A Deeper Look at Last Thursday’s Disruption of the Arcata City Council by Protesters Demanding That Tom Parker Be Asked Back to Help in the Josiah Lawson Case

Protesters chanting.

Protesters chanting. [All photos by Ryan Hutson]

Story by Ryan Hutson:

Justice for Josiah Committee and allied community groups took over the city council meeting for the second day in a row last Thursday the 16th, in Arcata. About two dozen protesters entered the building preventing the City Council from completing their regular agenda. The protest group was not budging, using an amplifier and a microphone to convey their demand. “Justice for Josiah! Now!”

The Interim Arcata Police Chief Richard Ehle was on hand, monitoring the situation with an additional handful of Arcata Police Officers than were present at the demonstration the night before. The protest was allowed to continue, although the City Council was able to get through the consent portion of their agenda & reschedule the rest of the meeting for the 29th.

They chanted “Who’s chambers? Our chambers!” as they occupied the building at the start of the City Council meeting, and as the city officials retreated into various locked doors and back office exits, the chant turned to “No justice, no peace!” The protesters followed city officials through the building to a back office door which required a key code for entry and had a sign reading “employees only”. The amplifier was towed along with the group to that door, where the group chanted “Arcata, Arcata, you can’t hide!

You must solve this homicide!

Speakers took turns making statements into the mic regarding their support of the protest and the need to advance the investigation in the David Josiah Lawson murder case. The committee for Justice for Josiah believes that retired F.B.I. Investigator Tom Parker could have provided valuable insights and experience to the investigation. They maintain that the City of Arcata should allow him to assist in the investigation, as a pro bono investigator.

As the group maintained control of the public space, inviting people to come to the dais and speak their minds, City Council members Susan Ornelas, Brett Watson, Paul Pitino, Michael Winkler, and Mayor Sophia Perrera left the building.

Not long after, a tense altercation occurred between three police officers and a member of the Justice for Josiah group at the front door. The heated interaction resulted from a decision by the City Council to not allow people to re-enter the building saying the City

Hall Chambers were now “closed for business” because the City Council had closed its session. As the crowd shifted from the dais to the front door, several more police showed up, outside and inside the building. People in the group filmed the interaction for documentation purposes, in case of any misstep by the police, said a legal observer who was present. The group was not informed that the doors were being closed to the public until after some members were already barred from entering.

The door was abruptly closed by four officers guarding the doorway, causing people to be pushed out of the way, including the protester who was initially refused entry.

Interim Arcata Police Chief Ehle.

Interim Arcata Police Chief Ehle.

Interim Arcata Police Chief Ehle took the situation under control by forcibly shutting the door while physically removing an individual from the doorway. The loudspeaker was used to chant about freedom of speech under the First Amendment, and soon the chant became “Shame! Shame! Shame!”

A vocal representative of the Justice for Josiah committee, Renee Saucedo of Centro Del Pueblo spoke passionately into the mic, recounting the event that just took place for the cameras recording the interaction in the room. “We have a first amendment right to protest!” She went on to vocalize the dissent of the group, saying “I affirm tonight that members of our group, members of this very community, who pay taxes so that these police officers can do their jobs, they are being denied their First Amendment right to speak and protest in the Arcata City Council Chambers! Unacceptable!

APD at protest

Officers guarding the door during the protest.

Ehle explained it was an unlawful assembly, then backtracked, when Saucedo proclaimed over the microphone, “The Arcata City Council is saying that we are unlawfully assembled, that we don’t have their permission to be here… this public place…. and the Police Chief is putting his hands on one of the members of this group.”

A discussion was had about the legality of the protest, which quickly turned to putting pressure the Chief for details on the developments in the Lawson case. Interim Chief Ehle then turned to address the crowd, answering question about the progress of the investigation. Ehle made a statement in response to a question about progress on the case, saying that he was confident that he could potentially wrap up the investigation within 6-8 weeks time, with the new resources & personnel directed to the case.

Meanwhile, City Manager Karen Diemer had spoken privately via telephone with Parker regarding the resources newly allocated to the investigation, and according to Ehle, Parker agreed that he can not continue to assist in the investigation. According to the North Coast Journal, this statement by Ehle was disputed by Parker, who is

quoted saying that he had said no such thing. Parker maintains that he would help with the Lawson case if the City of Arcata would ask.

Six new officers have been hired exclusively for the Lawson case, including three homicide investigators, one is a cold case homicide detective from the Bay Area with extensive experience in murder cases. An additional 100,000 dollars from the City of Arcata has been allocated and resources have been requested, after 16 months of no big developments.

Let me tell you, we are very close. This stuff distracts us to a degree, it doesn’t distract us too much, but it does distract me. But we are very close. In other jurisdictions, I think we could get a charge right now,” Chief Ehle told the group.

Ehle also said that there were only a handful of interviews still to be conducted with witnesses in the area. Witnesses are still being encouraged to come forward, and interviews have been done a second time.

With the ongoing lack of transparency from the City of Arcata in regard to Parker’s involvement, the Justice for Josiah committee remains hopeful that with these newly allocated resources and expert personnel devoted to the investigation, that the Arcata Police Dept will be able to follow through on the timeline the Chief projected, and be able to present a prosecutable case.

The Justice for Josiah committee is a group of self-described grassroots activist of various backgrounds and community groups, including members of Centro Del Pueblo, The Green Party of Humboldt County, members of the local NAACP chapter and students from HSU, among others. They have vowed to take their monthly vigil for Josiah Lawson indoors every 15th, at the Arcata City Hall, until the case is solved.

Earlier Stories about David Josiah Lawson:

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Neverwrong
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Neverwrong
5 years ago

These tactics remend us of those used by the SA who would routinely “invade meetings…interrupting the speaker, attempted to attack him, and endeavored to make sufficient disturbance so that the meetings would have to be cancelled.” * All under the guise of First Amendment rights. Those who do not know history are doomed to repeat it.

*From a teachers guide to the Holocast. Part 9 of 55.

inter-species amplexus
Guest
inter-species amplexus
5 years ago
Reply to  Neverwrong

Alinsky. Rules for Radicals. Hillary did her thesis on it.

robash141
Guest
robash141
5 years ago
Reply to  Neverwrong

They didn’t have a First Amendment n fucking Nazi Germany , what the hell are you talking about?

Neverwrong
Guest
Neverwrong
5 years ago
Reply to  robash141

If you think words on paper would have stopped the SA you are sadly mistaken. Read the SA manual at the above referenced footnote. All power comes from the barrel of a gun.

TRUMPTASTROPHE for the GOP in November
Guest
TRUMPTASTROPHE for the GOP in November
5 years ago
Reply to  Neverwrong

Let me guess, you voted for Trump? 🇷🇺🏌️‍♂️🐘💩🔥🇺🇸🔥

Neverwrong
Guest
Neverwrong
5 years ago

“If voting mattered they wouldn’t let us do it.” Mark Twain.

TRUMPTASTROPHE for the GOP in November
Guest
TRUMPTASTROPHE for the GOP in November
5 years ago
Reply to  Neverwrong

I love Mark Twain! (That man was both brilliant & hilarious.)

WHY RESPECT THEM Public Sercants and NOTHING ELSE
Guest
WHY RESPECT THEM Public Sercants and NOTHING ELSE
5 years ago
Reply to  Neverwrong

Nothing is more American than protest and dissent, even of it does “interupt” a bogus Municipal Government meeting, who cares, is the City Council and Mayor really just so high and mighty thatnobody dare interupt their bogus meeting? The mayor and city council are nobodies, they are completely no more important than any other person in Humboldt, do they deserce some special kind of respect? No! Show up at every meeting untill something changes, take back the COUNTY SUPERVISORS MEETINGS AS WELL, are County Supervisors really so “high and mighty”, No!, They are meaningless nobodies who want to rule and tax you to death, interupt their meeting too untill Police resources are used to solve these murders and missing persons and human trafficking cases. They do not own City Hall or the Council CHAMBERS, WE THE PEOPLE OWN THESE SPACES, WE DECIDE WHAT THE SHERIFF DOES, NOT THEM. WE CAN HIRE OR FIRE THESE PUBLIC SERVANTS.

stuber
Guest
stuber
5 years ago
Reply to  Neverwrong

So let’s see. A group of people want to have a prayer patriot rally, get permits, and start their thing. Antifa comes along and stops them from speaking. They destroy private property. We watch them on the news all the time. How come one group is violently shut down by another? Intolerance, and un American activity. If those little commie protesters are so bitchin, why do they violate my right to assembly and speech. They are Alinsky satanists, who hate any free thinker. NO ONE has the right to stop another from assembly and free speech. NO ONE has the right to tell anyone how to be, what to wear, what to say, or anything else. They talk about rights? They violate our rights every time they disrupt and violently protest, disrupt traffic, or impede anyone’s free movement. They only hurt and harass people, they accomplish nothing, they help no one, they are unjust, and evil. They violate our rights. Round them up, finger print them, photograph them, publish their addresses and phone numbers, stop their student loans, and fuck their lives up, just like they do to so many others. Commie socialist punks. We do not have to live the way you want, or think the way you want, we are free men, and obey no one but God. We do not answer to you, or anyone else. You protesters suck, you are not Americans, go to Venezuela, where you belong.

TRUMPTASTROPHE for the GOP in November
Guest
TRUMPTASTROPHE for the GOP in November
5 years ago
Reply to  stuber

Trump obeys God? LMFAO! 😆🤣😂

I must have missed the divine commandment to pay hush money to your mistresses and prostitutes right before a presidential election. 🏌️‍♂️💋

stuber
Guest
stuber
5 years ago

And Hitlery does? The Kennedy’s all had affairs. Their father lobotamised his own daughter, because she was calling him out on social issues in public. John, Bobby, Ted, all the Kennedy boys had affairs. While they were in office! And they were supposed to be Catholic, and obey God. LOL. And the rapist and child molester Clinton lied under oath about it. His wife, a “champion” of women’s rights, defended him. Hitlery defended her husbands abuse of women, she is so evil. Yet she has the nerve to go after Trump?
Look at these people in Washington, with their fancy pants and suits, how many poor people do they help? Both sides, they sound like a bunch of 3rd grade kids out on the playground, my mommy didn’t get elected, so now I resist. Resist what? We Trumpians resist democrats, who have failed economic policies, and do nothing for the poor. We resist you taxing us unfairly, and we get nothing in return. We resist your illegal aliens coming here and mooching off us, instead of fixing their own country. Another woman was just stabbed to death in Minnesota yesterday, hey Pelosi and Kamala, you and your buddies have her blood on your hands, all democrats who want open borders do. How many deaths at the hands of these illegals does it take before you have enough votes to keep you in office, being paid inflated salaries? You use these illegals as your divine commandment by buying them off with welfare assistance, to the tune of $25 billion a year. Now that is divine hush money.

TRUMPTASTROPHE for the GOP in November
Guest
TRUMPTASTROPHE for the GOP in November
5 years ago
Reply to  stuber

It’s game over for Twitler 🏌️‍♂️🇷🇺💰⚖️, in case you hadn’t heard. GAME OVER, MAN! LMFAO!!!! 😄😆😝😂🤣

Pike Mortar
Guest
Pike Mortar
5 years ago

Bunch of narcissistic fools. Chanting and wearing RIP tee shirts and making demands and threats. These people aren’t protesting, they are disrupting a lawful meeting… when the mayor and council have to leave and go behind locked doors, that’s a problem… and these thugs should be prosecuted. Good job to the APD chief for (apparently?) shoving one of them the hell out of the council chambers.

47
Guest
47
5 years ago
Reply to  Pike Mortar

The public completely has the right to protest whether you like it or not and honestly if your average citizen were to run and hide in a situation as this that person would be presumed guilty or exhibiting guilt in some way. It seems to me you forgot we’re still in America where we have these rights. Aww did their little meeting get disrupted, what a shame, these folks are trying to bring attention to the fact that the city of Arcata’s council members and it’s police department are doing their best to sweep a murder under the rug and hope it goes away. A human life was taken and you’re complaining about a disruption? Sometimes a disruption is needed to make things happen. Btw yes protests are a disruption, that’s the whole point

inter-species amplexus
Guest
inter-species amplexus
5 years ago
Reply to  47

In America we have Liberty which means you can do what you want as long as you don’t disrupt the rights of others. In other words, a civil society. We don’t convict on consensus; that would be a lynching. Produce some evidence. Otherwise it looks like you are desperate to frame a man you hate.

Neverwrong
Guest
Neverwrong
5 years ago
Reply to  47

So you approve of Hitler’s SA tactics which ultimately resulted in the death of millions? Oh, I forgot, one dead human.

TRUMPTASTROPHE for the GOP in November
Guest
TRUMPTASTROPHE for the GOP in November
5 years ago
Reply to  Neverwrong

So, you approve of Orange Hitler? 🍊

Even the First Lady Melania Trump (who is the “First Lady” only if you fail to take into consideration Hope Hicks and Nikki Haley, and Donald Trump’s daughter-wife Ivanka) doesn’t approve of the Criminal-in-Chief. Why do you?

Young Tom Selleck
Guest
Young Tom Selleck
5 years ago
Reply to  47

The police department is not sweeping this under the rug. I think they are getting everything in order so when they tell the public, and his family, it was a friend of Josiah that killed him they are 100% prepared. I would think a house party fight, turned murder, would be a walk in the park for a retired FBI investigator, especially with the murder weapon?and so many witnesses . Obviously, the investigation went cold and the initial suspect was let go because the evidence didn’t support the allegations. I hear the suspect cooperated with the Police more than the “victims” friends.

THC
Guest
THC
5 years ago
Reply to  47

From what I understand the Police Department isn’t trying to sweep anything under the rug, all the witnesses are refuse to tell them what happened.

Rule of Law not Leftists
Guest
Rule of Law not Leftists
5 years ago
Reply to  47

We live in a Constitutional Republic with laws. A lawfully held meeting of elected representatives must be respected. The work of the People is being undertaken.

If a person wishes to surreal in a public forum, they must follow the law which allowed fairness to everyone, and surreal during Public Comment. Then hold a protest outside the public forum. Show respect for our Republic and others rights to have government take care of the Public Good.

Hijacking a lawfully public meeting is terrorism and should be treated as such. Further, leftist using pressure tactics of cultural Marxism to shut down free speech, due to their intolerance, is authoritarian and unAmerican. The government of Arcata needs to re-establish decorum and rule of law during a public forum by escorting any disruptor outside, and if necessary, to a cell for contempt.

Norberto Olavarria
Guest
Norberto Olavarria
5 years ago
Reply to  Pike Mortar

To be fair, a large part of protesting is to be disruptive so you force others to listen to what you’re saying. That being said, I think this group is a little obnoxious but what they want is something good.

Troy
Guest
Troy
5 years ago

The way I was raised all lives matter. I don’t care about color. I want to see justice for all victims of homicide.

And on a second note I don’t believe that “THE BLACK LIVES GROUP “Should take over a public meeting. State your point and move on.

What about all the white people that are murdered every day. What about all the COPS that die every day by the hands of black, white or Hispanic gunmen.

I’m sick of one race that matters. All people matter. Just my opinion.

Take Humboldt Back
Guest
Take Humboldt Back
5 years ago
Reply to  Troy

WHY RESPECT THEM, Public Sercants and NOTHING ELSE, Nothing is more American, when corrupt and ignorant politicaims break they system of justice then it is the duty of the people to take the government back and restore justice from the hands of the criminals who broke our system. These men in suit and tie who you think deserve so much respect are nothing but hired help, public servants at best, they work for us, hold OUR meetings, and will be told by us, the people what they will do as the hired help they are. Do you let employees decide what they will do or do you give them clear directives, the City Hall belongs to the people and can be taken back in a moments notice, same goes for the board of supervisors. Humboldt County Corporation belongs to the people of Humboldt, not the uptight conservative politicians who think we are their livestock and they are our shepards. A revolution is at hand, Humboldt will be taken back by the people.

Peacepieces
Guest
Peacepieces
5 years ago

Thanks for reporting this. It’s so very sad to see comments condemning the right to protest, we aren’t in NK here jeez! They all have the right to protest, just like you have the right to disagree with them. I am afraid some of the population here have been neglected by the education system if the first amendment is no longer common knowledge.

Swinew
Guest
Swinew
5 years ago
Reply to  Peacepieces

What are they protesting?

john
Guest
john
5 years ago
Reply to  Peacepieces

The people have the right to peaceful and lawful assembly and to protest. They do not have the right to hijack a public meeting and force their agenda on the council. [edit]the Chief and his officers demonstrated professional restraint in maintaining the peace. Soon this will change.

Hired Help Nothing Else
Guest
Hired Help Nothing Else
5 years ago
Reply to  john

“They do not have the right to hijack a public meeting and force their agenda on the council. You’re going to be reading about heads cracking soon; the Chief and his officers demonstrated professional restraint in maintaining the peace. Soon this will change.”. … the City Hall bel9ngs to the people of Arcata, not the mayor, not the city council, not the corrupt Arcata pd, Why do you give Corrupt Arcata PD so much authority over our public building built with our taxes. This is the problem, people like you think the ultimate authority is municipal law (which is usually corrupt and corruptable), The “Corporation of Arcata” is just a piece of paper , meaningless, the mayor, councilors and police chief are puppets who work as public servants, hired help and nothing else. Why do you delegate so much authority to puppets who are nothing more than hired help, they do not deserve any respect as they can not even do the job we (their bosses) hired them to do. They should all be fired for failure to do their responsibilities. It is our responsibility to keep them in check, if we do not see that justice is served then who will? The police have dragged their feet l9ng enough while the murderer(s) remain free. Demand justice dont just be another sheeple Yes Lord Officer, No Lord Officer, they are hired help and nothing else……

Jeff
Guest
Jeff
5 years ago

I hate to say it but its a black lives matter tactic to keep racism alive .ik hope they get the right person because if all tbe pressure its going to rush the investigators and himper the case ..it wouldnt be the first times local government set somebody up to take the fall to get the stress off of there own so all the protesters are doing is tryong to lynch a teenage kid that didnt do.it ..i was told he was stabbed accidently by one of his own .thats why nobodys talking stories changed on the first arrest and if a bunch of black kids jump a white or mexican kid .how is that racism .protester ate taking this out of contexts

Sherman Schapiro
Guest
5 years ago

Dais not dias.

Sheesh!!
Guest
5 years ago

Where were they when Bodhi Tree killed our friend sunshine? None of them cared cuz Sunshine was a white guy.

Swinew
Guest
Swinew
5 years ago
Reply to  Sheesh!!

Yuuuuup

onlooker
Guest
onlooker
5 years ago
Reply to  Sheesh!!

Wasn’t Bodhi Tree arrested rather promptly? It’s been a long time with no progress on finding who killed this young man.

Sheesh!!
Guest
5 years ago
Reply to  onlooker

That’s not my issue.
When a white is accused of killing a black person all these idiots come forward to protest the racial nature of the crime.
When a black person is accused of killing a white ( or two in Bohdi trees case) they are no where to be seen.
Total bullshit For 2018.

Humboldt Hillsman
Guest
Humboldt Hillsman
5 years ago
Reply to  Sheesh!!

No need to protest a murder that was solved immedietely. Josiah’s murder is unsolved, that’s why people are protesting.

Sheesh!!
Guest
5 years ago

They should go protest in South Chicago.
Black on black violence all day long….
They need these protesters there…
We don’t have an issue here in Humboldt!

SparkleMahn
Guest
SparkleMahn
5 years ago
Reply to  Sheesh!!

If you go down there,
You better just beware,
Of a Mahn named Leroy Brown.
Baddest Mahn in dee whole dang town!
Badder than old King Kong.
Meaner than a junkyard dog!

Humboldt Hillsman
Guest
Humboldt Hillsman
5 years ago
Reply to  Sheesh!!

Sunshine would have never been friends with someone who would comment like you.

Sheesh!!
Guest
5 years ago

Wrong.

Perspective
Guest
Perspective
5 years ago

Please line them all back up for a photo after one of Josiahs friends gets charged with the murder.

LostCoastEMT
Guest
LostCoastEMT
5 years ago
Reply to  Perspective

Oh perspective….. that would be ironic. There would be a lot of shut mouths,no apologies and a quick disappearance of anyone involved with this racist,ignorant, and tunnel vision view of justice. Makes me wonder if they really want to know who the real killer is….. or just waste peoples time with theatrical, “look at me,I care” chanting and protesting.

Money will tell the truth…
Offer 50k,and someone will
Speak.

TRUMPTASTROPHE for the GOP in November
Guest
TRUMPTASTROPHE for the GOP in November
5 years ago
Reply to  Perspective

JOSIAH’s FRIENDS? I think “Perspective” has hit upon something here that has really bothered me about local news coverage ever since this homicide took place. JOSIAH’s FRIENDS? So sure about that, are you? Really? WHY? 🤔

WHY did local news reporters almost uniformly refer to other African-American partygoers that night as “JOSIAH’s FRIENDS”? Because some of them belonged to the same student organization that Lawson was a member of? No, I don’t think that’s why. Perhaps because they shared Josiah’s professional interests? No… Oh wait, I know why… BECAUSE THEY ARE AFRICAN-AMERICAN!

And the rampant racial bias displayed by the local Lilly-White media in regards to this incident is so obvious I’m somewhat shocked that they haven’t been called out for it by SOMEBODY! (I guess all of the focus is on APD at this point.)

For future reference folks (in case you never attended post-secondary school), just because you belong to the same fraternity, neighborhood, racial/ethnic group, OR HAPPEN TO ATTEND THE SAME PARTY does not necessarily automatically make you “friends”.

Guest
Guest
Guest
5 years ago

Or because they introduced themselves as friends? Sheesh. Get over yourself. The media not all “Lilly white”, which is the same sort of race based assumption as is being complained about , nor is it in the business of quoting anyone in an article as “a person who simply has an opinion based on not knowing the victim personally.”

TRUMPTASTROPHE for the GOP in November
Guest
TRUMPTASTROPHE for the GOP in November
5 years ago
Reply to  Guest

Yes it is. Humboldt’s media reflects the county’s population at large, which is definitely lilly-White (approximately 90% White in fact, which clearly qualifies as “lilly-White”). There are relatively few populated places in this country with a higher percentage of White folks than Humboldt. For instance, there is New Hampshire. I mean, after all, how do you think Pat Buchanan beat Bush, Senior there in ‘92? You have to be a really, REALLY lilly-White state to vote for Pat Buchanan!

And for that matter, how do you think Bernie received twice as many votes in Humboldt as Hillary in the Democratic primary in ‘16?

Mike
Guest
Mike
5 years ago

Take the 100,000 $ and add it to the reward. Several witnesses know who did it and apparently they don’t care about justice, but offer to pay them enough and I bet they will roll on their friends.

farce
Guest
farce
5 years ago

This is the same crew who took over the Safeway/CVS parking lot and refused to let people leave ie. held them against their will. I lost respect for them that day. I agree that a great tactic would have been to arrest them all when they refused to leave the city council hall, fingerprint them all and run those up against the fingerprint on the murder weapon. I also believe there is a very strong possibility that the murderer was actually one of Josiah’s friends who was going to stab “the white guy” who they were all gang-beating. I don’t see color but I can see a pack of assholes from a mile away. Fight one on one with fists if you even have to fight. Then everybody is alive the next day. I hope they find the killer and I don’t care what color he is- he is an idiot and a murderer. Here in Humboldt he will get a strict sentence- probation and time served!!

Mike
Guest
Mike
5 years ago
Reply to  farce

You know I have a even better one, since the police aren’t arresting people and fingerprinting them to work on narrowing the suspect field down to one. Why don’t these protesters have a voluntary gathering where everyone who wants justice and was at the part of the party can willingly come forward and give their fingerprint. Sure there might be some chain of custody issues but I bet they could narrow it down to a select few who don’t show up. HSU could even make a day of it, everyone gets the whole school day off to be fingerprinted and after they are eliminated as a suspect their information is thrown away. It would accomplish several things it would make everyone feel like they are helping, it would bring more attention and media coverage to the issue and most importantly it would actually do something that would be productive to solving this case.

LuckyPunk
Guest
5 years ago
Reply to  Mike

For real. Voluntary gathering to submit dna/prints,
then protest the partygoers not willing to submit their dna/prints.

farce
Guest
farce
5 years ago
Reply to  Mike

Wow! That would be awesome!! Great idea. If they really want to solve the crime they would put the onus on the people at the party. The people who were actually there and aren’t coming forward to talk or confess!! Wow- this is a powerful idea! I really like it. Using social pressure in a positive way.

THC
Guest
THC
5 years ago
Reply to  Mike

Just looking at the few pictures available of the protesters, it sure doesn’t look like many of them were at that party.

Al
Guest
Al
5 years ago
Reply to  farce

Farce, why did they take over the Safeway parking lot? Thank you.

Humboldt Hillsman
Guest
Humboldt Hillsman
5 years ago
Reply to  farce

Yeah, I bet one of Josiah’s friends just happened to be packing a kitchen knife that night. And I doubt it came from the guy who’s a caterer and had a trunk full of kitchen knives. What a dumb theory that one of his own friends accidentally or intentionally stabbed him. You’d think that at least Kyle would have witnessed that and be more than happy to attest to that.

Pharmstheproblem
Guest
Pharmstheproblem
5 years ago

There are so many unsolved murders and in Humboldt County for years and years what make this one so special that he get different treatment than all the other murders in the county…. How many missing persons are still not found.. Sorry for their loss but really……Racism is not the reason that the murder isn’t solved but nice try..It’s Humboldt County….

Elliot
Guest
Elliot
5 years ago

People come to Humboldt and get mixed up in drugs and crime and go missing. How much time and taxpayer money should LE budget looking for these people? Are they the county babysitters?

For real
Guest
For real
5 years ago
Reply to  Elliot

A murder is a murder to be solved, is any one life worth more or less than nother human life? Demand justice, next time it could be someone from your family whose death the HCSO and Arcata PD will just sweep under the rug untill people forget

J
Guest
J
5 years ago

I wonder what the openly racist against white people “victim” would think about those white people fighting for his “justice” from when he got hurt violently assaulting a single human with his buddies and girlfriend. It’s so sad seeing all these funds and resources going to an unsolved homicide that has already been solved. Racist jumps person with buddies, dies during the crime he started. Case solved. We have innocent people that died while they weren’t commiting a violent crime and the families don’t harass citizens, trapping them in parking lots or waist tax payer money and harass city council to get “justice” for their violent racist son. I can’t wait till Josiah’s buddy or girlfriend is arrested for accidentally stabbing their friend instead of the guy they were assaulting together.

Guest
Guest
Guest
5 years ago
Reply to  J

Please explain how you know this? All I’ve read is a lot of speculation with no evidence to prove much of anything except who was there.

Young Tom Selleck
Guest
Young Tom Selleck
5 years ago
Reply to  Guest

Murder weapon found with prints, lack of cooperation with VICTIMS WITNESSES/FRIENDS after “suspect” released, veteran FBI investigator can’t solve case.

J
Guest
J
5 years ago
Reply to  Guest

The “victim” posted a now deleted video on his FB showing himself in white face makeup mocking white people. He also was the suspect in jumping another white guy with his buddies within a year before his death. There were a couple other FB post that were openly racist that have since been deleted too. As for who I thing the true suspect is, yes that is speculation based on multiple witness reports that have all been released to the public. Like the fact that two guys that spoke against the members of Brothers united were immediately kicked out of the group. How sketchy is that? You want justice but won’t listen to anything that you don’t want to hear? No that’s just racist bring rasict. They want the white guy in jail regardless of if he did it. If they wanted justice they would be working towards ending black on white racism too because of racist Josiah hadn’t joined in on a violent attack(even the brothers united admit to jumping Kyle) then he would be alive.

LuckyPunk
Guest
5 years ago

“The protesters followed city officials through the building to a back office door which required a key code for entry and had a sign reading “employees only”.”

That’s when it went too far.
Now they are infringing on other citizen’s rights.

Elliot
Guest
Elliot
5 years ago
Reply to  LuckyPunk

nope, trespassing. time to stuff ’em and cuff ’em.

LuckyPunk
Guest
5 years ago
Reply to  Elliot

Exactly. Trespassing at least.
Maybe one left a hidden mic/cam behind closed doors(not likely,but it is a public security issue).

Rebel Yell
Guest
Rebel Yell
5 years ago

Is Saucedo an illegal? Anybody know this agitator??

LuckyPunk
Guest
5 years ago

“Let me tell you, we are very close. This stuff distracts us to a degree, it doesn’t distract us too much, but it does distract me. But we are very close. In other jurisdictions, I think we could get a charge right now,” Chief Ehle told the group.

Does he mean that another jurisdiction’s police force has it figured out already? A different county or just a different local or state agency?

Take Humboldt BACK
Guest
Take Humboldt BACK
5 years ago

Protest EVERY ARCATA CITY COUNCIL MEETING, THE MAYOR AND CITY COUNCIL ARE EMPLOYEES AND SERVANTS OF THE PEOPLE. If the Arcata police chief cant listen to his employers, the people of Arcata, then shit can him too, same goes for the Mayor and city council. The City Hall does not belong to the arcata police dept nor does it belong to the Mayor or Arcata City Council, if these bs municipalities can not follow the will of the people; then it is the peoples job to shut down the Municipal BS government and take back all piblic buildings and take back the entire city from the claws of corruption and oppression. This is our public building for the people, who cares about your “legal meeting”, the entire municipal government in Humboldt County is illegal and needs to be taken back by the people of HUMBOLDT, TAKE HUMBOLDT BACK!

Our Chambers Our Town Our County
Guest
Our Chambers Our Town Our County
5 years ago

We will be there every Arcata City Council meeting, the Arcata City Hall belongs to the citizens of Arcata, not the Arcata POLICE, NOT THE MAYOR, NOT THE CITY COUNCIL, These people work for us and we can fire them if we choose, time to take Arcata and Humboldt back from the hands of these illegal corrupt municipal governments who claim to be in control, rise up humboldt County a revolution is taking place, Take Humboldt back from the conservative minority intent on destroying the ordinary people of HUMBOLDT. Have no fear, rise up and unite and take this corrupt Humboldt Government back

robash141
Guest
robash141
5 years ago

I smell a cover-up , the big shots at HSU and their underlings who run City of Arcata don’t really want this case solved. They would be on the hook for massive lawsuits , administrative careers would be ruined and their whole model of recruitment would com crashing down around their ears . They were quite eager to railroad Kyle Zoellner and call it “racist hate crime” when reality appears to be much more complicated.

TRUMPTASTROPHE for the GOP in November
Guest
TRUMPTASTROPHE for the GOP in November
5 years ago
Reply to  robash141

BINGO! You got it, I believe.

timetostopit
Guest
timetostopit
5 years ago

In this time of social media when you fart its put on Youtube, really no one recorded the fight on their cell phones, wow that is a first! in fact that is BULLSHIT. This young mans family needs closure. Man or Woman up and do the right thing or all this social unrest is on your head

JustWantToHeartheEndoftheStory
Guest
JustWantToHeartheEndoftheStory
5 years ago

Wonder what all these “passionate” types will be saying if someone other than a white guy is arrested for the crime….

robash141
Guest
robash141
5 years ago

Any ideologue will deny reality when it doesn’t jibe with their preconceived notions. Look at all these folks making endless excuses for Trump.

SparkleMahn
Guest
SparkleMahn
5 years ago
Reply to  robash141

WTF mkay: any news I don’t like IS FAKE!

Guest
Guest
Guest
5 years ago
Reply to  SparkleMahn

Since 90% of news is fake (ie an opinion) to start with these days, the odds favor saying that any time . I just read a headline on one site that made a big deal that an illegal alien that killed a jogger. The next site reported it as the GOP was making hay out of the illegal issue in the case. The next one questioned the accuracy of the E-verify system because his employer didn’t check it. Just reports of the same thing on different sites. The first one was truth but mostly used for opinion. The next two were all most all opinion with only a smidgen of news. It’s just that most “news” these days starts with the reporter deciding what supports an agenda and using that atom of news to shout that opinion to the reader.

TRUMPTASTROPHE for the GOP in November
Guest
TRUMPTASTROPHE for the GOP in November
5 years ago
Reply to  robash141

No kidding! When will they stop? 🛑

Guest
Guest
Guest
5 years ago

Not as long as commenters like the above insist on outshouting and insulting everyone with a different opinion. Trump is just the unpleasant antidote to the level of idiocy prevalent. Wannabe Russian bots. Issue doesn’t matter as long as a short insult will do.

TRUMPTASTROPHE for the GOP in November
Guest
TRUMPTASTROPHE for the GOP in November
5 years ago
Reply to  Guest

[edit]

So, when you insult progressives, that’s OK?

But when someone responds to you[edit], Guest, that’s supposedly unacceptable?

Well, that may be true – on THIS blog which clearly bends over backwards to censor progressives[edit]

rollin21
Guest
rollin21
5 years ago

The irony of a bunch of white people protesting the death of a black person while telling us all how racist white people are. Can you find a single, just one, example of the reverse? Nope. Let me guess, just bringing that up automatically makes me a fascist/racist. This is why the left sucks.

TRUMPTASTROPHE for the GOP in November
Guest
TRUMPTASTROPHE for the GOP in November
5 years ago
Reply to  rollin21

Is that why Trump is done for? Because the Left sucks? LMFAO! 😆🤣😂😅😝😄
# IMPEACH FAT NIXON 🏌️‍♂️🇷🇺🐘💩🔥🇺🇸🔥🚽💥

Dede
Guest
Dede
5 years ago

Funny thing is – this Justice committee – none of them look like they are students who were at the party that eye witnessed the murder…….

just me
Guest
just me
5 years ago

i see the village idiots are back.what is wrong with these people. how does this help. lock them up.

StoneyCase
Guest
StoneyCase
5 years ago

I still think it’s extremely possible that one of Lawson’s own friends accidentally stabbed him, or Lawson had a knife and impaled himself when he fell to the ground with the formerly accused. Testimony showed that Lawson’s associates/friends started the physically violent altercation. Have they ever been questioned under oath or given a polygraph?

KIDDZZ
Guest
KIDDZZ
5 years ago

I didn’t know Josiah or his family, but I do feel incredibly sorry for them. This whole case is a bummer, I really wish we knew what happened and that someone was able to be held accountable. But, unfortunately in the U.S. it is not all that uncommon for a murder to go unsolved.
This excerpt is from the Washington Post, and is for the last 7 years in the City of Phoenix, which I didn’t figure to be a very violent community:

Homicides tracked in Phoenix:914
Percentage without an arrest:55%

Unfortunately that is on Par with the national average. Not great folks, but solving a crime is not an easy task. And sure, a lot of things in this case could have been done differently perhaps, but regardless the outcome could very well have been the same we face now: No closure. Is it because this case is local that the outcry is so spirited? How many people who are part of this outcry knew Josiah? If you didn’t know him, why not talk about all unsolved crimes across the U.S.? I think this type of “protest” tends to gain momentum and in the end we lose sight of the reality of the situation. I do believe the public outcry at the beginning was more warranted as it was in the spur of the moment and I felt like there were more personal connections by the folks letting their feeling be known. Now I am not so sure and think there is some band wagon jumping going on for folks wanting to bash on law enforcement (who many times I am not a fan of at all).
How about “Justice for Everyone” posters around town, instead of just for Josiah.

robash141
Guest
robash141
5 years ago

There are persistent rumors that Lawson wasn’t the saintly Eagle Scout his supporters make him out to be. He apparently liked to start fights with people over the flimsiest of pretexts. It’s quite easy for someone start fights when he has a dozen or so of his humongous jock buddies sworn to back him up. Since Lawson was a darling of the HSU Administration these incidents were covered up . That’s why Chief Chapman eventually resigned They can’t cover it up this time because he came back dead . Not saying he deserved what happened to him, it’s tragic that young man’s life came to end . He was,unworldly very young man indulging in extremely reckless behavior that was tacitly sanctioned by authorities. Thats why HSU administration like Corliss Bennet McBride attempted to interject themselves in the murder investigation even before the corpse was cold . It was pure CYA .That’s why the big shots of Arcata and HSU are in no rush to find the answers as to who killed Josiah

local observer
Guest
local observer
5 years ago
Reply to  robash141

meth makes you evil and knives make you stabby. who was known for using meth and had knives in their vehicle? who had a motive? who had to look tough in front of his lady friend? failed forensics in Humboldt would be a given, just like every other failure.

Just Sayin.
Guest
Just Sayin.
5 years ago

My guess it was a white chick who’s love for BLM and bad aim stabbed the dude. 5 dollars says I’m right.