Michigan Thread - all are welcome!

[RaZ]

Got 3 today. Figure if I keep talking about having the Colonel visit they might get a little more productive.

I have 4 dozen on the counter. Want me to bring you some?

 

[RaZ]

Here is the run-down of the trial yesterday. There were four (4) charges.
Count 1: Maintaining a nuisance
Count 2: Accumulation of debris
Count 3: Animal kept in house not classified as pet
Count 4: Temporary Structures and use violation

Counts 1 and 4 were dismissed by the judge AFTER testimony because he didn’t understand what the witnesses were talking about. Count 1 was about the firewood that the city delivered so it shouldn’t have been a charge. Count 4 was about the garden shade cloth that the city inspector said didn’t have a building permit for but couldn’t describe what the structure was since he didn’t see a structure.

I was found guilty of the other charges. Count 2 was about the firewood delivered from the city that I cut and stacked in the back yard. It should have been dismissed since it was a direct result of Count 1. The judge instructed the jury that anything can be classified as debris if it annoys the neighbor. Count 3 centered around a photo of a couple of mallards that were in the yard during migration season. Here the judge instructed the jury that ducks are not allowed within the city limits and it is a crime to allow them to be in the yard. He went on to say that ducks are only found in the woods. He allowed as evidence a photo of a chicken. The photo was one that was taken a few years ago, during the first chicken trial. It was not time stamped or dated. The ordinance officer testified that he did not see any chickens but the neighbor said there were 4 but you couldn’t see them in the photo. The judge gave instructions that the testimony of the neighbor had to be believed because he swore to tell the truth. The defense attorney is not allowed to object to or question the jury instructions given by the judge.

Now that I am guilty, I must have a pre-sentencing interview with the probation officer for a sentence recommendation. That is scheduled for the same day that my mom goes in for a cancer biopsy and I must be interviewed or have an arrest warrant issued. My sentencing date is February 8. Oddly enough, I have 2 hearing on Feb. 7 for other charges and that is the date for the hearing to determine if the attorney can quit. That was the elephant in the room during the trial. It seems to me that this game is rigged heavily against me.

 

[rachelsflock]

Wow.
It sounds like the judge is doing your neighbor some serious favors. And I agree with you. It sounds like the system is totally stacked against you. Also wish you could get a really good attorney. There has to be something you can do to get them to leave you alone. Pity you can't move. Garden City doesn't deserve you or your chickens or whatever you may or may not have right now.

Hey, have the local newspapers re-taken up your story yet? It's getting kind of ridiculous. If it's an appropriate time, it might be time to more locally publicly expose what's going on over there again. You might even be able to get some extra help or at least supporters if enough local people hear about your plight and mistreatment. Garden City is being kind of pathetic. Not that I'd expect anything else from them at this point, but extra people to rally to your cause may not hurt. You'd at least be a little less alone.

*edited to be civil. My ducks talked me into it.

 

[RaZ]

Wow.
It sounds like the judge is doing your neighbor some serious favors. And I agree with you. It sounds like the system is totally stacked against you. Also wish you could get a really good attorney. There has to be something you can do to get them to leave you alone. Pity you can't move. Garden City doesn't deserve you or your chickens or whatever you may or may not have right now.

Hey, have the local newspapers re-taken up your story yet? It's getting kind of ridiculous. If it's an appropriate time, it might be time to more locally publicly expose what's going on over there again. You might even be able to get some extra help or at least supporters if enough local people hear about your plight and mistreatment. Garden City is being kind of pathetic. Not that I'd expect anything else from them at this point, but extra people to rally to your cause may not hurt. You'd at least be a little less alone.

*edited to be civil. My ducks talked me into it.

I've been told that they go to church together.

 

[rachelsflock]

That does not surprise me.

 

[zndzant]

I've been told that they go to church together.

Why do I get the feeling they're not paying attention in church?

 

[bigmrg74]

Here is the run-down of the trial yesterday. There were four (4) charges.
Count 1: Maintaining a nuisance
Count 2: Accumulation of debris
Count 3: Animal kept in house not classified as pet
Count 4: Temporary Structures and use violation

Counts 1 and 4 were dismissed by the judge AFTER testimony because he didn’t understand what the witnesses were talking about. Count 1 was about the firewood that the city delivered so it shouldn’t have been a charge. Count 4 was about the garden shade cloth that the city inspector said didn’t have a building permit for but couldn’t describe what the structure was since he didn’t see a structure.

I was found guilty of the other charges. Count 2 was about the firewood delivered from the city that I cut and stacked in the back yard. It should have been dismissed since it was a direct result of Count 1. The judge instructed the jury that anything can be classified as debris if it annoys the neighbor. Count 3 centered around a photo of a couple of mallards that were in the yard during migration season. Here the judge instructed the jury that ducks are not allowed within the city limits and it is a crime to allow them to be in the yard. He went on to say that ducks are only found in the woods. He allowed as evidence a photo of a chicken. The photo was one that was taken a few years ago, during the first chicken trial. It was not time stamped or dated. The ordinance officer testified that he did not see any chickens but the neighbor said there were 4 but you couldn’t see them in the photo. The judge gave instructions that the testimony of the neighbor had to be believed because he swore to tell the truth. The defense attorney is not allowed to object to or question the jury instructions given by the judge.

Now that I am guilty, I must have a pre-sentencing interview with the probation officer for a sentence recommendation. That is scheduled for the same day that my mom goes in for a cancer biopsy and I must be interviewed or have an arrest warrant issued. My sentencing date is February 8. Oddly enough, I have 2 hearing on Feb. 7 for other charges and that is the date for the hearing to determine if the attorney can quit. That was the elephant in the room during the trial. It seems to me that this game is rigged heavily against me.

One of these days we should all just show up at court one day with something silly like some cheap duck calls with us. Keep on quacking whenever they put another BS charge on you. That might finally get you some Media attention and have one of the local news outfits start doing some digging in on your story and showing the world just how far Garden City has gone to screw you over for chickens.

 

[bigmrg74]

Was really digging the springlike weather today. got the patient out and gave her her spa treatment. after that I left her out on the straw bale windbreak I have to let her dry out. Had to get to work early today so I ask my brother to keep an eye on her for a while and then put her back in her cage later once she was a little more dried out. Mom came out and just kinda tossed her back into the pen with the rest of the flock. Guess it was kind of a good thing I wasn't really there to see any drama going on between her and the rest of the flock. I had kinda planned on putting her up on the roost tonight to get that over with anyways. seems like she's back with the flock now.

 

[1muttsfan]

One of these days we should all just show up at court one day with something silly like some cheap duck calls with us. Keep on quacking whenever they put another BS charge on you. That might finally get you some Media attention and have one of the local news outfits start doing some digging in on your story and showing the world just how far Garden City has gone to screw you over for chickens.

Or get us all tossed in jail for contempt of court.

Sounds way more personal than just chickens to me. Sounds more like a punitive vendetta.

 

[aart]

Quote: Indeed.
A civil disobedience clustertangle...of which we only have a partial story.