army War College. He is Board Certified in Internal Medicine, Emergency Medicine, Medical Toxicology, Critical Care Medicine and Pulmonary Medicine. He is Professor and Chair of the Department of Internal Medicine at the School of Medicine, University of California, Davis. He has published several books, book chapters and nearly 250 articles in peer-reviewed journals.
General (CA) Albertson’s military awards and decorations include the Legion of Merit with Oak Leaf Cluster, Defense Superior Service Medal, Meritorious Service Medal with Oak Leaf Cluster, Army Commendation Medal with Oak Leaf Cluster, Air Force Commendation Medal with Oak Leaf Cluster, and the Army Achievement Medal. In addition, he has been awarded the Combat Medical Badge, Senior Army Flight Surgeon Badge, Office of the Secretary of Defense Shield, the Order of Military Medical Merit and the Military Emergency Management Specialist Badge.
From the CSMR website [http://www.calguard.ca.gov/casmr/Pages/Collier_bio.aspx]:
Command Chief Master Sergeant, State Military Reserve CCM (CA) Charles W. Collier:
Command Chief Master Sergeant Charles (Chuck) W. Collier, Jr. was selected as the first Command Chief Master Sergeant of the California State Military Reserve on 1 June 2010. Prior to his appointment he served as Assistant to the Command Chief Master Sergeant of the 146th Air Wing Support Unit, Channel Islands Air National Guard Station.
Command Chief Master Sergeant Collier was inducted into the United States Air Force on 23 August 1963. He performed basic training at Lackland AFB, Texas as an Airman Third Class (Dorm Chief), then completed Basic Medical Training at Greenville AFB, MS, and Operating Room Specialist School at Gunter AFB, Alabama, prior to assignment with the 366th Medical Group, Barksdale, AFB, La. Where he served as an operating room technician; Airman In Charge (AIC), Emergency Room; and NCO In Charge, Orthopedic Clinic.
Having completing his USAF enlistment, followed by two years AF Reserve service as a Sergeant (E4), Command Chief Collier joined the144th Fighter Wing, Fresno, CA, first as a Legal Technician for the Judge Advocate General (JAG), and later transferred to the 144th USAF Clinic as a full-time Health Technician, reaching the grade of Master Sergeant (E-7). For two of the twelve years with the 144th Chief Collier was activated (1981-1982), as a Medical Inspector for the USAF Inspector General, in the Office of the AF Surgeon General, Air Force Inspection and Safety Center (AFISC), Norton AFB, CA. As a Medical he was teamed with senior medical personnel performing Health Management Medical Inspections (HSMI) for all Air National Guard, Air Force Reserve medical, and Air Evacuation Units covering the entire United States, Germany, Philippine Islands and Japan.
After release from his active duty tour, Command Chief Collier transferred to the 146th Aeromedical Evacuation Squadron (AES) and assigned as On The Job (OJT) Supt. In that role he was instrumental in providing that unit with an Excellent grade in their own HSMI, conducted by his former AFISC colleagues.
Several other positions held within the 146 AES, included Medical Training Supt, Standardization and Evaluations (STAN/EVAL) Supt, Flight Operations Supt, and Squadron Senior Enlisted Advisor.
In January, 2000, Command Chief Collier was activated and, assigned to Air Mobility Command Headquarters, Scott AFB, IL positioned as Air Evacuation (AE) Systems Analyst and Publications Editor. He was involved in the research, writing, editing and publishing of nine USAF (and Joint) AE Publications mandated for use worldwide from Jan 2000 through Dec 2001.
Concurrent during the years 1998 through 2003, Command Chief Collier was selected as a Senior Observer Controller (OC) for AE operations at the Joint Readiness and Training Center (JRTC), Ft. Polk, LA, and at Little Rock AFB, AR. This role required observation, control and evaluation of all AE operations during the exercises. Two of those assignments were during his assignment at Scott AFB. Other deployments and active duty assignments included Desert Shield/Storm and the Global War on Terrorism. He has held Air Force Specialty Codes (AFSC) 90131, 90251, 70550, 90190, X90290 and X4N000. Command Chief Collier retired from the Air National Guard on 9 December 2003.
As a current member of the CSMR, Command Chief Collier has been deeply involved with the Military Emergency Management System (MEMS), completing online courses required for the basic, senior and master MEMS qualification badges and participated in Operation Golden Guardian 2008 as an Evaluator/Controller for the Governor’s Office of Homeland Security.
Command Chief Master Sergeant is a graduate of the Air National Guard NCO Academy (The Honor Graduate) and the AF Sr. NCO Academy (Correspondence). He attended Humphrey’s College of Law, Fresno; holds an Associate of Arts Degree in Social Sciences from Fresno City College, and a Bachelor of Science Degree in Criminology from California State University, Fresno, with graduate studies for his Master’s Degree in Criminology. He holds a Lifetime Teaching Credential, Administration of Justice/Police Science, State of California; and holds Peace Officers Standards & Training (P.O.S.T.), Basic and Intermediate Certificates.
Command Chief Master Sergeant has life memberships with the Air Force Association (AFA), Air Force Sergeant’s Association (AFSA), National Guard Association of the US (NGAUS), NCO Academy Graduates Association (NCOAGA); and has memberships with the Enlisted Air National Guard Association of the US (EANGUS), the Sergeants Major Association of California, Southern California Fraud Investigators Association, International Association of Special Investigation Units, Grand Terrace Area Chamber of Commerce, Lions Clubs International, Boy Scouts of America (Unit Commissioner, Scoutmaster, Cubmaster), Scottish-American Military Society (SAMS) (Vice Commander).
Command Chief Master Sergeant Collier’s military awards and decorations include the Master Aircrew Wings, Master Medical Badge, Basic Military Emergency Management System (MEMS) Badge, Meritorious Service Medal, Air Force Commendation Medal, AF Achievement Medal, AF Outstanding Unit Award (with V and 4 attachments), Combat Readiness Medal (7 attachments) AF Good Conduct Medal, Air Reserve Forces Medal (4 attachments), National Defense Medal (2 attachments) Southwest Asia Service Medal (1 attachment), Global War on Terrorism Service Medal, Humanitarian Service Medal, Military Outstanding Voluntary Service Medal, AF Longevity Ribbon (8 attachments), Armed Forces Reserve Medal (M and Gold attachment), AF NCO Professional Military Education Award, AF Expert Marksmanship Award (1 Attachment), AF Training Ribbon, Kuwait Liberation Medal (K), California Commendation Medal, California Good Conduct Medal (3 attachments), California Service Medal (gold redwood cluster), Enlisted Trainer’s Excellence Ribbon (1 attachment), Enlisted Excellence Ribbon (1 attachment), National Guard Federal Service Ribbon, State Service Ribbon, Senior Enlisted Leadership Ribbon, Drill Attendance Ribbon (5 attachments), Governor’s Outstanding Unit Citation, CASMR Professional Development Ribbon, CASMR Emergency Training Ribbon, CASMR Drill Attendance Ribbon.
Command Chief Master Sergeant Collier, of a three generation military family, resides in the cities of Grand Terrace and Highland. His father was a Bronze Star recipient during the Normandy Invasion, WWII, his wife Kristi is a Chief Flight Nurse, having served in SW Asia, his youngest son, a US Marine, has served in Afghanistan.
Justice for Aloni, innocent victim of police torture (Los Angeles, 2013-03)
[www.facebook.com/justiceforaloni]
"L.A. Woman Posts Alleged Police Brutality Video to YouTube"
2014-02-11 by Jorge Rivas [http://fusion.net/justice/story/la-woman-posts-alleged-police-brutality-video-youtube-419119]
Aloni Bonilla uploaded one of the close to 82,000 YouTube videos with headlines that promise to show “police brutality caught on tape.”
"220lb. OFFICER BEATS UP WOMAN INSIDE A HOSPITAL," reads the headline for the 20-minute video Bonilla uploaded on March 9, 2013 [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gcAcJUDzdZw]. But Bonilla’s YouTube video is different from most of the videos that claim to show police officers using excessive force: she’s also the victim.
Bonilla, a fourth generation self-identified Chicana, was on her way to spend the night at a friend’s house to be closer to an early morning math final at California State University Los Angeles. But before she arrived, Bonilla was pulled over for suspicion of driving under the influence.
In the early morning of March 21, 2012, the California Highway Patrol (CHP) officer took Bonilla to the hospital for a blood sample after a breathalyzer at the scene found traces of alcohol. In California, it’s illegal to operate a motor vehicle with blood alcohol content at or above 0.08 percent and Bonilla’s sample registered .139. Bonilla agreed to providing a blood sample for a more accurate reading at the hospital, according to court documents obtained by Fusion.
But the blood sample was never taken because a physical altercation took place between Bonilla and the CHP officer.
Bonilla was charged with driving under the influence, vandalism, resisting arrest and failure to provide a driver’s license. Through a court order, Bonilla obtained the surveillance shot in the hospital.
Bonilla claims the 20-minute video uploaded to the video sharing site shows the officer using excessive force and contradicts statements made in the police report. She took the officer to court to dispute the charges in the police report that Bonilla says the video proves are false.
The officer contends that Bonilla waved her arms around and approached him to try to head butt him. The video shows the CHP officer pushing Bonilla against the wall and then forcing her to the floor. He then pins Bonilla down with his knee.
Bonilla ended up with a black eye from hitting a wall-mounted medical device, according to court documents. Today, she has five slipped discs in her spine and neck she says were a result from the altercation with the officer.
Bonilla was confident that if a jury saw the video they would side with her. But the judge denied the use of the video as evidence in the case because there was an 11-second gap in the video.
How the video ended up on YouTube -
“I was in the third day of my trial and when I heard they were not going to use my video,” Bonilla recalled. “I said, ‘Well, if the court isn’t going to acknowledge my video, then social media will.’”
Bonilla posted to YouTube and used the site’s video annotation feature to add a minute-by-minute breakdown.
YouTube and other online video sharing platforms have allowed people who are not immediately credible sources or witnesses more credible sources with video.
“Online video democratizes things. It allows everyone to have an audience, if the audience is willing to watch it,” said Karen North, director of University of Southern California’s Annenberg Program on Online Communities.
“You post something on YouTube because you feel wronged, you’re angry and you want to rally up the public,” added North. “Then it’s justice by public opinion.”
But North warns it’s not a foolproof system.
“Because video can be altered or be taken out of context, the accuracy and the interpretation are not necessarily perfect,” North said.
According to court documents, the judge rejected the video as evidence against the CHP officer citing the 11-second gap was “right at the beginning of the incident so we don’t have the initial contact of the incident,” and thus, “it does not accurately depict what it purports to represent.”
The 18:53 minute surveillance video provided to the court by the hospital had gaps that were several seconds long throughout the video, including the 11 seconds right before the altercation between the officer and Bonilla.
“We did respond to the document request in full and in accordance with our policies, procedures and also in conformance with the law,” a spokesperson from the Citrus Valley Medical Center – Queen of the Valley Campus, where the incident took place, told Fusion.
The spokesperson said the missing gap could possibly have occurred because the hospital has surveillance cameras that are triggered by motion sensors. However, they could not comment or provide details about the specific camera that shot the footage obtained by the court.
The CHP denied Fusion’s request to interview officer Jose Ramirez, the California Highway Patrol officer seen in the video but they provided a statement.
“She was injured as a result of being combative with the officer,” Juan Galvan, public information officer for the CHP, told Fusion. Galvan refused to comment on the video Bonilla uploaded to YouTube.
“We did receive a complaint of allegations of excessive force. It was investigated and the officers were exonerated of those allegations because they were not substantiated,” Galvan said.
Still, Bonilla’s defense attorney maintains the video didn’t show any of the events described in Officer Ramirez’s testimony.
“You’ll see the video for yourself. It shows Ms. Bonilla sitting down. She never gets up,” Bonilla’s defense attorney told the jury, according to court records. “She never starts yelling. She never is flailing her arms. She’s just sitting down there. The police officer for whatever reason starts talking to her and gets mad at her. You’ll see in the video he slams her to the other wall and after that he slams her to the floor.”
The jury that convicted Bonilla never saw the video.
The impact of the conviction -
In June 2013, Bonilla graduated from California State University at Los Angeles with a degree in mathematics, though a year behind schedule prior to her arrest. She hoped to teach math one day, but with her criminal record, now she can’t even find consistent tutor work.
The YouTube video has garnered Bonilla media attention. "La Opinion," the largest Spanish-language newspaper in the U.S., wrote a feature story about her case [http://www.laopinion.com/california/agentes_patrulla_carreteras-CHP_alegato_golpiza_Aloni_Bonilla] after a journalist found her video on YouTube. Other local and national Spanish-language outlets have covered her story too.
Fusion is the first English-language news publication to share Bonilla’s story.
On Feb. 6, three judges at the L.A. County Superior Court heard Bonilla’s appeal case. She’s fighting for a new trial to get the four charges charges dropped and she wants the video to be used as evidence.
The judges will make their decision in the next two weeks.
Aloni Bonilla - Statement of Appeal [www.scribd.com/doc/204533586/Aloni-Bonilla-Statement-of-Appeal]
"L.A. Woman Posts Alleged Police Brutality Video to YouTube"
2014-02-11 by Jorge Rivas [http://fusion.net/justice/story/la-woman-posts-alleged-police-brutality-video-youtube-419119]
Aloni Bonilla uploaded one of the close to 82,000 YouTube videos with headlines that promise to show “police brutality caught on tape.”
"220lb. OFFICER BEATS UP WOMAN INSIDE A HOSPITAL," reads the headline for the 20-minute video Bonilla uploaded on March 9, 2013 [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gcAcJUDzdZw]. But Bonilla’s YouTube video is different from most of the videos that claim to show police officers using excessive force: she’s also the victim.
Bonilla, a fourth generation self-identified Chicana, was on her way to spend the night at a friend’s house to be closer to an early morning math final at California State University Los Angeles. But before she arrived, Bonilla was pulled over for suspicion of driving under the influence.
In the early morning of March 21, 2012, the California Highway Patrol (CHP) officer took Bonilla to the hospital for a blood sample after a breathalyzer at the scene found traces of alcohol. In California, it’s illegal to operate a motor vehicle with blood alcohol content at or above 0.08 percent and Bonilla’s sample registered .139. Bonilla agreed to providing a blood sample for a more accurate reading at the hospital, according to court documents obtained by Fusion.
But the blood sample was never taken because a physical altercation took place between Bonilla and the CHP officer.
Bonilla was charged with driving under the influence, vandalism, resisting arrest and failure to provide a driver’s license. Through a court order, Bonilla obtained the surveillance shot in the hospital.
Bonilla claims the 20-minute video uploaded to the video sharing site shows the officer using excessive force and contradicts statements made in the police report. She took the officer to court to dispute the charges in the police report that Bonilla says the video proves are false.
The officer contends that Bonilla waved her arms around and approached him to try to head butt him. The video shows the CHP officer pushing Bonilla against the wall and then forcing her to the floor. He then pins Bonilla down with his knee.
Bonilla ended up with a black eye from hitting a wall-mounted medical device, according to court documents. Today, she has five slipped discs in her spine and neck she says were a result from the altercation with the officer.
Bonilla was confident that if a jury saw the video they would side with her. But the judge denied the use of the video as evidence in the case because there was an 11-second gap in the video.
How the video ended up on YouTube -
“I was in the third day of my trial and when I heard they were not going to use my video,” Bonilla recalled. “I said, ‘Well, if the court isn’t going to acknowledge my video, then social media will.’”
Bonilla posted to YouTube and used the site’s video annotation feature to add a minute-by-minute breakdown.
YouTube and other online video sharing platforms have allowed people who are not immediately credible sources or witnesses more credible sources with video.
“Online video democratizes things. It allows everyone to have an audience, if the audience is willing to watch it,” said Karen North, director of University of Southern California’s Annenberg Program on Online Communities.
“You post something on YouTube because you feel wronged, you’re angry and you want to rally up the public,” added North. “Then it’s justice by public opinion.”
But North warns it’s not a foolproof system.
“Because video can be altered or be taken out of context, the accuracy and the interpretation are not necessarily perfect,” North said.
According to court documents, the judge rejected the video as evidence against the CHP officer citing the 11-second gap was “right at the beginning of the incident so we don’t have the initial contact of the incident,” and thus, “it does not accurately depict what it purports to represent.”
The 18:53 minute surveillance video provided to the court by the hospital had gaps that were several seconds long throughout the video, including the 11 seconds right before the altercation between the officer and Bonilla.
“We did respond to the document request in full and in accordance with our policies, procedures and also in conformance with the law,” a spokesperson from the Citrus Valley Medical Center – Queen of the Valley Campus, where the incident took place, told Fusion.
The spokesperson said the missing gap could possibly have occurred because the hospital has surveillance cameras that are triggered by motion sensors. However, they could not comment or provide details about the specific camera that shot the footage obtained by the court.
The CHP denied Fusion’s request to interview officer Jose Ramirez, the California Highway Patrol officer seen in the video but they provided a statement.
“She was injured as a result of being combative with the officer,” Juan Galvan, public information officer for the CHP, told Fusion. Galvan refused to comment on the video Bonilla uploaded to YouTube.
“We did receive a complaint of allegations of excessive force. It was investigated and the officers were exonerated of those allegations because they were not substantiated,” Galvan said.
Still, Bonilla’s defense attorney maintains the video didn’t show any of the events described in Officer Ramirez’s testimony.
“You’ll see the video for yourself. It shows Ms. Bonilla sitting down. She never gets up,” Bonilla’s defense attorney told the jury, according to court records. “She never starts yelling. She never is flailing her arms. She’s just sitting down there. The police officer for whatever reason starts talking to her and gets mad at her. You’ll see in the video he slams her to the other wall and after that he slams her to the floor.”
The jury that convicted Bonilla never saw the video.
The impact of the conviction -
In June 2013, Bonilla graduated from California State University at Los Angeles with a degree in mathematics, though a year behind schedule prior to her arrest. She hoped to teach math one day, but with her criminal record, now she can’t even find consistent tutor work.
The YouTube video has garnered Bonilla media attention. "La Opinion," the largest Spanish-language newspaper in the U.S., wrote a feature story about her case [http://www.laopinion.com/california/agentes_patrulla_carreteras-CHP_alegato_golpiza_Aloni_Bonilla] after a journalist found her video on YouTube. Other local and national Spanish-language outlets have covered her story too.
Fusion is the first English-language news publication to share Bonilla’s story.
On Feb. 6, three judges at the L.A. County Superior Court heard Bonilla’s appeal case. She’s fighting for a new trial to get the four charges charges dropped and she wants the video to be used as evidence.
The judges will make their decision in the next two weeks.
Aloni Bonilla - Statement of Appeal [www.scribd.com/doc/204533586/Aloni-Bonilla-Statement-of-Appeal]
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