[Peace-discuss] P4P sidewalk driver update

[jencart at mailstation.com]

Thanks for handling this, Ricky.  I think we've made our point, glad the guy sounded apologetic, I'm willling to consider it a done deal.  I do agree that we need to meet w/ officers and Chief of Police to be assured that we will be safe, protected and supported when we choose to exercise our first amendment rights in a lawful fashion.   

BTW, I'm uncomfortaable that it's our job to id the face of the driver, when the police have already made the contact and the fellow has admitted to breaking the law..... Smells fishy to me, but let that one go....

Jenifer C.
-----Original Message-----
From: Ricky Baldwin <baldwinricky at yahoo.com>
Sent: Jan 29, 2004 2:39 PM
To: peace discuss <peace-discuss at lists.cu.groogroo.com>
Subject: [Peace-discuss] P4P sidewalk driver update

Sidewalk Driving Update

At the meeting two weeks ago folks suggested that I
call Lt Gallo of the Champaign Police and offer not to
press charges against our Naval Reservist friend who
swerved at us on Prospect Dec 13 (Casey, as it turns
out)-- IF Casey would be willing to meet with me and a
couple of others to apologize/talk.  We discussed a
letter of apology, but decided that it was too
impersonal.  

So I called Lt Gallo on that Monday, and again on
Tuesday, and  again during the week, but heard
nothing.  I called again the following Monday, and he
finally called me back.  He apologized for yet another
delay.  I explained the proposal to him, and he agreed
to call Casey.  He emphasized that he could not force
Casey to comply, and reiterated his misgivings about
pressing charges.  He reminded me that I could not
identify the driver (none of us could, in fact).  He
also insisted for the first time not only that I had
told Officer Hockings ( I apparently misspelled it
before) that we didn’t want to press charges, but that
I had told him (Lt Gallo) this, too.  I did not -
obviously, since I initially called Lt Gallo in part
to complain about Hockings not filing anything on the
incident - and reminded Lt Gallo of this.

At any rate, Lt Gallo did call me again yesterday to
let me know he had spoken with Casey and that Casey
would be calling me.  Lt Gallo also said Casey is 24,
not 19 (as Lt Gallo had told me before) and is
apparently a student here as well as a Naval
Reservist.  Turns out, Casey only started college
after returning from active duty.

Casey did call within the hour, very apologetic, and
sounded sincere.  

Casey also said he was not angry with us,
interestingly enough.  In fact, he said, the reason he
is in the service, as he sees it, is to defend our
right to protest (I didn’t argue).  And far from being
angry, he says he was trying to impress his friend in
the passenger seat by doing something crazy (I must
admit I have been there, too) and didn’t even expect
anyone to pay attention.  In retrospect, he
acknowledges that this was stupid and dangerous, and
sounded embarrassed about it.  

I told him about last year’s sidewalk driver, and he
seemed surprised.  He said he fully understood why we
would be concerned, that we had to protect ourselves

etc.  He also seemed a little frightened, or, I guess,
nervous, but was more than willing to meet. 
Unfortunately, it turns out to be hard to schedule
such a meeting given Casey’s early classes, work-study
in the afternoons, some service-related stuff
 etc. 
Plus, Lt Gallo complicated matters by wanting to be
there!

Honestly, there didn’t seem to be much point in making
the guy jump through more hoops
 so I told him I’d
drop it.  I hope that’s okay with everyone.  I know it
isn’t exactly what we discussed.  I would have
preferred a face-to-face, but I think Casey gets the
point.  I think his willingness to call shows
something (Lt Gallo did NOT tell him, it seems, that I
could still press charges if he’d apologize/meet -
Casey just did that because Lt Gallo told him that’s
what I’d like!)  Casey also wanted me to convey his
apologies to the group for his reckless behavior.

Anyway, beyond this, I do think we have some issues to
discuss with the police, and not behind closed doors
this time.  I can’t make Sunday’s meeting, so I
thought I’d report this way.


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