Minnesota Supreme Court Violates 1st Amendment - Threatens Arrest

Buffalo Minnesota USA- May 6, 2009
by Don Mashak

Students at Buffalo Senior High had the opportunity today to see the Minnesota Supreme Court subtly yet tyrannically violate the 1st Amendment providing for Freedom of the Press.  This Reporter went ot this event to cover "Minnesota Supreme Court to hear Oral Arguements at Buffalo Senior High" . [sorry, they jerked the link - I had copied the original text into a notepad file - it is display below - Not pretty but functional] The 48 hour press release notice stated "Media are welcome to attend all events. Please refer to the schedule below. Also attached is the "Cameras in the Courtroom" policy, which will be followed during oral arguments."

Not wanting sit through all the "fluff News", I arrived about a half hour before the scheduled "Question and Answer Period" per the press release.  I checked in with the Hall Monitor and received directions to the room where the Supreme Court convening.

As luck would have it, it was on the other side of the building from where I parked. As I got in proximitiy to the Auditorium, a Law Enforcement Officer stopped me.  I told him I was with the Press, and wanted to be seated.  The officer had some list he looked through and said I was not permitted in because I was not on the list.  Then he Commented I was late. I informed him that I did not have an interest in sitting through the PR fluff.  He asked for Credentials and I pointed to my "Name Tag" which read "Minnesota 10th Judicial District Free Press".  He said that still was not good enough and insisted I leave the building.  I asked him if he was familiar with the Supreme Court Ruling of Near v. Minnesota.  He said he was not and insisted I leave the building. I refused, demanding to speak to whoever was in charge.

Soon another law enforcement officer was at his side.  I also informed him i was with the press. He also insisted that I had to leave.  After much discussion, the new officer to the situation agreed to go ask persons higher up the food chain for directions.  Mean while the original officer continued to harang and belittle me. 

The Second Officer Returned with the news that a person with the Supreme Court and a local District Court Judge were ordering me off the property.  I demanded to know names so I could include them in this News Story.  The Second officer first looked at some papers and said either a Lois or Louise with no last name.  The Second Officer then left to find out names.

When the Second Officer returned, he did not provide the names of those in charge who violated my Constitutional 1st Amendment Rights as a member of the Press.  Instead, he said I would be seated but I could ask no questions.

During the course of this interaction I was threatened with arrest 3 times and I was intimidated by the 1st officer invading my personal space and condescending to me. Apparently the rest of the Minnesota Press has been so cowed into political correctness, there is no need for the Minnesota Supreme Court might take time to instruct persons representing them as to need to show respect, courtesy and proper consideration to the Press in the interest of at least the appearance of "Openess"

I was seated alone away from the rest of the press and away from the crowd. It reminded me of being sent to stand in the corner for you older folks, a time out in the hall for you younger folks. i was not allowed to ask any questions and law enforcement hovered over me at every instant.

I have other commitments i must keep now, but I will finish this news article by uploading pictures and audio when time permits.

For now i will depart with two of the questions I wanted to ask, and add the rest later.

1) The original Minnesota Constitution Article 6, Section 9 called for the Legislature to oversee and discipline the Judicial Branch.  For those less familiar with Constitutional Law, you will recall from High School Civics The concept of the 3 Judicial Branches having Checks and Balances over each other.  The purpose was to prevent any one branch of the government from become too powerful and tyrannical over America and her Citizens.  For Simplicity of explanation, The Minnesota Legislature abdicated its Constitutional Duty to to oversee and discipline Judges referring that duty to the Judiciary itself.  The Questions are; Does the Supreme Court believe this situation is Constitutional?  And Second, "Do you believe it has led to the inevitable corruption of the Minnesota Judiciary per the adage, "Power Corrupts and Absolute Power Corrupts Absolutely"?

2) Why are Citizens not permitted to bring personal audio recording devices to record their own Court Hearings ?  There have been allegations of altered court transcripts and missing evidence. Would not allowing Citizens to record their own hearings provide them protection from intentional or accidental altering of transcripts and loss of evidence? Would not allowing Citizens to record hearings prevent them from being abused by "Tyrannical Judges behaving badly and prevent them having it be there word against a Judges word in instances of disagreement and/or misunderstandings?

Please return later when I have more time to complete this article. Instead of posting the Video here I am going to provide it Via a Interview I did on the TV Program Speechless.  It should be online.... Sorry there is a delay until I can change the file format. Hopefully I can have it on line Friday, May 15, 2009. The conversion and up load of this large file is not as easy as I thought.

Respectfully,

Your Fellow Disgruntled Citizen
Don Mashak
The Cynical Patriot.
The Original Supreme Court Press Notification

ORIGINAL PRESS RELEASE VERBIAGE

News Item
MN Supreme Court Convening at Buffalo High School
Posted: Monday, May 04, 2009
The Minnesota Supreme Court will convene at Buffalo High School, 877 Bison Blvd.,
Buffalo, MN, at 9:30 a.m., Wednesday, May 6, 2009. Oral arguments will be
followed by a question-and-answer session, lunch with students and Buffalo
Rotarians and classroom visits. The Court will hear oral arguments of a real
case - State of Minnesota, Respondent vs. Meng Vang, Appellant (Case No. A08-588),
which originated in Anoka County District Court. The Court partnered with the
Minnesota State Bar Association (MSBA) Civic Education Committee to arrange
volunteer attorneys to visit classrooms at Buffalo High School in order to help
prepare students and staff for the visit. More than 800 Buffalo Area students
will watch the oral arguments and participate in the question-and-answer session
in the auditorium. The program will also be taped by QCTV (Quad Cities Television)
to be used in future classes.

Media are welcome to attend all events. Please refer to the schedule below.
Also attached is the "Cameras in the Courtroom" policy, which will be followed
during oral arguments. The Supreme Court began convening oral arguments in front
of high school students twice a year i n 1995 as part of its efforts to promote
better understanding of the role of the courts. The Buffalo High School visit marks
the 29th in-school oral argument for the Court.

Wednesday, May 6, 2009
8:45 a.m. Media cameras must be set up. Please call Lissa Finne, Communications
Specialist, at (651) 297-5532 or cell (612) 201-7637 24 hours in advance to reserve
a place. Reserved seating will be available for media.

9:15 a.m. Welcome. (Buffalo High School Performing Arts Center, 877 Bison Blvd.,
Buffalo). Principal Mark Mischke welcomes students and introduces Tenth Judicial
District Judge Stephen Halsey. Judge Halsey will give an orientation to the
Minnesota court system and explain how the case came before the Supreme Court.

9:30 a.m. Supreme Court Oral Arguments (Buffalo High School Performing
Arts Center). The Supreme Court hears oral arguments of a real case State of
Minnesota, Respondent vs. Meng Vang, Appellant (Case No. A08-588). 10:35 a.m.
Question-and-Answer Period. Following the recognition, Supreme Court Justices
answer students' questions.

11:45 a.m. Student Media Availability. Members of the Buffalo High School
newspaper, the Hoofprint, will interview the court about the visit to the school.

12:00 p.m. Lunch with Supreme Court Justices (Bison Room). Minnesota Supreme
Court Justices, Tenth Judicial District Judges, Buffalo Rotary Club members and
other special guests will join Buffalo High School students for lunch. 1:00 p.m.
Classroom Visits. Supreme Court Justices will visit classrooms at Buffalo High
School, Buffalo Community Middle School, Parkside Elementary and Tatanka Elementary to speak to students about law-related careers and legal topics that affect young people.

CAMERAS IN THE COURTROOM POLICY:
The following rules are established for audio and video coverage of the Minnesota
Supreme Court at Saint Paul Buffalo High School:
Notice of intent to cover court proceedings by either audio or video means shall be
given by the media to the Court Information Office 24 hours prior to the time of the
intended coverage by calling (651) 297-5532 or (612) 201-7637.

Camerapersons, technicians and photographers covering a proceeding shall avoid
activity which might distract participants or impair the dignity of the proceedings;
shall remain within the restricted areas designated by the Court; shall observe the
customs of the Court; shall conduct themselves in keeping with Court decorum; and
shall not dress in a manner which sets them apart unduly from the participants in
the proceedings.

Exact locations for all camera and video equipment in the auditorium shall be
determined by the Court Information Office. All equipment shall be in place and
tested 45 minutes in advance of the time the Court is called to order, and shall
be unobtrusive. All wiring shall be safely and securely taped to the floor
along the walls. Only existing auditorium lighting shall be used.

Cameras are free to move around the auditorium during the question-and-answer
portion of the program.

About the Minnesota Judiciary The Minnesota Judicial Branch is made up of 10 judicial districts with 289 district court judgeships, 19 Court of Appeals judges, and seven Supreme Court justices.

The Minnesota Judicial Branch is governed by the Judicial Council, which is chaired by Eric J. Magnuson, Chief Justice of the Minnesota Supreme Court. The Minnesota Judicial Branch is mandated by the Minnesota Constitution to resolve disputes promptly and without delay, and handles approximately 2 million cases per year. The Minnesota Supreme Court hears appeals from the Court of Appeals, Workers' Compensation Court of Appeals and Tax Court; reviews first-degree murder convictions, and legislative election disputes.