◆ SpookStack

SA-44~2889 “in Fort Stockton, Texes. Prior to arriving in Fort Stockton, we transferred to the car of the Sheriff. “Upon arrival at the courthouse, we were pro- cessed. I was told that I was charged with criminal trespass. The Sheriff read us our rights in English as a group. We all wrote statements and gave them to the Sheriff. We remained in a group all the time. SCana mf b6hia manerta AIA ear ee Aaewetbae A Beeld ot. MW Wa what petp.s bd BAe Leth — ated h OL and the Sheriff refused to give them their rights in Spanish. He said he did not know Spanish, and they would have to wait until a Spanish speaker arrived. The Sheriff said that somebody in the group who was bi-lingual should teil the Spanish speakers what their rights were. "I assumed I was under arrest when I was told to get into the patrol car that morning, but was not formally advised until I was charged at the courthouse. I was not told by any of the deputies that I was trespassing. “When the Sheriff was asked at the courthouse why the group had not been advised that they were trespassing, he said something to the effect, ‘How can you advise a group?' “After processing at the courthouse, we were transferred€o the city jail. The jail was very cold, and the blankets were still damp from having been recently washed. “We began singing songs, md the Sheriff and deputies said we -were behaving like animals. "The officers used profane lanquage in our presence, but it was not directed towards me personally. “Benigno Pena and Paula Cruz were both pushed by deputies. Roger Manne, who had the videotape equipment, was pushed by a deputy and his equipment was taken. “One of the arresting deputies grabbed at my flag,at the arrest site, but I put it back in the car. -_