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He chalks the line: City Attorney prosecutes man for writing anti-bank slogans in water soluble chalk
Man faces 13 years and $13,000 if convicted of vandalism with sidewalk chalk.
Jan Goldsmith's job as City Attorney is to represent the City of San Diego. In addition, it appears as if his office is also fully prepared to stand up for the little...rather, the big banks.
On Tuesday, the City Attorney's Office will make their case for prosecution of a 40-year-old man for writing anti-bank slogans in water soluble chalk on the sidewalk outside of three Bank of America branches in Mid-City.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mx_zRiA6sK0
This week, North Park resident Jeff Olson will appear in court to fight a charge of 13 counts of misdemeanor vandalism charges for writing protest slogans in chalk from February to August 2012. The charges could send Olson to jail for 13 years and put him on the hook for $13,000 in restitution to the City and to Bank of America.
Olson, a former staffer for a U.S. Senator from Washington, began to get involved in political activism around the time that Occupy Wall Street was in full swing. But for him, sleeping in a tent downtown or singing along to protest songs was not the right strategy.
"I thought my time would be better spent at the banks, trying to convince people to ditch these banks for local credit unions. I believed that was the best way to hold the executives and the corporations accountable for bringing this country to the brink of collapse," says Olson while occupying a small table at Santos Coffee Shop in North Park during an interview late last month.
It was October 3, 2011 when Olson first appeared outside of the Bank of America on University Avenue in North Park with a homemade sign.
Eight days later, gearing up for National Bank Transfer Day, Olson and his partner, Stephen Daniels, were confronted by Darell Freeman, Vice President of Bank of America's Global Corporate Security. Freeman, a former police officer, accused Olson and Daniels of running a business outside of the bank.
The altercation was reported by Reader contributor David Batterson who happened to be at the protest that day.
"The man identified himself as Darell Freeman, corporate security for the bank. He refused to give me his business card when I asked for it. He told [Olson] that he could, “with one phone call,” get [Olson's] credit union account canceled at California Coast. He threatened to make the call if [he] kept up the demonstration," wrote Batterson in his October 2011 article.
"It was just an empty threat," says Olson. "He was trying to scare me away. To be honest, it did at first. I even called my bank and they said he couldn't do anything like that."
Undeterred, Olson continued his protests outside of the Bank of America. In February 2012, he came across a box of "Creatology" chalk at the CVS Pharmacy in North Park.
"I thought it was a perfect way to get my message out there. Much better than handing out leaflets or holding a sign."
For the next six months, Olson visited the bank a few days a week in the early morning hours. He scribbled slogans on the sidewalk such as "Stop big banks," and "Stop Bank Blight.com."
One day he drew Octopus arms protruding out from the bank walls. At the ends of the arms, stuck to its tentacles, were wads of cash.
As the election neared Olson put down the stick of chalk and became involved campaigning for then Congressman Bob Filner and against his opponent Carl DeMaio.
Filner won. The economy rebounded. Olson's political activism waned. He moved on.
Unfortunately for him, the same can not be said for Freeman and the City Attorney's Office.
On August 28, Olson was contacted by Officer Bill Miles from San Diego's Gang Unit.
Months later, on January 7, 2013 Freeman pressed Miles and Goldsmith's attorneys to take action against Olson.
"Any updates on this," Freeman wrote in an email to Miles and Deputy City Attorney Nicole Kukas obtained through a public records request.
Two minutes later, Kukas responded. "Thank you for checking in on this case. It is still under review. I will give you an update by the end of the week."
No update came. Ten days later, Freeman was back on the case.
"Any updates on a filing?"
"I appreciate your patience," wrote Officer Miles just three hours after Freeman's message. "I will forward this to the City Attorney."
Then on April 15, Deputy City Attorney Paige Hazard contacted Freeman with the good news. "I wanted to let you know that we will be filing 13 counts of vandalism as a result of the incidents you reported."
A heavy handed decision?
Not according to the City Attorney's Office.
This from a court document filed by Hazard.
“The People do not fear that this reading of section 594(A) will make criminals of every child using chalk. Chalk festivals may still be permitted. Kids acting without malice may still engage in their art. Circumventing the rules, without permission, under the color of night, and now waiving a banner of the First Amendment, does not negate the fact that defacement occurred, a private business suffered real and substantial monetary damages, and Defendant is responsible.”
Tom Tosdal, a Solana Beach-based lawyer, is defending Olson pro-bono. Tosdal says he could not turn down the case.
“As a lawyer, I took an oath to defend the constitution. That’s what this case is for me. The City Attorney is playing politics with Olson’s right to free speech. It’s another form of social control and I won’t sit by and watch it happen. I was there in the Sixties when real protest happened. This, writing in water soluble chalk, is so minor.”
Olson says he is ready for trial but that doesn't mean he is not nervous.
“It’s crazy. I’ve never been inside a courtroom before. I’m anxious but also still wanting to fight this. I just can’t believe this is happening. To me, this is a perfect form of civil disobedience, that is non-violent, non-destructive, and a way for people to exercise their right to free speech.”
Olson and Tosdal, as well as Hazard and other attorneys for the City, will meet on Tuesday morning before a Superior Court Judge.
Update: On June 20, Bob Filner sent a memo to Council President Todd Gloria and Jan Goldsmith asking Gloria to docket the item for the next closed session meeting. The memo reads:
"This young man is being persecuted for thirteen counts of vandalism stemming from an expression of political protest that involved washable children's chalk on a City sidewalk. It is alleged that he has no previous criminal record. If these assertions are correct, I believe this is a misuse and waste of taxpayer money. It could also be characterized as an abuse of power that infringes on First Amendment particularly when it is arbitrarily applied to some, but not all, similar speech."
Olson and his story will be featured in an upcoming cover story in the Reader.
Related stories
Chalking the plank: Judge won't allow bank protester to claim first amendment rights
Jurors selected, trial begins in case of anti-bank protester
Judge issues gag order in case of man prosecuted for scribbling anti-bank messages in chalk
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He chalks the line: City Attorney prosecutes man for writing anti-bank slogans in water soluble chalk
Man faces 13 years and $13,000 if convicted of vandalism with sidewalk chalk.
Jan Goldsmith's job as City Attorney is to represent the City of San Diego. In addition, it appears as if his office is also fully prepared to stand up for the little...rather, the big banks.
On Tuesday, the City Attorney's Office will make their case for prosecution of a 40-year-old man for writing anti-bank slogans in water soluble chalk on the sidewalk outside of three Bank of America branches in Mid-City.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mx_zRiA6sK0
This week, North Park resident Jeff Olson will appear in court to fight a charge of 13 counts of misdemeanor vandalism charges for writing protest slogans in chalk from February to August 2012. The charges could send Olson to jail for 13 years and put him on the hook for $13,000 in restitution to the City and to Bank of America.
Olson, a former staffer for a U.S. Senator from Washington, began to get involved in political activism around the time that Occupy Wall Street was in full swing. But for him, sleeping in a tent downtown or singing along to protest songs was not the right strategy.
"I thought my time would be better spent at the banks, trying to convince people to ditch these banks for local credit unions. I believed that was the best way to hold the executives and the corporations accountable for bringing this country to the brink of collapse," says Olson while occupying a small table at Santos Coffee Shop in North Park during an interview late last month.
It was October 3, 2011 when Olson first appeared outside of the Bank of America on University Avenue in North Park with a homemade sign.
Eight days later, gearing up for National Bank Transfer Day, Olson and his partner, Stephen Daniels, were confronted by Darell Freeman, Vice President of Bank of America's Global Corporate Security. Freeman, a former police officer, accused Olson and Daniels of running a business outside of the bank.
The altercation was reported by Reader contributor David Batterson who happened to be at the protest that day.
"The man identified himself as Darell Freeman, corporate security for the bank. He refused to give me his business card when I asked for it. He told [Olson] that he could, “with one phone call,” get [Olson's] credit union account canceled at California Coast. He threatened to make the call if [he] kept up the demonstration," wrote Batterson in his October 2011 article.
"It was just an empty threat," says Olson. "He was trying to scare me away. To be honest, it did at first. I even called my bank and they said he couldn't do anything like that."
Undeterred, Olson continued his protests outside of the Bank of America. In February 2012, he came across a box of "Creatology" chalk at the CVS Pharmacy in North Park.
"I thought it was a perfect way to get my message out there. Much better than handing out leaflets or holding a sign."
For the next six months, Olson visited the bank a few days a week in the early morning hours. He scribbled slogans on the sidewalk such as "Stop big banks," and "Stop Bank Blight.com."
One day he drew Octopus arms protruding out from the bank walls. At the ends of the arms, stuck to its tentacles, were wads of cash.
As the election neared Olson put down the stick of chalk and became involved campaigning for then Congressman Bob Filner and against his opponent Carl DeMaio.
Filner won. The economy rebounded. Olson's political activism waned. He moved on.
Unfortunately for him, the same can not be said for Freeman and the City Attorney's Office.
On August 28, Olson was contacted by Officer Bill Miles from San Diego's Gang Unit.
Months later, on January 7, 2013 Freeman pressed Miles and Goldsmith's attorneys to take action against Olson.
"Any updates on this," Freeman wrote in an email to Miles and Deputy City Attorney Nicole Kukas obtained through a public records request.
Two minutes later, Kukas responded. "Thank you for checking in on this case. It is still under review. I will give you an update by the end of the week."
No update came. Ten days later, Freeman was back on the case.
"Any updates on a filing?"
"I appreciate your patience," wrote Officer Miles just three hours after Freeman's message. "I will forward this to the City Attorney."
Then on April 15, Deputy City Attorney Paige Hazard contacted Freeman with the good news. "I wanted to let you know that we will be filing 13 counts of vandalism as a result of the incidents you reported."
A heavy handed decision?
Not according to the City Attorney's Office.
This from a court document filed by Hazard.
“The People do not fear that this reading of section 594(A) will make criminals of every child using chalk. Chalk festivals may still be permitted. Kids acting without malice may still engage in their art. Circumventing the rules, without permission, under the color of night, and now waiving a banner of the First Amendment, does not negate the fact that defacement occurred, a private business suffered real and substantial monetary damages, and Defendant is responsible.”
Tom Tosdal, a Solana Beach-based lawyer, is defending Olson pro-bono. Tosdal says he could not turn down the case.
“As a lawyer, I took an oath to defend the constitution. That’s what this case is for me. The City Attorney is playing politics with Olson’s right to free speech. It’s another form of social control and I won’t sit by and watch it happen. I was there in the Sixties when real protest happened. This, writing in water soluble chalk, is so minor.”
Olson says he is ready for trial but that doesn't mean he is not nervous.
“It’s crazy. I’ve never been inside a courtroom before. I’m anxious but also still wanting to fight this. I just can’t believe this is happening. To me, this is a perfect form of civil disobedience, that is non-violent, non-destructive, and a way for people to exercise their right to free speech.”
Olson and Tosdal, as well as Hazard and other attorneys for the City, will meet on Tuesday morning before a Superior Court Judge.
Update: On June 20, Bob Filner sent a memo to Council President Todd Gloria and Jan Goldsmith asking Gloria to docket the item for the next closed session meeting. The memo reads:
"This young man is being persecuted for thirteen counts of vandalism stemming from an expression of political protest that involved washable children's chalk on a City sidewalk. It is alleged that he has no previous criminal record. If these assertions are correct, I believe this is a misuse and waste of taxpayer money. It could also be characterized as an abuse of power that infringes on First Amendment particularly when it is arbitrarily applied to some, but not all, similar speech."
Olson and his story will be featured in an upcoming cover story in the Reader.
Related stories
Chalking the plank: Judge won't allow bank protester to claim first amendment rights
Jurors selected, trial begins in case of anti-bank protester
Judge issues gag order in case of man prosecuted for scribbling anti-bank messages in chalk
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Goldsmith is an idiot-he should be fired for this stunt.
SurfPup, you're back! It's been months since we've had any of your always-trenchant comments. Hope to see them again.
SurfPup, you're back! It's been months since we've had any of your always-trenchant comments. Hope to see them again.
Yes, I went on a forced vacation. Great to be back.
Ooooh, "forced vacation" sounds sinister. Whatever it was, it is great to have you back.
Looking forward to the longread in print soon!
I'm really excited about the upcoming kindle version!
How much has B of A and its employees donated to Goldsmith's campaigns ?
A civil protest that affects a business is legal. How is this different ?
The criminal Defendant here is a supporter of Mayor Filner ? To Goldsmith, that is now a crime ?
The Court should dismiss the case, and seriously sanction Goldsmith, his office, and all the licensed professionals in the decision-making process, including the jerk-off from B of A.
Additional sanctions should be imposed for Goldsmith's toupee.
The Mayor should direct that all city funds on deposit at B of A be moved to other Banks.
DavidnPB, I searched Goldsmith's disclosures and did not find any specifically from Bank of America. That said, he raised a lot of cash for a candidate without an opponent.
The civil protest/free speech is what Tosdal and Olson are claiming.
That and many of your other questions are addressed in the upcoming Cover...that is besides #5!
5.Additional sanctions should be imposed for Goldsmith's toupee.
OK, I just peed myself this one was so funny !!!!!
...because there's no real criminals out there..... rgrgrgrrfgfgfgf.... damn tax dollars at work...rgfrrgfgrgfrr..... banks own our representatives.....rgrgrgrffgrgfgrfg coffees cold....rfrggfrggfr
Thank you Dorian! If your readers think that my case is an unconstitutional waste of limited municipal resources they should not be shy about letting Jan know that.
People vs. Olson is case #M153987
Jan Goldsmith can be reached at 619-236-6220 or [email protected]
thanks, Jeff
Called. The gentleman I talked to just now was extremely polite and said that they have received about 200 calls so far today.
Remember: Be polite, as the person you talk to is almost certainly not at fault, but is merely doing his or her job in the City Attorney's office.
I have been a high school Government teacher for the past 20 years, and I just can't believe that this is what our judicial system has become! I will absolutely be using this as an example of a violation of First Amendment rights to free speech this fall in my classroom. Perhaps the city attorney would like to sit in and learn a few things from the up and coming voters of California?
I, too, am appalled at the clear bias illustrated in this case...graffiti? REALLY? The last time the neighborhood "vandals" chalked something I didn't like on my sidewalk, I called their parent's; not the city attorney. If you had written a protest sign in chalk in front of ANY other local mom and pop business, would you have been prosecuted by the city? Would that establishment have claimed $6000 in clean up costs? I'm sure the C.A. would have laughed the proprietor right out of his office and threatened the business owner with harassment after the third "follow up" call.
The judge clearly doesn't want to include the free speech argument because he realizes that the ACLU will jump all over it! I assume you or your attorney have already contacted them about this absurdity...?
I am truly ashamed at what out government has become. I know similar sentiments have been expressed throughout our history, but I think the Founding Fathers would be truly dismayed to see how far America has strayed from the Constitutional values and civil liberties that once made this country an example for others to follow.
I wish you the best, Jeff. I'm not sure if you intended to become the next "poster child" for Free Speech, but I hope you and your legal team will continue to fight the good fight in the name of what America SHOULD be.
Best of luck!
OK, I too just called and registered my indignation, Goldsmith was "in a meeting".... that makes it 201 today.
I must differ about the first sentence in the posting. While the city attorney does represent the city of San Diego, the office also prosecutes misdemeanors. In this instance Goldsmith is acting in his legal role. That said, it must also be noted that he is in no way required to prosecute any case or offense; he has great discretion in that area. Some of this harkens back to 1970, when activists began calling the BofA "Bank of Amerika", and some other slurs. That was the year that an anti-war mob burned the BofA branch in Isla Vista (next to the UC Santa Barbara campus) to the ground during an event of serious unrest. BofA should have just sucked this one up and let it pass. But then again, this is the BofA, and somehow it survives and prospers in spite of doing many, many very stupid things.
Visduh, you are absolutely right about the office prosecuting misdemeanors. The strange thing about this case is that the chalk markings were made on a public sidewalk-- all except for one which was on the BofA's parking lot. That in itself raises concerns about free speech/1st amendment rights.
The Bank basically decided on its own to clean the chalk. They did so by hiring a company out of Santa Fe Springs to do the work. According to Freeman's testimony, it takes 7-8 bank employees to get crews to the site. My point is that it seems pretty unusual for the City to ask for thousands of dollars in restitution for the bank when the markings were on public property. Not only that, but the timing of the case and the persistence of the Security executive to push for prosecution raises other issues as well.
It is even stranger that the markings would have presumably faded fast, and been washed away by rain (IF we ever got any.) BofA could have found some dude with a truck-mounted power wash rig who would have cleaned those off very quickly, likely charging no more than $50 an hour to do it. Yes, seeking restitution for one of the world's largest banks from a small fry individual is really screwy. But then again, we must never forget that this is San Diego, and here the usual rules of common sense seldom apply.
BofA could have done what everyone can do: call Urban Corps to remove the "graffiti" from the PROW.
As Urban Corps states on their webpage at http://www.urbancorpssd.org/graffiti.html
"The graffiti department’s corpsmembers operate 6-days a week from a 24-hour hotline and self-generating visuals. Urban Corps partners with the City of San Diego, the San Diego Unified Port District, and the Cities of Chula Vista and Escondido to remove graffiti."
BofA could have had free (taxpayer-funded) removal by calling the Urban Corps hot line: (800) 829-6884
Or they could just stop defrauding their employees, investors, account holders, Uncle Sam and the taxpayers.
What is this all about? It is to say this city is not for us, it's for them, and don't forget it.
Jeff_O: make sure your attorney knows that BofA at 3101 University already has privatized cleanup services at its command and has paid for them:
BofA, parcel # 4531611500, paid $825 into the North Park Maintenance Assessment District last year (it goes up to $838 this year).
BofA at this location also pays the North Park Business Improvement District, between $125 and $250 per year.
Both of these privatized taxes include graffiti cleanup by a privately contracted firm. The documents evidencing these charges to the BofA property are online on the City's webpages and are publicly available. The MAD tax can also be seen in the line item charges on the County Tax website, using the parcel number.
I wouldn't want to put my money in a bank run by people with so little business sense that they pay double for services...but we all know that the out-of-area private cleaning service was called to make a legal case against you, not to solve the problem of chalk on the sidewalk.
Thank you! This info has been forwarded to Tom Tosdal.
You've done it again, BSP. Another important fact that I completely missed. I didn't think about the MAD/BID and the fact that this could have been removed without the bank having to call in a professional cleaning crew to wash off the chalk. Thanks for pointing this out. --dh
for curiosity's sake by removing the graffiti aren't they guilty of tampering with evidence?
Maybe Mr. Ex-cop Darell Freeman-This-Is-My-Brother-Darell and this is my other brother Darell will show up in court in his Crocodile Dundee hat. I wondered why the SDPD Gang Unit was so receptive to him, ... the brotherhood lives. See Darell's Linked In account documenting his career as a cop and his religious eduction at Vanguard University
http://www.linkedin.com/pub/darell-freeman/3b/30a/309
Nice find, HG. Freeman's affiliation with the Royal Rangers is mentioned in the Cover. --dh
Last year Forbes ranked Vanguard #395 out of 397 colleges. They recently faced an accreditation crisis after it was reviled that their geology department was teaching that the earth is 5,000 years old and dinosaur bones were buried by Satan to test our faith. Also- Mr. Freeman is a veteran of the Costa Mesa Police Department in Orange County, CA. That particular department has a long history of corruption. "Costa Mesa is known for bad cops and horrific government on it's own, among the most aggressive and constitutionally abusive I ever encountered." - Brian Moore, former Costa Mesa resident
There was, many years ago, a Vanguard Law School in So Cal......
Nah, this Vanguard U is where they teach Creatology.
Wiki says "Vanguard has its origins in the Azusa Street Revival of the early 20th century. The Southern California Bible School was founded in 1920 by Harold K. Needham, D. W. Kerr, and W. C. Pierce. The school moved from Los Angeles to Pasadena in 1927, and was renamed the Southern California Bible College in 1939 when it gained its charter to award degrees. It gained university status in 1999."
Freeman, however, went there for his Bachelor's degree in Sociology from 1970 to 1976.
And the Hoover's account of the BofA history "Welcome to the machine" is a good resource. http://www.answers.com/topic/bank-of-america-corporation Please feel free, everyone, to contact Chairman Charles O. (Chad) Holliday Jr., President, CEO, and Director Brian T. Moynihan, and Co-COO David C. Darnell at Bank of America Corporation 100 N. Tryon St. Charlotte, NC 28255
with your thoughts on our local issue.
Much as I love "Newhart" references, it's really rich to see an anonymous commenter make fun of someone else's actual real name.
And I'm loving this business: "Eermahgerd, he worked for the Costa Mesa Police Department, which is corrupt. Do the math!" It has such a nice "fellow traveler" ring to it. Are you or have you ever been...
I live in San Diego, but I'm not J. David Dominelli. Or... am I? We lived in the same city! At the same time!
Oh R-Dot, you always get the joke references (a youth spent watching reruns, alone, on the couch in the basement, with Doritos?). You're cool. But do you really GET it? When I see a 24-point headline that says "Bad Day for Rosa Parks - They're All Bozos on This Bus" instead of "Bad Day for Filner," I might think you get it. Maybe.
Not that I get your point, but quotation marks are used for exact quotes, ellipses for omissions when the omitted data is understood in context, and square brackets normally used for additions. Surely you are not so casual with the rules at the Voice. I'm loving it. Please try to be a little more sparing with the exclamation points here at the Reader.
Above comment meant as a "reply" to rdotinga. We're not all perfect.
What a riot. B of A strikes again and Goldsmith looks like the fool that he is. Will somebody please get the name of that chalk-wielding child in the photo and send him to Juvey? And of course, get restitution from the parents.
I reported on the Bradley Manning protest in Hillcrest on June 1. Here's one of my photos, cropped (and darkened) so you can see the chalk message. It reads: FREE BRADLEY MANNING. There were other similar chalk messages on the sidewalk at 6th and University that day. No arrests were made for these "crimes of the century" and no prosecution has been forthcoming by the City Attorney.
FREE BRADLEY MANNING in chalk!
Wait, it's just a matter of time. Look for a visit from the FBI or somebody fronting for the NSA. They know your phone number and your email address. Better check out the airfares to Quito.
Recall Jan Goldsmith: https://www.facebook.com/RecallJanGoldsmith
Lets keep this simple and just do the math:
If convicted, the City stands to lose about Half a Million Dollars!
13 years times $40,000 per year to keep him imprisoned = Half a Million Dollars!
Either $an Diego's Justice is flawed or our Political Leadership is or BOTH.
I just learned that it costs about $150 a day or $55,000 per year TO KEEP SOMEONE IMPRISONED so lets UPDATE the above comment:
Lets keep this simple and just do the math:
If convicted: The City stands to lose ALMOST THREE QUARTERS OF A Million Dollars!
13 years times $55,000 per year to keep him imprisoned = $715,000!
Either $an Diego's Justice is flawed or our Political Leadership is or BOTH.
It is actually about twice that...the for-profit prisons collect about $300 per day, per inmate. So Goldsmith is willing to not only completely destroy someone's life, he will do it with well over a million of our dollars. All to demonstrate that a bank has more rights than a citizen.
Thanks for the updated cost to contain these Chalkers.
I wonder who will be first to be known as the CaCO3 Kid?
More here: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chalk
Dorian---Can you tell us what happens at the Tuesday hearing ? Thanks so much !
This morning I took a photo of a chalk message on my street in North Park. It's pretty shocking to see, even though it's a quotation from a guy named Abraham Lincoln. He's kinda famous. This chalk writing starts on a private driveway, then extends--unlawfully--onto the sidewalk. [Click on it, to see it larger.] Oh the humanity! What's next?--Chalk writings by Gandhi or Mandela ruining our sidewalks across the land? And will this miscreant homeowner end up in court? Stay tuned.
Lincoln's words in chalk
Two years ago, I replaced the sidewalk in front of my North Park home. The sidewalk is of course city property, but I paid for it. Technically the concrete is mine. I think I will write "FREE JEFF OLSEN" on the sidewalk in front of my house. See if Goldsmith wants to try and charge me.
No wonder we're broke. If it cost six thousand dollars to clean this up, someone must have hired a relative making five hundred bucks an hour to do the cleaning. Illegal to write in chalk on a sidewalk? This is how we are wasting tax dollars? Lock up a guy who wrote on the sidewalk in water soluble chalk? I feel ill! Let's waste money we don't have. Let's tie up the court with this..let's act like little kids.
BofA is going to experience the Streisand effect:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Streisand_effect
The predictable outcome of the City Attorney's folly, if it is allowed to continue, is to make the bank, Mr. Freeman in particular, and the city, Jan Goldsmith and his ferret-top in particular, the laughing stock of the world.
Let's help this story go viral...
"Fascism should more properly be called corporatism because it is the merger of state and corporate power." ---- Benito Mussolini.
A friend sent shots from today, where someone has written, in chalk, anti-suicide positive notes on the Cabrillo Bridge.
Hope Goldsmith can access security CCTV and catch the bastard. Jail time is called for !
But nothing will be done. No call to Goldsmith from the security goon at the B of A......
Another illustration that it is not the conduct that precipitates this persecution, but the Content.
The defense lawyer should Remove the case to Federal Court, and ask for a TRO on Constitutional grounds.
This is completely insane.
IF YOU ARE CALLED FOR JURY DUTY ON THIS CASE please visit FIJA.org -- the Fully Informed Jury Association.
The strength of the US Jury system is that your duty is not to parrot the judge's orders and mete out punishment to your fellow citizen, but rather that you are empowered and expected to intercept and refuse tyrannical abuses -- AND THIS IS CERTAINLY IN THAT CATEGORY. Vote to acquit! And tell The Toupee and the judge to pound sand up their asses!
Does anybody know the courtroom number where this case is being tried?
Not sure about the room, but It's Dept. 1 of the San Diego Superior Court. They would be able to direct you to the right courtroom.
Jan Goldsmith is completely over-reaching on this one.
I just called his office, and told them it was a waste of time and our money to do this.
You can too: Phone: (619) 236-6220
I just called 236-6220 and asked to be transferred to Goldsmith's office. I then had a discussion with Goldsmith's Executive Assistant, a Ms. Carmen Sandoval. I identified myself as a longtime downtown SD condo owner, and not pleased about prosecuting Olson. My main points were this is an abuse of MY taxes prosecuting Olson, and also selective ENFORCEMENT. I mentioned that if the City Attorney is really interested in "graffiti", there is a lot more "cleanup" that needs to be done, including the many businesses that promote their specials by using washable chalk on the sidewalks in front of their businesses. The point we disagreed (and she said I would not be able to change her mind), is that Olson's actions were criminal (GRAFFITI), and NOT Free Speech. Her argument was that once or twice, ok to be considered as Free Speech, but NOT 13 times. So, Readers, I guess we have Free Speech in San Diego, but only tolerated within "defined limits". Help change the City Attorney's office with your phone calls and emails! Finally, any suggestions to pressure Bank of Amerika and make them fully aware of the idiocy of their complaint?
BofA public relations is handled by this company: Burson-Marsteller 230 Park Ave. South New York, N.Y. 10003 (212) 614-4000 www.burson-marsteller.com
BoA is a Bully and Goldsmith is just doing their bidding. Time to nip this corporate attack on our First Amendment Rights in the bud. Only way to deal with a bully is to stand up to them. As far as I know San Diego doesn't have any ordinances against using chalk on our own clothing, or on our Facebook profile pics or... (get creative here. So I am suggesting we all wear black T-shirts with large chalk messages that state that BoA is a Bully and stand outside every BoA bank in San Diego County.Feel free to use the photo here as your FB photo.
13 years jail time for writing in chalk on a public sidewalk? Bank of America, stop using our City Attorney and tax dollars to suppress our freedom of speech.
RE: B of A is really a PITA
You might consider publishing their CEO's business information, (not personal information, since that would crete the opposite effect you desire) so folks could send him/her their thoughts directly!
You might collect enough money (Political Freedom Kickstarter?) to pay for a highway billboard, estimated at $3,000 month.
You might place an ad in the WSJ's financial section, in the hopes of reaching out to B of A shareholders asking for Change.
You might encourage everyone to write letters (asking for written replies) to Banking and Congressional Leaders.
You might consider writing some of the TV personalities to see if any of them might like to interview you or Mr. Olsen about Chalking for Freedom!
Most of you on here are bullies yourself, guess that is why you spend all your time doing nothing constructive. What a bunch of intolerant, bigoted, people. You like to act like your only after "the big bad guys" well the people that work there are still people, just like you. You should all be ashamed of yourselves, but I guess you would have to have a soul first.
Hi Mr. Darell Freeman, Vice President of Bank of America's Global Corporate Security!! Glad you joined in, now can you offer some insight into your (or B of A) "damages", or anything else besides a pointless rant???
Wow you are showing your ignorance now, I am not Darell at all, see your facts are all wrong... again!!
Youraloser: well, you are somebody on the payroll, you would almost have to be. The interesting thing about this is that when the Conservative Drudge Report linked to an article about this, the comments were about 20-1 against prosecution. Same thing when the Left-leaning Huffington Post wrote a story on it. And even the poll on the Right-wing oriented San Diego UT is running about 10-1 against prosecution. So it is really natural to expect that you are "on the job" when writing that.
nope once again you are so wrong. Its kind of funny how you think everyone in the world must agree with your ignorance. I don't. Its that simple.
I don't. Its that simple. Good rant Mr Freeman~
We can't forget about Alex Schaefer, the guy who created the burning banks painting. Turns out he was arrested the other day too for chalking outside a bank. Chase. http://blogs.laweekly.com/informer/2012/07/alex_schaefer_la_artist_behind.php
Send an email to the CEO: [email protected]
Call any Realtors you know and let them tell them how "neighborhood friendly" BoA is; ask them to refer customers elsewhere.
And if you haven't switched yet to a local Credit Union: www.moveyourmoneyproject.org
"Her argument was that once or twice, ok to be considered as Free Speech, but NOT 13 times."
So, have your say once and then get out of the way of our profit (and while you're at it, get out of the way of my Bentley).
Multiple demonstrations of free speech is vandalism.
I see.
I just cancelled my credit card with Bank of America. Ive held the card since 1986. I hope this helps his cause and I would encourage anyone with an account with these banks to do the same. I wonder if this post would be like writing in chalk in front of the banks since I've created monetary damages by closing my personal account and encouraging others to do the same? "...and now waiving a banner of the First Amendment, does not negate the fact that defacement occurred, a private business suffered real and substantial monetary damages, and Defendant is responsible.”
The judge clearly doesn't want to include the free speech argument because he realizes that the ACLU will jump all over it!. That said, it must also be noted that he is in no way required to prosecute any case or offense; he has great discretion in that area.