Police Bash Sam King and other innocents

Police Bash Sam King and other innocents

Trial Starts June 3 Melbourne Magistrates Court

William Street Melbourne

I was bashed by police and then jailed and will stand trial next Thursday for assault. The police then bashed and jailed at least two other innocent bystanders straight afterwards on the same night in June 2009. Now we are all charged with assault and will be tried in the Melbourne Magistrates Court on June 3rd and 4th 2010.

One of the two other innocents was an 18 year old woman. She was hospitalised as a result of injuries to her face where the police hit her. The 18 old and her friend were both bashed and charged with assault. Why? Because they dared speak up against the police who they had just witnessed pull me off my bike, attempt to put me on the road, strike me repeatedly over the head with my own bike helmet (they admit this in a taped interview), strike me repeatedly in the face with a closed fist (they also admit this on taped interview) then lock me in the back of their wagon handcuffed.

“Hindering police”

Why did the police do this to me? Because i didn't give them my name. Why did they ask my name? Because they claim i "hindered" them. How? Passing down Brunswick Street, on my way home, I had stopped to watch two police arresting a fourth person who was face down on the bitumen directly in front of my path on the road. One cop was pushing his knee into the back of the man's neck pressing his face and neck into the road. 25 people were looking on from the footpath. The police handcuffed the man, picked him up, and walked straight towards me. I was sitting stationary on my bike, in the bike lane, exactly where I had stopped next to their wagon. Rather than simply walking around me, a cop decided to create a confrontation and yelled "GET OUT THE WAY". I said "I'm in the bike lane" before he unsuccessfully tried to push me over, then they easily walked around me to jail the man.

Give us your name of we’ll bash and arrest you

I walked my bike to the footpath and stood silently in the back of a crowd of 25 people who were watching and verbally confronting the cops over the extremely violent manner of the arrest they had just made. It was there, standing silently, still, watching that I was singled out and asked for my name before being dragged off my bike and bashed.

Perjury

Despite that 25 bystanders all watched intently the events as they unfolded, the police can not find one single independent witness to bring to trial. The only "witnesses" the police have are the police. They clearly falsified their statements and collaborated in doing so. Their falsified evidence will become the entire basis of their case. That is, the Victoria Police are preparing to commit perjury on June 3rd and 4th in the magistrates court and in fact have already systematically carried it out by falsifying all three statements contained in the police brief of evidence against me. Anyone else committing perjury in Victoria is liable for level four imprisonment with a maximum penalty of 15 years jail (crimes Act 1958 - section 314) however it is the routine practice of the Australian police. Apparently it is also standard practice to charge with assault those who the police themselves assault - otherwise how can they justify their violence under the law?

Fairness of the court?

The illegally falsified police statements may be accepted by the Magistrates Court on a par with independent witness statements ignoring the fact police are not independent especially after they have been hitting people - which they admit doing. My strongest witnesses on the other hand are all considered not independent, as those who saw things most clearly were also bashed; either jailed or hospitalised and have now been charged with assault too.

Indictable Offence

In my case the assault charge is being prosecuted as an indictable offence (the more serious of Australia's two offence categories). I will possibly lose my teaching registration if found guilty.

Spitting blood in a Paddy Wagon

What happened to the other 25 witnesses? We are not sure who most of them are because it is hard to organise witnesses when your hands are cuffed behind your back and you are in the back of a police wagon. All the witnesses had dispersed by the time I was allowed to walk out of the Fitzroy police station 7 hours later. We have made contact with various witnesses but need more and better ones, and more community support.

Don’t let them win this case!

If you are able to come to the Melbourne Magistrates Court 233 William Street on June 3rd and 4th that will help pressure the police and the court because the police are going to look pretty bad talking for two days in an open court about why they kept bashing people that night. Also if you can help with publicising the case please pass on this information as far as you can. The Melbourne Age and other media is expected to cover the case. A show of public support for all three defendants both in the court and in the press, letters pages, talk back radio etc. will help us win.

Thank you,

Sam

Fund Appeal
We need to fly a witness from Brisbane to give evidence at the trial and also for legal costs. If you are able to help financially please deposit money in bank account below or contact me at sam_king_is_@hotmail.com.

BSB 015896

Account 590765328