Justice for Anna Guo

[achtungbaby]

LOS ANGELES, CA – Internet portal Yellowworld.org has joined with the Chinese American Citizens Alliance and other Asian Pacific American organizations in calling upon Ventura County Police to admit to gross negligence in the shooting of 14-year-old Anna Guo, dropping its felony assault charge and releasing her immediately.

The groups echoed their support for disqualifying the District Attorney Office from the case, due to improper statements made by lead prosecutor Miles Weiss regarding Guo’s mental health and his belief in her guilt. A protest rally outside of the Juvenile Courthouse has been scheduled for November 14, when proceedings continue and have set up a website at http://anna.yellowworld.org

The teenager, who’d been shuttled between families in the past year, confessed to wanting to commit suicide at her foster parent’s home in Ventura on May 5. Instead of clinical help, she was quickly surrounded by officers who found her holding a knife, and then shot three times by rookie officer Kristin Rupp.

“Anna may have been victimized twice – once, in an abusive home situation, and again by unnecessary police force,” said Saykin Foo, national president of the Citizens Alliance. “Members of the Asian American community are deeply concerned that Anna may become a victim a third time.”

Prosecutors delayed more than a week to bring a formal charge against Guo – a pronounced delay possibly indicative of their attempts to displace blame, according to defense attorneys: “We believe that the crime didn't occur until after the police thought about it awhile," said David Brockway.

Their actions have stirred the ire of the Asian Pacific American community.

The Chinese American Citizens Alliance, a national civil-rights organization based in San Francisco, began their “Justice for Anna Guo” effort on October 20. Yellowworld.org, which had successfully campaigned for the nationwide recall of a racist Halloween costume just two weeks ago, will assist in bringing awareness to Guo’s innocence.

“This isn’t ‘Crime and Punishment’ – this is just ‘Punishment,’ ” Oh said in describing Guo’s plight. “For the transgression of having been caught with a knife, Anna was shot three times. For the transgression of being 14 years old and surviving three gun shot wounds, Anna is labeled a nutcase who required excessive force. And now she’s facing an additional five years – all for holding a knife she had intended to use on herself.”

[achtungbaby]

Chinese American Group Pushes for Dismissal of Felony Charge in Juvenile Case

14-year-old girl was shot at three times

By May Chow
AsianWeek Staff Writer

A shooting that involved police and a 14-year-old Chinese American girl on May 5 in Ventura County has many in the Asian Pacific American community shocked at the excessive force used by authorities and angered by the criminal charges the girl now faces.

Anna Guo was hit by two of the three shots fired by an officer, after she brandished a knife and came after the officer with it, according to police reports. The two bullets pierced through her abdomen, rupturing and damaging her reproductive system.

full story (http://yellowworld.org/modules.php?op=modload&name=News&file=article&sid=156&mode=nocomments&order=1&thold=-1)

[ChinaLama]

I noticed on the bottom of the article, it says CACA and YW are organizing a protest on Nov. 14. Wasn't it recently announced that the protest was cancelled tho?

[kasia]

yeh, actually there a some grossly misstated facts in that article.

[achtungbaby]

By Tamara Koehler, tkoehler@insidevc.com
December 18, 2002

The foster father of a 14-year-old girl shot by police in May testified Tuesday he did not see the teenager carrying a knife threateningly, contradicting the officer's version of the incident.

Robert Worthley's testimony wrapped up the second day in the juvenile court trial of Anna Guo, who is charged with felony assault with a deadly weapon on a peace officer. The charges stem from a confrontation in the Worthleys' home on May 5. Defense attorneys argue Guo was suicidal and the victim of a poorly trained officer.

Ventura police Officer Kristin Rupp testified Monday that she fired three shots at Guo after she refused to drop a large knife raised chest level with the blade tip pointing toward the officer.

Rupp said Guo was "marching" quickly toward her down a staircase inside Worthley's Ventura home. Rupp aimed her gun at Guo's abdomen -- rather than the chest area as police policy dictates -- to avoid killing the girl, she said.

Worthley said he witnessed Guo walk down the stairs toward Rupp but never saw a knife. He was "very surprised" when he heard Rupp fire her gun, he said. Worthley heard Rupp repeatedly tell Guo to drop the knife, however, and "each time, Anna yelled, 'No!'" he said.

full story (http://anna.yellowworld.org/more.php?id=62_0_1_0_M3)

[SunWuKong]

didn't see the knife but did hear anna yell "no" when told to drop the knife?

[angel nympho]

Originally posted by SunWuKung@Dec 24 2002, 03:26 PM
didn't see the knife but did hear anna yell "no" when told to drop the knife?
Yea, that part confused me too.

[wylin]

yah links broken also, i think that contradiction actually helps the prosecution.

[MellowDrama]

It's easy to explain. He was probably watching from a bad angle, or the lighting was bad, to the point where he couldn't see the knife, but could hear the officer. Just visualize it, and it ain't hard to imagine such a situation. But this looks like it's turning into a he said/ she said kind of case. These are anyone's guess, and I wouldn't take bets as to which way it would go.

[kasia]

he's saying that Rupp was lying about Anna holding the knife up in a threatening manner but telling the truth about Anna repeatedly shouting "No!"


this is probably the best thing that can happen in Anna's case. because Worthley is the only 3rd party witness, his testimony is the most credible. he doesn't have any stake in the outcome, so, out of all of the people testifying, he has the least incentive to lie. if anna was not holding the knife up in a threatening manner, there was no assault.

[kasia]

FAILURE TO TRAIN REVEALED ON FIRST DAY OF TRIAL


“Honestly…I didn’t learn anything in Crisis Intervention Training,” admitted 24-year-old rookie officer Kristin Rupp on cross-examination, as she nervously teetered in her chair. An apologetic smile followed. She was the first witness called in the estimated 5-6 day trial.

The malicious trigger-happy cop that some of us imagined to have shot Anna instead turned out to be a young, soft-spoken officer, her long blond hair tied neatly in a bun as she shyly made her way into the courtroom. A graduate of Mass Communications at U.C. Berkeley, the officer answered each question slowly and cautiously, giggling nervously in the beginning of the trial…and nearing tears towards the end.

Rupp told the Court that she completed the Ventura Police Department’s Crisis Intervention Training (CIT) only two months prior to the shooting. Still, she claimed that she “did not learn anything” during CIT. This was not surprising, since she violated more than one CIT policy that day.

Rupp Entered the Home Before the Crisis Response Team Arrived
Rupp was the first officer to arrive at Anna’s home, and Robert Worthley, Anna’s foster father, notified her that the Crisis Response Team was on its way. Although CIT policy required officers to refrain from taking action in crisis situations until the Crisis Response Team arrived, Rupp nonetheless entered the home immediately.

Defense counsel read aloud the CIT policy requiring officers to await the arrival of the Crisis Response Team before taking action, and Rupp stated that she recalled no such policy. The defense counsel then asked whether viewing a copy of the policy would help “refresh her memory.” Rupp stated that she was “more of an audio than a visual person” and that “seeing a copy of the policy would most likely not help to refresh [her] memory.” She then stated, defensively, that she thought it was appropriate for her to enter because Mr. Worthley told her he needed her to speak to Anna. In other words, Rupp believed it was appropriate to take a citizen’s suggestion over CIT policy.

Rupp Failed to Back-Up Her Partner
Rupp had entered the home with three other officers, one of whom she was supposed to cover. When this officer stepped into another room, Rupp failed to follow him and, rather, wandered off on her own. The cross-examination went like this:

Defense Attorney: Weren’t you required to back-up the officer?

Rupp: Yes.

Defense Attorney: Why did you allow yourself to lose sight of him?

Rupp: I would have been able to hear him yell if he enountered trouble.

Defense Attorney: But isn’t the point of ‘backing up’ an officer to keep him in sight and to ensure that nobody sneaks up behind him?

Rupp: I’m not sure I understand the question.

Defense Attorney: Well, the way I understand it, and correct me if I’m wrong, is that one officer may cover another officer because that officer does not have 360-degree vision. The point is to make sure that nobody will sneak up on that officer. This cannot be done if you are covering an officer yet wander off on your own and lose sight of that officer, is that fair to say?

Rupp: That is fair to say.

Defense Attorney: So weren’t you supposed to be covering that officer?

Rupp: Yes.

Defense Attorney: Why did you allow yourself to lose sight of him?

Rupp: I would have been able to hear him yell if he encountered trouble.

Trials can be very repetitive when the witness is not too bright.

Rupp Failed to Listen to Anna’s Pleas
Rupp testified that she was the first to discover Anna standing at the top of the stairs. She “guessed” that there was approximately 15-20 feet between them. Upon seeing the now-7-inch knife (opposed to the 8-inch knife claimed in the police report) held down by Anna’s side, Rupp testified that she was “in a trance”. She stated that she was unable to think of anything else aside from the blade “glimmering in the light.” AB and I began picturing scenes from “The Shining.”

Although CIT policy required officers to speak calmly to emotional individuals with their palms up and held in front of them, Rupp drew her gun on Anna and began shouting at her to put the knife down. She was unable to remember exactly what she shouted at Anna.

During this, Rupp stated that she thought to herself over and over, “Wow. That is a really big knife.” She stated that this narrative in her own mind was so loud that she could not hear what Anna was saying. She later testified, however, that she did not hear Anna make any verbal threats. Mr. Worthley, who was also in the room by this time, confirmed in his testimony that Anna did not make any verbal threats.

Rupp Lied About Anna Holding the Knife in a Threatening Manner
Shortly after Rupp began shouting, Anna started to descend the staircase. Rupp testified that, when she ordered Anna to drop the knife, Anna stabbed a picture off the wall and onto the ground. When asked to demonstrate, however, Rupp held the fake knife steadily in her right hand and made a huge swiping motion with her left hand. Upon the Court’s request, she repeated this demonstration a few more times. Each time, she left unclear how Anna ‘stabbed’ the picture off the wall when the knife was in her right hand and the picture was knocked down by her left hand.

Rupp then stated that Anna drew the knife above her shoulder with the blade pointed forward. She stated that Anna was neither charging nor running at her, but “was not pacing slowly either.” However, the testimony of the only disinterested witness, Mr. Worthley, revealed that Anna held the knife down by her side the entire time. Rupp testified that Anna responded with a loud “NO!” each time she was asked to drop the knife. Still, Mr. Worthley testified that he was “surprised” when Rupp opened fire.

Rupp Backed Herself Into a Corner
Before Anna reached the bottom of the stairs, Rupp retreated into the kitchen. CIT policy made clear that it was unacceptable for an officer to back himself or herself into a corner. Still, Rupp backed herself into a corner in the kitchen, ignoring the two exits to the kitchen that she could have used. When Anna reached the bottom of the stairs, Rupp sheepishly admitted that she “peed in [her] pants” and opened fire. The two shots were fired in rapid succession. The third shot was fired as Anna was falling onto the floor. Rupp testified that she purposefully aimed lower so she would not have to kill Anna.

Rupp Accidentally Left Her Beanbag Shooter in her Patrol Car
There was a rather simple answer to the question about why a less-lethal weapon was not used. Rupp stated that she left her beanbag shooter in the car. Knowing that she had made a mistake, she nonetheless lied to defense counsel and stated that she intentionally left the beanbag shooter in the car because CIT policy prohibited her from using the beanbag shooter indoors. The defense counsel then took out the entire policy handbook and flipped specifically to the section regarding beanbag shooters. He asked Rupp to indicate where it stated that beanbag shooters were not allowed indoors. Although this should not have been the first time that Rupp read the policy, she spent a good five minutes skimming the 2 pages. She then attempted to avoid the question by stating that she was unsure of what the defense counsel was asking. Finally, the defense counsel stated, “The question is simple. I’m not using any complicated words—heck, I don’t know any. I am only asking you to point out the area in the handbook that states that officers cannot use beanbag shooters indoors. Where does it say that?” Rupp answered, “Nowhere.”

When the cross-examination was over, Rupp stated that she forgot to add something. She then told the Court that, although she initially thought the incident lasted approximately 4-5 minutes, radio reports indicated that it lasted no more than 30 seconds. When asked how well she recalled the incident on a scale of a) unclear, 2) somewhat clear, 3) fairly clear, and 4) very clear, however, she stated that she remembered it very clearly. For good measure, Rupp stated one last time that she believed she acted entirely within departmental and CIT policy and that she was justified in shooting Anna Guo.

[MellowDrama]

niiiiice.

:lol:

[kasia]

anna was convicted earlier today (1/30). she will be sentenced on 1/13.

we'll be having a meeting about a possible appeal next week. details will be given asap. just wanted you all to know about the ruling.

more info at http://anna.yellowworld.org

[BaiginLong]

WHAT!!!! oh now that is complete B.S.
Racist ass judges.
On what grounds were they able to sentence her????????

[LoneSwordsman]

call me stupid.....but how in the world did she get charged with that?

[Rogmok]

is there anywhere we can find detail on the ruling?

the yellowword.org page hasn't been updated yet..

[537]

It is my opinion that our system is blind to justice. The error here is human. Always has been, always will be. Corruption in this case? I don't know. But I do know that Anna was not served justice. Nor have the millions upon millions of U.S. citizens.

This just feels wrong.

[Rogmok]

i thought the felony assault was anna, on herself.... no? or 'attempted' assault on the officer.

[Chris]

What the fuck!??! How did she ever get convicted on those charges?!?!?! Appeal!! There no way in hell that judgement can have gone thtough!!!!

[BaiginLong]

Originally posted by Chris@Dec 31 2002, 10:56 AM
What the fuck!??! How did she ever get convicted on those charges?!?!?! Appeal!! There no way in hell that judgement can have gone thtough!!!!
i think hamtaro needs to turn into the hamster from hell and gnaw the ankles off of the corrupt ass judges that convicted Anna!!!
and gnaw the balls off of the dumbass Ventura county cops for causing such a big fiasco in the first place!!!!!

[axi0m]

OMG.... this country (especially the justice system) is starting to suck.

-Satoshi-

[wylin]

Thats cool, then justice is served because i am on the other side of the fence and think anna should face sum penalties for the events of that night. Sorry there just isnt a way to undo what happened and maybe now she can either get sum help or learn from her mistake. ;)

[kasia]

Originally posted by wylin@Dec 31 2002, 12:00 PM
Thats cool, then justice is served because i am on the other side of the fence and think anna should face sum penalties for the events of that night. Sorry there just isnt a way to undo what happened and maybe now she can either get sum help or learn from her mistake. ;)
what she did could not have amounted to felony assault. how can you be on the other side of the fence if you are not even familiar with the facts of the case?

[MellowDrama]

Was the opinion published? I really want to take a look at this. BTW, let's hope for a sub 1 year sentence, because a sentence of one year or more (suspended or not!) triggers the "aggrvated felony" provision of the Immigration & Nat. Act. This may also even trigger the "crime involving moral turpitude" provision.

Regardless, under either, this means she'll likely be picked up and incarcerated by INS under INA sec. 236 ( c ). :(

This sucks.

[kasia]

Originally posted by MellowDrama@Dec 31 2002, 12:57 PM
Was the opinion published? I really want to take a look at this. BTW, let's hope for a sub 1 year sentence, because a sentence of one year or more (suspended or not!) triggers the "aggrvated felony" provision of the Immigration & Nat. Act. This may also even trigger the "crime involving moral turpitude" provision.

Regardless, under either, this means she'll likely be picked up and incarcerated by INS under INA sec. 236 ( c ). :(

This sucks.
is that right? we were looking for the answer to that (when it triggers). is there an exception for minors? if she is deported, there will be nobody in china to take care of her.

[karizma]

omg... i dont get how she couldve possibly been convicted...that just isnt right =P...and will...umm u nuts ese'

[kasia]

:pissed: :pissed: :pissed:
notice how none of the officers could get their stories straight about anna holding the knife. and notice how a third-party witness said that she wasn't raising the knife *at all*. if that's not reasonable doubt for felony assault, then i don't know what would be.

*************************************


Judge finds foster girl guilty in assault on officer
By Tamara Koehler, tkoehler@insidevc.com
December 31, 2002

Dismissing defense claims of a police cover-up, a judge ruled Monday that 14-year-old Anna Guo assaulted a peace officer and that the officer was justified in shooting the girl.

Superior Court Judge Herbert Curtis III found that Anna, though troubled, intentionally rushed at Ventura Police Officer Kristin Rupp with a large kitchen knife raised threateningly and screaming profanities. Rupp reasonably believed her life was in danger and had little choice but to fire her gun, the judge said.

"Even if the minor was killed in this scenario, it would have been a justified shooting," Curtis said.

Anna faces up to five years in the California Youth Authority, but prosecutor Miles Weiss said he will seek treatment, not incarceration. A sentencing hearing is scheduled for Jan. 13. Until then, Anna will remain in juvenile hall.

Curtis said Rupp violated police policy, but only by aiming low to avoid killing the girl and by backing into a kitchen that had no escape route. Rupp fired three shots at Anna, with two puncturing the girl's pelvis and thigh.

"I find it very ironic that because Officer Rupp violated these policies, she actually saved the minor's life," Curtis said.

The ruling came after a two-week trial that included testimony from Rupp, other police officers who responded to the call that night in May, Anna's foster parents and psychologists.

Defense attorney Paul Loh argued that Anna was the victim of a rookie cop who panicked and a police department that had circled the wagons to justify the shooting. Loh argued Rupp and the other officers violated their department's policy on the use of less-than-lethal force and crisis intervention by leaving their beanbag guns in their patrol cars.

Loh also questioned whether the four officers had concocted some of the evidence, such as substituting a larger knife for a small fruit knife to "make this look more threatening than it was," Loh said.

The testimony at times appeared to be conflicting, such as how police officers described the way Anna held the knife. Rupp said the knife was raised over Anna's shoulder, another officer testified the girl held it straight out in front, and another said she was waving it around as she flailed her arms. The girl's foster father, Robert Worthley, testified he never saw a knife in the girl's hand as she approached the officer.

"If I were a cynical man, I would say there was some nefarious conduct here," he said.

But Curtis rejected the implication of wrongdoing by police, and said he would be more concerned about a cover-up if "every officer came in here with the exact same story. People under stress remember things differently."

As for Worthley's assertion that he did not see Anna carrying a knife, the judge ruled that the foster father's testimony was unreliable at this point seven months later. Curtis based his conclusion on a tape-recorded police interview made shortly after the shooting. On the tape, Worthley said he saw the knife raised high in Anna's hand as she charged down a flight of stairs toward Rupp.

After Monday's ruling, Loh said he believes Anna and her father will get a second chance at becoming a family. Anna was removed from her father's custody two years ago after he was convicted of injuring her with a belt. The crime is recorded as a felony in the court computer system, but Curtis said the actual file reflects a misdemeanor conviction.

Meanwhile, it is unclear whether civil claims against the county and city of Ventura will go forward. Anna's previous defense attorneys, David Brockway and Steven Sugars, filed claims in November saying Ventura Police used excessive force, did not follow police policy and that the county foster-care system did not provide enough help to Anna.

Brockway said he and Sugars are no longer handling the case.

[MellowDrama]

There is a minor's exception, but I don't think it applies in this case:

INA Sec. 212 (a)(2)

(A) Conviction of certain crimes.-


(i) In general.-Except as provided in clause (ii), any alien convicted of, or who admits having committed, or who admits committing acts which constitute the essential elements of-


(I) a crime involving moral turpitude (other than a purely political offense or an attempt or conspiracy to commit such a crime), or


(II) a violation of (or a conspiracy or attempt to violate) any law or regulation of a State, the United States, or a foreign country relating to a controlled substance (as defined in section 102 of the Controlled Substances Act (21 U.S.C. 802)), is inadmissible.


(ii) Exception.-Clause (i)(I) shall not apply to an alien who committed only one crime if-



(I) the crime was committed when the alien was under 18 years of age, and the crime was committed (and the alien released from any confinement to a prison or correctional institution imposed for the crime) more than 5 years before the date of application for a visa or other documentation and the date of application for admission to the United States, or


(II) the maximum penalty possible for the crime of which the alien was convicted (or which the alien admits having committed or of which the acts that the alien admits having committed constituted the essential elements) did not exceed imprisonment for one year and, if the alien was convicted of such crime, the alien was not sentenced to a term of imprisonment in excess of 6 months (regardless of the extent to which the sentence was ultimately executed).


See the (a) (ii)(I)? It looks like the crime has to be "old," at least 5 years.

[axi0m]

Mumia Abu-Jamal's case comes to mind here. Anyone know who I'm talking about? It's semi-related I guess.

-Satoshi-

note: Mumia had a bit more evidence against him, and I'm not saying I think he's innocent myself, just that sometimes stories can get messed up and most of the time the cop's story is believed over anyone elses.

[ren28]

1. Something is wrong when three trained officers can't disarm a little girl with a knife.

2. Something is wrong when the police does not follow orders to wait and to carry a non-lethal weapon.

3. Something is really wrong when a trained police officer (with two partners) armed with a gun backs herself into a corner during a panic (as evidenced by her peeing on herself) because a little girl "attacks" her.

Even without training, I'll be damned if I can't find the same exit I came through when I'm armed with a gun while a little girl is advancing me with a knife ... especially when I have TWO PARTNERS! This whole case is a travesty of justice.

The judge is probably weighed the career of the rookie officer vs the "crazy" little girl and found it better to not ruin Rupp's career in law enforcement by laying the blame elsewhere. Of course none of that would help with the case but I can't help but rant. Hell, this is worse than Rodney King so I'm surprised there isn't a riot. Rodney didn't even get shot if I remember correctly. In light of all the mistakes the police made, it would be screwed to punish only Anna. The "attack" by Anna could have been avoided if the cops didn't conduct themselves like a bunch of rookies.

[kasia]

Originally posted by axi0m@Dec 31 2002, 01:31 PM
Mumia Abu-Jamal's case comes to mind here. Anyone know who I'm talking about? It's semi-related I guess.

-Satoshi-

note: Mumia had a bit more evidence against him, and I'm not saying I think he's innocent myself, just that sometimes stories can get messed up and most of the time the cop's story is believed over anyone elses.
yeh, guess what? we could have gotten the same lawyer for anna's case. he's actually a friend of mine and was willing to take the case for free. dumb ass politics made it so that we ended up instead with some greedy idiot who never tried a criminal case before...who collected $30K, saying that he needed the money for experts, and who called only one psychologist and neglected completely to consult with ballistics or blood splatter experts.

[kimpossible]

Originally posted by wylin@Dec 31 2002, 12:00 PM
Thats cool, then justice is served because i am on the other side of the fence and think anna should face sum penalties for the events of that night. Sorry there just isnt a way to undo what happened and maybe now she can either get sum help or learn from her mistake. ;)
You've got to be shitting me will -- felony assault?

[ren28]

Originally posted by kasia@Dec 31 2002, 01:51 PM
*cut*...made it so that we ended up instead with some greedy idiot who never tried a criminal case before...who collected $30K, saying that he needed the money for experts, and who called only one psychologist and neglected completely to consult with ballistics or blood splatter experts.
Blood splatter and ballistics experts is exactly what I would have done (as stated in my previous posts about the subject). WTH is a psychologist going to do for a defense? I could have done a better job than this buffoon with his so-called credentials.

[wylin]

Originally posted by kasia@Dec 31 2002, 12:37 PM
what she did could not have amounted to felony assault. how can you be on the other side of the fence if you are not even familiar with the facts of the case?
i am after i read ur stuff from the site, and newspaper clips sorry, but not everyone agrees w/ your view. or the commonly held beliefs of many but not all the members. Theres really "No point" to needlessly personally attack me...just because i dont fall into the sites seemingly general consensus.

Know now, that I have always believed since day 1 she was in the wrong for putting rupp and herself in this situation and that the outcome is relatively possitive for anna. Because: 1. shez being helped by the judge saying they'll seek treatment, 2. a young brave officers life and carear arent ruined, 3. no ones dead, 4. the punishment and conviction do fit the crime because they are on a juvenile level...not an adult level the pubilicity or lack therefore of the case is probably more damaging to the girl.

Overall i believe that Its better that the whole dillema is over and that the defense has been defeated. That Finally the girl may get sum treatment, cuz shez obviously got sum issues. Thats just how i feel toward the case, and i feel that she deserves sum punishment for treatening the officer and her family. No free rides in my view, u do do sumthing wrong, u face up to it.

[kasia]

Originally posted by wylin@Dec 31 2002, 02:20 PM
i am after i read ur stuff from the site, and newspaper clips sorry, but not everyone agrees w/ your view. or the commonly held beliefs of many but not all the members. Theres really "No point" to needlessly personally attack me...just because i dont fall into the sites seemingly general consensus.

Know now, that I have always believed since day 1 she was in the wrong for putting rupp and herself in this situation and that the outcome is relatively possitive for anna. Because: 1. shez being helped by the judge saying they'll seek treatment, 2. a young brave officers life and carear arent ruined, 3. no ones dead, 4. the punishment and conviction do fit the crime because they are on a juvenile level...not an adult level the pubilicity or lack therefore of the case is probably more damaging to the girl.

Overall i believe that Its better that the whole dillema is over and that the defense has been defeated. That Finally the girl may get sum treatment, cuz shez obviously got sum issues. Thats just how i feel toward the case, and i feel that she deserves sum punishment for treatening the officer and her family. No free rides in my view, u do do sumthing wrong, u face up to it.
i'm not personally attacking you. i'm attacking the act of coming to the conclusion in the absence of attempting to understand and process the facts.

[wylin]

just fuck it, the whole one world view/ everyone has to be in consensus bullshit, thats the reason why i dont bother to comment on this stupid trial. cuz its not sum cause i actually give a crap about. Cuz it really has nothing to do w/ me or the overall asian american community just sum little gal and her nutty consquences. I leave my thoughts at that since not much is gonna change my mind on my view of the situation.

[kasia]

Originally posted by wylin@Dec 31 2002, 02:39 PM
just fuck it, the whole one world view/ everyone has to be in consensus bullshit, thats the reason why i dont bother to comment on this stupid trial. cuz its not sum cause i actually give a crap about. Cuz it really has nothing to do w/ me or the overall asian american community just sum little gal and her nutty consquences. I leave my thoughts at that since not much is gonna change my mind on my view of the situation.
the best way to respond is to defend your position. which i think is definitely an uphill battle because it's wrong. if three officers could not get their story straight on whether she raised the knife, then somebody is obviously lying. if a third-party witness, who doesn't give a rat's ass about whether anna is convicted, testifies that he was on the scene and did not see anna raise the knife, his testimony is most credible. if she didn't raise the knife, there is no assault.

it does have something to do with the asian american community. her civil rights were violated, and the naacp and other mainstream civil rights organizations did not step up to support her. it was up to the asian community to do something on her behalf.

what logical reason do you have for deciding to never change your view of the situation? what if the officer later admits she was lying? would you still not change your mind then? i guess not, since you say you're never going to.

[wylin]

exactly case closed for me, cuz really doesnt irk me either way. Cuz it has jack shit to do w/ cars =)

[ren28]

I agree that treatment for Anna is a nice touch but I don't agree with the other statements about Rupp. Rupp a "brave officer?" I don't think so. I would not want Rupp as my backup if I was a peace officer. I don't need backup that pees on herself because of a little girl with a knife. Maybe she should not be an officer at all in light of these circumstances. If she can't face down a little girl with a knife or at least retreat to the same exit at where she came in, what is she going to do against a 6' tall 200lb man? Die of fright? The police would be doing Rupp's future partners no favor at all by letting Rupp think she did nothing wrong. Rupp put herself in a bad situation where she "needed" to fire. Rupp did not even get beanbags to shoot. Cops are supposed to be calm and be able to think about the situation, not panic and back themselves into a room with no other exit. A panic-stricken cop is worse than no cop. They can get themselves or their partners killed... or harm others needlessly.

[kimpossible]

Originally posted by wylin@Dec 31 2002, 02:39 PM
just fuck it, the whole one world view/ everyone has to be in consensus bullshit, thats the reason why i dont bother to comment on this stupid trial. cuz its not sum cause i actually give a crap about. Cuz it really has nothing to do w/ me or the overall asian american community just sum little gal and her nutty consquences. I leave my thoughts at that since not much is gonna change my mind on my view of the situation.
will, cut us some slack. I know that you post a lot of over the top stuff that you don't really mean which is why I defend you to people who don't know you well enough to understand that you're just goofing around. Most of us know this and accept it. But give us a friggin break, since we're not all equipped with ESP we don't always know if you're 100% serious. kasie wasn't busting your nuts to change your opinion, if anything she just wanted you to clarify.

And as for what I said, I think felony assault conviction isn't an appropriate solution to the situation and I found it hard to believe you could look at that and say it sounds right. If you don't care because it doesn't affect you, fine. That's your answer. You don't have to get pissed about it. All I wanted was to hear why or how you thought a felony conviction for this situation is just. That's it.

[wylin]

Originally posted by Hello_Hapa@Dec 31 2002, 02:59 PM
will, cut us some slack. I know that you post a lot of over the top stuff that you don't really mean which is why I defend you to people who don't know you well enough to understand that you're just goofing around. Most of us know this and accept it. But give us a friggin break, since we're not all equipped with ESP we don't always know if you're 100% serious. kasie wasn't busting your nuts to change your opinion, if anything she just wanted you to clarify.

And as for what I said, I think felony assault conviction isn't an appropriate solution to the situation and I found it hard to believe you could look at that and say it sounds right. If you don't care because it doesn't affect you, fine. That's your answer. You don't have to get pissed about it. All I wanted was to hear why or how you thought a felony conviction for this situation is just. That's it.
im not mad, because im not initimately obessed w/ the case or really irked that my valid points have to be overshaddowed by DOGMA. i just dont see a point argueing over sumthing that i have already decided my oppinion on.

[achtungbaby]

Originally posted by Hello_Hapa@Dec 31 2002, 02:05 PM
You've got to be shitting me will -- felony assault?
When is Will not shitting us?

[achtungbaby]

Sometimes I wonder what planet Will chooses to live on.

[wylin]

Originally posted by achtungbaby@Dec 31 2002, 04:44 PM
Sometimes I wonder what planet Will chooses to live on.
the planet of speed and justice! and Facism!

[BaiginLong]

ehh wylin you have a twisted sense of justice
seriously man
if you believe in "justice" then at least have the gall and audacity to give a logical defence to your position
cause I can't see how a little girl who is trying to kill herself cannot be safely disarmed by policemen
look at the other posts on this topic in defence of Anna
it all adds up
the police are the ones who are guilty in this case and they are definitely not brave
the motto is "serve and protect" not "shoot first justify later"

[wylin]

Originally posted by BaiginLong@Jan 1 2003, 07:03 PM
ehh wylin you have a twisted sense of justice
seriously man
if you believe in "justice" then at least have the gall and audacity to give a logical defence to your position
cause I can't see how a little girl who is trying to kill herself cannot be safely disarmed by policemen
look at the other posts on this topic in defence of Anna
it all adds up
the police are the ones who are guilty in this case and they are definitely not brave
the motto is "serve and protect" not "shoot first justify later"
well the topics dead to me, if u could have read the previous post.

***Hooked on phonics buy it, its a good product and might help reading comprehension. ***

[lethal]

Originally posted by MellowDrama@Dec 31 2002, 04:10 PM
There is a minor's exception, but I don't think it applies in this case:

INA Sec. 212 (a)(2)

(A) Conviction of certain crimes.-


(i) In general.-Except as provided in clause (ii), any alien convicted of, or who admits having committed, or who admits committing acts which constitute the essential elements of-


(I) a crime involving moral turpitude (other than a purely political offense or an attempt or conspiracy to commit such a crime), or


(II) a violation of (or a conspiracy or attempt to violate) any law or regulation of a State, the United States, or a foreign country relating to a controlled substance (as defined in section 102 of the Controlled Substances Act (21 U.S.C. 802)), is inadmissible.


(ii) Exception.-Clause (i)(I) shall not apply to an alien who committed only one crime if-



(I) the crime was committed when the alien was under 18 years of age, and the crime was committed (and the alien released from any confinement to a prison or correctional institution imposed for the crime) more than 5 years before the date of application for a visa or other documentation and the date of application for admission to the United States, or


(II) the maximum penalty possible for the crime of which the alien was convicted (or which the alien admits having committed or of which the acts that the alien admits having committed constituted the essential elements) did not exceed imprisonment for one year and, if the alien was convicted of such crime, the alien was not sentenced to a term of imprisonment in excess of 6 months (regardless of the extent to which the sentence was ultimately executed).


See the (a) (ii)(I)? It looks like the crime has to be "old," at least 5 years.
Mellow, can you look at this (http://forums.yellowworld.org/index.php?act=ST&f=36&t=3652) thread I started and comment? I dug up what I could and what I remembered from class, but neither kas or I could come to a conclusion. Any thought?

[MellowDrama]

This is a pretty decent primer on deportable offenses and possible relief:

http://www.grinteractive.com/bretz2/practi...itical%20Asylum (http://www.grinteractive.com/bretz2/practice_areas_deportation_defense.htm#Political%2 0Asylum)

However, it looks like Anna may be time-barred by several of the relief possibilities available, because she has only been in the country for 4 years. Regardless, try your best to get a sub. 1 yr. sentence if possible, and remember that for INS purposes, a suspended sentence is the same thing as if she served it in full.

[lethal]

I had studied that convictions in juvenile court did not constitute a deportable offense. Anna was convicted in criminal court, juvenile division (correct me if I'm wrong, kasia).

Also, there is a battered child excption, although that would not be a preferable route because it would implicate the father.

So many questions, so few answers...

[MellowDrama]

Yeah, I was looking at that battered child exception, but I don't know if you even want to go there.

[kasia]

it doesn't really matter b/c her dad has a felony conviction for corporal punishment anyway.

[kasia]

in case you guys are curious, we're trying to form an appeal team right now. we'll be meeting next tuesday...

[Jenny]

I dunno if it's already been brought up, but does anyone know the officers' side of the story? It could be a corrupted judge that ruled unjustly, but maybe we are getting so caught up with the fact that Anna's Asian-American that we aren't really seeing the whole picture. I dunno, just trying to look at the situation fairly.

[achtungbaby]

Originally posted by Jenny@Jan 4 2003, 11:06 AM
I dunno if it's already been brought up, but does anyone know the officers' side of the story?  It could be a corrupted judge that ruled unjustly, but maybe we are getting so caught up with the fact that Anna's Asian-American that we aren't really seeing the whole picture.  I dunno, just trying to look at the situation fairly.
I heard Kristin Rupp's side of the story. It sucked. And to add: it was a story contradicted by another fellow officer.

Anna may be Asian American, but injustice sucks for any color.

[Jenny]

Originally posted by achtungbaby@Jan 4 2003, 11:15 AM
Anna may be Asian American, but injustice sucks for any color.
Of course, but this story wouldn't have been on YW if she weren't Asian-American. And who's Kristin Rupp?

[achtungbaby]

Originally posted by Jenny@Jan 4 2003, 12:08 PM
Of course, but this story wouldn't have been on YW if she weren't Asian-American. And who's Kristin Rupp?
Not true. Like I've told any white or otherwise non-Asian person: if someone approaches me and asks YW to help out with something like this, in how I was approached about Anna, I would do what I could. Of course, because she's Asian, I feel more of a connection, and I would hope that there isn't anything wrong with that:)

Krisitin Rupp is the officer who shot Anna.

[Jenny]

Originally posted by achtungbaby@Jan 4 2003, 12:23 PM
Not true.  Like I've told any white or otherwise non-Asian person: if someone approaches me and asks YW to help out with something like this, in how I was approached about Anna, I would do what I could.  Of course, because she's Asian, I feel more of a connection, and I would hope that there isn't anything wrong with that:)

Krisitin Rupp is the officer who shot Anna.
Alright, alright... but can we agree that atleast part of the reason people are making a big deal out of this is because she's Asian-American??? :P And if not, then I know for sure that a lot of people following Anna's case is doing so because they think the unjust ruling has something to do with her ethnicity. Anyway, we're getting off-track from what my point was! :(

[kasia]

Originally posted by Jenny@Jan 4 2003, 12:08 PM
Of course, but this story wouldn't have been on YW if she weren't Asian-American. And who's Kristin Rupp?
you can check out http://anna.yellowworld.org for more information.

[achtungbaby]

Originally posted by Jenny@Jan 4 2003, 12:40 PM
... but can we agree that atleast part of the reason people are making a big deal out of this is because she's Asian-American???
Sure. This issue was raised before by BeTheReds, I believe. He originally didn't want to sign the petition we have because he felt Yellowworld was "racializing" the whole thing, only getting behind it because of Anna's race/ethnicity.

Even if that's true, that shouldnt' preclude us or anyone else for standing up for their own people, because it's pretty apparent that if you dont' stand up for your own people, no one else will.

[jn tran]

Coming across the anna.yellowworld.org (http://anna.yellowworld.org) site provoked my concern over the case, just as most of the people here have stated. I agree that this is a very unfortunate incident. However, there are some points that I am still unclear on:

In this (http://anna.yellowworld.org/more.php?id=56_0_1_0_M3) newspaper article provided on the site, Chief Deputy District Attorney Michael Frawley points out "inaccurate information, such as the claim that the officer continued to shoot while the girl was lying wounded on the ground." The article also has him pointing out the discrepancy between the defense attorneys claims that "Anna was 20 feet away when she was shot," with those of police reports "consistently [stating] the girl was within six feet and continuing to approach with a raised knife. "

In another (http://anna.yellowworld.org/more.php?id=60_0_1_0_M3) article provided on the site, it states that the cadets at police the academy are taught that , "[i]f an officer is being attacked by someone with a knife, and there are no barriers to get behind, and no escape route, then using less-than-lethal measures (such as bean bags or pepper spray) is not an option." Also, they are "taught to draw their weapons and start shooting when an attacking suspect is within 21 feet."

If we consider these details, aren't the officer's actions and judge's ruling at least a little more understandable? If anything else, shouldn't we at least question details like the one about the officer continuing to shoot Guo after she fell to the floor? If those details are indeed inaccurate, many of the efforts to help, such as the letter writing campaign, lose some credibility, since the sample letters themselves include misinformation. Avoiding inaccuracies in future efforts would bring about more validity to the campaign.

[achtungbaby]

Originally posted by jn tran@Jan 9 2003, 02:19 PM
Coming across the anna.yellowworld.org (http://anna.yellowworld.org) site provoked my concern over the case, just as most of the people here have stated. I agree that this is a very unfortunate incident. However, there are some points that I am still unclear on:

In this (http://anna.yellowworld.org/more.php?id=56_0_1_0_M3) newspaper article provided on the site, Chief Deputy District Attorney Michael Frawley points out "inaccurate information, such as the claim that the officer continued to shoot while the girl was lying wounded on the ground." The article also has him pointing out the discrepancy between the defense attorneys claims that "Anna was 20 feet away when she was shot," with those of police reports "consistently [stating] the girl was within six feet and continuing to approach with a raised knife. "

In another (http://anna.yellowworld.org/more.php?id=60_0_1_0_M3) article provided on the site, it states that the cadets at police the academy are taught that , "[i]f an officer is being attacked by someone with a knife, and there are no barriers to get behind, and no escape route, then using less-than-lethal measures (such as bean bags or pepper spray) is not an option." Also, they are "taught to draw their weapons and start shooting when an attacking suspect is within 21 feet."

If we consider these details, aren't the officer's actions and judge's ruling at least a little more understandable? If anything else, shouldn't we at least question details like the one about the officer continuing to shoot Guo after she fell to the floor? If those details are indeed inaccurate, many of the efforts to help, such as the letter writing campaign, lose some credibility, since the sample letters themselves include misinformation. Avoiding inaccuracies in future efforts would bring about more validity to the campaign.
Hello there, welcome to Yellowworld:) To respond to some of your good points:

1. I believe Michael Frawley referred to some of our asserted claims as "fantasy facts." Well, right back atcha, Michael. Being a novice to criminal legal proceedings, I guess I unconsciously leaned towards the assumption that the police have the facts and they tell the truth. And now I believe that some do, and some don't.

2. In regards to the distance of twenty feet, this was not something we conjured up ourselves, it's what the Ventura County Star reported themselves on October 23 here (http://anna.yellowworld.org/more.php?id=5_0_1_10_M3): "The officer backed up into a wall, told the girl to drop the weapon, then fired three shots when Anna continued advancing until she was about 20 feet away, according to (police) reports."

3. In regards to Officer Rupp having no other choice but to shoot: 1) As her attorney hammered her again and again about during cross examination, Officer Rupp failed to follow her department's own procedures or training; 2) She clearly had the ability to walk around the staircase to get the help from the lead officer who was supposed to be the one to engage Anna anyway...instead, she backed into a kitchen that she knew beforehand had no escape routes; 3) all of the officers who arrived on the scene knew this was a suicide call and had a number of other non-lethal weapons at their disposal (they had a bean bag shotgun that was left in the car).

4. In regards to the judge's ruling: despite the testimony of another officer that Anna never raised the knife in a threatening manner (http://anna.yellowworld.org/more.php?id=65_0_1_0_M3), and despite the foster father testifying that he was surprised Rupp shot Anna (http://anna.yellowworld.org/more.php?id=62_0_1_0_M3) because he didn't feel Rupp was in any mortal danger, the judge ruled in favor of his good ol' boys. Big surprise there.

5. Ventura County police have a documented history of 'jumping the gun' on people, not to mention utilizing some interesting police tactics to cover their asses. Examples? Shortly after Anna was shot by police and while she lay in the hospital, detectives decided to try and interrogate her, trying to get her to say on tape that she attacked the officer (despite her understandably dazed state, she would not). The Supreme Court recently heard the Oliver Martinez case, when detectives did the same thing to him as he lay dying in the hospital. In the recording, detectives can be heard saying, "Well if you're dying anyway, can you say that you reached for my gun?"

I could give more examples but I'll try and update the anna site:)

[kasia]

Anna Guo was sentenced today to 5 years in a group home.

...more details later.

[VV o n g B a]

what does that mean?

[artsfartsyjanet]

What's a group home? Is that a mental facility?

[537]

Isn't a group home a junior Youth Authority?

[angel nympho]

Is that good or bad...?

[wylin]

youth home isnt to bad u just goto live w/ other troubled kids in an educational group home environment kinda like a dorm room, but conversely its someones suburban middleclass neighborhood home.

[angel nympho]

^-- Well, that'll probably do her some good then.

[Azn Retribution]

such BS

This is our legal system at its worst...
its the only thing we have unfortunately.

[kasia]

Originally posted by angel nympho@Jan 17 2003, 06:16 PM
^-- Well, that'll probably do her some good then.
the name of the group home is 'casa pacifica'. this is the same home that anna stayed at prior to being sent to the Worthley's. it is undisputed that the ventura county district attorney's office did not have to charge anna with any crime to place her in this home. she was a ward of the system to begin with. the purpose of the charge - now conviction - is to bar any civil rights action against kristin rupp - to allow the Ventura Police Dept. to deny responsibility for their failure to properly train Rupp or for their failure to recognize that a person with Rupp's IQ could not be trained.

[enygma]

argh. this and other travesties of american justice makes me want to move out of the country.

[enygma]

i came across this poem in my modern anthology book. the author is a chinese immigrant who was stuck at angel island during the late 19th century waiting to see if he/she was allowed in the country.

America has power, but not justice.
In prison, we ere victimized as if we were guilty.
Given no opportunity to explain, it was really brutal.
I bow my head in reflection but there is nothing I can do.

[kasia]

ab and i drove up to ventura superior court this morning to file the notice of appeal on behalf of anna. the grounds for appeal were, generally, errors at trial and disposition. we'll reveal details about the process on the justice for anna guo site, but i thought yw members should be the first to know.

surprisingly, there are still people who are signing the petition. we'll be holding a meeting to discuss advocacy strategies in l.a. in 2 weeks. if you are in the l.a. area and would like to help out, please pm me.

http://anna.yellowworld.org

[anne]

Originally posted by artsfartsyjanet@Jan 17 2003, 08:57 AM
What's a group home? Is that a mental facility?
There are several types of group homes. Group homes operators can either be a nonprofit or a for profit corp. There are group homes for kids and adults and can have anywhere from 3 to 6 to 15+ beds. They can be for persons with developmental or psychiatric disabilities and/or persons with substance abuse histories.

Casa Pacifica is what we call a residential treatment facility. It's much more restrictive than a general group home. It is on the higher end of a restrictive setting (short of juvenile detention or a state hospital). Most of the kids who end up there have serious emotional, behavior or psychiatric problems.

[kasia]

i called casa pacifica today and found out that anna does not reside there. anne, you would probably understand this, but trying to get any information out of those people or the human services was near impossible.

i just spoke with her aunt, and her dad will call me tonight. there is a chance that anna was never transferred out of juvenile hall.

[AngryABCGirl]

Originally posted by kasia@Mar 28 2003, 02:48 PM
i just spoke with her aunt, and her dad will call me tonight. there is a chance that anna was never transferred out of juvenile hall.
Anyway we could move legal action against that?

[SunWuKong]

oh shit... i hope she doesn't get "lost in the system".

[kasia]

sorry for the delay on the update...

anna was recently transferred from juvenile hall to a group home in southern california. she is doing better. for a while, she was on a hunger strike because she was so upset by the outcome of her case. she seems to be more stable now.

her appeal is still pending. this will be a long process. i'll see if i can disclose her address for those of you who have been wanting to write her.

i can't say much b/c a lot of the information is confidential. just wanted all of you who have been following the case to know that she has not and will not - so long as we're here - be lost in the system.

for our new members, you can check out anna's case at http://anna.yellowworld.org.

[kasia]

finally - i will be meeting anna next week. she moved to a different home, and the counselor there is much more helpful.

her appeal will be filed in a couple of weeks.

any idea of what i should say to her? anything you guys want me to say?

[537]

That we're all here to lend a helping hand and to not despair. I don't really know much else to say...

[kasia]

i think i'm going to buy her a k-pop cd - any suggestions? her dad says she likes k-pop.

and sanrio stuff?

[VV o n g B a]

hyoli, fly to the sky, jtl, or of course boa... can't say i've actually listened to the stuff i'm recommending. but these ppl are high on the charts.

[tapestrybabe]

i think i'm going to buy her a k-pop cd - any suggestions? her dad says she likes k-pop.

and sanrio stuff?
what kinda kpop music... ballad, hip hop...
i havent been really keeping up to date of the latest kpop music... but my favorite has always been park hwa yobi... or OOooo... Brown Eyes!!!! but thats just me....

[tommyhtown]

finally - i will be meeting anna next week. she moved to a different home, and the counselor there is much more helpful.

her appeal will be filed in a couple of weeks.

any idea of what i should say to her? anything you guys want me to say?

Did you have a chance to meet w/ her? How's she doing?

[Commando_turned_MD]

i think i'm going to buy her a k-pop cd - any suggestions? her dad says she likes k-pop.

and sanrio stuff?


How about downloading the said tracks online--http://www.musiccollection.nu/--and burning it to CD. This adds a personal touch to the gift....not to mention save some money.... :D

[AngryABCGirl]

any word on how she's doing?

[sageb1]

my final comments on Anna Guo:

basically, this was where teenage rebellion led to Anna's father hitting her a few times and the neighbours reporting it.

First it led to placement in a Chinese-American foster home where the foster parents were strict -- which led to friction until the Chinese couple gave up on her.

In the white foster home, the foster father is taken to describing any incident in colorful language. During the 911 call to police, he stated that Anna was carrying a "big samurai sword." In fact, Anna had taken a butcher knife from the kitchen up to her room, was depressed -- perhaps she missed her boyfriend.

However, the lack of judgment on the part of the rookie female cop shooting Anna shows what hyperbole did to the imagination of an inexperienced peace office. The description of Anna walking down the stairs indicates non-threatening behavior -- the knife was at her side and was not used in a threatening manner.

However, I didn't read about the fact that she threatened the police officer until just today!!

So, the recommendation should be against putting Asian children in white foster homes, especially homes where a proper assessment of both parents was not followed up by a child care worker trained to be sensitive to hyperbole by the foster parents. as indicator of miscommunication with care workers and the police.

I also fault the 911 operator for not asking the father to describe the "samurai sword". I'm sure under closer questioning, the man would have admitted that the girl had a butcher knife.

I bet this conversation never took place:
Man: She's upstairs with a big samurai sword!
Operator: Where did she get the samurai sword? Do you know swords? Does she own a sword?

Instead, the operator took his word for it. Hopefully the child care workers and the foster care system blackballed this twit.

If Anna Guo goes on to get involved with Chinese gangsters, then it won't be because of bad parenting but because the police have already pigeonholed the neighbours!!!

...

OMG I didn't know Anna was 5'5 and 135 lbs at age 14. She's physically an adult.

The problem here was actually the psychiatric medication and the Worthleys restricting her freedom to see boys -- anyone we know? -- and having her phone privileges revoked.

This lady may have been hanging out with boys late at night, and Mr. Guo got upset about it, but figured it'd be ok to use traditional methods of "straightening" his daughter out. It wouldn't work in China, and it doesn't work in America. On both sides of the Pacific, usually abuse of children may lead to violence and tragedy.

Can we see a future gangster moll in the making by putting Anna in a group home on meds with other messed up kids?

This was my worst fear 2 years ago and it's validated by the 5 years in the boot camp for juvenile delinquents known as group homes.

[kasia]

i've kept it on the down low til now - but it's pretty much confirmed that Anna will be released to her dad within the next week.

for the past two months, my firm has allowed me to represent anna (through her dad) in this case, and we've finally secured a semi-victory. her appeal is still pending, but she will be released early to her father for various reasons. a more detailed update will be sent out through the list-serv later on, but let's just say that anna made a statement for the first time (ever), and Judge Back just found it very compelling. anna was also never abused; we argued, and the prosecution seemed to agree, that anna was taken out of her home perhaps because of a cultural misunderstanding of what is and is not an acceptable method of discipline.

she'll be at home soon, and hopefully she'll be a posting member of YW. she also is aware of all of your support and encouragement.

[VV o n g B a]

great news! congrats to anna and her dad. and u too for getting this result.

[kpih]

I am a professor of criminal justice and most of my students are cop-wannabes. Typically people who want to be cops do not understand the responsibilities and the consequences of using force in the line of duty. Most of my students are males with too much testosterones and too little brain. They like power, and they like using force, and so they tend to chose force over other avenues in resolving situation. Studies have been done all over to confirm that. In their minds most of them have never considered the outcome for the victims. Some departments actually encourage off-the-record the use of the most deadly force available. In addition, most officers are very undertrained when they are first comissioned. Last but not least, 99% of the time my students are not the brightest people (which is really scary). So we have a combination of deadly factors that contributes to tragedies as in Anna's case. Does any one know if there were permenant damages to her body?

What really enrages me is the reaction of the police department and the DA. Well, it did not come as a surprise. Still, the white hegemony manage to push the boundary time and again. A 14 year old girl is quite deadly...

[kasia]

anna has been back at home with her dad and brother in texas. her criminal appeal was denied. i am the only one holding onto her case now - i have a huge box full of transcripts, so i've been asking around for more experienced attorneys to help me. i know some who will be willing to supervise so long as i can get my firm to allow me to do it.

she actually just called me today to say hi. she's 16 years old now, but this is her last year in high school. she has been consistently obtaining honors grades and will be graduating early. she doesn't have internet access, but i told her that she can email me all her questions about the SATs and college, and i'll post it in the students forum so you guys can give her advice.

[kpih]

Good luck! Please keep us posted!

[kasia]

i'll be moving this to Get Involved...

[ism]

happy to help.

[kimpossible]

happy to help.

same here. not sure what i could do, but i'd try. happy she's with her father now.

[tommyhtown]

same here. not sure what i could do, but i'd try. happy she's with her father now.

ditto.

[Shiyuan]

WTF.

“Every normal man must be tempted at times to spit on his hands, hoist the black flag, and begin slitting throats.” - H. L. Mencken