Help With Legal Fees
Donation protected
I am currently wrapped up in 3 different legal cases - 2 in Louisiana and one in Florida - and am overwhelmed with legal fees. Thanks to many kind donations from individuals and donations from the Industrial Workers of the World and the Center for a Stateless Society, I have managed to pay off quite a bit which has helped to pay for bail and other legal fees, but alas there is still more to pay off.
So what are my cases?
My first case started a few years ago when a friend and I were pulled over in Louisiana on the way to my grandfather’s funeral for making a rolling stop. They searched my friend’s name, found he had several past possession charges and then claimed the smelled cannabis and needed to search his truck. They found less than an eighth in his truck and since both of us refused to talk to the police, we ended up spending 2 days in solitary before getting bailed out and eventually charged with a little over $600 in fines and fees. I was able to pay off around $200 so far but the rest was not paid off in time due to a lack of resources on my part and so they have since incurred a number of late fees.
The second case was in relation to a prison abolition campaign we were engaged in in solidarity with last year’s prisoner strikes. In support of the inmates’ demands, we staged a nearly 2 week occupation across from the local prison work camp and after much protest, we successfully ended the use of unpaid prison labor for city and county projects: https://sfbayview.com/2018/12/alachua-county-is-first-in-florida-to-end-prison-slave-labor/
Unfortunately, due to my involvement I was given a ticket after a prison work van tried to run me and a friend over in a crosswalk. The charge? “Leaving a place of safety and entering the path of a vehicle.” A month later, a summons was issued on the charge of “trespassing after warning” related to a banner drop that I sadly wasn’t actually even present for. A month after that, I was issued yet another summons for “obstructing police, interfering with prisoners.” Since then I have become regular targeted and harassed by the local police department in retaliation.
That case ended with me being charged with community service, 6 months probation, and fines and legal fees adding up to a little over $400 + ongoing fees related to my probation.
My last case was for peeing while trans. I was waiting on a bus from Louisiana after yet another funeral and was harassed by a Greyhound employee for using the bathroom. Mind you, I had asked his co-worker where the bathroom was and she directed me towards the bathroom I ended up using but this other employee took it upon himself to follow me into the bathroom, bang on the stall door while yelling transphobic statements, and then called the cops on me. Seeing as how there were already cops stationed in front of the bus station, they were waiting for me when I got out and arrested me on the grounds of “trespassing” and “disturbing the peace.” I spent the night in solitary confinement before being thrown in an extremely small standing cell that barely left me room to move, despite the fact that I use a cane. I slipped in the cell and injured myself only to be mocked and harassed further by the guards.
This last case is still ongoing but I currently owe $65 in legal fees and have to pay for travel expenses when I return for court in March.
Due to the tickets from my 1st & 2nd cases, my license has been suspended until I pay them off. Of course this also means I have to pay the extra fees that come with reinstating a suspended license.
I am asking for $1500 to help pay off these fees and pay for my next court trip to Louisiana with a bit left over to deal with the future legal expenses that are likely to come up as part of my 3rd and ongoing court case. If there is anything left over after all is paid off, I will donate the rest to the Industrial Workers of the World’s General Defense Committee which helps to aid activists with legal expenses incurred in relation to their activism. They’ve already helped me with my 2nd case and I hope they can continue to do the same for others.
So what are my cases?
My first case started a few years ago when a friend and I were pulled over in Louisiana on the way to my grandfather’s funeral for making a rolling stop. They searched my friend’s name, found he had several past possession charges and then claimed the smelled cannabis and needed to search his truck. They found less than an eighth in his truck and since both of us refused to talk to the police, we ended up spending 2 days in solitary before getting bailed out and eventually charged with a little over $600 in fines and fees. I was able to pay off around $200 so far but the rest was not paid off in time due to a lack of resources on my part and so they have since incurred a number of late fees.
The second case was in relation to a prison abolition campaign we were engaged in in solidarity with last year’s prisoner strikes. In support of the inmates’ demands, we staged a nearly 2 week occupation across from the local prison work camp and after much protest, we successfully ended the use of unpaid prison labor for city and county projects: https://sfbayview.com/2018/12/alachua-county-is-first-in-florida-to-end-prison-slave-labor/
Unfortunately, due to my involvement I was given a ticket after a prison work van tried to run me and a friend over in a crosswalk. The charge? “Leaving a place of safety and entering the path of a vehicle.” A month later, a summons was issued on the charge of “trespassing after warning” related to a banner drop that I sadly wasn’t actually even present for. A month after that, I was issued yet another summons for “obstructing police, interfering with prisoners.” Since then I have become regular targeted and harassed by the local police department in retaliation.
That case ended with me being charged with community service, 6 months probation, and fines and legal fees adding up to a little over $400 + ongoing fees related to my probation.
My last case was for peeing while trans. I was waiting on a bus from Louisiana after yet another funeral and was harassed by a Greyhound employee for using the bathroom. Mind you, I had asked his co-worker where the bathroom was and she directed me towards the bathroom I ended up using but this other employee took it upon himself to follow me into the bathroom, bang on the stall door while yelling transphobic statements, and then called the cops on me. Seeing as how there were already cops stationed in front of the bus station, they were waiting for me when I got out and arrested me on the grounds of “trespassing” and “disturbing the peace.” I spent the night in solitary confinement before being thrown in an extremely small standing cell that barely left me room to move, despite the fact that I use a cane. I slipped in the cell and injured myself only to be mocked and harassed further by the guards.
This last case is still ongoing but I currently owe $65 in legal fees and have to pay for travel expenses when I return for court in March.
Due to the tickets from my 1st & 2nd cases, my license has been suspended until I pay them off. Of course this also means I have to pay the extra fees that come with reinstating a suspended license.
I am asking for $1500 to help pay off these fees and pay for my next court trip to Louisiana with a bit left over to deal with the future legal expenses that are likely to come up as part of my 3rd and ongoing court case. If there is anything left over after all is paid off, I will donate the rest to the Industrial Workers of the World’s General Defense Committee which helps to aid activists with legal expenses incurred in relation to their activism. They’ve already helped me with my 2nd case and I hope they can continue to do the same for others.
Organizer
Logan Guidry
Organizer
Gainesville, FL
