Wednesday, June 26, 2013

California man faces 13 years in jail for scribbling anti-bank messages in chalk

Via avordvet


AFP Photo / Mark Ralston

Jeff Olson, the 40-year-old man who is being prosecuted for scrawling anti-megabank messages on sidewalks in water-soluble chalk last year now faces a 13-year jail sentence. A judge has barred his attorney from mentioning freedom of speech during trial.

According to the San Diego Reader, which reported on Tuesday that a judge had opted to prevent Olson’s attorney from "mentioning the First Amendment, free speech, free expression, public forum, expressive conduct, or political speech during the trial,” Olson must now stand trial for on 13 counts of vandalism.

In addition to possibly spending years in jail, Olson will also be held liable for fines of up to $13,000 over the anti-big-bank slogans that were left using washable children's chalk on a sidewalk outside of three San Diego, California branches of Bank of America, the massive conglomerate that received $45 billion in interest-free loans from the US government in 2008-2009 in a bid to keep it solvent after bad bets went south.

The Reader reports that Olson’s hearing had gone as poorly as his attorney might have expected, with Judge Howard Shore, who is presiding over the case, granting Deputy City Attorney Paige Hazard's motion to prohibit attorney Tom Tosdal from mentioning the United States' fundamental First Amendment rights.

"The State's Vandalism Statute does not mention First Amendment rights," ruled Judge Shore on Tuesday.

More @ RT

4 comments:

  1. Complete BS!!

    "The State's Vandalism Statute does not mention First Amendment rights," ruled Judge Shore on Tuesday.

    Maybe the "First Amendment rights" weren't mentioned, because it was already implied.
    I can imagine that B of A is salivating at the thought of this man serving "hard time" in a California prison for writing the truth's about them (in chalk) in front of their buildings. Had he been standing out in front of the buildings holding a hand made sign, he'd have been arrested on another charge I'm sure, and still looking at prison time, with much glee, and fist pumping by the B of A turds....

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  2. The best place for a banker is right next to a lawyer...On the end of a rope.

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    1. :) The law profession has taken a steep fall. When I grew up both medical doctors and lawyers did not advertise as it was considered in poor taste.

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