Trial Granted for Jailed Journalist Sam Dodson in New Hampshire
On April 13th, videographer Sam Dodson and several other Free State Project activists were attending the arraignment of fellow videographer Dave Ridley at the Keene District Courthouse in New Hampshire. Later, in the public lobby, the court security officer demanded Dodson shut off his camera, citing an unsigned notice on the wall banning recording devices.
In jail, Dodson went on a hunger strike and chose to exercise his right to remain silent. When finally asked to provide fingerprints and a mugshot, Sam complied but refused to give his legal name which is not required by state law. Despite having confirmed Sam's legal name through other sources, Judge Burke demanded that Sam personally submit his legal name or be held without trial indefinitely, a clear violation of federal and state law.
Burke's demands as of April 30th were as follows:
"Should the defendant decide he is willing to provide true and accurate identifying information about himself — the kind of information any other defendant is expected to provide — and is willing to accept the conditions of bail, the court will schedule a video arraignment as soon as possible thereafter. Until then the court is unwilling to schedule a trial date. While the prospect of the defendant’s indefinite confinement is distasteful, the court reiterates, however, that the defendant holds the key to his release."
Dodson's legal defense, Ivy Walker, had been working on different strategies to persuade the state to back down on its promise of indefinite incarceration without trial. After 53 days of incarceration and having dozens of filings of writs of habeas corpus denied, Walker notified the Keene City Council as well as other key bureaucrats that they would be personally held liable for the deprivation of Dodson's legal rights under federal law (42 USC 1983). Two days later, a trial date was finally set.
Link: http://www.freemindsmedia.org/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=143:state-grants-trial-for-jailed-journalist-sam-dodson&catid=1:latest-news&Itemid=122