For Immediate Release
Contact: Dea Goblirsch 304 854 7372
Email: news@climategroundzero.org
MADISON, W.Va.—Joseph Hamsher, 22, was sentenced to twenty days in Southwestern Regional Jail for his participation in a Sept. 9 road blockade at Boone County’s Massey Energy Regional Headquarters. He went before Magistrate Charles M. Byrneside at 10:15 a.m. on Oct. 27 for a pre-trial hearing and plead guilty to conspiracy and trespassing asked to leave. Three other charges, also misdemeanors, were dropped as part of the plea agreement: destruction of property, failure to obey a lawful command and resisting arrest. Hamsher was the first of four protesters and one independent journalist arrested during the action to receive a pre-trial.
“The disgusting practice of mountaintop removal has to be brought to an end completely, not just more strictly regulated. I took action so that future generations of West Virginians can hunt, fish and have a good time in the mountains,” Hamsher, a native West Virginian and current resident of Rock Creek, Raleigh County, said.
The sentence was issued with credit for time served, which includes time spent in jail between Hamsher’s arrest on Sept. 9 and his release on bail on Sept. 11. Bail was set at $5,000 cash only for the four protesters and at $3,000 cash only for the journalist, with no ten percent bond option.
Hamsher is the 23rd protester in the Climate Ground Zero campaign to go in front of Magistrate Byrneside and the first to receive a jail sentence.
“I was told that I received this sentence because a previous defendant, Mathew Louis-Rosenberg, laughed in the Magistrate’s face when he was given a fine and because none of those previously fined have paid,” said Hamsher. None of the fines from the other cases are yet due.
“This is a clear attempt to intimidate activists and discourage future actions, as well as obviously prejudicial sentencing. When a strip miner threatened to kill one of our activists and his small child, the miner was not arrested for over a month and released on a $1000 personal recognizance bond,” said Louis-Rosenberg, referencing the arrest of Adam Pauley for disorderly conduct, public intoxication and verbal assault during Mountain Keepers Festival on Kayford this past July 4, “Joe was set a $5,000 cash-only bail and now faces jail time.”
“I remained calm and respectful throughout my trial, and the fact that he is using my expression of joy at not finding myself in jail as an excuse to jail one of my friends is frankly sickening,” Louis-Rosenberg, 26, continued.
This is so wrong. Quite frankly, this is misuse of power. Byrneside should be striped of his office. What a terrible person. Of course this is to intimidate other protesters and get brownie points from Massey and Don Blankenship.
Twenty days in jail while Roselle partys in Oregon.
HE CAN ALWAYS SELL MORE OF HIS ”YOU KNOW WHAT” TO PAY THE KID THATS IN JAIL. MAYBE HE’LL STAY IN OREGON
Watcher, I am really frankly bewildered at your obsession with Mike Roselle. Mike is only one man and, while he has played an important role in this campaign, he is not the leader of Climate Ground Zero nor is he responsible for the actions of others who have chosen to take action to stop mountaintop removal. I’ve been his neighbor for a year now and he’s no mastermind nor are others his minions.
David, frankly I don’t know what. Do you mean his new book that he is currently on tour with? I’m also confused by your reference to “paying the kids thats in jail”. As we have stated many times, nobody at Climate Ground Zero gets paid, in jail or otherwise.
THROW AWAY THE KEY
Matt, am I to believe you deny Mike was quoted on the Ruckus Society calling for people to ” come take action on Massey property”? It takes no mastermind to see he’s a very large influence and leader in the environmental community. Matt, if you are the same person having an on line spat with Mr Ward at the Gazette, it also takes no mastermind to see that you,Ward and Mr Biggers are in it for the big cash prize.
WV judy, you could not be more wrong. In fact, who gets arrested? Simple, those that do wrong get arrested. Conspiracy…wrong! Tresspassing…wrong! In fact on this web-site, it says, 100 people have been arrested. Do you realize what that means, 100 times these people have been WRONG. What I can’t figure out is why people will give money to others that have been wrong 100 times. To me, being arrested is not a badge of honor. I am willing to bet that if one of the miners came to your house, sat down in your living room, un-invited, at some point you would call the police and demand he be arrested. Now, think of this being part of your daily life 100 times. Why would not think well of Judge Byrneside? Why is it ok to commite crimes at a place of work but not your house? You do think it is ok, because, you are WRONG.
GOOD!
Thank goodness for people like Joe.
Glad to see he is where he belongs, in JAIL with the other criminals. Do the crime, pay the time……As far as anyone getting brownie points, WVJudy, I think Don Blankenship is just looking out for his men and trying to help them take care of their families, something the environmentalist know nothing about afterall they are just college students paid to do this stuff…RIGHT! I mean the two that where at Walker Machinery in Belle, stated, they were just paid to do that crime, they knew nothing about coal, or what was going on….
Yea, thank goodness for Joe,a young man with a now needless criminal record, while the coward ringleader holds book signings all over the country.