>>> PLEASE DISTRIBUTE WIDELY <<< ==================================== SUPPORT COYOTL TEZCATLIPOCA AT HIS CRIMINAL TRIAL STARTING SEPT. 25TH ==================================== At the Tuesday, January 3, 2006 meeting of the Costa Mesa City Council, Mayor Allan Mansoor, a Minuteman supporter and a proponent of merging local law enforcement with immigration duties, abruptly cut off Coyotl Tezcatlipoca, a critic of that proposal, during public comments, even though he had about 40 seconds left to speak. Although Mayor Mansoor claims he did this because Tezcatlipoca violated "rules" that forbid speakers from asking members of the audience to stand up, he allowed Minuteman Project founder Jim Gilchrist to do the exact same thing early on at the same meeting: in fact, video footage shows that Mansoor thanked him for what he did! Not only does the evidence suggest that the Mayor violated Tezcatlipoca's constitutional right to free speech and assembly, but that he enforced the "rules" in an arbitrary and capricious manner, and may himself have broken a law that regulates the conduct of council members at public meetings. But instead of arresting the Mayor for disorderly conduct, as should have been done, then-Police Chief John Hensley ordered his officers to forcibly remove Tezcatlipoca from the room while the meeting was not legally in session -- this despite the fact he was fully complying with their orders asking him to leave. Video footage shot of the incident and numerous witnesses allege that Tezcatlipoca was choked, hit, kicked, and sat upon by several policemen. Then, after they finished physically assaulting him, the cops had the audacity of booking him on a charge of resisting arrest! In February 2006, the Orange County District Attorney's Office declined to file any criminal charges against Tezcatlipoca in the "interest of justice." A month later, the American Civil Liberties Union filed a civil rights lawsuit on Tezcatlipoca's behalf in U.S. federal court. But in June of that year, the Costa Mesa City Prosecutor charged Coyotl with violating two provisions of the municipal code, both misdemeanor criminal offenses punishable by up to six months in jail and/or a $1,000 fine. This case highlights the absurdity of Orange County's backward system of criminal justice in the era of Minutemen: Tezcatlipoca is facing prosecution for offenses that were committed against him by police and government officials! Defend the right of free speech, assembly, and fair and equal treatment in the criminal justice system! Show your solidarity with Tezcatlipoca by attending his upcoming criminal trial! REMEMBER: AN INJURY TO ONE IS AN INJURY TO ALL! WHEN? Tuesday, September 25, 2007 8:30 a.m. WHERE? Department H01 Harbor Justice Center 4601 Jamboree Road Newport Beach, California Please arrive early for good seating. Check the court calendar for the name, "Benito Acosta," to find out which courtroom Coyotl Tezcatlipoca's trial will be held in. See following map for directions: http://maps.google.com/maps?f=q&hl=en&q=4601+Jamboree+Road,+Newport+Beach ,+CA+92\ 660&btnG=Search&ll=33.664782,-117.856135&spn=0.016859,0.042915 For more information, please contact [EMAIL PROTECTED] ============== ONLINE SOURCES ============== See article entitled "Criminal Trial for Costa Mesa Activist" on the front page of the August 2007 issue of The Orange Coast Voice: http://www.ocvoice.com/OC_VOICE/Home/OCV%20-%20August%202007.pdf See video shot by a Minuteman Supporter of Coyotl being forcibly removed by police from Costa Mesa City Council Chambers at the January 3, 2006 meeting: http://www.immigrationwatchdog.com/media/costamesa/bad_2.wmv http://www.immigrationwatchdog.com/media/costamesa/bad_2.mov Copy of the unamended complaint of the civil rights lawsuit filed against Mayor Mansoor and the City of Costa Mesa by the American Civil Liberties Union: http://www.aclu-sc.org/attach/c/complaint_Acosta.pdf
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