Criminal Justice and the November Ballot

Sunday, October 7, 1:00 - 3:00 pm,  Criminal Justice and the November Ballot.  Potluck lunch at the Peace Resource Center, 1364 Fremont, Seaside followed by a program with guest speakers Elliot Ruckowitz-Roberts of the Monterey County ACLU and Annette Summers of Families to Amend California’s Three Strikes.
In November, Californians will vote on two ballot initiatives which could bring significant changes to the state’s criminal justice system.  If approved, Proposition 36 will modify elements of California's "Three Strikes" Law, which was approved by the state's voters in 1994.  If Proposition 36 is approved by voters, approximately 3,000 convicted felons who are currently serving life terms under the Three Strikes law, whose third strike conviction was for a nonviolent crime, will be able to petition the court for a reduced sentence. Reducing the sentences of these current prisoners could result in saving the state over $150 million a year.  Proposition 34 — also known as the Savings, Accountability, and Full Enforcement for California Act —would convert the sentences of death row inmates to life in prison without the possibility of parole.  If passed, Proposition 34 would save taxpayers more than $100 million each year. The money spent keeping convicts on death row would be used to fund investigations of unsolved crimes.
Sponsored by the National Lawyers Guild – Monterey Bay Area Chapter. 
This event is free and open to the public, but donations are appreciated.  Bring a dish or beverage to share and your own place setting, if you can.
For more info, call 831-869-2834.

Glenn Greenwald on "Repulsive Progressive Hypocrisy"

Obama has used drones to kill Muslim children and innocent adults by the hundreds. He has refused to disclose his legal arguments for why he can do this or to justify the attacks in any way. He has even had rescuers and funeral mourners deliberately targeted. As Hayden said: ”Right now, there isn’t a government on the planet that agrees with our legal rationale for these operations, except for Afghanistan and maybe Israel.” But that is all perfectly fine with most American liberals now that their Party’s Leader is doing it:

http://www.salon.com/2012/02/08/repulsive_progressive_hypocrisy/singleton/

Punishing Protest, Policing Dissent: What is the Justice System For?

Published on Sunday, February 12, 2012 by Common Dreams

Punishing Protest, Policing Dissent: What is the Justice System For?

by Erik Hoffner

This year promises to be another historic year of people calling for change worldwide. Citizens took to the streets for a wide variety of reasons, from the Wisconsin Capitol to D.C., which hosted many actions last year including the highly visible civil disobedience of activists seeking to halt the proposed Keystone XL Pipeline. The resulting mass arrests, totaling over 1,200 by early September, surely played a large role in President Obama’s decision to delay approval of that climate- and water supply-threatening project.

Story continues here: http://www.commondreams.org/view/2012/02/12-6

Forum: Reforming the Criminal Justice System

This event is free and open to the public.

The Monterey County Chapter

of the

American Civil Liberties Union of Northern California

Invites you to

The 2012 Annual Membership Meeting

Saturday, January 21, 2012, 1:30-3:30 p.m.

Community Room, Monterey Public Library

625 Pacific Street, Monterey

Program

1:30 p.m. Welcome and Review of 2011 Chapter Activities

Helen Davis, Chapter Chair

1:45 p.m. Forum:

Reforming the Criminal Justice System

Co-sponsored by the local chapters of

the ACLU, the NAACP and the National Lawyers Guild

Introduction: Phillip Crawford, Chapter Board Member,

President, Monterey Bay Area Chapter, NLG

Panel Members:

Kelli Evans, Associate Director, ACLU-NC

Mel Mason, President, Monterey County Branch, NAACP

Steven Rease, 1^st Vice President, Monterey Bay Area NLG

2:45 p.m. Audience Questions and Answers

3:00 p.m. Social and Refreshments

3:15 p.m. Election of 2012 Board of Directors

3:30 p.m. Adjournment