Rancho Cucamonga, CA – Three members of the Survivors were arrested on Tuesday, November 13, 2007, on Chaffey College campus in Rancho Cucamonga, California, in one of the most egregious displays of police misconduct that we have heard about in years.
The three young men, Joey Cox, and brothers James and Jason Conrad, were on campus to obtain permits for a pro-life outreach at the college. They had learned through many experiences to record their dealings for their protection. At Chaffey, the young men had both video and audio recorders running.
In this instance, college police objected to the taping. Without warning, and without identifying themselves as officers, Joey was attacked, shoved to the ground, and his audio recorder forcibly removed from his pocket. Joey saw the officers attempting to erase the recording.
The officers verbally abused and mocked the young men for their pro-life beliefs. To his disgrace, an officer named Tran called Joey a “retard.” Joey was escorted off campus without charges at that time, however, his recorder and other property were never returned to him. He was given no receipt.
Jason and James were placed under arrest, cuffed, then roughed up by the officers, who made efforts to hide their actions from other Survivor members who were attempting to document what was happening. Officers endangered them by transporting them without seat belts and with full heaters blasting on a warm day with the purpose of causing additional physical discomfort. They were held for two days on felony “eavesdropping” charges, even though the videotaping was being done in a public place. Later the charges were reduced to misdemeanor charges of obstructing a police officer and disturbing the peace. Joey was charged with trespassing and released.
The three Survivors were doing nothing but attempting to arrange for a pro-life outreach within their First Amendment rights. In return, they were battered, bruised, abused, and robbed, in what seems like a clear case of bigotry and abuse of power.
Click here to watch video of the arrests. You will see the rough treatment and efforts by police to prevent any documentation of their actions.
Operation Rescue has often worked with the Survivors and we know these young men. We were so shocked to hear of their appalling treatment that we asked the Survivors what we could do to help.
They asked us all to make phone calls to the Chaffey College Police Department. Joey’s audio recorder is still missing. It is unknown if the recording is still intact. Please ask them to return the audio recorder to Charles Cox (Joey’s legal name), and feel free to voice your opinion as well.
NEW CONTACT INFORMATION:
Chaffey College Police Chief David Ramirez
Phone number: (909) 652-6630
E-mail: David.Ramirez@chaffey.edu
I hope we don’t have to “sit back and take this.” Something needs to be done!
WHAT UNMITIGATED PONDSCUM. The brownshirt cops, I mean, not the Survivors. These guys have proven once again that many “police officers” are just overgrown playground bullies with badges, guns, and bigotry.
They look for people to stomp underfoot to make themselves look bigger, badder, and better. I think they especially like to pick on prolifers because the prolifers are doing what the cop(out)s are sworn to do but don’t have the guts to really do, and that is to protect and serve the innocent. They don’t have the balls because they were castrated by Roe v. Wade; so they take out their angst not on people actually responsible for Roe v. Wade, but people trying to reverse it. How boneheaded is that?!
Also, one in three or four women has had an abortion. None of those women self-impregnated, so roughly one in two or three guys (there are more women than men) has fathered an aborted child, or been otherwise involved in the murder of at least one innocent baby. Strong emotions are buried with the babies’ bones just beneath the surface; anyone defending the babies’ right to life shames these men without chests, and so they react with what they probably consider an appropriate reprisal, but what any sane human being regards as the egregious abuse of power, and of more innocent people, that it really is.
Brownshirt cops who harass, heckle, humiliate and harm innocent people just to feel like bigshots. Another part of the heinous legacy of Roe v. Wade, which legalized the abuse of medical knowledge, intruments, substances and skills (not so much, though, of the latter) to target the innocent for destruction, not to protect and serve their real healthcare needs like real doctors do in civilized, free societies.
If you can read this, thank your mother for NOT getting her “healthcare” at a chopshop before you were born…
If you can read it in English, thank a marine, not an S.S. brownshirt !
I will def. call and let them know that this type of mistreatment will not be tolerated. can any legal action be taken?
I hope this will be investigated. This comment is coming from one who has never had handcuffs placed on him, so I really can’t judge. But it seems, from the video, that the protestors had a flair for the dramatic. The one guy was yelling at the man in the white shirt – he could have been more calm. Also, he shouldn’t have threatened the officer by saying ‘this will only cause more protests.’ That was really stupid. It never helps the situation to threaten a cop, even if the cop is a jerk and in the wrong.
Any one of us who stands up for the Truth could be taken down at any moment…by a violent cop, the media, or some crazy onlooker. I think this case would be far more compelling if these guys would have been a little more calm, knowing that this was all going to be caught on video anyway for the public to see. When Jesus had insults hurrled at Him, he often did not open His mouth, knowing that His silence spoke louder than words. Not meant to be overly critical – just that we should all be prepared for this to happen, even in the ‘Christian’ United States.
This definitely was police brutality and I am behind these young men for defending their rights. The one so called police officer gave no id and was not dressed as an officer, so what should one do, just lie down and let them stomp on you? Police will use their power to use against whomever they choose and they are angry if anyone defies them. These men were not criminals. I realize it is never wise to argue with a cop because they will use their authority just “because they can.” I am proud of the youg people who are willing to take their chances and do what they can to fight abortion. The cops should feel foolish because they don’t catch the real criminals and they are usually someplace else when the horendous crimes are committed. They need to put their attention where it counts, in protecting people. As far as Jesus was is concerned, He usually had an answer for everything, but He ignored the insults hurled at Him when He was lead to the cross. There was no need to deride the ignorant people,as He knew His plight was to give His life to save the world of their sins. He has put within us the desire for survival and instinct to protect ourselves and we all have it and use it at one time or another. These men just wanted to prove the point of the “injustice” of what was happening and that is what they did. Don’t give up the fight as our struggle is with the powers of darkness, being Satin and his spirits.
The Campus “police” are not really police they are glorified security guards aka “wannabe’s”. In this case they are just bullies.
I do take offense to Wachet Auf says about police officers. They do protect us here in America and many of them have served in the military. It is unfortunate that a few bad ones make it difficult for all of the good officers out there. I did contact the campus police on this university and voiced my concern about the treatment of these young men. I am very much prolife but do respect police officers. Let’s not lump them all together……they have a tough job.
Not all police are in uniform nor do they always carry badges. The plainclothes officer was within his powers because a uniformed officer was present and aware of his actions. The young men were obviously agitated and perhaps disruptive of public order. Yes, these are all BS issues especially considering that homeless people do far worse every day and are ignored by the police. So, yes, the pro-lifers are being “picked on” and it’s unfair. But as far as a point of protest, this is a weak case. I’d suggest the young activists be much quieter, gracious, and persistent legally than being loud, overbearing, and “in-your-face” despite their justifiable outrage at the system and the lost lives. Easy does it today, win tomorrow. JMO.
The new game for cops is to charge you with wiretapping when you record them violating your rights in a public place. The Supreme Court has ruled that conversations that occur in public are NOT “privileged”.
You are witnessing the birth pangs of Police State America. This is one birth that should be aborted.
Jason
Analyst, U.S. Govt.
former Deputy Sheriff