I am begging Lew Rockwell and the people here at the Von Mises Institute to bring attention to this case. It is a blatant example of the state overstepping the bounds of justice. Ian Freeman of the Free Talk Live podcast was jailed today for "contempt" of court because he did not comply with a judge's order quickly enough; he was being tried because of his refusal to move a couch from his front porch. The sentence of 90 days is completely out of line with the offense. It is terrible and disgusting. Please call the Keene county courthouse in protest if you can.
Here is video footage of the event. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RlcT-3niVes
You can read more about what happened here:
http://freekeene.com/2008/11/14/keene-radio-host-ian-freeman-jailed-over-couch/
Please call this number and complain. Ask for judge Burke, or enter his last name when prompted and leave a message. The number for the Keene Courthouse is (603) 352-2559 . Please, this is an opportunity to get national attention. Please leave a message of protest.
OK so if I understand the narrative on your "freekeene.com" website, this guy told a judge he questioned the legitimacy of the court after receiving a fine for having a couch in his front yard. And then he packed the courtroom with his supporters in an attempt to intimidate the judge. Does that about sum it up?
It looks to me like a talk radio wannabe engaging in a publicity stunt. Or maybe it's like the saying goes: judgment comes from experience and experience comes from bad judgment.
A 100 day sentence? He is lucky.
The courtroom was hardly packed with his followers. It was almost empty. The baliffs had guns---your assessment of the facts is laughable. How could ten people possibly intimidate four of five baliffs with guns.
What is a statist like you even doing on mises.org?
I'd recommend you both remained respectful of one another. I doubt Franklin would want his thread closed due to bad behaviour...
-Jon
To darkness I condemn you...
Do you really think this is bad behavior? I do not think so. I am being honest. My question is legitimate. Why would a guy who thinks it is appropriate for a court to force place a man in a cage because he refused to move a couch be on mises.org? Clearly, the man is a statist. It is a valid question.
People disagree over facts, legitimately or not. It does not mean DBratton is a statist. So, calm down, and ignore anyone you think is insulting you, or take it to PMs.
Furthermore, Jon, why do you imply that my behavior is bad? Dan is the one who first adopted a contemptuous tone. Dan is a statist clearly, and he should explain how he believes the behavior of the court is in line with libertarian ethical ideas.
His contention that Ian was engaged in intimidation is, in fact, laughable. The video of the courtroom shows that it was hardly packed with followers and those who were there were hardly behaving in an intimidating manner. He is misrepresenting the facts.
I have been completely respectful---as far as I can and still uphold both my libertarian principles and the truth
No, he is a statist. This is not a simple disagreement over facts.
He offered an opinion, not an authoritative judgement. There is no reason to get upset over it. I was informing both DBratton and you, by the way. Now, I've said my part, and I recommend that the personal attacks cease.
By this I mean, that somebody who supports the excercise of state power is, by definition, a statist. This is esp. true when discussing a case in which the person being subject to state power did not use force. This is an undeniable fact of logic. So, please explain how I am in any way being insulting.
Also, being respectful within discourse runs both ways. I do not believe my interlocutor showed me half as much respect as I showed him, since my claims are true while he did not have the decency to even represent the situation correctly.
I started the last reply before you wrote. Your response seemed to be aimed more at me than at him. Also, statism is not a personal attack---many people are statists and proud of it. It is a common ideology. My description of his statement is also not a personal attack. If you look at the definition of the term, personal means "relating to a particular person." My comment related to a particular claim---a description of events.
So it follows I did not make a personal attack.
You have no knowledge of his posting record, being a new poster here... especially not enough to ask why is he even here. Ask him to clarify his statements, before jumping to accusations. I've nothing more to add.
You assume I have not been reading the boards for a long time. I have.
Franklin:The courtroom was hardly packed with his followers.
I was just responding to what was written at the link you supplied.
"Keene resident Nick Ryder wrote on the Free Keene blog that the courtroom at Freeman’s trial Friday afternoon at Keene District Court in Keene, N.H., was stacked with police “to try and outnumber the liberty activists.”"
This is a childish stunt. Your friend has picked a fight with a judge over nothing.
Okay, please clarify how you think that putting a man in jail for leaving a couch outside is just? Also, please explain how it accords with libertarian principles of justice to act as the judge did. If you can explain how the judges actions accord with minarchist or anarchist principles, I will retract my statement.
Also, please explain how the video of the event---which shows a largely empty courtroom---is consistent with your account of intimidation? Thank you.
A one hundred dollar fine is a big deal. That is not nothing. Also, it is not clear that the landlord has the power to remove the tenant's property---there is the issue of a catch-22 since he could be charged with destruction of property if he followed the public order. Property rights are important; principle is important.
He didn't get put in jail for leaving a couch outside. He got put in jail for his behavior in court.
I wasn't citing the video. I was commenting on the text at the link you supplied. The citation in my previous post clearly implies you guys were trying to pack the court. Whether that was true or not it's what the article says.
Learn to pick your battles. This one wasn't worth it.
And he had to go to court because he left a couch outside. Also, ten days of the punishment are for leaving the couch outside. Watch the video. The called his name, and he mistakenly thought he was supposed to stand. The judge then barked at him and gave the guy only five seconds to respond. 90 days is a major over-reaction when the guys behavior was inherently nonviolent.
Well, I posted the video of what happened in the court first. The video is the fact---the writing is just one man's perception. You should have looked at both. Also, I think this battle is well choosen. Why shouldn't we protest even the minor abuses of the state?
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