Announcement – City Councilor Turner Thanks His Supporters

We got this message 6 days ago, but misplaced it in the post-elections shuffle:

Councilor Turner released the following message to his supporters:

November 4, 2009

Dear Supporters,

I am thrilled to have won such a landslide victory in yesterday’s
District 7 City Council race. I view this victory not only as a
mandate to continue my leadership as Councilor but also to continue my
fight to prove that former US Attorney Sullivan tried to publicly
humiliate and jail me despite his knowledge that I am innocent.

Now that my continuation as the District 7 Councilor is assured, I
will focus my attention on disposing of the government’s bogus case.
As long as the question of my guilt or innocence is unresolved, I will
not be able to serve as a Chair of any Council Committee based on a
ruling by the Council President. Thus to eliminate this impediment to
my service I have directed my lead lawyer, Barry P Wilson, to prepare
a motion to dismiss the charges.

I have also instructed him to take whatever steps necessary to secure
the “so called evidence” that the government claims to have. I
continue to believe that the government’s demand that I give up my
freedom of speech in order to receive “their evidence” is an
outrageous denial of justice. However, my lawyers advise me that their
ability to see the “evidence” strengthens their ability to prove
former US Attorney Sullivan joined the historic pattern of government
persecution of black elected officials by basing his case on his
political desires not on the pursuit of justice.

Since receipt of the “evidence” will limit my ability to discuss the
particulars of the case, I will focus my discussion in the court of
public opinion on US Attorney Sullivan –his history, his objectives,
and his relationship to the press. It is amazing that the Boston media
has focused so little attention on former US Attorney John Ashcroft’s
bankrolling Sullivan’s future despite the profile of Sullivan as a
weak, somewhat inept US Atty.

In closing, let me thank all of you who supported me during the
darkest moment of my life. Without your support, I would not have
survived the early assaults and certainly would not have had the
strength and courage to persevere despite the odds and the attacks. I
am truly indebted to you all. Let me end by publicly thanking Terri,
my wife, for her love and faith which has served as a shield against
the slings and arrows of outrageous fortune.

Sincerely,
chuck

SEXUAL ASSAULT ON AGASSIZ ROAD HAS NEIGHBORHOOD RESIDENTS ON EDGE

BY STEPHEN BROPHY

Three men sexually assaulted a woman as she walked on Agassiz Road early in the early morning hours of October 25, according to a report in The Boston Globe.
“The woman said she tried to ignore the men [after they stopped her on the sidewalk], but one of them knocked her down, dragged her into a bushy area, and sexually assaulted her,” said James Kenneally, a Police Department spokesman. “The woman said the men fled toward Park Drive after the assault.” The Department has asked that anyone with potential information call the Sexual Assault Unit at (617) 343-4400.

Ironically, with the increased police presence in the Victory Gardens, a police cruiser was likely nearby, but Agassiz Road is not very visible from the gardens.

While apparently an isolated incident, the assault has awakened the concerns of Fenway residents about the safety of that particular stretch of road. Erica Mattison, a board member of the Fenway Civic Association, gave this reporter via email a list of “some … measures for which we [Fenway Civic] have advocated and will continue to do so.” The list includes getting the Parks Department to cut back reeds close to the sidewalk and do more regular maintenance on trees and shrubs to eliminate hiding places; working with various departments of the City to “restore the Duck House and have it occupied;” getting the State’s Department of Conservation and Recreation to install better lighting; and getting the Police Department to increase after-dark patrols on Agassiz Road.

When told that other residents were thinking about asking for a police call box somewhere on the road, Mattison said the association would add that measure to its list. She asserted that “We will be contacting our elected and other officials to ask for their action on these items. We will be encouraging other organizations to do the same.”

Matti Kniva Spencer, a long-time West Fens resident who organized the Peterborough Street Crime Watch several years ago, advocated for concerned residents to “go to meetings. The police hold two community meetings every month…and people should really go to them.”

This month’s meetings will take place on Tuesday, Nov. 17, at Morville House, 100 Norway Street, at 6 p.m. (East Fens) and Wednesday, Nov. 18, in the District 4 Police Substation in the Landmark Center at 5 p.m. (West Fens) See “Community Meetings on our calendar page every month for dates and times of future meetings. Spencer’s crime-watch group meets less frequently, and he says that anyone who wants to know when the next one is scheduled should e-mail him at comeshome@verizon.net.

The Fenway Community Development Center is considering a variety of responses, including calling a meeting with City Councilor Mike Ross to advocate for a call box. It has encouraged people to 1) go to the community police meetings and 2) contact their elected officials with their concerns. It says it will also offer support to any other organization or individual who wants to organize a public meeting or workshop on safety issues.

Police in Fens Cause Concern for Gay Rights

Police Patrolling the Agassiz Road
Sidewalk – photo by Steve Wolf

by Meena Ramakrishnan

Last month, police increased patrols in the Fens after residents and gardeners complained about finding condoms, needles and trash in the Victory Gardens. Gardeners have been pleased with the response, but some argue that the police presence has jeopardized gay rights by patrolling a well-known gay cruising site.

“The perception in the gay community is that police have been targeting gay men who use the parks,” said Don Gorton, Chair of the Anti-Violence Project. “That has created considerable concern–that there is a desire to sweep loitering gay men out of the park.”

GLBT liaison Officer Javier Pagan said that after receiving complaints, police sent officers to patrol the area on foot after the mounted horse patrol was disbanded because of budget cuts. “There must be a misunderstanding about what is supposed to be going on,” Pagan said.

In response to the concerns over civil rights, City Councilor Mike Ross posted a statement in the Bay Windows to address the intentions of the police in the Fens. He said the police cannot ignore a legitimate complaint and have a responsibility to maintain safety. “The Boston Police Department is working to police the area to prevent crime that hurts the Fenway community — not profile those who may utilize the Victory Gardens as a meeting place,” Ross said.

“I’ve been pleased by the Police Department’s ability to recognize the difference between regulating behavior and preventing crime, which is illustrated by the fact that no one has been arrested for public sex after patrols were increased.”

According to Gorton, however, a gay man had been arrested for a sex crime. Gorton did not have exact details of the case, but the Anti-Violence Project is hoping to have the charges dismissed. Pagan said the person was summoned to court, but he did not have any further information.

“Despite command intentions, command communications were not publicized. Public information, I think is the answer,” said Gorton. He also said gay men have told the Anti-Violence Project that patrol officers were “terry-stopping” them in the Fens without suspicion that a crime was or will be committed. In a terry-stop, officers are allowed to briefly detain the person, ask questions and take down contact information.

“The number of stops involving gay men in the fens has increased after heightened patrols began,” said Gorton. Pagan said that while officers have been instructed to enforce the closing time of the Fens, they are not there to prevent people from using the reeds. “But if you enforce the park closing at dusk, then people can’t go in there and do what they do,” he said.

While sex in public is illegal in Mass., civil rights lawyers say that if consenting adults are concealed from passersby, then no law is being broken. Pagan said there have been previous law suits regarding public sex in Boston, so officers are not concerned with searching in the reeds. “When they have sex outside in the phragmites [an invasive species of reeds that lines the Muddy River], it gives them the expectation of privacy. You are surrounded by woods, and technically you’re not violating any laws by having sex in public,” said Pagan.

The phragmites around the Muddy River will be removed under the Muddy River Restoration Project’s plans to restore the landscape and improve flood control and water quality. Plans for removal are already underway. “Muddy River Restoration Project is going to change the entire landscape. Eventually they’ll have to close the entire area,” Pagan said.

The Victory Gardens was vandalized after the patrols started. Some gates were bashed, fence posts uprooted, and fence wiring damaged. More than 40 garden fences were affected. No one has been found responsible for the destruction, but some think that the vandalism was in retaliation to the patrols.

According to Pagan, around eight robberies occurred in the Fens a few months ago. Six of those involved gay men who had met someone in a bar, and then were robbed by that person in the Victory Gardens. Pagan posted signs in gay bars in Boston and has advised people to be smart about who they meet. He said the police have been working with gay rights groups, such as Fenway Health and Gay and Lesbian Advocates and Defenders (GLAD).

Meena Ramakrishnan is a journalism student at Northeastern.

Letter – Mike Ross on Police Patrols in Victory Gardens

Fenway phragmites.
Image from www.pinebank.org

The following letter from City Council President Mike Ross is also posted at Bay Windows.

Over the last few weeks, a serious issue has come up in a part of the community I represent: increased police patrols in the Fenway Victory Gardens. It has not been an easy issue. It has a direct impact on public safety and public comfort in using a public park, but has raised fears in the GLBT community of civil rights violations and police targeting of the gay community.

I want to be clear that nothing could be more important than protecting the rights of a group that in the past has been targeted for discrimination. The clearing of the tall reeds, or phragmities, and the increased police patrols around the Fenway Gardens is not so much a civil rights issue as it is an issue that goes to the core of what makes Boston vibrant, attractive, and accessible to all. Community gardens are important gems within a neighborhood, attracting positive outdoor activity within an urban environment and encouraging families both gay and straight to enjoy our green spaces. Residents feel unsafe in their own gardens. They have found condoms, needles, and garbage, and are afraid to bring their children to the Fens. Residents have a legitimate complaint.

The phragmities in the Fenway Victory Gardens are a part of Boston’s history. They date back to World War II. These naturally-occurring weeds have presented public safety challenges over the years, growing so thick at times that the police have been hesitant to drive in parts of the Gardens and presenting a fire risk to the community as well. The long history of the reeds will end in a couple of years, when the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers enters the construction phase of its Muddy River restoration project, which will remove the phragmities from the Fenway.

I want the Victory Gardens to be a place for all Bostonians to enjoy. I have worked closely with the Boston Police Department to increase the police presence in the Victory Gardens to prevent vandalism and drug activity that have plagued this area. However, I am mindful of the need to move forward cautiously as this area has been important to the GLBT community. The Boston Police Department had the wisdom to include their GLBT liaisons in meetings to ensure that the gay community would not be targeted by officers, to ensure that officers on the scene acted appropriately and with proper consideration for everyone’s rights, and to ensure that their efforts are focused solely on preventing crime and improving public safety.

The easy thing would be to do nothing, which has been the policy for many years. To be sure, there was a time in Boston’s history when members of the GLBT community were ostracized from licensed premises and they were literally driven to outdoor spaces like the Victory Gardens to evade discrimination. Boston has changed dramatically since then. It was the first capital city in America to allow same-sex marriages and is known for its vibrant gay scene. The annual Boston Pride Parade is attended by families and individuals of all sexual preferences, celebrating the importance of the GLBT community in our city. Our Mayor and my colleagues on the City Council are unanimous in their support of gay marriage, transgender rights, and improving the accessibility of services that may be helpful for the GLBT community.

The Boston Police Department is working to police the area to prevent crime that hurts the Fenway community—not profile those who may utilize the Victory Gardens as a meeting place. I’ve been pleased by the Police Department’s ability to recognize the difference between regulating behavior and preventing crime, which is illustrated by the fact that no one has been arrested for public sex after patrols were increased. I am sure that there are those who do feel targeted inappropriately, and I urge them to come forward, talk with the police, talk with me, as we want to be sure that we can make these improvements without violating anyone’s rights. This is a space that has been important to many people for many reasons, and we need to treat all of them with the respect they deserve while making the Back Bay Fens safer.

POLICE BLOTTER: Aug 31 – Sep 7

IMPERSONATING A POLICE OFFICER ON HUNTINGTON AVE.
About 2:15 a.m. on Aug. 31, an officer responded to a robbery report at 359 Huntington Ave. Upon arrival he spoke with the victim who stated that, while walking in the area with his friend (who served as a witness), he was approached by the suspects (one white, one black). The white male stated that he had marijuana and attempted to sell it to the victim for $40. When the victim refused the suspect stated that he was a police officer and demanded the victim’s wallet. The victim turned over his wallet to the suspect who removed $100 from it before returning the wallet to the victim. Ath this time both suspects fled on foot in the dirction of Hemenway St. Officer broadcast a description of the suspects and searched the area, to no avail

JEWELRY THEFT ON WESTLAND AVE.
On Sept. 1, a Jamaica Plain woman who was sleeping over at her mother’s house on Westland Ave. called to report a jewelry theft from her mother’s apartment. The jewelry was stolen out of a tan leather duffle bag. Victim believes that the maintenance man of the building was the thief, because he had a key to her mother’s unit so he could fix the door buzzer. Victim reported that her mother is blind, and the alleged thief might have figured that she wouldn’t miss stolen property because of this.

MOTORCYCLE THEFT ON GAINSBOROUGH ST.

At about noon on Sept. 7, a man came into the District 4 headquarters to report his motorcycle stolen. He had parked it in front of 115 Gainsborough St. at about 8:30 p.m. the previous day, and discovered it missing when he returned at 10:30 p.m. He asserted that he had parked in a legal parking spot. An officer called the official tow company, and then filed a stolen vehicle report.

Later, a police officer in Mattapan responded to a call from a woman who reported an unknown motorcycle in her driveway. The woman further stated that it had not been there the night before. Further investigation revealed that it was the same motorcycle stolen from Gainsborough St. It appeared to be in good condition, and no items had been removed from it.

IPOD THEFT ON PARK DRIVE
On August 7 at about 9:30 p.m. an officer responded to a radio call for a robbery in progress at Park Drive and Forsyth Way. On arrival, the victim rEported that he and a friend (witness) were walking home when 6 to 8 black males, all approximately 16-18 years old, approached them. One asked “is that your iPod?” and when the victim replied “yes,” the suspect then said “gimme everything you’ve got!” No weapon was shown. The victim handed the iPod over and then ran away.

The witness stated that he was riding his bicycle along with the victim, and upon being confronted by the group, rode away to get help. He stated that he did witness the approach and the demand, and provided a description of one of the other suspect; only two suspects were described.

Additional District 4 officers responded, as did one from Northeastern. These officers searched the area and conducted a threshold inquiry of possible suspects matching the description in front of 1375 Boylston St. Upon observing the subjects, both victim and witness stated that they were not the suspects who robbed them.

CAR WINDOW SMASHED ON KILMARNOCK ST.
At about 5:30 p.m. on Sept 4, an officer responded to a radio call to investigate a motor vehicle at 33 Kilmarnock St. Upon arrival, the officer observed a 2009 red Nissano Murano with Mass. Plates and the front passenger side window smashed. The officer observed that the central console had been left open. He attempted to locate the owner of the vehicle, but to no avail. The vehicle was towed for safekeeping by Roberts Towing; two pairs of sunglasses were seized and tagged for safekeeping, and placed in the property safe in the Duty Supervisor’ office. The tow company notified the car owner.

POLICE BLOTTER-JUNE 2009

Robbery during Fire
During the fire that forced the evacuation of tenants of 66 the Fenway on May 25, someone broke into one of the apartments to steal jewelry and other valuables. The BPD reports that after responding to the call, officers talked with the victim’s daughter because the victim herself does not speak English. The daughter reported that her mother left the apartment due to the fire alarm, and when she returned she noticed several items missing. A drawer next to the bed had been opened and all of its contents moved to the bed. The officers advised her to tell her mother to cancel her credit cards and cell phone, and turned the case over to District 4 detectives.

Stabbing on Gainsborough Street
On Tuesday, June 16, officers responding to a call about an assault on Gainsborough street found EMS workers treating the victim for an apparent stab wound to the chest; the victim was then transported to Brigham and Women’s Hospital for further treatment. A witness on the scene stated that a short, clean-shaven black male with close-cropped hair, wearing a white-and-black zip-up hoodie with dominoes or dice all over it, walked up to the victim and asked “Do you know me?” He then stabbed the victim one time in the upper right side of the chest. Multiple units searched the area to no avail. A crime scene unit also processed and photographed the scene. Officers questioned the victim in the hospital.

More Trouble on Gainsborough
On Wednesday, June 10, just after midnight, two officers received a call about a dispute at Our House Restaurant and Pub at 52 Gainsborough St. The bar’s owner told the officers that he had asked a patron to leave after the waitstaff complained that he was taking photographs of them and making them feel generally uncomfortable. The suspect agreed to leave but refused to pay a $30 bar tab. Suspect was still on the scene when the officers arrived and told officers that he had not sought permission to take the photos but was taking them for a Boston magazine. He acknowledge that he had an outstanding bar tab which he “had no trouble paying,” but that he did not wish to pay it as he felt he was treated in a discriminatory nature due to his sexual orientation. When asked how he was treated, he refused to answer and said he would only “tell his attorney.” He was advised that he needed to pay for the services he had been provided; when he continued to refuse, he was arrested and charged with defrauding a restaurant.

Street Sign Removed to Steal a Bike
On June 12 a woman locked her bike to a street sign outside 25 Queensberry St.; when she came out of the building a couple of hours later, the street sign was on the ground and her bicycle was missing.

More Trouble on Queensberry
On June 15 a resident of 111 Queensberry reported that when he returned home from work he found that his front door had been forced open. The victim reported that a laptop, a digital camera, and an iPod were missing, as was a City Sports bag, which was possibly used to carry the stolen items. The officer canvassed the floor on which the robbery happened and found pry marks on another door, but that apartment was still secured and no entry had apparently been made.

Attempted Robbery in a Parking Garage
Soon afer midnight on June 12, two officers responded to a radio call about an armed robbery at the parking garage at 80 Westland Ave. On arrival officers spoke with the victim who stated that the suspect (black male, approximately 5’7”, weighing approximately 200 pounds, wearing a black hoodie, black face mask, and baggy blue jeans) walked up to the cashier’s booth and pulled a handgun from his pocket. The suspect pointed the gun under the window of the booth and demanded the money in the register. The victim stated that as he opened the register a vehicle pulled into the garage, and the suspect turned and ran onto Westland Ave. An unidentified witness told the officers that she saw a male fitting the suspect’s description run down Edgerly Road and turn left onto Burbank St. Officers broadcast a description of the suspect on the police channel and canvassed the area, to no avail. One of the officers also viewed surveillance footage of the incident at the security office locted in 221 Mass. Ave. This footage clearly showed the suspect pointing what appeared to be a silver-colored semi-automatic handgun at the victim.
compiled by Stephen Brophy

Announcement – Chuck Turner to Appeal Gag Orders

The following announcement was promulgated by The Chuck Turner Daylight Network: The Antidote For The Apathetic:

DOZENS OF COURT OBSERVERS NEEDED IN COURTHOUSE BY 11:45 PM

Boston City Councillor Chuck Turner will appear before Judge Woodlock
“to appeal the gag orders”.

DATE: Thursday, July 2, 2009 at 12/noon
LOCATION: The Joseph Moakley US Federal Courthouse
One Courthouse Way at Northern Avenue (( Court Room #1 ))
Boston, MA (See directions below)

REMEMBER: REQUIREMENT TO BRING 2 PICTURE IDENTIFICATION CARDS
& NO CELL PHONE/CAMERAS ALLOWED IN BUILDING

Boston Courthouse Directions:

John Joseph Moakley U.S. Courthouse
1 Courthouse Way
Boston, Massachusetts 02210

* BY PUBLIC TRANSPORATION
o There are three MBTA busses that stop directly in front of the courthouse. [The numbers: 3, 6, 7 busses]
o The closest MBTA T-Stop is the Red Line at South Station.
o For further information, visit the MBTA’s website by following this link: http://www.mbta.com

* PARKING INFORMATION
o There are several parking lots around the Courthouse on Northern Avenue, averaging $10.00 per day.

Help Save Our Mounted Police!

This announcement was broadcast by Fenway Civic Association to its membership:

THIS MAY BE OUR LAST CHANCE

Come to City Hall 2:00 PM, Tuesday, June 23rd
City Council Chambers – 5th Floor

Councilor Mike Ross and the Boston City Council are holding a special hearing to seek the truth behind the administration’s intention to disband the Mounted Patrol Unit and give the 12 horses away.

Sign up to speak how important these highly trained officers and their horses are for law enforcement in our City. The vast majority of Boston residents and the patrolmen themselves know how valuable they are for their superb ability to
* prevent crime
* patrol hard to reach areas
* calm crowds and
* build community on a unique personal level

The Mounted Patrols are a mere 1/4th of 1% (.0025%) of the police budget.

Yet the Mayor and his top BPD administrators are determined to eliminate them, citing “the global economic crises”, and saying that keeping them would mean removing “much needed officers from our streets”. They hope the simplistic tactic of pitting animals against people will win over the public. In truth, the BPD does not stand to lose any officers anyway — horses or no horses.

Your City Councilors will be voting on the City’s budget on June 24. Ask them to insist that the budget they vote for has funding for the Boston Mounted Patrol. If it does not, ask them to veto it until the Mayor inserts funding for the unit back into the budget to ensure Boston’s historic legacy will continue to protect and enhance our City for another 150 years.

If you cannot attend, please contact them by phone or e-mail – both your district councilor and at-large councilors. It will take 7 out of 13 votes to prevail. The future is in your hands.

Contact Info for City Councilors
Mark.ciommo@cityofboston.gov
617-635-3113
John.connolly@cityofboston.gov Councilor At Large
617-635-3115
Rob.consalvo@cityofboston.gov
617-635-4210
Maureen.feeney@cityofboston.gov
617-635-3455
Michael.flaherty@cityofboston.gov Councilor At Large
617-635-4205
Salvatore.lamattina@cityofboston.gov
617-635-3200
Bill.linehan@cityofboston.gov
617-635-3203
Steve.murphy@cityofboston.gov Councilor At Large
617-635-4376
Michael.Ross@cityofboston.gov Distr. 8 Fenway, Back Bay, Beacon Hill, J.P.
617-635-4225
John.tobin@cityofboston.gov
617-635-4220
Chuck.turner@cityofboston.gov Parts of East Fenway
617-635-3510
Charles.yancey@cityofboston.gov
617-635-3131
Sam.yoon@cityofboston.gov Councilor At Large
617-635-4217

Chuck Turner Letter to His Constituents

Boston City Councilor Chuck Turner released to his constituents the following statement today, March 18, 2009 the following statement regarding Judge Hillman’s granting of the protective order:

Dear Constituents,

Thanks for your support in our continuing campaign to secure Justice. I appreciate the Court’s acknowledgement that the release of the picture of my alleged wrong doing was designed to prejudice public opinion against me and focus publicity on the case. However, in the absence of any sanctions against the US Attorney for his unwarranted behavior, the Court is denying me the opportunity to publicize whatever information the government may have that relates to my innocence.

I believe the Court’s ruling is denying me my constitutional rights and have asked my lawyers to see if they can appeal this ruling. I believe that I have a responsibility not only to myself but also to all those who are being found guilty in the court of public opinion through the collusion between the media and the “justice” system. Even if I am not successful in my appeal efforts, I will not sign any order requiring me to restrict my rights. As a member of a race that has had to fight for every right we have in this country, I have a responsibility to fight any Power that denies me any of those rights. To sign US Attorney Sullivan’s gag order would be a betrayal of my ancestors struggle for Justice.

Sincerely,
Chuck

News Notes – April 3

Bank robber hails cab for his getaway try, Boston officers say
By Brian R. Ballou – Globe Staff / April 3, 2009

Glenn Carbonneau appeared to be in a hurry, running and waving his arms at a cab as it drove from Symphony Hall yesterday morning. The driver stopped and waited for him to catch up, thinking the man needed to tend to urgent family matters.

But police said that Carbonneau was fleeing an armed bank robbery he had just committed and was using the cab as a getaway car, unbeknownst to the driver, Sharad Aryal.

“He was out of breath, but I thought he needed to get home to help with a family emergency,” Aryal said.

It was the third bank robbery in two consecutive days. Yesterday’s attempted getaway was thwarted when two detail officers near Fenway Park noticed that Carbonneau fit the description of the suspect who had just robbed the Sovereign Bank at 279 Massachusetts Avenue.

MFA cuts slew of staff, sets wage, hiring freeze
By Larry Katz – Friday, April 3, 2009

The global financial crisis is hitting Boston’s Museum of Fine Arts.

In a letter published on the Fenway institution’s Web site yesterday, MFA Director Malcolm Rogers announced an array of cost-cutting measures. Thirty-three staff workers will be laid off, 21 vacant positions will remain unfilled and salaries of the museum’s remaining 756 workers will be frozen through 2010. In addition to cutbacks in concert and film programs and staff travel, Rogers and five management members will accept reduced salaries.

The cuts come as the MFA heads into the final stages of an ambitious expansion project scheduled to be completed next year.