Press Releases from the ACLU of Sacramento County

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Friday, Sept. 23, 2011
Contact: Cres Vellucci 916.993-2294 or 916.996-9170 aclu-sacramento@comcast.net

Distinguished civil rights expert available for Sacramento media,
will speak at annual ACLU Sacramento meeting Sunday

SACRAMENTO – The American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) of Sacramento will hold its annual meeting here Sunday, Sept. 25, at 1 p.m at the Sierra 2 Center (2791 24th St.).

A news briefing will be held at 12:30 p.m. Keynote speaker Kelli Evans, a former senior trial attorney in the Civil Rights Division of the U.S. Dept of the Dept. of Justice and now Associate Director of the ACLU of Northern California, will be available to comment on civil rights issues in the Sacramento area.

SACRAMENTO – The American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) of Sacramento and National Lawyers Guild (NLG) of San Francisco will host a "Know Your Rights" Workshop Sept. 27 from 6-8 p.m. at the Sol Collective, 2574 21st Street in Sacramento.

The workshop is free and open to the public.

"A Legal Guide to Survival in the Post 9/11 World" will include information about what to do if stopped by the "police, immigration agents or the FBI."

For more information, call 916.993.2294, email: aclu-sacramento@comcast.net or go to www.aclusac.org

ACLU Sacramento expresses new 'concerns' over Twin Rivers Police shooting of 17-year-old youth; Board members will attend community meeting Thursday

SACRAMENTO – The American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) of Sacramento today
said it is watching developments in a case surrounding the shooting of a17-year-old teen last month by a Twin Rivers police officer.

Today (Thursday) there is a meeting (5:30 p.m.) between law enforcement and community groups at 6040 Watt Ave near an elementary school in North Highlands. Sacramento ACLU board members will be available for comment at that time.

The Sacramento ACLU chapter – noting there has been a rash of Sacramento area police shootings in recent years, including that of an unarmed suspect handcuffed in a police car earlier in 2011 - said it has concerns about this particular police shooting because of conflicting statements by Twin Rivers Police following the shooting. He was allegedly reaching for a gun on the ground.

The Sacramento ACLU Chapter released this statement:

"The Sacramento ACLU will, as always, reserve judgment on this matter until all the facts are in...however, we are always concerned about the shooting of a suspect, and in this case the circumstances around the shooting (2 youths sitting in a park), and the young age of the victim bring additional questions. We encourage independent citizen review of such incidents. And the records of officers involved should be open for inspection for more public transparency. Police abuse continues to be a major concern, particularly in poor communities and communities of color."

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Tuesday, April 12, 2011

Attention: Daybook/Assignment Desk

Internal documents reveal UC may have spied on student fee hike protesters; ACLU chapters join students Tuesday at news conference to disclose efforts by university to control free speech protests

DAVIS, Ca. – High-ranking University of California, Davis administrators – including several vice chancellors – and campus police may have conspired to monitor and control constitutionally-protected fee hike protests at the university, according to internal documents uncovered by students involved in the demonstrations.

A news conference to release those documents will be held TUESDAY, April 12, at 10 a.m., at UCD (South Plaza of the Memorial Union, near the central quad of the UC Davis campus.).

ACLU Sacramento has 'concerns' over Elk Grove police
shooting of unarmed, handcuffed suspect; ACLU will
attend community forum on Tuesday

SACRAMENTO – The American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) of Sacramento today said it is "concerned" about the shooting of an unarmed suspect by Elk Grove police while he was handcuffed in a patrol car, and is sending representatives to unofficially attend a community meeting by police Tuesday.

The community meeting is being held Tuesday at 6:30 p.m. at the Elk Grove City Council Chambers (8400 Laguna Palms Way).

The Sacramento ACLU has said it will reserve judgment, but Monday stated "We are concerned when we hear about these type of police shootings. We encourage independent citizen reviews of such incidents."

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Wednesday, January 19, 2011
Contact: ACLU Press Office (916) 996-9170

ACLU Sacramento questions use of Tasers in Rancho Cordova shoplifting suspect melee Monday, cites 'dangers' of using Tasers in non-lethal force situations by police

SACRAMENTO – The American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) of Sacramento today said it is concerned that the use of a Taser to subdue a shoplifting suspect here Monday was unnecessary, and just another example of the "dangers" of using Tasers in a unregulated atmosphere.

Andrea Boarman was tased outside a Rancho Cordova store Monday as officers searched for a robbery suspect. Unarmed, and on the ground with two officers on top of her, Boarman was tased. She had a receipt for her purchase and during the melee the robber got away.

"Tasers cause excruciating pain and pose a risk of serious injuries or death. They should be used only when there is an imminent threat of serious physical harm to officers or other individuals," said ACLU Sacramento board member Allen Asch, quoting from the ACLU's position on Tasers.

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Thursday, Dec. 16, 2010
Contact: ACLU of Sacramento Press Office 916/993-2294

Sacramento serviceman confesses 'don't ask, don't tell'
policy has 'haunted his conscience' during career: He notes:
'I work alongside (gay) men and women I would trust with my life'

SACRAMENTO – A Sacramento-area Air Force serviceman, and board member of the Sacramento chapter of the ACLU, spoke out this week about "don't ask, don't tell," confessing the military policy has made him "ashamed" of the way the military treats gays, and has "haunted (my) conscience" during his nearly 17-year military career.

Kristoffer Berrien, in a letter (interview, letter upon request) released this week, said: "When I put on my uniform and go to work I’m simply doing what small part I can to protect this country I love so dearly. I work alongside men and women I would trust with my life. It has never once crossed my mind that if the Airman next to me is gay I should put any less faith in his or her ability to do the job."

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Thursday, Oct. 28, 2010
Contact: Debra Reiger 916/698-8131 or 916/996-9170

ACLU of Sacramento applauds California Supreme Court
ruling that Roseville Galleria's mall rules restricting free
speech are unconstitutional; calls rules 'nonsensical'

SACRAMENTO – The American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) Sacramento County chapter said this week it strongly supports the recent California Supreme Court decision determining that the Westfield Galleria Mall's rules restricting speech among strangers are a violation of free speech, and thus, unconstitutional.

"Clearly, the mall overreached its authority to restrict speech to only matters related to the mall. It was nonsensical to, in effect, tell people they can't even talk about the weather if it doesn't relate to the mall," said Debra Reiger, newly-installed chair of the Sacramento ACLU Board of Directors.

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Monday, Sept. 6, 2010
Contact: Jim Updegraff 916/421-5951 or ACLU-Sac press office 916/996-9170

Local ACLU again urges Sacramento City Council to act in public's best interest, and reconsider its decision to move public comment to end of meetings; matter on Tuesday agenda

SACRAMENTO – The Sacramento Chapter of the American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) Monday said it still believes the Sacramento City Council's decision to move the public comment period to the end of its meetings is wrong, not practical and urged the council Tuesday to rescind that vote when it re-considers the issue Tuesday.

ACLU-Sacramento board chair Jim Updegraff will hold a press availability TUESDAY, 5:15 P.M. OUTSIDE CITY COUNCIL CHAMBERS to answer questions.

Updegraff, in a letter to be hand-delivered to council members Tuesday morning, said, "exceptions" to the new rule to be discussed Tuesday by the council are not "practical" and being offered only in an attempt "to placate critics of the proposed change."