Publish to Newswire
Add an EventFrom the Open-Publishing Calendar
From the Open-Publishing Newswire
Indybay Feature
EFF on Scientology Racketeering: Time to Undo an Injustice
Picketing and protesting against the murder of Lisa McPherson, pushing for criminal indictments in the killing of Stacy Moxon, calling for civil lawsuit for the beheading of Ashlee Shanner -- human rights advocate and world respected futurist Mr. Heith Henson was jailed for trying to find justice for Scientology's victims. See attached PDF.
December 24th, 2008
Keith Henson Appeal: Time to Undo an Injustice
Commentary by Cindy Cohn
The well-known Scientology protester Keith Henson has filed an appeal to the Appellate Division of the Riverside County Superior Court of his criminal conviction in 2001 of misdemeanor "interfering with a religion" for picketing in front of a Scientology "base" in Hemet, CA. The ruling was roundly criticized as inconsistent with Henson's First Amendment rights to criticize Scientology: much of the evidence used against him consisted of general statements he made online that were very critical of Scientology but fell far short of the sort of "true threat" required to overcome his First Amendment rights. The trial court also limited his ability to explain his actions or present contrary evidence. The Court of Appeal should take a hard look at the case and reverse the conviction.
Scientology watchers will recall that Henson sought, and temporarily obtained, political asylum in Canada right after the verdict, then was arrested upon his return to the US in 2007.
The Church of Scientology has been one of the earliest, and most aggessive users of intellectual property and other claims to silence the speech of its online critics. This year Scientology supporters launched a raft of copyright complaints aimed at removing anti-Scientology videos on YouTube. In the Henson case there is a serious concern that the criminal law was misused in an effort not to respond to any real threats, but instead to silence one of the Church's loudest and most persistent online critics. It's time to undo that injustice.
Keith Henson Appeal: Time to Undo an Injustice
Commentary by Cindy Cohn
The well-known Scientology protester Keith Henson has filed an appeal to the Appellate Division of the Riverside County Superior Court of his criminal conviction in 2001 of misdemeanor "interfering with a religion" for picketing in front of a Scientology "base" in Hemet, CA. The ruling was roundly criticized as inconsistent with Henson's First Amendment rights to criticize Scientology: much of the evidence used against him consisted of general statements he made online that were very critical of Scientology but fell far short of the sort of "true threat" required to overcome his First Amendment rights. The trial court also limited his ability to explain his actions or present contrary evidence. The Court of Appeal should take a hard look at the case and reverse the conviction.
Scientology watchers will recall that Henson sought, and temporarily obtained, political asylum in Canada right after the verdict, then was arrested upon his return to the US in 2007.
The Church of Scientology has been one of the earliest, and most aggessive users of intellectual property and other claims to silence the speech of its online critics. This year Scientology supporters launched a raft of copyright complaints aimed at removing anti-Scientology videos on YouTube. In the Henson case there is a serious concern that the criminal law was misused in an effort not to respond to any real threats, but instead to silence one of the Church's loudest and most persistent online critics. It's time to undo that injustice.
For more information:
http://www.eff.org/deeplinks/2008/12/keith...
Add Your Comments
Comments
(Hide Comments)
Just as Bush and the Republicans have had something of a come-uppance, after years of arrogant criminality, so the Scientology cult/criminal network is starting to feel its fortunes quickly reversing. It won't be long before Miscavige and his buddies will begin spending some years in the Lompoc penitentiary.
PS, Terryeo lives in Oakland.
PS, Terryeo lives in Oakland.
These frauds knedw they were under surveilance and yet they decided they would try to sneak 48 victims out from under the nose of the police in the dead of night. Now the prison system has no idea where at least 8 of the criminals are and they want to know if the other 40 are prisons that Scientology has freed.
Scientology took 48 prisoners and released them. And Tom Cruise calls this Narconon fraud somedthing he's proud of.
\
Scientology took 48 prisoners and released them. And Tom Cruise calls this Narconon fraud somedthing he's proud of.
\
http://www.krqe.com/dpp/news/politics/politics_krqe_albuquerque_nighttime_shuttle_clears_rehab_center_200812242340
Nighttime shuttles clear rehab center
Nighttime shuttles clear rehab center
Second Chance blew last chance?
Last Edited: Wednesday, 24 Dec 2008, 11:40 PM MST
Created On: Wednesday, 24 Dec 2008, 11:40 PM MST
Reporter: Dave Bohman
Web Producer: Bill Diven
ALBUQUERQUE (KRQE) - Under cover of darkness Wednesday the troubled Second Chance rehab center mysteriously shuttled nearly 50 patients or inmates away from its facility just ahead of a deadline to explain who it's been housing.
Albuquerque police who put the West Mesa facility under surveillance said they witnessed the bizarre twist in the Second Chance saga early Wednesday. Later in the day the rehab program was under a 5 p.m. deadline to document all its inmates and clients to the city of Albuquerque.
The city wanted to make sure Second Chance wasn't violating its lease by taking inmates without a judge's referral.
Police said they caught a bus and a van sneaking people out.
"This is very disturbing," Chief Public Safety Officer Pete Dinelli told KRQE News 13. "I'm very disappointed."
Dinelli said received documents naming 46 people listed as patients or inmates at Second Chance. But he said he wants to know why 48 apparently additional people were bused out of the addiction-treatment facility early in the morning.
"I don't know if there's a public-safety issue, because I don't know what those 48 individuals were doing there," Dinelli said.
Police followed a van with eight individuals from Second Chance to Interstate 40 and then west until it left the city limits, according to Dinelli. Cops also tracked a bus with 40 others from the facility east to the St. Martin Hospitality Center, a shelter in downtown Albuquerque.
When News 13 went to St. Martin's Wednesday afternoon two workers closing up for the holiday said they did not know of anyone brought in.
So who are these 40 individuals with addiction problems? Were any of them sentenced to the facility as an alternative to jail, and where are they now?
"I think the city's entitled to answers, and we better get those answers," Dinelli said. "Otherwise we may be faced with a situation of evicting."
Bernalillo County Sheriff Darren White is among many critics of the facility's addiction-treatment plan that is based on the teachings of the founder of the Church of Scientology and includes vitamin and sauna treatments.
"If anything were to go wrong out there, we wouldn't even know what we're dealing with," White said. "This is a real safety risk for the people of Bernalillo County."
He said the busing of patients should mean no more chances for Second Chance.
"Shut them down," White said. "It's time to put them out of business."
However the city, which leases a former jail near the Double Eagle II Airport to Second Chance, isn?t quite at that point yet.
"We're going to be asking for a further explanation as to what happened this morning," Dinelli said.
News 13 attempted to reach Second Chance President Joy Westrum but instead got a return call from her number from a man who declined to identify himself. However he said he was speaking for Westrum in saying that News 13 was presenting "a false picture to the public."
However the man did not address any of News 13's questions.
If the city decides to evict Second Chance it would take at least 30 days. Dinelli said he'll spend this holiday weekend reviewing the documentation Second Chance provided late Wednesday.
-=-
http://kob.com/article/stories/S718669.shtml?cat=516
Posted at: 12/23/2008 09:53:27 PM
Updated at: 12/23/2008 10:27:14 PM
By: Eyewitness News 4
Print Story Email to a Friend
City threatens to revoke rehab center's lease
Second Chance on Albuquerque's West SideA drug rehab facility for inmates on Albuquerque's West Side is at risk of being shut down by the city.
The Second Chance Center has less than 24 hours to give officials proof that it is following their lease agreement. The rules say Second Chance can only house inmates in need of drug rehabilitation.
City officials believe some New Mexico counties are sending inmates to second chance to ease overcrowding at their jails.
Second Chance has until 5 p.m. on Christmas Eve to give the city detailed documentation of which county jails the inmates are from, what they've been charged with, and what kind of job training services are being provided.
"We've made it very clear, if they do not comply with our demands, we intend to terminate the lease," the Chief Public Safety Officer Pete Dinelli said.
Second Chance president Joy Westrum said the city has been mislead. Westrum said no inmates were brought in strictly because of overflow problems.
"We are ehre to offer rehabilitation, education, job preparedness, and that's the intention of anyone who comes to second chance," Westrum said
City officials said based on the information they're getting Wednesday from Second Chance, they'll decide early next week whether to evict everyone. If that happens, the 65 inmates there will be sent back to the jails from where they came.
Nighttime shuttles clear rehab center
Nighttime shuttles clear rehab center
Second Chance blew last chance?
Last Edited: Wednesday, 24 Dec 2008, 11:40 PM MST
Created On: Wednesday, 24 Dec 2008, 11:40 PM MST
Reporter: Dave Bohman
Web Producer: Bill Diven
ALBUQUERQUE (KRQE) - Under cover of darkness Wednesday the troubled Second Chance rehab center mysteriously shuttled nearly 50 patients or inmates away from its facility just ahead of a deadline to explain who it's been housing.
Albuquerque police who put the West Mesa facility under surveillance said they witnessed the bizarre twist in the Second Chance saga early Wednesday. Later in the day the rehab program was under a 5 p.m. deadline to document all its inmates and clients to the city of Albuquerque.
The city wanted to make sure Second Chance wasn't violating its lease by taking inmates without a judge's referral.
Police said they caught a bus and a van sneaking people out.
"This is very disturbing," Chief Public Safety Officer Pete Dinelli told KRQE News 13. "I'm very disappointed."
Dinelli said received documents naming 46 people listed as patients or inmates at Second Chance. But he said he wants to know why 48 apparently additional people were bused out of the addiction-treatment facility early in the morning.
"I don't know if there's a public-safety issue, because I don't know what those 48 individuals were doing there," Dinelli said.
Police followed a van with eight individuals from Second Chance to Interstate 40 and then west until it left the city limits, according to Dinelli. Cops also tracked a bus with 40 others from the facility east to the St. Martin Hospitality Center, a shelter in downtown Albuquerque.
When News 13 went to St. Martin's Wednesday afternoon two workers closing up for the holiday said they did not know of anyone brought in.
So who are these 40 individuals with addiction problems? Were any of them sentenced to the facility as an alternative to jail, and where are they now?
"I think the city's entitled to answers, and we better get those answers," Dinelli said. "Otherwise we may be faced with a situation of evicting."
Bernalillo County Sheriff Darren White is among many critics of the facility's addiction-treatment plan that is based on the teachings of the founder of the Church of Scientology and includes vitamin and sauna treatments.
"If anything were to go wrong out there, we wouldn't even know what we're dealing with," White said. "This is a real safety risk for the people of Bernalillo County."
He said the busing of patients should mean no more chances for Second Chance.
"Shut them down," White said. "It's time to put them out of business."
However the city, which leases a former jail near the Double Eagle II Airport to Second Chance, isn?t quite at that point yet.
"We're going to be asking for a further explanation as to what happened this morning," Dinelli said.
News 13 attempted to reach Second Chance President Joy Westrum but instead got a return call from her number from a man who declined to identify himself. However he said he was speaking for Westrum in saying that News 13 was presenting "a false picture to the public."
However the man did not address any of News 13's questions.
If the city decides to evict Second Chance it would take at least 30 days. Dinelli said he'll spend this holiday weekend reviewing the documentation Second Chance provided late Wednesday.
-=-
http://kob.com/article/stories/S718669.shtml?cat=516
Posted at: 12/23/2008 09:53:27 PM
Updated at: 12/23/2008 10:27:14 PM
By: Eyewitness News 4
Print Story Email to a Friend
City threatens to revoke rehab center's lease
Second Chance on Albuquerque's West SideA drug rehab facility for inmates on Albuquerque's West Side is at risk of being shut down by the city.
The Second Chance Center has less than 24 hours to give officials proof that it is following their lease agreement. The rules say Second Chance can only house inmates in need of drug rehabilitation.
City officials believe some New Mexico counties are sending inmates to second chance to ease overcrowding at their jails.
Second Chance has until 5 p.m. on Christmas Eve to give the city detailed documentation of which county jails the inmates are from, what they've been charged with, and what kind of job training services are being provided.
"We've made it very clear, if they do not comply with our demands, we intend to terminate the lease," the Chief Public Safety Officer Pete Dinelli said.
Second Chance president Joy Westrum said the city has been mislead. Westrum said no inmates were brought in strictly because of overflow problems.
"We are ehre to offer rehabilitation, education, job preparedness, and that's the intention of anyone who comes to second chance," Westrum said
City officials said based on the information they're getting Wednesday from Second Chance, they'll decide early next week whether to evict everyone. If that happens, the 65 inmates there will be sent back to the jails from where they came.
Let us try to dim the light that displays our sores.
http://www.opednews.com/maxwrite/diarypage.php?did=11353
The author of the article seeks to make trouble for Keith. Right now Mr. Henson's time is served and freedom lies before him. No one has brought charges against Keith Henson but if the author of this article has his way, Keith will become embroiled once again. Keith has incest allegations and other past troubles. He's been jailed, he's served his time, he's lived in the colds of Canada to escape jail. The planet is large, good luck Mr. Henson.
I see that the insane Scientology criminal Mary DeMossd has been posting her typical libel about Mr. Henson as usual. Well, Mary, once Mr. Henson wins the appeal the gag order will be lifted and you and your crime syndicate that you represent with your libel will be sued.
For more information:
http://www.crackpots.org/
We are 100% volunteer and depend on your participation to sustain our efforts!
Donate
$190.00 donated
in the past month
Get Involved
If you'd like to help with maintaining or developing the website, contact us.
Publish
Publish your stories and upcoming events on Indybay.
Topics
More
Search Indybay's Archives
Advanced Search
►
▼
IMC Network