Occupier Charged With Lynching Herself

[Magda Hassan]

Occupier Charged With Lynching Herself

Jan2 by mikulpepper
This is too bizarre not to mention: one of the Occupiers arrested in Oakland on December 30 has been charged with lynching, a felony charge with a 2 4 year sentence. The lynch victim? Herself.
Tiffany Tran lynching herself

California's Anti-Lynching law was passed in 1933. It states that: "The taking by means of a riot of any person from the lawful custody of any peace officer is a lynching." Now you may think that the object here is to prevent a mob from seizing an individual in custody and murdering that person. You may think that the purpose of the statute is to protect people from lynchings. You might think that, but you would be wrong: the purpose of the Act is to protect the police.
In People v. Jones, 1971, an appellate judge says that attempting to free someone from arrest by "means of riot" presents a danger to police officers and the intent of the law is to protect them. "Riots" are assemblies of two or more people that are so designated by authorities, i.e., the police. The judge in re Anthony J., 1999 cites Jones and states:
Under California law, "lynching" includes not only the notorious form of lynch mob behavior that aims to take vengeance on the victim, but also any participation in riotous conduct aimed at freeing a person from the custody of a peace officer. Accordingly, we conclude that a person who takes part in a riot leading to his escape from custody can be convicted of his own lynching.
In fact, there is a history in California of people being charged with their own lynching. In 2009, a Modesto DA said that lynching was "a tremendous sign of disrespect to the law enforcement community."
Got that? Lynching is not a crime of violence against people, it is a crime of dissing cops. There are two elements to anti-lynch laws, says Professor Chris Waldrep, who's written extensively on the subject: "There's an unruly crowd, and the act committed is an affront or insult to law enforcement."
So there you have it. There was an unruly crowd at Frank Ogawa Plaza, the police called it a riot, and Tiffany Tran called out for help as she was being arrested which insulted the police. Obviously she attempted to lynch herself. This just really makes me much much more respectful of police, oh hell yes it does.
(story and many cites via Susie Cagle )
Update: Tiffany Tran and some other incarcerated people had charges against them dropped today (Jan. 4). Two people are still in jail but chances are, they won't face serious charges. As an outside observer, I think that this is an example of the State using the appearance of Due Process to stifle Dissent, but what's new about that?
http://shrineodreams.wordpress.com/2012/...g-herself/

[Peter Lemkin]

Thanks for that Magda. America is a bizarre and frightening place now....likely just a new version of pre-War Germany; only this is 'friendly' fascism - not the angry kind of screaming dictators and propaganda ministers...sort of a Mickey Mouse face to it....but to the same effect. Very sad. I thought that someday I might be able to return to my country....unless Occupy pulls of a major change, I fear not.....

This is too bizarre. In a very similar vein, someone in NYC being arrested at an Occupy on New Year's Eve and was found to have a sissor in their pocket [paper type]. A policeman endured a MINOR cut on his hand when searching the pockets of this person, but they are now charged with weapon's possession and attempting bodily harm on a police officer - they face a minimum of seven years in prison. Lesson I guess they want you to learn: not only can you not take a scissor on an airplane, you can't take one off your desk without fear of arrest and charges of felony endangerment. Almost forgot [but sure there a many others not mentioned here] - the guy who was arrested in first take back of Liberty Park and in the scuffle knocked off a policemans cap [horrors!] was tried for felony assault on the officer and also had all his top and bottom teeth knocked out by a group of Police [they will NOT get any reprimand nor punishment for that]. He faces also about 7-10 years in prison for a reflexive arm move that knocked off a policeman's hat while being arrested. The SS and SD would be proud of such things....although they would have just shot them dead.....not YET in USA...not YET!.....

A real Police State - despite the Disneyland PR cover. I think all the Police, FBI, CIA and DHS people should wear 'Have a Nice Day' smile buttons!

[Peter Lemkin]

Many Black AFrican Americans lynched themselves too....NOT!....the stupidity of the 'laws broken' the police come up with sometimes is obscene. The whole system is obscene. It is not much different than the 'ethic' behind a murder made to look like or reported as a suicide - only the inverse.