Wednesday night (March 25th) Scotty addressed the Wayne County Community College Board of Trustees on the topic of Public Safety. The meeting started at 6:45 PM. Held in the Charles E. Morton Board of Trustees Conference Room. 801 West Fort St. Detroit, MI 48226. These are his comments.

Honorable board members:

I bring these matters before you because they involve the actions of people within the administration, and only people of your rank are in a position to take corrective action.

This college has been my home away from home for twelve years, so it pains me when, I become aware of acute systemic problems within the institution that affect public safety. What I have found is a culture of concealment and misinformation, rather than one of transparency, and self-correction. Here I will identify some areas in need of improvement, and how these problems have affected me personally.

1. The security cameras are either unreliable, or employees deleted video on purpose. Crime victims should be able to refer back to these videos as evidence.
2. Complaints involving workplace violence have, in at least my own case, been ignored and the response was to promote the perpetrator and prosecute the victim.
3. Incident reports were falsified and at least one officer perjured herself to secure a conviction of the victim.
4. The campus went through considerable expense and hired a PR firm, to make up a fictitious scenario of my conduct on the date of an incident.

Here are specifics about my own experience, and remedies that should be implemented as we move forward.

1. When I thought my rights might be violated, cameras gave me a false sense of security. I assumed the video would prove my innocence and bring my assailant to justice. When I made an FOIA request, I was informed that the videos “Did not exist.” Since the college attorney Derick Johnson wouldn’t tell me if they were deleted or never recorded, I’m left wondering how defective the system is. I will forward the emails of our correspondence to any board member who requests them. Furthermore, my own camera was taken, and exculpatory videos were deleted from the memory card when it was in the police authority’s possession. I have printed evidence of the deleted files and can provide additional information about the recovery process upon request.

My remedy is that all security camera video be streamed to a secure location that is inaccessible to the officers on duty, and be saved for a reasonable amount of time in case complaints are made. Deletions should be witnessed, and a record should be kept of who performed them.

Also, the college needs to have a policy that strictly prohibits police from interfering with people who are recording or taking pictures of officer interactions or illegal activity in the public areas of the campus.

2. When I sought justice, Chief Mohammed and Sheriff deputies both told me that it would be a conflict of interest for them to follow up on my complaint. The Detroit Police said it was an internal matter for the WCCCD Police Authority. This run around continued for over a year. Meanwhile the perpetrator was promoted from Officer to Sargent, and I was eventually forced to stand trial on bogus trespassing charges.

My remedy is to have an independent victim’s advocates at each campus while it is open. Advocates should be independent of the Police Authority, and be trained in helping victims navigate the bureaucracy to see that perpetrators are brought to justice.

3. About two weeks after making an FOIA request for the officer’s incident report, I received the document, along with voluntary statements. I can prove this timing by forwarding the pertinent email to any trustee who requests it. About 18 months later a revised incident report was presented at my trial. Sargent Moss-Fort testified that the revision was composed within a day of the original incident, and had replaced the original report. She dated the replacement report to match the date of the original. This timing proves that she perjured herself, and that the incident report on record at this college is fraudulent. The faux report contained additional fabricated events pertaining to my injuries.

My Remedy is to have all reports emailed to an address that is not accessible to the officers writing the reports, at the time they are written. This way all reports and revisions will have a time and date on them. Furthermore, said email should have the email addresses (if available) of all persons mentioned in the reports included on the CC line. All persons mentioned on reports should be alerted when revisions are made.

4. When Examiner reporter Donna Gundle-Krieg, attempted to get the college’s side of the story, Basset & Basset President, Tina Basset acted as a college spokesperson and claimed I was taking pictures of “students” and falsely claimed that I was not prevented from handing out campaign literature. The fact is that I only photographed signs, and recorded video of an election inspector who approached me, and the officers on the scene. Perhaps, one of them was taking a class, but either way some official at the college saw fit to spend taxpayers money to present a deceptive picture of events to the public.

   The college needs to adopt a culture of self-criticism and transparency, so that such efforts to gloss over the truth no longer happen.

Thank you for your time. I have provided some supporting documents, and can email additional evidence if you contact me.

Yours truly,

Scott A. Boman

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The trial started on Tuesday February 24th at 8:30 AM. It continued on Wednesday at 10 AM. Wednesday the prosecution rested after having their witnesses take the stand.

Defense witnesses were taking the stand when the trial was adjourned to March 11. It was supposed to be a jury trial, but no jurors were available. The 36th District court just gets the leftovers from the Frank Murphy Hall of Justice. There were no leftovers. Scotty had the options of rescheduling and facing another delay, or having a bench trial and getting it done.

Here is a summary of the trial:

The prosecution had two witnesses:

Olivia Moss-Fort (now promoted to sergeant) and an officer Bennett. Moss-Fort gave most of the testimony and Bennett said he arrived late on the scene. Most of Scotty Boman’s story has already appeared in the media accounts, and he testified the same way at the trial.

Moss-Fort changed her story as she went along, but some of the ways in which it differed from actual events is that she claims the WCCCD police authority never took possession of his camera. She claims that she put her hand on his to direct him to go in a certain direction and that she did not see him attempting to hand out any literature (but rather found some literature around the campus later). She claims she was not directing him to the car, but “wanted” him to walk right out of the campus via the driveway (leaving his car behind). Apparently the version of her story that got the most traction is that Boman was “taken down” for not going the way she wanted him to go. Of course she didn’t do a good job of explaining how he was to know what she wanted. Boman later testified that he thought he just  needed to move further away from the satellite clerks office, and planned on working his way toward his car anyway.

The defense had an election worker (Marsha Merritt who was not at the scene at WCCCD) testify  about receiving directions (the Saturday before the election) directly from Janice Winfrey to remove or cover up her name that was on all of the “vote here” signs. This supported the legitimacy of Scotty Boman’s efforts to document campaign law violations.

At the end of the second day and the start of the third day of the trial Boman took the stand and testified to the same sequence of events that had been reported by print media in a variety of publications.

Moss-Fort was called back to the stand on the Third day of the trial and stuck to her claim that the incident report she wrote as a replacement for the first one was composed the day after the incident (at which point my attorney pointed to the fact that they were both dated as July 30th) she also stuck to the claim that this report should have immediately replaced the original even though Mr. Boman got the original sent to him two weeks after the incident in fulfillment on an FOIA request he had made.

Boman’s statement to Wayne County Community College District Board of Trustees: http://michiganlp.org/?p=4029

Here are some links to media stories surrounding the original incident:

http://motorcitymuckraker.com/2013/12/04/popular-wccc-professor-faces-trial-trespassing-campus/

http://reason.com/blog/2013/12/04/michigan-libertarian-says-he-was-roughed

http://motorcitymuckraker.com/2013/07/31/police-assault-bound-detroit-clerk-candidate-for-3-5-hours/

http://www.webcitation.org/6IaRgYClr

http://www.examiner.com/article/libertarian-professor-assaulted-then-charged-with-trespassing-on-his-own-campus

http://watchdogwire.com/michigan/2013/12/05/mi-scotty-boman-charged-with-trespassing/

http://www.examiner.com/article/detroit-professor-to-stand-trial-for-trespassing-at-his-own-college

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Note, response back from Scotty Boman: several in attendance. The brass roots hearing had testimony but no votes, so we still have to wait for their next meeting which may be in the lame duck.  There is a Senate version ready to go if it makes it through the house.

Highlights: Jon Coon and Mike Hoban were among the attendees and did all the testimony.
The plaque was there.

Brass Roots Plaque to receive hearing 9/30. Be there!

Lansing, MI – On Wednesday September 24th Wayne Schmidt, Chairman of the State House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee, informed Brass Roots lobbyists (Kim Moore and Scotty Boman) that he would schedule a hearing for HB 5595 (A Bill to Allow Brass Roots to place their plaque on the capital grounds). A hearing is necessary to move a bill out of committee. This welcome news came on the eve of the 20th anniversary of the original “Brass Roots” gun rally. The hearing will be this Tuesday, September 30th at 10:30 AM in Room 521 of the House Office Building. Testimony on HB 5595 is at the end of the hearing agenda. More information here at Brass in the Plaque here. If you are going to be attending this important event, please contact Scotty Boman here.

Report:

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This year’s speaker will blow back your hair!

Rodney Lockwood, a nationally renowned–he and his Belle Isle project have been prominently featured on the Colbert Report, Reason Magazine, Fox News, and others–and preeminent Detroit-area real estate entrepreneur, is spearheading a movement to create a free, independent Commonwealth of Belle Isle.

That’s right, by using the Freedom Philosophy and some hardworking dedicated young people (of all ages), Lockwood (according to the New York Daily News) “is vying to develop the 1,000-acre island near Detroit into a tight-knit ‘utopia’ where residents would be  prescreened [for violent crime history] and would not pay any corporate or income taxes.”

The exciting and inspiring Mr. Lockwood will keynote our annual event. Be sure to register now, tickets will not be available at the door.

• Where: Burton Manor,  27777 Schoolcraft Road
  Livonia
• When: Saturday
  November 8, 2014 at 6:00
• How much: $37.50 until Oct 18th after that : $47.50 – Speakers Table $100.00 (cash bar)

To reserve your seat, simply click on the link below to make your $37.50 donation unless you plan is to sit at the speakers table. If purchasing more than one seat please leave us a notation or drop us an email at waynecolibertarian@lycos.com

The payment link is here:

https://www.paypal.com/cgi-bin/webscr?cmd=_s-xclick&hosted_button_id=NN2WS3YTK7L68

Looking to see you there!

Karl Jackson, Liberty Fest Co-coordinator
Greg Creswell, Liberty Fest Chair
Raymond Warner, LPWC Chairman

PS: As customary, we shall also be awarding our esteemed Lady Libby to three deserving recipients:

• Spokesperson for Liberty Award: For a member of the community whose patriotism and conviction have inspired contributions to the cause of liberty
• Promoter of Liberty Award:  For a libertarian whose efforts have done the most to promote the LP and Libertarian principles
• Producer of Liberty Award: To  a dedicated, behind-the-scenes Libertarian whose quiet labors over the years exemplify the backbone of the LP

Repeat: You do not want to miss the most educational, promising, and inspiring libertarian event of the year! Send in your registration TODAY!

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Gongwer News Service

Republican former state Rep. Lorence Wenke is leaving the Republican Party and dropping his bid for the 20th Senate District in Kalamazoo County as a Republican because he says the party is opposed to gay rights and has been undisciplined in spending taxpayer money. Wenke says he will instead run for the seat as a Libertarian.

Wenke’s decision clears the path to the Republican nomination in the 20th for state Rep. Margaret O’Brien of Portage, who has a little-known challenger for the GOP nomination. Presuming she wins, she will face Democratic state Rep. Sean McCann of Kalamazoo in one of the top Senate races in the state.

Per a comment to the site, Lorence and his wife Nancy will attend the convention in Howell on the 17th of May. He will seek the nomination for Senate District 20 which is all of Kalamazoo County. “I have met with Mary Buzuma and Jason Brandenberg and Mary said she would place my name in nomination to the convention.”

Note: According to the source who submitted this story to the LPM site, Mr. Wenke is multimillionaire who owns Wenke’s Greenhouses in Kalamazoo and in Georgia (where he has a major contract with Walmart). He is a former Republican County Commission Chair and State Representative.

Here’s the news release on Wenke at WKZO TV.

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