Blogged by JC on 09.27.05 @ 05:42 PM ET
Peace Protestors Held Handcuffed in Buses For Over 12 Hours
I wanted me to share with you a letter I wrote to the Chief of the United States Park Police regarding the treatment of the 384 protestors arrested outside the White House yesterday, many of whom were held, handcuffed, for over 12 hours on a bus.
Office of the Chief
United States Park Police
Dwight E. Pettiford
1100 Ohio Drive S.W.
Washington, D. C. 20242
Dear Chief Pettiford:
I am writing to request information regarding the treatment of individuals arrested on September 26, 2005 in front of the White House and processed at the United States Park Police Anacostia Station.
Yesterday 384 protestors, including peace activist Cindy Sheehan, were arrested outside the White House and were brought to United States Park Police Anacostia Station. I was very surprised to learn that many of those arrested were kept handcuffed in vans and buses for up to 12 hours before they were charged and released. Some of those were released at 4:30 in the morning after being arrested at 4:00 the previous afternoon. Many of those held captive the longest were grandmothers and senior citizens. Those released after midnight were unfamiliar with Washington, DC and had no means to travel back to their hotels once the metro had closed. Anacostia is not frequented by taxicabs after midnight.
I have the following questions regarding the treatment of those arrested yesterday:
1. Why was the Anacostia Station chosen as the sole location to process all 384 arrestees when there were several other Park Police stations in the greater Washington, DC area?
2. In what other circumstances have arrestees been detained by U.S. Park Police for periods exceeding twelve hours before being charged with a crime?
3. In what other circumstances have arrestees been detained by U.S. Park Police, and kept handcuffed on buses for periods exceeding ten hours?
4. What is the established U.S. Park Police procedure for processing large numbers of arrestees in the Washington, DC area?
Please respond to the Judiciary Committee Minority Office at 2142 Rayburn House Office Building, Washington, DC 20515.
Sincerely,
John Conyers, Jr.
Replies: 10 Comments
Comment #1: Neerav Trivedi said on 9/27/05 @ 5:46pm ET...
Go Mr. Conyers go! We got yoru back if they cause you any problems!
Comment #2: The Witch said on 9/27/05 @ 5:57pm ET...
Thank you, Representative!
Incidentally, anyone know where Camp Casey is? I'd like to bring Cindy some cookies or something if she's camped in the District...
Comment #3: Nolip said on 9/27/05 @ 6:31pm ET...
In the fine tradition of Team Bush, that acknowledges no malfeasance, deflects all blame and in a pinch will kill their own mothers to further their agenda do we find one of the three architects (Bush,Chertikoff,Brown) of the disastrous response, both before and after Katrina, with the cajones to rail against his critics (those dead people aren't my fault!) before a Republican controlled House panel. WHITEWASH!
“In sometimes heated testimony before a congressional committee Tuesday, former Federal Emergency Management Agency chief Michael Brown blamed Louisiana's leaders for dragging their heels last month as Hurricane Katrina approached the Gulf Coast..”
Brown puts blame on Louisiana officials
Comment #4: Neerav Trivedi said on 9/27/05 @ 6:42pm ET...
Nolip:
Michel Brown is just taking a page out of Karl Rove's playbook by doing his blame game stunt in front of this commision. I hope neither the Republicans nor Democrats in that committee fall for it!
Comment #5: Nolip said on 9/27/05 @ 6:43pm ET...
Congressman Conyers,
Cindy Sheehan was in the hands of forces other than just the D.C. police department. Your questions, legitimate though they be, follow yet more serious questions about this administration and its strong arm tactics with its citizenry (ever try to see Bush at a rally with an anti-Bush poster...you're sent to another city)not to mention it's illegal maneuvers to lead this country into war.
The ultimate question for me is this: at what point does the citizenry say to an illegal and corrupt government enough is enough!? The judicial arm, as well as the Congressional arm, at least from the Republican side of the aisle, continues to foster and perpetrate abuse on this and other countries' citizens (Abu Grahib - Gitmo). Special deference is only shown to the rich (Bush's base)and special interest groups. These abuses by this sham of an executive branch of government will continue unabaited until, or unless, more civil disobedience as shown by Ms. Sheehan, escalates and the emperor with no clothes is dethroned.
Comment #6: number6 said on 9/27/05 @ 9:08pm ET...
Mr Conyers, can you look into whether or not Mike Brown perjured himself?
From the Katrina 'hearings'...
BUYER: So I’d like to know why did the president’s federal emergency assistance declaration of August 27th not include the parishes of Orleans, Jefferson and Plaquemines?
BROWN: …[I]f a governor does not request a particular county or a particular parish, that’s not included in the request.
BUYER: All right.
Orleans Parish is New Orleans. I was listening to my colleague, Mr. Jefferson’s, questions about when they talked about, you know, they asked for this assistance for three days and then president responded the very next day, not the day that it was made — the request — but the governor of Louisiana actually excluded New Orleans from the president’s federal emergency assistance declaration?
BROWN: Again, Congressman, we looked at the request.The governors make the request by…
BUYER: Let me ask this. Since you went through the exercise in Pam, was that not shocking to you that the governor would excluded New Orleans from the declaration?
BROWN: Yes.
BUYER: When that request came in excluding these three parishes, did you question it?
BROWN: We questioned it. But I made the decision that we were going to go ahead and move assets in regardless because we have the ability to add those parishes…
From Blanco's request...
Dear Mr. President:
Under the provisions of Section 501 (a) of the Robert T. Stafford Disaster Relief and Emergency Assistance Act, 42 U.S.C. §§ 5121-5206 (Stafford Act), and implemented by 44 CFR § 206.35, I request that you declare an emergency for the State of Louisiana due to Hurricane Katrina for the time period beginning August 26, 2005, and continuing. The affected areas are all the southeastern parishes including the New Orleans Metropolitan area** and the mid state Interstate I-49 corridor and northern parishes along the I-20 corridor that are accepting the thousands of citizens evacuating from the areas expecting to be flooded as a result of Hurricane Katrina.
http://www.gov.state.la.us/Press_Release_detail.asp?id=976
Comment #7: number6 said on 9/27/05 @ 9:10pm ET...
Sorry that my previous post was off topic...
Comment #8: Happy said on 9/28/05 @ 1:40am ET...
Representative Conyers,
I would like to sign on to your above letter, at least in spirit!
Sincerely,
Rob Whitlock
Comment #9: Frosted Flake said on 9/28/05 @ 10:24pm ET...
Congressman, Nicely said.
Nolip, Nicely said.
Number 6, Nicely said.
All three, right on point.
Frosted Flake
Comment #10: point of order said on 10/2/05 @ 8:44pm ET...
Representative Conyers,
Have you received any response to your letter to Chief Pettiford yet?
