Justin Legal Fund

On the morning of January 17th I was setting in my livingroom having coffee when I noticed what I thought was military guys walking past my home on the sidewalk. They went 2 buildings down and stood there. No sense of urgency, no one in a prone position, just standing around with their hands in their pockets. 

I watched them for about 45 minutes before I walked out on the porch.  I stood there for a bit before the military looking guys noticed me. Then one of them started to approach me. As he strolled towards me I motioned for him to stay where he was that I was just filming.  He proceeded to come up onto my property and give me directives. I informed him he was on private property and that I was responsible for my own safety.  He strolled back down to his group as I continued to record.. they go back to just standing around with their hands in their pockets. 

After a brief period the same guy approached me again. I informed him of my 1st amendment right to record which obviously ment nothing to him because this time he came onto my property and went straight hands on. Grabbing my phone and shoving me up onto my porch up against my front door. During this assult he broke my camera holder and shut my video recorder off. I got it turned back on and pointed back at him. At this point he starts to retreat.  He refused to identify himself and told me I was not allowed to come off my porch. My reaction to this assult was to protest for redress of grievance.  When one of the guys identified them as State police and not military I went back to just recording and the PSP go back to just standing around with their hands in their pockets.

I notice they're attention go to something behind me and notice another militarized state police officer standing there. When he realizes I see him he starts to stroll down the sidewalk towards the rest of his unit. Again no sence of any danger.

Then 2 people dressed in standard police officers uniforms come from across the street. A female officer goes to a guy across the street who had his camera out recording and the male officer comes towards me telling me I need to be inside and that I'm in a seen, I said then you need to have tape up. He came onto my property and grabbed my phone and started to put me in cuffs.  The officer who assaulted me to begin with was back on seen as I again request him to identify, he doesn't. I ask the other officer who is cuffing me to get his supervisor, he informs me that he is the supervisor and at this point tells me I'm coming with him.

At this point I'm handcuffed and told I can lock my door but I'm not allowed to just wonder around because I'm under arrest and then shuts off my camera.

I'm walked out into the street where they claimed was dangerous and up to the corner where the other guy who was recording and the female officer was. My phone had been put into my shirt pocket. I asked the other guy who had been recording if he would take my phone and keep it till I was let out of custody.  I was able to pull it out of my shirt pocket while cuffed and when to hand it to him when the female officer snatched it out of my hands and the proceeded to arrest the other guy who was filming. They maintained control of my phone till I was eventually released.

They walked me around the block where I was put into a police car for ruffly an hour then told I was going to be released under the condition that I didn't come out of my house for 1 hour "while they clean up" and if I did I would be re-arrested and taken to jail this time. A week later I received a citation in the mail for disorderly conduct.

I have to fight this without representation since I cant afford a lawyer and haven't found anyone who is willing to help yet.

As of now I still don't know the name of the officer who assaulted me.  The officer who arrested me is named CPL. Mathews,  the officer who's car I was detained in name is TPR. Carier(sp), yet the name of the officer who's name appears on the citation is TPR. Hillary Faust #698994 . I was never in a female's custody, she is the female officer who arrested the other photographer.

As of right now I have no lawyer to help with appeal,  I've contacted the ACLU but they said they can't help. I've contacted a few Constitutional lawyers bit they said I wasn't beat up enough or enough property damage to make it worth their while...

If a Lawyer sees this and can help please contact me.

Thanks to anyone who can help..