Carlos Hernandez: Innocent until proven guilty

To the friends and family of Carlos Hernandez,

Carlos has now been charged for the incident that took place last Friday night. All of us who know Carlos, know that he is not capable of these acts and that if he says he is not guilty, he is not guilty.

The incident last Friday night will forever scar both of the young people involved, regardless of Carlos's guilt or innocence. Our hope is that the judge, jury, and public can see Carlos the way that we all do. As a kind, honest, hard working, young American man. And not just as another young Hispanic male accused of a crime.

This site has been created to help ensure that Carlos receives the best possible legal representation available and that he can post bail and remain free until his trial, which could be as long as 2 years away. We must raise $30,000 to post his bail, $20,000+ for legal fees, and another $5000+ to cover the listing fees for this site.

We truly believe that Carlos is innocent, and hope that we can raise enough support here to help make sure that he does not go to prison for a crime that he did not commit.

If we are unable to raise this money, Carlos will remain in jail until his trial. At trial he will be represented by a public defender who may not be willing or able to adequately represent him. If he is found guilty, he could be facing as many as 30 years in prison for the alleged crimes. Without our help. Carlos could be 51 years old before he is able to move past this terrible tragedy.

Please help Carlos. Please help give him the best possible chance to prove his innocence. Please help give him the opportunity to live his life and enjoy the freedom for which his family and all American families have made so many sacrifices.

For more information please click here or visit www.fundedjustice.com 

EXCLUSIVE: Interview with Ammon Bundy's Lawyers

EUGENE, Ore. -- Attorneys for Ammon Bundy, the leader of the armed militia group near Burns who was arrested Tuesday, spoke to KEZI 9 News in an exclusive phone interview, following Bundy's first day in court Wednesday.

KEZI 9 News Anchor Jennifer Richardson interviewed Mike Arnold and Lissa Casey of Arnold Law in Eugene Thursday morning:

Jennifer: "You met with Ammon, and he released a statement. What can you tell us about this statement?"

Mike Arnold: "It's important for folks to know, particularly at the refuge, that Ammon believes that everything that can be done there has been done. Now, it's time for a new forum in this citizen protest, and that's through the federal court system. People at the refuge need to remember that as a criminal defendant, there are certain rights to the discovery process. We will be able to subpoena records that the federal government has. We will be able to conduct a discovery, file motions to compel. We now have the powers of legal process. This case isn't about the First, Second and Tenth Amendments. It's now about the Fifth Amendment and due process. Lots of power to the citizen protesters comes from that amendment."

Jennifer: “Mike, you are an attorney here in Eugene. This is a very high profile case being watched very closely across the country. Why did you want to take on this, along with your firm?”

Lissa Casey: “You know, we're interested in the constitution. We're interested in individual liberties. We're interested in disputes between citizens and the government. And this case has gone on to a national debate about federal government interacting with citizens in the form of land management. But I think that it’s going to be an even larger debate. And we wanted to help.”

Jennifer: "I have in front of me here a 32-page complaint that was filed by the FBI and law enforcement. So, 32 pages that seems like a lot of evidence against these occupiers. Without giving away too much obviously, what kind of defense are you going to make for these men and women?"

Mike Arnold: "We can't discuss strategies and tactics at this point but what we can say is we will receive full discovery. There has been a lot of talk online from citizen protesters about what happened with LaVoy when he was killed, and we will know those answers soon. There will be videos. Of course, the FBI and the Oregon State Police, of course, they didn't go on this raid without in-car video and without body cameras, of course they did. We will get to see exactly what happened and we will get some answers about this process."

Jennifer: "You provided me this morning with an exclusive look this morning at a fund--the Ammon Defense Fund. Is this something that is normal in these cases that you would solicit funds for a defense?"

Mike Arnold: "I think it is becoming more normal, Crowdfunding is kind of the new process for citizen activism and citizen protest, so this is something from the Funded Justice website. There used to be another website available--for instance, the GoFundMe sites. They no longer do funding for litigation, so this is for citizen activists, so this is a good way for folks. And, hopefully, we will get enough bail raised so he can go home and start working and raise money for his defense."

Jennifer: "We understand that they will be in court tomorrow, Friday. Where do we go from here?

Lissa Casey: "Tomorrow the judge will determine whether Mr. Bundy and the others can be released while the case is pending, and that will be at 1:30 [p.m.], and then the next court appearance after that will be a preliminary hearing, which will be set for next week."

Original article published January 28, 2016 here: http://www.kezi.com/news/366852171.html

For more information please click here to donate to Ammon Bundy's legal fees or visit www.FundedJustice.com 

Justice for Trenton Ashton

My name is Janet Wilson and our campaign is an effort to free my 20-year-old son, Trenton Ashton. 

My son has been sentenced to 76 years in prison for the very heinous crime of sexual molestation. These charges are not only false, but his subsequent punishment is both extreme and unjust. There was no DNA evidence or any other kind of physical evidence to support these accusations. On top of that, 1) the alleged victim’s story changed multiple times during the 2 years of testimony and trial, 2) my son was not allowed to testify on his own behalf, and 3) the jury – whose members included someone related to the “victim” and 2 individuals related to the arresting officer – was biased.

And we were powerless to do anything about it due to our financial hardships. We simply didn't have the money to retain a qualified lawyer, so Trenton was given an apathetic court-appointed lawyer. Rather than focus her legal intelligence onto the many inconsistencies of the case or investigate facts that could have exonerated my son, this court-appointed lawyer treated my son like nothing more than another file in her increasingly high stack of case files. He was only a number to her and as a result, Trenton has become yet another black face in the U.S. prison system. Another young and promising life ruined by a faulty justice system.

My son is not a bad person and he deserves justice. He’s a well-mannered, intelligent young man – an A/B student, in fact – who was a varsity basketball player and track member, and was involved in various other extracurricular activities like theater and choir. Outside of school, he was very involved with our church, contributing by playing the drums or singing in the church choir, or finding other ways to help out.

Unfortunately, we live in a city known for racial profiling, wrong-doings and extreme sentencing. They had no evidence beyond hearsay to convict my son. Yet it was enough to ruin his life. He was ridiculed severely for this. He was kicked out of school due to this at the age of seventeen.

Trenton has never been in any trouble in his life. No criminal record, nothing. He was – and is – just an outgoing kid whom everyone loves, and this has affected his life tremendously. I refuse to allow such an unjust system to send a promising young life – my child – to a world that will ruin him.

I am asking for help because Trenton does not deserve to lose his life due to the failings of others. Whether you can contribute $1 or $100 doesn’t matter. Any help is valued. We’ve spoken with an attorney, Jonathan Landers, who believes we have strong grounds for an appeal. Anything you can contribute will help us raise the $7,500 needed to retain his services (of the total $10,000 bill). Thank you and God bless.

Wrongly Charged Single Dad needs Help

I am a single parent that has sole custody of my two girls. I am a small business owner and have been self-sufficient all my life. 

My sole aim right now is to get through this problem so I can get on with my life and raise my daughters.

Here's what happened. In early September of 2014, I was driving around with a buddy. It was a new truck and he wanted to drive so I let him. We were driving around a local lake, just checking things out. He had started drinking, so we stopped and I asked for my keys back. He got belligerent and angry and refused. I got more insistent and he took a swing at me. I defended myself by ducking and swinging back. He fell down and was not injured but he got back up and and came after me again. But before he could get to me, he fell down again and injured himself. Afterwards I was assaulted by police and to cover up the assault they charged me with a crime that carries 4 years in prison minimum. In today's legal system the charge is greater to basically scare you into a plea deal.

I take responsibility for my own actions. If I was at fault, I would own it and accept the consequences.

I have been offered a felony plea deal with probation but I refuse to accept a plea deal. I cannot lie and admit to doing something I did not do so I am fighting these charges to the bitter end.

The problem is, various people connected to this issue have been harassing me, and have interfered with my business to the point that I had to close down my shop and leave the county for feal that my life is in jeapordy. My home has been vandalized , my locks have been tampered with and my daughters and I simply don't feel safe in our own home.  Therefore I cannot afford adequate legal representation and I need your help.

Every last dime of what is donated will go to my legal defense. If there is anything left over, the remaining funds will go to someone else deserving of the same kind of help you have given me.

I am a bit reluctant to publish my court case number and county because I'm concerned that the prosecution will attempt to use it against me. However, if it becomes necessary to do so in order to reassure my potential benefactors that my case is real, I will take that risk.

Thank you for taking the time to read this and I appreciate your support.

CW

For more information please click here or visit www.fundedjustice.com 

The case of 'Ranger Danger' at the State park!

I snapped the above photo the day before my dog, Mateo & I'd set out to try'n find housing for the lady and her family, seen above. She turned 92, living at a campground in the tent trailer seen behind them in this photo. Shortly after they'd all been displaced by the Valley Fire of Sept 12th 2015.

Attached is a video of the home my father built, our home lost in the Valley Fire. We were on Cobb Mtn the day of the fire and just made it out ahead of the firestorm. Forced to stand by and watch from a distance, as our entire community burned to the ground.

Trying to find safe, warm, dry housing for some elderly Valley Fire evacuees, at Clearlake State Park on Sept 26, 2015. I was unlawfully detained and assaulted by one Sgt. Darin Conner who then accused me of "Attempted Murder." After I left the park. I eventually turned myself in, when I learned of the charges. Now facing these trumped-up charges.

Conner fabricated a whopper of "Fishtailing" story after I left the park that day, telling the CHP and a Lake County Sheriff's deputy that I'd tried to run him over/down in my truck. That he was forced to grab onto my driver-side door to avoid being drawn under my truck. As I was "Fishtailing" trying to get away.

That he was hit and dragged for 90' then thrown from the vehicle, was all part of his initial statement. Apparently screaming 'Bloody Murder' the day of the incident and law enforcement believed every word of his story? His fabricated claims initiated a multi-county manhunt for me. I eventually turned myself in, when I learned of the charges, then bailed out.

A few days later Conner drastically revised his story. When another deputy interviewed him, asking him to "clarify his statement." Because, get this... There are NO signs of fishtailing at the scene. As CHP has confirmed on their own damn diagram.

We were in court for a pretrial hearing on Jan 27th and my lawyer had to draw these facts outta the LCSO deputy and CHP officer, the DA had called to testify. Conner didn't even bother showing up in court. I was called to testify, tell my side of the story and in the end the Judge held the case over for trial.

My one and only prior arrest was inside a Bank of America branch, placed under "Citizen Arrest" by the manager for "Trespassing" inside the bank that held my mortgage. The same lawyer who is now representing me, sued BofA over this and we settled that lawsuit last year.

So far, we've spent about 13k on this and our lawyer says, for the best possible outcome, we must go all the way to trial. Which will cost us at least, another 15k, we just don't have!

Rob & Mateo

For more information please visit www.fundedjustice.com or click here

Love is Strong Protect the Innocent

I am a mother of 3 adult children and 1 grandchild. He is my heart. I always tell him you are my favorite grandson and he will look at me with a smile on his face waiting for me to say "Oh my you're my only grandson" he will give me a big hug and say I love you Nanie. Picture on this site is of my daughter and her son, they are my heart. I am on this site because they need help to raise money for a lawyer. You see my grandson have been abused by his father and his girlfriend. My daughter has some evidence of his behavior and documentations and tried to present it to the court commissioner here in Wisconsin but she wouldn't even look at it or consider what my daughter as a mother is trying to convey. The court commissioner is not being fair to my daughter and is being one-sided listening to the father. There is no justice and the court commissioner still insists that the father see his son. No way without supervision. After my grandson came back from seeing his dad in August 2015 he was sad and tired and couldn’t sit down, I was livid!  My daughter was so upset she didn’t know what to do I told her to take him to the doctor she thought I meant make an appointment for him to see his doctor. I then was over her place in a couple of days and my grandson told me Nanie they hurt me, I said who and he said his dad and he didn’t know the girlfriends name, right then and there my daughter made up her mind to have him to stop seeing his dad.  My grandson never wanted to see his dad after that but the courts made my daughter insist that he did and still refuse to listen to any of my daughter’s evidence. My heart is breaking and I am trying to stay strong for both of them but even a strong person has their limits. My daughter did not let him see his father for months until they went back to court. She wrote letters to the court to see about getting a different court commissioner but it still did not help they put her through everything else but what she requested. My daughter went back to their court date on 1/21/2106 The court commissioner is listening to the father lie about not seeing his son his son was seen by him supervised in public with my daughter. She refused to take any of my daughter’s document of the father being discharged for using drugs while in the military and they even gave him a chance to go to counseling he refused.  My daughter came out and asked to come into the court room she said they want you to exchange her son to their father because my daughter didn’t want him at her place because she didn’t trust him he is known to start drama and he even had a young lady that he knew from his job to go over my daughters place and fight her for him. This young lady went to my daughter’s house but there wasn’t a fight instead my daughter talked to her and asked her why? So this goes to show you what type of person this man is.  Bottom line is my daughter needs a good lawyer we cannot afford one I will be writing forever telling you what is going on and all of situations that are not right and fair. Please Help! There are too many innocent children that are being killed, abused and so on just because of the court system will not listen.

God Bless and God Please Help!

For more information please click here or visit www.fundedjustice.com 

Father Fighting for his Daughter

Hello everybody,

My name is Shawn and here is my story…..

 

August 27th, 2013, was the best day in my life.  My daughter Lily was born.  My joy soon turned to sadness when I realized my girlfriend was unable and unwilling to parent our daughter and wanted her parents to raise her. I broke up with her when I figured this out. Now I rarely get to see Lily. She is allowing her parents to raise my daughter.

 

When I was a child I was diagnosed with Asperger’s Syndrome.  I have since graduated from high school and am currently enrolled in college. I am a full-time student.  I have also taken some parenting classes and I am certified in

Adult and child CPR, AED, and foreign body airway obstruction.  I recently went to court to have my guardianship vacated. I have worked very hard to get to where I am today. Many said it couldn’t be done.

 

My daughter’s maternal grandparents are trying to prove that Lily is not safe in my care.  They are making up lies. They have refused to let me see Lily, as court ordered, 8 times in three months.  We have gone to court many times. Each time my ex has been found in contempt.  She just pays the fine and nothing else happens. She does the same thing until I take her to court again. Meanwhile, my heart is breaking because I am not there to see my daughter grow up.

 

My ex does not stand up to her parents. Lily’s right to see her father has been taken away. Lily’s maternal grandparents are upset that their precious daughter got knocked up and they just want me out of the picture so they can raise Lily as their daughter and forget that this little indiscretion happened.

 

Lily is my family and I will never go away. I plan to fight for full custody and I need your help. I cannot allow this to go on any longer.  I am trying to raise money for my legal issues. Custody proceedings start about $5000. I have depleted all my resources due to previous court hearings. I have never lost and I do not intend to lose this one. 

 

Lily is the light of my life!

 

Thank you so much for your generosity!

Shawn

For More information, please visit www.fundedjustice.com or click here