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Despite Threats, Activists Inform Jurors

Activists educate. Thugs intimidate. Find out who wins.

On April 8th around noon, Delaware Valley liberty lovers met at 601 Market Street in center city Philadelphia with Julian Heicklen to hand out jury nullification pamphlets to the public. Also present were at least 17 officers of the law, one of whom threatened to shove my camera down my throat. Another, a Philadelphia cop, not so subtly threatened to charge me with interfering with a police investigation. For the most part though, the agents behaved themselves and more than 120 members of the public got jury rights information! We even captured several scenes of amusement and grand irony on tape. The video is also available on YouTube.

Photos of the Event

Here’s a slideshow of 116 photos I took of the event.

Plan Now for Future Events

I’ve volunteered to participate in future jury rights outreach events and others are making plans to also cover Norristown. What about you? Set up jury rights outreach events in your area today! Julian has events planned at the following US District Courts:

  • Manhattan, April 12th and 19th.
  • Fort Lauderdale, Florida on April 26.
  • Las Vegas, Nevada on June 14.
  • Albany, New York on June 21.
  • Any of the following on April 29: Manhattan, Brooklyn, White Plains in New York; Newark, Camden, Trenton in New Jersey; Philadelphia, Easton, Allentown, Reading in Pennsylvania.
  • Wilmington, Delaware at a date to be determined.
  • Concord, New Hampshire at a date to be determined.

It’s up to YOU to make these events as successful (or more so!) than yesterday’s record-breaking Philadelphia event.

By George Donnelly

I'm building a tribe of radical libertarians to voluntarize the world by 2064. Join me.

54 replies on “Despite Threats, Activists Inform Jurors”

I love it! Even the police eventually came around and showed that they had at least a modicum of humor and human spirit. You guys are right, a couple of electro-shock torture incidents had probably been avoided by occupying over 15 cops for so long.

Can people imagine why big cities are so over run with crime when most the cops are just standing around harassing law abiding folks? That and the outright prohibition of self-defense in most municipalities…

Excellent video, it brought a smile to my soul!

Awesome job. I’m curious, does Julian target days and times when prospective jurors have been ordered to report for selection or does he just reach out to anyone passing by when he happens to decide to do an outreach?

Ian: Julian says

In Manhattan, I have picked Monday because that is jury selection day. For the other events, I have picked days convenient for me when I am available.

The optimum time for distribution to prospective jurors is on jury selection day between 8 and 9 am (best) and 12–1 pm (second best. However any day is better than none, since everyone is a prospective juror.

They should have sued the cop who made the terrorist thread involving the camera. They should have also sued the cop who threatened to commit false arrest on trumped up “interference” charges.

Can we get more information about upcoming events? I’m particularly interested in the Fort Lauderdale, Florida on April 26 event. I have a digital camera that can take videos.

I also have a question. In Florida, if the police ask for your name, are you required by law to give it? Does the 5th amendment apply? Is it legal to simply say, “I reserve my right not to answer any questions without my lawyer present.”?

drop me a line i am interested in giving you a hand at future event if possible,,,,,,thanks for the video,,nice work

First, let me say that you guys really kicked ass here. I love how you got the empty threats on video. When the police act as if there’s parity between you asking them their names, and them asking yours, remind them that you aren’t currently collecting taxpayer money, and that they are. Tell them that it’s your belief that tax-financed public servants are required to give their names, if they intend to take your money. Tell them that you will give them your name when they begin paying you, and after you take an oath to uphold the US Constitution.

Great job with the video! I love the empty threats on tape! Just shows what I’ve known all along: they usually back down and don’t violate individual rights if there are witnesses. (That was always the response I got. I’ve even handed out FIJA stuff inside courtrooms, in a interpersonal and polite way, not randomly “handing them out”. I would always strike up a conversation when I did this, often after having observed a traffic court until a recess was called. When the recess was called, I casually struck up a conversation with one or two of the people around me saying: I defeated my traffic court here last month with this information. Do any of you want to know more about what your rights are? —If there are stubbornly “no takers”, I gently mock them, “Ah, just here to give them your money then? OK.” and then leave. I also handed out http://marcstevens.net URL with the FIJA stuff. In the future, I will include http://www.jurorsforjustice.com as well.)

Optimizing Jury Rights Activism:

I strongly suggest that “Surviving Voir Dire” by Clay Conrad be included in the handouts. A strong jury rights message and willingness to follow through and not conform means absolutely nothing if the person simply gets themselves dismissed.

I also strongly suggest wearing suits where possible (conformists will be more cowed by an appearance of wealth –and fearful of your potential power–, since they have simple minds, and nonconformists won’t mind, because the message is more important to them).

These are just some things I’ve noticed. I in no way mean to diminish what you have done: having a set of balls is the first step, and you pass go and collect $200 in that respect.

Individual Freedom, Peace.

I also suggest using logic on the police to attack the stance they are giving you when they refuse to give your name and ask for yours. Use Questions, preferably, because questions show up on film as questions, and don’t give them a “sympathetic” reason to attack you. “I’m sorry, pardon me, I don’t understand what your position is. Are you a police officer?”

(After asking their name and they refuse, or ask your name:)
“I’m sorry, the reason I didn’t give my name is because I’m not taking any taxpayer money.” “Are you on the government payroll? Is your salary paid by taxes?”

“Are you a part of a secret government that isn’t open to public scrutiny?”

“Are you a constitutional officer with the local police?”

“Are you a peace officer? Is it part of a peace officer’s job to aggress against peaceful citizens?”

“If you’re not a police officer, can you tell me what authority you have to ask me questions of any kind? Are you a secretary here? Is that what your uniform is for? If you are, could you please go get me a cup of coffee?”

“Are you a member of the police state? Is this what’s meant by unconstitutional police state?”

“Officer, I have a question: Can you tell me where I can get a complaint form, regarding the matter of conduct unbecoming of an officer of your department?”

“For example, if I wanted to complain to your superior officer, how could I go about doing that? Can you please tell me where I can obtain a complaint form for that purpose?”
(objection)
“I don’t have a complaint against you, officer, I have a complaint against your superior officer, or rather the procedural directives and statutes you are following, because I think that they are wasting my scarce tax resources.” (Don’t explain to him then and there that you understand that the Federal Reserve’s paper and ink resources are limitless, and that you are really upset about his misallocation of your scarce productivity.)

Carrying concealed is also a great idea in any state where that’s allowed, but you must declare that to the officers when they approach, as per state law, so be careful. If they attempt to violate your rights, then you can always continue videotaping. For this reason, it’s best to use hidden (preferably streaming to a remote server via your cameraphone with an application like Qik) cameras, like Bile did.

I also strongly recommend that you all watch the youtube video “The Largest Street Gang in America” on youtube.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gH9k8L3oDa4
Toward the end of the video, the author shows cops refusing to give complaint forms to undercover cops.

Take pictures, print them, and take them back to the building. Tell the attendant security of the building that you’d like to file a complaint, and ask them for a complaint form. Bring them a photo of the offender (such as the man who threatened the cameraman). Allow them copies if they so desire them. All the officers who heard the threat, and failed to reprimand or warn their fellow officer are equally guilty. (The climate of escalation in law enforcement generally means groupthink when one of the officers steps out of line. We cannot let them believe it is OK for one to escalate all.)

Tutorial for getting live camera streaming to youtube or qik.com:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UQCMKgVaw9U

Again, I’m not trying to be nosy, or tell you how to run your civil disobedience.

It’s also good to not use any of the terms that the police use. You were wise to avoid admitting “protest”. Police often use terms in feigned ignorance, and then profess that they were using them legally, in reference to a new law that expands their powers.

For instance, in court after having arrested you, they might testify in court “He said he was a part of a protest, and during protests, we have a right to secure the building in case people start getting out of hand. Also, we noticed later, online that he is a self-professed anarchist, so we didn’t want any violence. Anarchists often support violent rebellion against the state, so maybe it’s good that we cuffed and stuffed him before he started his violence.”

“We’re just letting people that we meet on the street, in public, have a little free information that we think is valuable, about their rights to a proper, constitutional jury trial.”

“We simply disagree with some of the things that we believe have taken place inside this building.” (If he asks you what, then specifically mention relevant cases and anti-jury practices that have been upheld, so that they are required to give the transcript to your jury as evidence, if you are arrested. Make a compelling case. :D )

“We are simply documenting the waste of taxpayer money for a documentary we are creating.”

Also, be sure to quote them state legal precedent that upholds the First Amendment, since the courts have upheld the idea that they don’t need to know the law. If they are informed of the law, and they still arrest you, you dramatically strengthen their case, since you have put the onus on them to contact their superior to get to the bottom of it. If you shut up, are peaceful, and don’t interfere while they are doing this, you then dramatically strengthen your position, especially if you capture the entire procedure on tape (then, if he violates your rights anyway, the top chain of command violated your rights, and you can own them in court).

Often in escalation, a call to the superior results in the superior giving permission for you to be there, and even expanding where you can be. (This happened to me in Houston, TX in 2004, while I was putting Gary Nolan/Michael Badnarik/Aaron Russo on the ballot). The police chief there actually has read the constitution, and told his officers not to bother me! He clearly said to them over the radio “What he’s doing is lawful. He has a right to be there (response) …as long as he doesn’t stop people from getting on the trains, he’s fine, again, he has a right to be there.”

I was on an elevated commuter train platform, in a crowd of people.

Contrast this with Chicago, where thugs arrested the more clueless of the petitioners (Mostly Ralph Nader petitioners –the ones who were not adept at going incognito, and didn’t know how to argue their case in the way I did above).

Just a few casual observations, take them for what they’re worth. (I’m not a licensed attorney, this is not state-condoned legal advice.)

When I’m talking with people about what Julian does I make sure not to use “protest” and rather inform them he is trying to distribute additional information on being a jurist. I only use “protest” to describe his actions after being cited for doing so.

…Wise move. Not sure I’d use their terminology even then, but as I remember the famed NY video, you acted perfectly. Major props to you for pulling off the hidden camera thing in exactly the right way. I look forward to you handing them some grief with the NYCLU lawsuit. Keep us updated at http://www.fija.org in the forum!

I hope I can live up to your new high standard standard with some of my activism, but until later this month, I’ve been too broke to buy a good camera or cameraphone (and I guess too lazy/stupid to connect one up myself, like kipkay did –LOL). BTW: Have you seen the kipkay hidden camera glasses? …They rock.

kipkay.com

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NNXrGXBzQVw&feature=related
–If you like electronic music / Rave culture, might want to check this out. Squarepusher rave remixes by someone related to him… many versions of same song “Ceephax”. Well worth bringing to Joe Biden’s future gravesite, so you can dance on it properly.

Anyone second the motion for Joe Biden to win the ‘least valuable human being award’ of 2012? (That’ll give us a couple years to save up enough excrement to build an appropriate monument to honor the man who militarized the DEA against dance music. )

Squarepusher rave remix? Boo. He’s good by himself. I’ve not followed him in several years though. His first few albums are great.

The complaint was supposed to be issued today but due to what occurred yesterday they want to hold off till Thursday. I’m guessing to add/tweak the complaint. Once they submit it they will issue a press release and I’ll be sure to spread the news as far as I can.

Charlie, you’ll want to join these meetups if you’re not already a member so you can be notified of future events:

http://www.truth-freedom-prosperity.ws/
http://ronpaul.meetup.com/691/

Burlyman78, I used a Flip UltraHD cam:

http://www.amazon.com/dp/B0023B14TK/

It’s a nice little camera but the batteries tend to run down quickly. I’m getting a spare set here pretty soon.

Jake, thanks for the suggestions. I will try to keep them in mind for the future. While I see the value in the suit idea, I hate suits and don’t have one.

Yeah, I know he’s good by himself, I have all his tracks, but his little brother ceephax is good too. If you like squarepusher, then maybe you’ll also like xploding plastix
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BDMyQIqwUSw&feature=related
-behind the eightball
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HWu7pVOEqw4&feature=related
-geigerteller
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8Z5WhDy5qc0
-the cost of resistance
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vtwuWpwkfZM&feature=related
-austere faultlines
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zkg3iXx_YLU&feature=related
funnybones and lazylegs

I also really like Amon Tobin, and too much other shit to name. I’ve always thought that individualist composers like Modest Mussorgsky and Amon, Jenkinson were better representations of anarcho-music than punk was. Although I like most carefully/skillfully constructed music…
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_6Gnc-ffJoM
-hrvatski -“routine exercise”
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aYFowr24094
-plaid -porn coconut co.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VU5eR6OJNUc&feature=related
-plaid -eyen
ADD N TO X:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=F_bGGJqNm0Y&feature=related
invasion of the polaroid people
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wCvvdkIf-AA&feature=related
-quantum leap
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zKfAaFDi8z0&feature=related
-aphine repetition
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=T6m9vJ9Yo30&feature=related
-little black rocks in the sun

boards of canada:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2-4Bpo6TIwA&feature=related
– “one very important thought” (jury nullification message)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YIbwGxT7oPQ&feature=related
– “Wouldn’t You Like To be Free?”
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=I_zbbq6qydE
-“kaini industries”
AUTECHRE:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=L0bQskB6AGE&feature=related
-arch carrier
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mRxM81JP5L4
c/pach

other anti-authoritarian rock n’ roll!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AUU4abg0n9A&feature=related
magic sam “21 days in jail” (early rock n’ roll)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dh3QOPandY4
Dropkick Murphys’ “guns of brixton” (clash cover)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kUHsBuCKSdI&feature=related
pailhead -“I will refuse”
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yCRqK8_w6EI
firewater – “this is my life” (anti war, anti-authoritarian song)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oV-AKA8SMLI
-therapy? “stand in line”
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=88EzB4Fk-4M
-therapy? “unbeliever”
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qvYBxkLGvZY
-gg allin -automatic
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IwiU6P16xU0&feature=fvw
-modest mussorgsky -pictures at an exhibition (classical)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wB-H7uxYGYc&feature=related
-ministry “NWO” (GHWB samples LOL!)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uXOQQIxMe24&feature=related
-ministry “lies lies lies”
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xuGbBiC0EuM
pitchshifter -you are free (to do as we tell you) (Bill hicks sample)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XlrKEo8bZv4
-shellac -“the guy who invented fire”
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3gW6g0jV3ZU&feature=related
-shellac -“doris”
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EF_WKwbueG8
-tool “hush”
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VpoE6yzZrxo&feature=related
reverend horton heat “bales of cocaine”

rap:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IR-a6faLfSU
the beatnuts “ya don’t stop”
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LaG03IlbiNY&feature=related
-beatnuts “2/3 break”

classical:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XZFU41OsKF0&feature=related
inti illimani “estudio para charango”
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SNpASOVfiZs&feature=related
inti illimani -“mulata”
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3jDLOS8Y3a0&feature=related
inti illimani -“el mercado de testaccio” (the market of testaccio)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7AyVjUw4gN4
-mussorgsky “the market at Limoges”
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RxwceLlaODM&feature=related
Narciso Yepes – Concierto de Aranjuez

The new HTC Evo phone is 4G, and comes out this summer. the phone itself acts as a wireless hotspot for any 3 wireless laptops. It streams what appears to be higher quality video than the apple/ATT iphone 3g. It also does a lot more cool stuff than i can list here, because it comes with android, which is open source (but has an equal expectation of zero privacy — as if it needed to be mentioned…)

Thanks for thankin’ me, George! Anything I can do to speed the crumbling of the American police state (and all the other ones, too)! BTW: have you read Tibor Machan’s “Anarchists and Minarchists: Allies after all?” It’s free online in “Libertarianism: defended”

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=W9ANFR4zG44&feature=related
The Dicks – “Hate the Police”
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9kTjT-kMFwY&feature=related
Bad Brains -“Banned in D.C.”
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QkIsf9LCiII
-Cop Shoot Cop “Surprise, Surprise” (the government lies)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rd_YsIGSyIs&feature=related
-Cop Shoot Cop -“If Tomorrow Ever Comes” (Change We Can Believe In!)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7JhppQwMMBI
-Cop Shoot Cop -“Got No Soul”

http://www.youtube.com/results?search_query=the+largest+street+gang+in+america&aq=0
“The Largest Street Gand in America”
–this documentary on the police state is old, but if you haven’t seen it yet, it might put things in perspective. Keep watching, it gets deeper into ideas as it goes…

And music from the only self-professed voluntaryist anarchist of everything I’ve posted: Paul Kantner!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SboRijhWFDU
-Jefferson Airplane “Volunteers”

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_3-u6skLIls&feature=related
-Jefferson Airplane “We Can Be Together” (lyrics: we are forces of chaos and anarchy, everything they say we are, we are)

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ro08bILEvqc
NWA: “Fuck tha police” (classic rap)

Did I mention that music is vital to the libertarian message being “cool”? (And that it’s something that I obsess about quite a bit… :D) LOL

At least check out the Boards of Canada song that encourages jury nullification of law. That’s too cool. It’s on the album “Music has the right to children”. :D
-Jake

I’m trying to bring more rap artists into the LP. I think the logical first would be cypress hill, since they don’t shirk away from the implications of their message like most rap artists do, (and most people do, in general).

I’m tired of the LP being a country club for disgruntled elderly Republicans with shriveled balls and no vision. …Y’know, we could be a lot bigger and scarier than we are.

What if all of our candidates got educated about jury rights and all made it their number one issue, proclaiming individual freedom NOW is the answer, while championing a realistic outreach strategy? It would make marijuana legalization irrelevant, because it would suddenly be nullified in great enough numbers to destroy the black market monopoly.

Counter-economics is the ultimate way that stubborn-stupid empires fall.

George: why don’t you guys put a weblink to say FIJA.org in case people have questions on the pamphlet and want to learn more?

edit: i meant that piece of 8.5*11 paper with text on it. I see you guys were also handling out actual pamphlets (I presume from FIJA).

Hello George,I was just given your link to this site and it does
my heart good to know there are other Patriots trying to get this awful mess cleaned up.I am an American Grand Jury
member and your site has been linked there.A letter has been posted to explain.Maybe some of the AGJ members may wish to join you .while they are resting. :) Lastly ,do you have
a P.O.Box ? as some of us refuse to use our C.C.s

To whom it may concern,
Whether or not you are aware of American Grand Juries work in ferreting out fraud and corruption in our system of government ,I thought it might be a
good time (and strictly F.Y.I ) for anyone interested in viewing “presentments” of Citizen Grand Juries who took out the time to see if our system of government is truly broken and in need of repair by the Citizens of our great country.
These presentments have been served (both Certified mail/return receipt requested and “process serve directly to courts) and over 400 legislators,Federal and State,Governors,Lt. Governors Senators,Congressmen,Attorney Generals ,Sheriffs and election officials
but apparently these representatives are above the law and The US Constitution and feel they like the status quo as is, so have simply refused to look or investigate.These raw (not notarized as in proper serve)
presentments can be found here ,should you care to have a look.The two different citizens grand juries are
Archive_Oct7_Presentments.pdf 552 K 274 Jury members unanimous vote
YES
Jan_18 Presentments.pdf 524 K 165 jury members unanimous vote YES
Located at link:

http://americangrandjury.org/public/super_jury/

The American Grand Jury website can be found here:

http://americangrandjury.org/

You guys are courageous. You didn’t let yourselves be baited or intimidated by those thugs with badges. It’s a painful reminder of my own cowardice in the face of the emerging police state.

To Karl #45
Karl,don’t be so hard on yourself as you have been programmed
for decades to use discretion.Discretion is sometimes the better
part of valor. Here is a bit of off topic:

Thanks drkate for your post of which I nicked which is more eloquent than anything I could muster..
this was a email I sent to a Ron Paul supporter.

Subject: re: I want to share this note from Ron Paul.

Date: Sat 07/03/10 12:36 PM

Hi John,

I thought this appropriate from “drkatesview” it says it all:

Those who haven’t already, wrap your mind around this: the man
(Obama)has no authority whatsoever to do anything: nominate Supreme
Court Justices, appoint czars, to spend our money, or to nationalize the
auto, banking and health industries. He certainly has no authority to
decide, all by himself, to nuke the oil blowout in the Gulf of Mexico
and destroy us all.

Don’t send me another petition to stop this or that nomination or bill–
focus on the source of the problem: he is illegally occupying the office
of the Presidency. Don’t write me any more analyses of what is wrong
with this psycho, he is illegally occupying the White House.”

Good luck John,in your endeavors,but the above opinion ,is my
goal.cheers

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