Closing Arguments on Thursday, Sept 22nd!

Currently, the civil rights trial about the August 9, 2007 police murder of Martin Frederick Cotton II is in its last few days. The Eureka Police beat Martin Cotton brutally- in fact- beat him to death in broad daylight, in front of the Eureka Rescue Mission and many (other) houseless people. The civil trial, brought by Martin Cotton's father, Marty Cotton, and Martin's young daughter, Siehna Cotton.

Support for the Cottons has been wonderful from the Oscar Grant Committee, Redwood Curtain CopWatch, and Transport Workers Solidarity Committee.

On Wednesday (9/14) and Monday (9/12), two Eureka cops have been testifying, Justin Winkle and Adam Laird.. Thursday, EPD Officer Gary Whitmer.

MEDIA UPDATE & CLARIFICATION*: September 13, 2011

Jury Seated and First Testimony Heard in Civil Trial About Fatal Police Beating of Martin Cotton

Oakland, CA:   On the morning of September 12, 2011 in U.S. District Court, Northern District in Oakland, CA, a seven person jury was sworn in to hear the civil trial brought by the family of Martin Frederick Cotton II, who was killed by a fatal police beating in Eureka, California four years ago.  Supporters and members of Redwood Curtain CopWatch and the Oscar Grant Committee Against Police Brutality rallied outside the courthouse early in the morning, spreading the word about the trial about to occur, speaking out against state brutality, and holding signs "Cops Beat Martin To Death.  Justice For Martin Cotton!" 

TRIAL BEGAN SEPTEMBER 12, 2011 at 8:30am
[RALLY at 7:30am on 12th, first day of trial]

Trial Wed (9/14), Thurs (9/15), Friday (9/16), Wed (9/21), Thurs (9/22) 
8:30am- 2:30pm  
Must have U.S. ID or Passport to go in

READ UPDATES:  1  2     Hear Interview 9/16  4

Downloadable below is a court filing on behalf of  Peter Stewart's mother.  It opposes the cops' attempt to get the civil rights case against them dismissed -before a trial happens.  The document goes into more detail about the police murder of Peter Stewart in June 2007. 

Local cops burned a house down, knowing that they would kill Peter Stewart inside.

Important Download: http://redwoodcurtaincopwatch.net/files/Opp_MotionToDismiss10_28_10.pdf

Also, here is the First Amended Complaint (what the lawsuit is about): http://redwoodcurtaincopwatch.net/files/1st_amendComplaint_10_15_09.pdf

**If you have trouble downloading these documents, feel free to call CopWatch at (707) 633-4493.**

Police State Continues to Expand.
If we don't confront it now, then WHEN?

August 7, 2010: Humboldt County Sheriff's Deputies Murder Robert Garth in Blue Lake

http://www.indybay.org/newsitems/2010/08/08/18655719.php?show_comments=1#18655924

http://www.youtube.com/user/RedwoodCopWatch#p/u

August 8, 1978: Philadelphia Police Try to Kill MOVE Men, Women, and Children at MOVE Home; Police Kill One of Their Own and Lock Up Nine MOVE Members "for Murder"; The MOVE 9, U.S. political prisoners, have been in prison since 1978

http://move9parole.blogspot.com/

http://www.archive.org/details/AH-MOVE

Sent: Thursday, February 24, 2011 10:21 AM
To: Garr Nielsen
Subject: homeless and freezing weather

Dear Chief Nielsen,

Again I must complain about the work that [Murl] Harpham and Sanchez do out in the bush. Sanchez wielding a machete around homeless people who's only "crime" is poverty and Harpham with his ridiculous "holier than thou" attitude do nothing to bring real safety or respect to this community.

Yesterday these officers walked out to a camp that has been kept clean and without heavy drugs, etc.and told the people there that they must be out by 1pm today or their camp would be destroyed with the machete Sanchez held. Where are
these people to go?

We have freezing weather upon us. There is no plan for sheltering on an emergency basis and the housing plan of this city clearly discriminates against the poor, so more homelessness is on the way. What is the plan to "control" the
larger numbers when the financial meltdown finally hits?

Eureka Police Department begins citizen’s academy

The Eureka Police Department has developed a citizen’s police academy.

The EPD press release announcing the academy says it was created to forge a stronger partnership between citizens and the police department by educating the community in law enforcement issues and police department policies and procedures. The academy is also a means for participants and police personnel to share information and ideas about the police profession.

The academy will include a variety of topics, demonstrations, tours and hands-on experience and will be facilitated by members of the police department with expertise in the topic area.

The department is accepting applications for the citizen’s police academy, which is scheduled to begin Tuesday, March 22, and will run for seven weeks on Tuesdays from 6 p.m. to 8:30 p.m.

I was arrested by Officer Aubuchon, of the Eureka Police Department. He found my medical pipe and 1/2gram of medical marijuana, that I purchased from a dispensary. Officer Aubuchon then tells me that this is illegal to have drugs or drug paraphernalia.  So I then told him that I am a medical marijuana patient, I have my prescription in my back pocket and my state card in my front pocket. He looked at them then laughed. Waiving them in my face he told me haha we here in Eureka do not recognize 215. Several times he informed me that Eureka does not recognize 215. I was then handcuffed arrested and placed in the back of the squad car, then taken to County Jail. That's where I had to post bail. IRONICALLY the Humboldt County Health Department, that handles the California state medical marijuana card, in this region, is located in Eureka. Plus there is one dispensary in Eureka, and currently plans for another. So I hope Officer Aubuchon doesn't sit outside the dispensary and arrest all the patients that leave the medical facility.

January 3, 2011 Interview

http://radiozapatista.org/?p=1261&lang=en

Please note that the Civil Trial, Siehna Cotton and Martin Cotton I v. Eureka Police Department and Humboldt County Sheriff's Department has been postponed beyond January 10, 2011.  The new date has yet to be set by the Court.

REPORT FROM MORNING OF JAN 13, 2011

This morning, about 8:20am, I saw a Eureka cop park a police vehicle on 4th St. (Hwy 101) between N and M, across from Laudry Land.  When I saw him park, I also observed another Eureka Police Department (EPD) vehicle go toward 3rd Street in the same area.  The sole cop in the parked car got out, grabbed his M-16, and walked to the corner of M and 4th.  There, he stood near a bush, behind the corner of a building, looking like he was hiding. The young cop and his big gun were in plain view from across the 101 (4th St) where I was- and several other people noticed him and the weapon.  There were no people around or near the building corner and bush that he was hiding behind, no one coming at him from any direction, I asked him "What are you doing?"  He looked at me (from across the street of course) and it seemed like he thought he was in a game of hide-n-seek.  I told him "There's no one there." 

The civil trial in Oakland: Siehna Cotton et al. v. Eureka Police Dept. and Humboldt County Sheriff's Dept. has been POSTPONED.  Please keep your eyes and ears out for the new date, some time after February!

A couple of us from Redwood Curtain CopWatch want to travel to the Bay Area (and points between and around here and there) to talk to groups of people about what happened to Martin Cotton, to invite people to the trial, and to help connect the conversations and struggles that our communities are engaged in regarding police brutality. [See below for links about events planned so far] We are looking for ideas, suggestions, and help in our organizing to make presentations and participate in gatherings and conversations regarding state violence, in these days leading up to the trial. Beginning on December 13th and probably running for two or three weeks, we want to have a full schedule in the Bay Area and thereabouts.  Can you help?  Perhaps, for instance, you could book us to make a presentation where you live, publicize our visit and the upcoming trial, and/or inform us of events and discussions already planned in your area.

The killing of Cheri Lyn Moore on April 14, 2006 tragically illustrates the failures of a misguided and bureaucratized “public safety” system. In this writing we deliberately refer to Cheri Lyn Moore by her first name, as her friends and family do, and we acknowledge her as a real, feeling, dynamic human being; we want to counter the objectifying and criminalizing  references made by media and police, calling her "Moore", and devaluing her life by repeatedly describing her through only the claims made by the police who murdered her.

June 13, 2010:  I have a restraining order on my husband's ex.  She has been harrasing us for 5 yrs. She keeps violating the restraining order all the time. When I call the police to help they do nothing to help us, and we have kids and the girls are what she is after. Well, tonight she followed us downtown and was verbally attacking us.  Two officers showed up and did noting about it. She had also bothered us earlier in the day, and they did nothing about it then either,....... I am so tired of these cops telling me to get a restraining order and then they do nothing about her harrassing when she does. Something really needs to be done about these cops...

THE DEATH OF MARTIN FREDERICK COTTON II

UPDATE (Spring 08) FROM REDWOOD CURTAIN COPWATCH

On August 9, 2007, Martin Frederick Cotton II was brutally beat to death- and then refused medical treatment -by Eureka Police and Humboldt County Sheriff "Correctional Officers" (in the jail).

Since September of 2008, there has been a federal civil rights lawsuit brought on behalf of Siehna Cotton (Martin's baby daughter) and by his father, Marty Cotton.