Lodging 647(e) Trial Oct 15th starting 9 a.m.

Lodging 647(e) Trial Launches
October 15, 9 a.m.

Santa Cruz Superior Court, 701 Ocean St, Courtroom/Dept #1,
 

Santa Cruz 95060 (very very close where citation originated...)

NEWS:  
Linda Lemaster's Lodging trial 

punted to "the Master Calendar" on Weds, 
Oct 10th by Honorable Rebecca 
Connolly.

"I'm told I'll be assigned another 
new Judge Friday afternoon." -LL

This Lodging Trial is about a ticket Linda Lemaster received in the wee hours,  for California's PC Lodging 647(e). The story of this citation has been slowly moving thru' legal limbo for over two years and two months, since PeaceCamp2010. Heading now toward a jury trial.

PC2010 held a First Amendment protected demonstration and protest on the Courthouse steps, in support of homeless people who have to sleep outside, August 2010.

And in resistance to the sleeping ban law used in the City of Santa Cruz to criminalize and further marginalize homeless people. Muni Code 6.36.010  pretty much criminalizes anyone sleeping outside in public view, regardless of other factors, but it is selectively used to banish certain classes of people.

This City of Santa Cruz anti-sleep law adds significantly to dangers homeless people here face, including undue stress and criminalization which, according to Lemaster, "never seems to end if one is without money."

It invokes collective memories of sleeplessness as torture, for some of us.

So anyway, in August 2010, the County's Sheriff's Deputies (and apparently others?) selected "Lodging 647(e)" as a tool to -- so it seemed to me at the time -- make our demonstration go away.  Since then, both Gary Johnson, homeless survivor, and Ed Frey, attorney activist, have been sentenced to jail, and Johnson is still in jail right now.

See Indymedia Santa Cruz and SC Sentinel, summer 2010,

and my own article in theStreetSpirit.org for Sept 2011, to

learn more about PeaceCamp2010.

"Lodging is being used to push homeless people around in California, despite its historic use as a catch-all for status crimes. After this, regardless of outcome, it's the state legislature for me..." -- Linda Lemaster

"My pro-bono attorney Jonathan Gettleman has already lead the "lodging law" itself into a legal appeal, a Writ of Habeus Corpus. Then, Honorable Paul Marigonda's response acknowledged the First Amendment's pertinence. Gettleman and his partner, Eric Nelson, will begin presenting my case Tuesday, October 16th. After Jury Selection, starting Monday October 15 at 9 a.m." -Lemaster

Come if you can on October 16th! 

I will be spending the first ten minutes of "lunch" on Monday and Tuesday in quiet meditation, perhaps in the Atrium. Join me in silence if you like, or consider being a friendly witness of this trial. All caring support profoundly appreciated. I suspect if the courtroom is packed Monday and Tuesday, jurors and judge will "look sharp." 

Or please email me if you want to help in some other way ~ homes4everyone@yahoo.com  

If you want to help cover my lawyers' hard costs, such copying, here's my virtual-treasurer's e-dress for paypal-transmitted donations. Or contact me. Any such contributions will go entirely to my attorneys pro bono expenses: 

masterdeon@gmail.com

Lemaster, summer 2012