Family of Arcata Stabbing Suspect Claims the Real Killer Has Not Been Caught (Includes Timeline of Events as Presented in Public Statements by Those at the Party)

David lawson and Kyle Zoellner

David Josiah Lawson and Kyle Zoellner

In the early hours of April 15, a 19-year-old Humboldt State Student, David Josiah Lawson was stabbed to death in Arcata at a party. Kyle Zoellner was arrested and charged in his death.

Zoellner’s family believe he is being convicted in the media without his side of events being presented. They have released a statement with a conflicting version of what occurred that night. The statements they alleged have not been proved. We have not talked to the witnesses. However, neither did we talk to the witnesses used to bring charges against Zoellner. In the interest of presenting both sides here is the Zoellner family statement which will be followed by a timeline compiled by this reporter of what is known publically at this point. Contradictions between the witnesses will be pointed out.

The Zoellner Family Statement:

Kyle Zoellner

Kyle Zoellner

The purpose of this statement is to challenge the public statements that have publically convicted Kyle Zoellner of a crime he unequivocally did not commit. Kyle is a responsible young man who has had the same job for 3 years and works 40-50 hours a week. For the record the reported information that referenced the alleged incident of Kyle assaulting a woman was nothing but a sibling fight between Kyle and his sister that has been ridiculously overblown and did not involve a weapon.

Currently there is an active murderer in the community that must be found now so others’ lives are not at risk of something happening again like the tragic death of Josiah Lawson. Any information is so critical at this time while witness’s memories are still fresh. The family’s message to all witnesses is to please come forward at this time and share what they saw at the party.
The continued public statements being made by one specific friend of Josiah’s continue to deflect the attention of all from the most important task of bringing the truth out so the actual person that committed this crime is brought to justice.

The following information is to bring clarity to what actually took place at the party where Josiah was stabbed:

One or more of the girls that were at the party where the stabbing took place shared what they witnessed to the father of Kyle soon after the stabbing. Kyle’s father shared what he was told to a family spokesperson to get this version of the stabbing out to the public as this version completely contradicts what has been publicly stated by both the victims’ friends and by the police.

Key events that took place at the party that were witnessed by one or more of the girls:

  • 4 friends (girls) were at the party and one of these girls was Kyle’s girlfriend
  • Kyle was not at the party but was called to pick the girls up around 3 am as he was at home and was the designated driver
  • Kyle’s girlfriend could not find her phone. When individuals were asked by Kyle if they had seen Kyle’s girlfriend’s cellphone, Kyle’s girlfriend was struck in the face by one of the men (she still has a black eye)
  • Then an altercation ensued between Kyle and one of the men at the party (this individual was not Josiah)
  • Kyle got him into a hold until he finally released him
  • His car keys and cell phone came out of his sweatshirt while he had been wrestling on the ground and as he was looking for them, he was attacked by multiple individuals that began punching and kicking him. Kyle never got off the ground
  • During the attack two of the girls were spraying mace to try to protect Kyle and witnessed exactly what took place during the entire period of the altercation that involved Kyle and the attackers
  • Kyle was knocked unconscious by these attackers for several minutes
  • After Kyle had been beaten and was unconscious someone in the background yelled “someone got stabbed”
    (There were multiple fights going on at this time according to the police and witnesses)

The family believes Kyle deserves to have the above information shared to the public (that came from eye witnesses) so both the Public and Police can start asking critical questions to bring out the truth of this tragic event. That is all the family wants at this time, the truth to come out and the actual person that committed this crime apprehended and held responsible.

Finally, the family is heartbroken that a young man’s life was lost and our family, which is a family of Faith, has continually been praying for all the family and friends of Josiah.

This reporter gathered information from multiple sources trying to piece together what is known publically from multiple media and police accounts. Here is the compiled information with links to the sources.

Timeline events with contradictions indicated.

According to an article in the Times Standard posted yesterday evening, Arcata Police Chief Tom Chapman indicated that all the information available to law enforcement is not publically available. “We do not try cases in the media,” he said.

 

Earlier Chapters:

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fakeemail@gmail.com
Guest
6 years ago

stupid drunken kids of all races and genders.key word is STUPID.

Guest
Guest
Guest
6 years ago

I love your name dude 😂😂😂

Green Life
Guest
Green Life
6 years ago

Arcata is a stabby, stabby town. Yeah, fighting is stupid but…you do it with your fists and you live to learn from it. Code of honor- no weapons. No ganging up.

dan
Guest
dan
6 years ago
Reply to  Green Life

i’ve been to asia .eastern europe southern mexico the caribbean and cyprus and the bosphorus ,in all my life ive been stabbed twice… in arcata ca

Cowabunga
Guest
Cowabunga
6 years ago

Were Kyle’s fingerprints found on the murder weapon?

Old Head
Guest
Old Head
6 years ago
Reply to  Cowabunga

That is a very good question.

Dot
Guest
Dot
6 years ago

50 to 100 people there. Wow.
IMO This sad incident is much too important, and with so many people involved so complicated with many viewpoints, to be tried in the court of public opinion.
I hope the true story is able to be parsed out in the court of law, and justice done.
One thing we know. No one deserved to die over this.

Agreed
Guest
Agreed
6 years ago
Reply to  Dot

Well said, The local TV news is telling a different story

Guest
Guest
Guest
6 years ago
Reply to  Agreed

What do you mean they’re telling a different story? (I don’t have cable)

Very sad
Guest
Very sad
2 years ago
Reply to  Dot

There is now $100,000 reward out for the person all persons that murder Josiah if they arrest them find them guilty and a conviction the hundred-thousand-dollar reward is for a short. Period Of time I’m sure somebody will come forward and throw somebody under the bus for it cuz I’m sure there is at least three people involved in the murder. I would hope someone would just step up,

Stormy
Guest
Stormy
6 years ago

This makes more sense. The truth will out. The so-cal gangsters should be sent packing

Very sad
Guest
Very sad
2 years ago
Reply to  Stormy

Why do you say a SoCal gangster

MOGTX
Guest
6 years ago

By the way he was beatin i believed that he was unconscious during stabbing

Not so much
Guest
Not so much
6 years ago
Reply to  MOGTX

Have you ever seen a super gnarly fight? Ive seen the cops beat people worse than that who stayed conscious. Seeing as people grabbed the assailant right after the stabbing, its pretty hard to believe he was unconscious. He could have had injuries from the previous wknd when….
“Just the previous weekend,” Chandler said he was told by an APD officer, Zoellner “was at a party and hit another person of color over the head with a bottle. He had a violent record and this was told to us later on by one of the detectives, I’m not sure who it was.”

Or maybe he tried to choke out another 18 year old girl and she fought back this time.
Look up his arrest record.

judi
Guest
judi
6 years ago
Reply to  Not so much

good points. i wondered how a family of faith and prayers have a daughter living at home that gets into fist fights.

i’m also curious now about the accused mans past concerning violent behavior. is he quick to start swinging?

3 on 1…”Castillo states, ‘“It was the three of us against him and he was on the floor. And then
we kinda stopped it
and that’s when one of the”…
kinda stopped it? cuz ya beat him unconscious? brutal.

sounds like the party ramped up to a mob mentality. when ya pour ETOH into very young adults it will never come out good.

Kerry
Guest
Kerry
1 year ago
Reply to  Not so much

I see you trying to put it all together, and that’s great but you’re guesses are wrong. If you knew Kyle then you would know he is a very manerly young man and a very caring person. Working full time and excelling in his perfesion was another wonderful thing that I admired about Kyle.

T
Guest
T
6 years ago

It is a joke when Elijah calls it a race crime and then is calling people “white boys and white women”. You’re just as racist talking like that on camera! I cannot wait for the truth to come out and if you “victims” were lying you’re going to look like some real pieces of sh*t. I truly hope justice is served because there is something in my gut that is telling me Kyle was jumped by these “brothers” but if I’m wrong I’ll be amazed. This is going to be a very intense case.

Local
Guest
Local
6 years ago
Reply to  T

I agree! Also how they have their clubs for black students is continuing segregation and they’re condoning it lol. Why isn’t it’s just a club for good people or people with common interested what does race have to do with it? Seems to me like they want it like that. If it was reverse and there was a group specifically for white students everyone would be like racist! Kkk!…….the truth will come out and I wouldn’t be surprised if Kyle did get jumped. Really I’m surprised it isn’t on video since that’s the common thing to do with kids now a days. They just film while someone is getting their ass kicked or picked on like its some game yelling word star der der well as you all see it’s not just a game. Also if they think leaving the city and coming here is safe well now they know. There’s crazy people here too so watch who you start shit with….

jake
Guest
jake
6 years ago
Reply to  Local

Brothers United and Legacy are both open to anyone, they’re not promoting segregation.

Veterans friend
Guest
Veterans friend
6 years ago
Reply to  Local

You are so ignorant I want to weep

Guest
Guest
Guest
6 years ago

No kidding!!!!!!! So is “b boy”. 🙄

visitor
Guest
visitor
6 years ago
Reply to  Local

Fab Five Freddy B told me everybody’s fly.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xd6Hz1IE18s

Roadrider
Guest
Roadrider
6 years ago
Reply to  Local

Local, you are mistaken about Brother’s United. BU is not racially exclusive, anyone is welcome. It is made up primarily of Black men who have a club dedicated to helping each other achieve their academic goals, do community service, and create a space for unity. You say, “Why isn’t it’s just a club for good people or people with common interested “, well, Local, that’s what it is. No need to go off on your “reverse racism…kkk” rant.

Very sad
Guest
Very sad
2 years ago
Reply to  Local

The two girls there at least and the guy Kyle was that a party they weren’t invited to and the truth will come out

J
Guest
J
6 years ago
Reply to  T

That’s what I thought! I grew up in the south and I never once saw any racism towards black people(not saying it isn’t there, I just don’t hang out with assholes), but I can’t count the number of times I was called “white girl” by African American people that knew my real name. Those same people were always blaming their problems on being black. We go to the same school and live in the same neighborhood but your getting bad grades because your black? I call BS. This guy was jumped by three people, one of which admits to jumping him over asking about a missing phone. If he did stab someone he had every right to defend himself as three guys violently assaulted him. Leave it to Humboldt cops to finally arrest a suspected murderer but it not be the right guy!!

lauracooskey
Guest
lauracooskey
6 years ago
Reply to  J

I hope she gets it!

N
Guest
N
6 years ago
Reply to  J

I grew up and lived most of my life in California. I have witnessed racism a multitude of times. Turning a blind eye never solved any problems.

J
Guest
J
6 years ago
Reply to  J

Lol, I said I saw LOTS of racism towards white people but I never saw it towards black people because I don’t hang out with racist assholes. But I happen to be white so I couldn’t prevent racism towards myself. I’ve been jumped by 5 black guys because one blamed me for him verbally assaulting me about my mom’s death and getting evicted from school(no suprise I was called white girl during his verbal assault). I’d never claim to know what it’s like to be black but I have witnessed sooooooo much black on white racism and crime here and in the south. White guilt and reverse rasicm doesn’t help anyone, how about take race out of the equation and look at only facts instead of immediately blaming the guy that was jumped by 3 men.

guest
Guest
guest
6 years ago
Reply to  J

yep

White tears
Guest
White tears
6 years ago
Reply to  J

REVERSE. RACISM. IS. NOT. A. THING.

Say it with me now…

ROW ROW
Guest
ROW ROW
6 years ago
Reply to  White tears

racism is racism [edit]

J
Guest
J
6 years ago
Reply to  J

Exactly, considering they were there in like 3 minutes that would have been how quickly they could have stopped his bleeding or done life saving measures.

Skatter
Guest
Skatter
6 years ago
Reply to  J

Your a flat liar. Or, to give you the benifit of the doubt, just plain ignorant and so wrapped up in your white privilege that you can’t see what’s right in front of you and as plain as the nose on your face.
My Mother is from the south. Racism against blacks is alive and well there. I hear the bigotted crap coming out of my relatives mouths and I see the continuing segregation. The “private” swimming pools that somehow get taxpayer funding even as they exclude blacks. The “private” acadamies that also manage to get public funding while excluding blacks. The difficulty black farmers and wanna-be homeowners have in getting loans. These are just some of the most blatant examples of the real south.

Pea
Guest
Pea
6 years ago
Reply to  T

MY gut tells me “T” is an idiot. Just be quiet.

judi
Guest
judi
6 years ago
Reply to  T

“white boys and white women”
i agree is a very racist comment in this context. i heard him say it on a tv news interview.

No contest
Guest
No contest
6 years ago

Unfornately with the new age of social media, alot of information put out is unproven or rumors. The case is tried in public without rules of evidence making the real courts of law’s job even harder. Makes the defense’s job easier because they don’t have to prove anything or accusations, just put that reasonable doubt out there. Race baiting, self serving statements, and unsupported statements make for really cloudy waters. New borns will be the best jurors for this case.

hmm
Guest
hmm
6 years ago

Congrats to Chief Tom Chapman for not releasing information to the media.

Veterans friend
Guest
Veterans friend
6 years ago

What you see here is the foundation being laid for reasonable doubt.

shak
Guest
shak
6 years ago

I so hope they catch the real murderer. Thanks for posting this Kym!!

Todd
Guest
Todd
6 years ago

The Eureka north scanner covers Arcata PD (2-xx units), Arcata Fire (82-xx) and Arcata Ambulance (Arcata-x). If you have access to it, the audio from that scanner should provide a much clearer timeline.

G-MAS
Guest
G-MAS
6 years ago

That picture,I couldn’t tell that was the same kid,geeze. The whole truth must come out.praying for all involved.

Could be anything
Guest
Could be anything
6 years ago

Typical to judge before all information is out. Who knows what happened in this incident. Someone died. Someone is being charged with the murder. My guess is there will be a whole lot of conflicting stories to come in court. And there will be those who will make it into a race situation. I wish the best to both families. It can only get uglier.

judi
Guest
judi
6 years ago

i agree about conflicting stories, especially since no one has come forward saying they actually saw the stabbing take place.

and if there were eye witnesses there will always be different perceptions of what was viewed, based upon their own fear, trauma, shock, how they interpreted what they witnessed based upon their personal perspectives on life, and their personal beliefs and value systems.

eye witnesses are the worse evidence.

J
Guest
J
6 years ago
Reply to  judi

These eyewitnesses are super tainted because most people were intoxicated. The only person who was reportedly sober was the victim of the violent 3 on 1 assault. And I don’t say alleged assault because one of the boys that beat him admitted it was 3 on 1.

Cowabunga
Guest
Cowabunga
6 years ago

Scanner says it was reported a Gun and Knife were involved. Whatever happened to the Gun?

Cowabunga
Guest
Cowabunga
6 years ago
Reply to  Kym Kemp

Yes, or perhaps reporting a gun was involved will definitely get a prompt response. Thank you for this very detailed sequence of events and reporting!

judi
Guest
judi
6 years ago
Reply to  Kym Kemp

yup kym. it was a drunken party, everyone hyped up from the incidents…

Lyne
Guest
Lyne
6 years ago

All lives matter…multiple times…?? Sounds like a very angry person to do this.

Anon Forrest
Guest
Anon Forrest
6 years ago
Reply to  Lyne

I’m wondering if the Coroner’s report will find that more than 1 knife was used, therefore more than one suspect is at large….if any.

Coletta Hughes
Guest
Coletta Hughes
6 years ago

Along with all the white hating Race-baiting drama being stirred up at colleges across the country lately, I think it all depends on the current political PC state of mind and predominant skin color of party goers and witnesses to the crime…. i.e. we may never know the truth.

judi
Guest
judi
6 years ago
Reply to  Coletta Hughes

i agree with you, too.
i was born in 1957.
my father was a rabid racist, mom just didn’t want us to have “colored” friends.

until i was 8 i lived 4 blocks from the north side of the black neighborhood down by park st. , and there were many black families in my neighborhood who treated me like their own kids.
i saw race riots and insane police brutality in my home town (madison, wi) in the late 60’s, & we lived a mile from the state capitol building where the riots took place.
i lived in the suburbs with pay-rents in the 70’s. when a black couple moved into our neighborhood, the neighbors were so cruel t to them the couple moved out w/i a year. i remember ppl saying ‘if ya let one move in the rest will follow’.

i saw open racist hatred against blacks up close and personal until i was about 16.
i saw racist hatred against ME (white) when i was cornered, trapped and beaten up in study hall class by a black kid in 10th grade for no reason i ever heard.
about the same time my boy friend (who was racist w/ a big mouth) jumped at school by the black members of the basketball team. i told him he had a big mouth, but that he was whooped, no too bad, by 7 black teens was not fair.

it was only 1981 when America saw the last known lynching of a black man. not that long ago.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Murder_of_Michael_Donald

it seems after the ’80’s people were less obvious & less rigid about their racist beliefs- a short while, and it’s really building up.

i moved to humboldt almost 20 yrs ago and i’m still shocked at the racist statements i hear from people here. comments from ppl who have never met nor never talked to a black person. and i mean MEAN comments.

the POTUS is very polarizing, seems to thrive on conflict, and somehow citizens feel a need to place people in categories, some of which are based on skin color…

that is not ok.

we are all one.

Moviedad
Guest
6 years ago
Reply to  judi

Racism is the last weapon of a scumbag. If you can’t best him in math, if you can’t beat him in sports, if you can’t play music better than him, you aren’t stronger than him, you can’t beat him in any other way; then claiming superiority because of race is your last chance.
In my own experience (E.LA 60’s-70’s) it was always the weak cowards who were the biggest racists. My group of friends had one Lebanese, one white-boy (me) One black-kid, one Mexican. We all practiced martial arts together (Bruce Lee was big in our lives) and each of us was on an enemy-list from our respective ethnic groups. I guess it was growing up in a Mexican home, living on a racially diverse street, that showed me everyone is basically the same, with different cultures.
In the final analysis though, I could move beyond our neighborhood. I could go anywhere. My friends couldn’t. They were tied to their ethnicity in a way I would never understand. And that insults my “American” sensibilities. The only thing that separates people is fear.

shawn the fisherman
Guest
shawn the fisherman
6 years ago

By the look of that pic of kyle I would say he has a great argument for self defense. A man has the right to defend himself with lethal means if he felt like his life is in imminent danger. “white or black” defend your selves damn it! Sorry not this pic but the one that was released first. Badly beaten pic.

N
Guest
N
6 years ago

Looks like he slammed his face in a car door to me.

Guest
Guest
Guest
6 years ago

Three on one must’ve been fun

Cowabunga
Guest
Cowabunga
6 years ago

Wow, that’s an impressive quotation! Is it from Shakespeare?

Cowabunga
Guest
Cowabunga
6 years ago
Reply to  Cowabunga

I appreciate that quote. Thank you! The police frequently circle my block, and also fly their helicopter over my house. And I’m glad they do. Because it makes my neighborhood a safer place.

Old Head
Guest
Old Head
6 years ago
Reply to  Cowabunga

Thanks for the graphic on the racial disparity in incarceration for marijuana.

One crucial piece of context (which the speaker had probably just mentioned, or was about to mention) is that blacks and whites use marijuana at about the same rates. So it looks like the disparity in pot-related incarceration is not due to differing rates of use, it looks like it’s primarily due to disparate treatment by cops and courts.

One Love, remember?
Guest
One Love, remember?
6 years ago
Reply to  Cowabunga

Uh, maybe thats because white people don’t smoke while driving around, or maybe because black people tend to smoke outside in the neighborhood and white people don’t…who knows? This graphic is meaningless without context. Something most dont hear about is that while there is plenty of white against black racism, there is also an organized effort among some in the black community to vilify whites and incite racial divide by claiming white racism and black victimization at every opportunity, even when it isnt called for. I know that as a white person, sometimesit is hard not to, even though I try as much as I can, fall victim to the stereotypes that have been presented to me about blacks, just as I know that it must be hard for blacks to not buy into the stereotypes about whites that they’ve been presented, too. I have black friends, so why can they see me for who I am, and me see them for who they are, and not see the stereotype? Its about understanding that the other person will not trust you until you give them a reason to, and adjusting your behavior accordingly. This goes both ways. I believe that the graphic above has its uses, but until we start seeing blacks and whites coming together, walking together in unity, caring about each other, infographics like this can do more damage than good. Its just more fingerpointing. Just my observation, and Im sure it hardly addresses all the issues, nor is it to minimize the injustices that have been done. That being said, it is going to be impossible to drive forward when we are constantly focusing on the rearview mirror. That is just common sense. The question is what can be done now, and will it be accepted enough to stop focusing on the past? Can we start working on the now, so we actually have a future together? Can we welcome each other into our worlds, or are we destined to be trapped in a cycle of hate? We need each other to fix it, Yin and Yang.

Honeydew Bridge C.H.U.M.P.
Guest
Honeydew Bridge C.H.U.M.P.
6 years ago

Arcata should impose a 9pm curfew, or maybe 10pm.
There is no need to be out at 3am, it only creates trouble.
This way the police could just arrest anyone out after 10pm and reduce crime.

Fear the Night
Guest
Fear the Night
6 years ago

Moonman agrees!

Old Head
Guest
Old Head
6 years ago

Perhaps you’ve never been to Arcata? It’s a college town. Good luck with a 9pm (or even 10pm) curfew. Not happening.

Hidee
Guest
Hidee
6 years ago

I’m pretty sure Josiah’s friend’s want the murderer held accountable. Pretty sure they don’t want the wrong person accused and the murderer running free. Period

LoneDanger
Guest
LoneDanger
6 years ago

So ya. I can’t say who or what did it since I was not there and many of the commentators were not there.

However I have to throw down this. A “family of faith” that has siblings physically assaulting each other? A person who is sober AKA the designated driver and probably a bit older than most of the crowd. This person of “faith” can’t be the person to say “Hey are you really sure your phone is missing? You are drunk and disorientated. lets look through your stuff again.” or “Hey you know its a phone I will use mine to call yours” or perhaps “You know its just a phone it will show up or we’ll get a new one”.

None of these options were ever presented or included in witness reports. A sober older person of faith could not rise up and be the better person. Typical of a family of faith where the mentality is “believe me or i will punish you”.

I think the girl should be held more accountable, didn’t someone say in a comment that the phone was found in her purse? This bitch better have a guilty conscience hanging over her for the rest of her life.

lauracooskey
Guest
lauracooskey
6 years ago
Reply to  LoneDanger

Yeah. Sorry to say that i don’t think they did Kyle any favors by putting up this non-black-eyed picture. Isn’t he supposed to be 23? McKinleyville… family of faith… 23 looking 43… it kind of adds up. Sorry to be snarky, but if they’re going to play this public court thing, they need to be aware that it’s BS. Want to be judged in the court of public opinion and drag all your personal stuff out in front of the world… go ahead, but know that you’ll never get anything more substantial than a judgment based on a picture. There, i played!

Steve Spain
Guest
Steve Spain
6 years ago

Be careful here Kym. Your racial sympathies are showing in this post. As a gatekeeper you need to be very aware of how you become a “teller of truth.” Embracing third party heresay as truth is tempting when it fits your internal biases – but by presenting it as truth above a list supposed contradictions is not contributing to the discussion. Instead you stir the pot in the court of public opinion, and arouse similar biases in those who read it.
Follow your comment thread – it’s pro-white bias is plain as day, and a direct result of the way you have chosen to feature this release.
Just a little advice from an old journo.

Steve Spain
Guest
Steve Spain
6 years ago
Reply to  Kym Kemp

Kym, it’s called unconscious bias. You may not even be aware of it, but we are all products of institutional racism. I’m not accusing you of overt sympathies, but I am trying to point out that by presenting an unfiltered account from a third party (directly related to the accused) above an annotated list of other parties (including witnesses) you are in fact weighting one as more true the the other.
That said, I continue to have the utmost respect for you and the hard work you do for our community.

Gazoo
Guest
Gazoo
6 years ago
Reply to  Kym Kemp

👍🏽

shak
Guest
shak
6 years ago
Reply to  Gazoo

I’ll third that thumbs up for Kym. She did an outstanding job of impartial reporting. Kym provided me with compelling interest to seek more info, not once did she provoke me to take a side. Kym is being top notch here.

On the other hand, IMO, the note from Spain sounds suspiciously threatening in some weird way. Like a warning from the mob boss. I must admit, I’m fresh from watching a video elsewhere, concerning the Antifa riots being fed and led by university professors and communist clubs, including the mayor of Berkeley. Funny isn’t it, how outside info influences the immediate info within our minds. It’s impossible to have a completely clean and clear immediate impression, but I feel Kym did an excellent job at achieving just that in this report. Just be happy I wasn’t the one reporting. (Spain did it)

Lynn H
Guest
Lynn H
6 years ago
Reply to  shak

I agree. Spain’s comments sounded patronizing and strangely threatening to me too. A little creepy. Sort of like “fall in line with groupthink”. Or else you are racist.

Kym did an excellent job of presenting what she knows, what the sources are and being objective about it. As a woman, if it was a rape case and there was some controversy about the arrested, I would want to know what the controversy was and what and where the sources were coming from. There is still way too much hysteria going around and not enough critical thinking.

Bluefin
Guest
Bluefin
6 years ago
Reply to  Kym Kemp

Kym, I think you are on terra firma here. Lot’s of racial spin from all sides and your reporting is just shining a light on that. Surprised that Steve Spain thinks he has magical powers to see what others cannot. Your reporting brings up a very interesting point about the official version suggesting there were no witnesses to the stabbing and the revelation that Ren was stabbed twice in the arm. So she was not witness to her own stabbing?

FFS
Guest
FFS
6 years ago
Reply to  Kym Kemp

I think “old journo” meant subconscious, not unconscious….

Don Christensen
Guest
Don Christensen
6 years ago
Reply to  Steve Spain

I take issue with the term “unconscious bias”. Until you have spent a lot of quality time with someone and observed their behavior you have no idea what their real perspective on racial matters is. Don’t make assumptions like “unconscious bias” no matter what the trendy pop psychology is claiming, people are not monolithic.

Moviedad
Guest
6 years ago
Reply to  Steve Spain

What the heck? How on Earth do you figure “bias?” It is biased towards the white ethnicity, but I would say that’s because the responders are overwhelmingly white.

lauracooskey
Guest
lauracooskey
6 years ago
Reply to  Kym Kemp

Kym, i think of you as so far from racist that i wouldn’t even know what side of the race question you were racist from… though i see that S.S. spells it out. I don’t think posting this necessarily showed sympathy for the Kyle Zoellner side… as i said in my sorta mean-sounding reply above, i think it only shows them up to be… well, not too bright, at the least. Sure, you’re printing all the news that fits, and keeping up the interest in the case. But the family of the suspect is the bunch of bozos putting this stuff out for the public–and i don’t think printing it means you’re anti-black, more like you’re letting people judge for themselves–and many will just be further persuaded toward whatever they believed to begin with. And we hope readers’ judgments will have nothing to do with how an unbiased jury judges, anyway.

judi
Guest
judi
6 years ago
Reply to  lauracooskey

Steve, i feel your own personal racial bias is causing you to read this article as a racist representation.

kym is presenting the various sides of those involved from THEIR point of view.

i see no racial bias by in her assemblage of articles and statements here.

FFS
Guest
FFS
6 years ago
Reply to  judi

Also, nowhere does it say that Kym believes these statements as facts. As a matter of fact, she specifically stated that these were from the family of Kyle. If Lawson’s family asked to release info through her, she would do it. Your automatic assumptions based on people commenting that Kym doesn’t know at all, is ludicrous.

Steve spain
Guest
Steve spain
6 years ago
Reply to  FFS

Thanks for the feedback y’all. And Kym, like I said before I respect and appreciate all that you do. Definitely not accusing you of racism. I apologize if my reading between the lines parsed meaning that wasn’t there intentionally or not.
This is a volatile subject in volatile times.
If I were your editor I would have recommended splitting that post into two, presenting the family’s release as you do in normal circumstances in one, and your timeline in the other, thus giving equal weight to both.
Chuckles to the folks who think of me as an ominous mob boss of groupthink. If only …

Shep
Guest
Shep
6 years ago
Reply to  Kym Kemp

Thank you for the post and forum. I read the post loco put up yesterday of the mad river union interview of a witness and it was extremely one sided against the accused, law enforcement, and emergency personnel. I can’t say how things were as I wasn’t there, and I’m sure there are many things to blame for what happened. However, I think it’s good to present as many sides to a story as you can get and let readers draw their own conclusions.

Old Head
Guest
Old Head
6 years ago
Reply to  Steve spain

“Embracing third party heresay [sic] as truth is tempting when it fits your internal biases…”

While that’s certainly true, I see no evidence that Kym “embraced third party hearsay as truth.” In fact she was crystal clear in saying that the family’s claims have not been proved, and that this was simply their version of events. Her inclusion of a timeline of publicly available information, which noted contradictions between the family’s version and other reports, only makes it even clearer that she is not attempting to favor the family’s version, much less “embracing” it as “truth.”

This is all adds up to pretty shaky grounds on which to accuse a journalist of showing “racial sympathies.”

Yes. we’re all capable of bias and prejudice, and yes, that can and sometime does leak through into reporting. But this seems like a very poor (alleged) example of that.

Steve Spain
Guest
Steve Spain
6 years ago
Reply to  Old Head

Thanks for keeping this civil (and pointing out my lack of a copy editor Old Head :).
I appreciate your candor Kym. This is a rotten situation all around.

canread
Guest
canread
6 years ago

If “Ren” was also stabbed I’d say she has a pretty good idea who did the stabbing.

Some guy
Guest
Some guy
6 years ago
Reply to  canread

Exactly! It should be a pretty clear question “who stabbed you Ren? “

J
Guest
J
6 years ago
Reply to  Some guy

For reals, if your that shit faced that you punch a chick in the face for asking for a phone, then you get stabbed and watch a man get stabbed a foot away you still should know who did it.

Truthy
Guest
6 years ago

I believe in free speech, but both the accused person’s uncle, and his family have made lengthy press releases. None of them are police investigators, or district attorneys for Hum Co. It does bother me that their accusations and alternative account of what happened will obviously sway people, and we are all potential jury members. It shouldn’t be tried in Hum Co, to be fair to all, especially to the victim.
If the DA read this thread, she could easily see the bias.

Some guy
Guest
Some guy
6 years ago
Reply to  Truthy

Also the friends of the victim who did interviews/comments on TV about the incident. If anything, they just helped the defense. I mean, those verbal statements are all over YouTube. They are damn sure going to be picked apart in court. This would be a great trial to be picked for a jury!

Hello
Guest
Hello
6 years ago

Sounds like Kyle was totally defending himself one of the three people beaten his ass admitted there were three people beaten his ass I thought that’s why we had knives and guns to defend ourselves

J
Guest
J
6 years ago
Reply to  Hello

It’s funny when I was jumped by 5 black guys when I was a 14 year old girl the guys claimed I had a knife and I was charged with DOC. I of course had no knife, I was a child and luckily got the charges dropped. But in the end I was like so what if I had a knife, shouldn’t you be able to stop a violent assault and save your own life? When did defending yourself become illegal just because they have different color skin???

scooter
Guest
scooter
6 years ago

There sure seems to be a racial bias on this thread. Some of you should be ashamed, but that’s the nature of ignorance.

Two people were injured with a knife. Hopefully Ren knows who stabbed her and David Lawson.

I testified at a murder trial once upon a time. Before the trial, the perp’s family swore up and down that he didn’t/couldn’t/wouldn’t harm a little child. It was a bit frustrating, watching that play out in the media when some of us knew the truth… That day will come, hopefully, in this case too.

Hello
Guest
Hello
6 years ago

Black people truly hate white people and they want reparations for slavery best thing to do if your white stay away from black people

Pea
Guest
Pea
6 years ago
Reply to  Hello

Be careful, your ignorance is showing. I think staying away from stupid people is the best thing to do.

Gazoo
Guest
Gazoo
6 years ago
Reply to  Hello

Hate is a learned behavior, your blanket statement is weak…

Some guy
Guest
Some guy
6 years ago
Reply to  Hello

Certainly not ALL black people hate whites. But when they are members of an all black club, a guy has to wonder.

sean mcroy
Guest
sean mcroy
6 years ago
Reply to  Some guy

feel very strongly that kyle is innocent!!! this is just my oppion.

Friends of Kyle C. Zoellner
Guest
Friends of Kyle C. Zoellner
6 years ago

We want the public to know, that Kyle C. Zoellick DID NOT KILL OR HARM in any way, Mr. Josiah Lawson.
This was not racially motivated, we contend the Genesis of this incident, multiple fights broke out that night.

Our heart felt prayers go out to the family and friends of Mr. David Josiah Lawson.
And to the Brothers United, we ask for patience , faith, truth and issue a humble plea to reserve judgement as many of you know as a group that has been statistically and routinely falsely accused and have experienced the feelings of mind numbing frustration /hurt over being falsely accused.
Please don’t do this to Kyle C. Zoellner.

We feel that Mr. David Josiah Lawson’s life could of been saved with prompt medical attention.
This is the Shame upon the Arcata Police Department.
And to the family of Mr. David Josiah Lawson please seek council, as we feel that the Arcata Police were racist.
Let the facts come to light.

We contend that these allegations by Arcata Police Department on Kyle C. Zoellner are FALSE, MISLEADING, and INFLAMMATORY, set only to dispel the fear of the public, that we still have a murder amongst us, still walking free.

We urge the Lawson family to seek legal council in regarding the multiple failures of the Arcata Police Department. And frankly the lack of training, and failure to adequately manage the crime scene.

Aprox. 95% of the witness were allowed to leave by Arcata Police Department, and now these witnesses are in the wind.
We challange the Arcata Police Department ” Were are the witness now?
This is a knee jerk reaction set upon by Arcata Police Department to save face and buy time that has and is irreparably harming and unjustly persecuted Mr. Kyle C. Zoellner, Nothing More!!!!!!

Kyle C. Zoellner was profiled due to past allegations, PROVEN FALSE.

This is a humble call to arms to all the faithful in Humboldt,
if you know or saw something, please come forward.

And to the Arcata Police Department We say “SHAME BE UPON YOU”.
And please be mindful of our duty to the 9th of the 10 commandments that our father gave us,
“THOU SHALT NOT BEAR FALSE WITNESS”

JUSTICE FOR
KYLE C. ZOELLNER and JOSIAH LAWSON

Friends of Kyle C. Zoellner

Jeffersonian
Guest
Jeffersonian
6 years ago

At this moment the biggest problem in Kyle Zoellner’s life is the murder charge he’s facing, his second biggest problem might just be his family.

At the initial arraignment Zoellner informed Judge Mock that he was unable to afford an attorney, and a Deputy Public Defender was appointed to represent him. Public Defenders have an enormous case load, typically much higher than that of a county prosecutor, and exponentially higher than that of a private practice attorney. This disparity is even greater in regions with a high percentage of low-income residents, like Humboldt County. This matters because Public Defenders do not have the time to educate, hand-hold, and babysit the family of the accused—especially this early in the process. And right now someone needs to save Kyle Zoellner from his family’s ignorance.

If Zoellner’s family truly wishes to help him they need to stop speaking with the press, scrape together some money, and spend an hour (or more) sitting down with an attorney willing to provide them with a bit of information and advice. Hopefully that attorney will strongly advise them against writing their own statements and press releases in the future. Clearly the Zoellner family is naive to the reality that “family statements” in well publicized criminal cases are ALWAYS drafted, or reviewed and approved, by an attorney. The Zoellner family’s statement reads like it was written by someone lacking even a basic understanding of the criminal justice process; its redundant word choice, poor sentence structure, and narrow vocabulary, along with punctuation, spelling, and grammar errors, reveal and betray an author possessing a high school education at best. The family is out of its depth and is too oblivious to realize it. They are doing him no favors.

“An educated citizenry is a vital requisite for our survival as a free people.”-Thomas Jefferson

In the interest of educating the citizenry…reviewing the alleged facts in the “family statement” in a light most favorable to the author, at the very least, a competent attorney would have advised the family of the following: DO NOT PUBLISH THAT STATEMENT.
In addition…

1) In homicide and violent crime cases prosecutors prefer to use as much time as they are allowed to prepare their charges. The District Attorney had 48 hours (excluding weekends) to file charges against Zoellner, and because he was arrested on a weekend, when various departments (and the court) are closed, that allowed the arraignment to occur on Wednesday.
2) In the process of gathering evidence, the prosecutors would have instructed any and all *key witnesses* to NOT speak with the media. (Ex: To my knowledge, Josiah Lawson’s girlfriend, Ren, does not appear to have spoken to the media.)
3) In cases such as this, involving a chaotic scene, where multiple fights occurred involving a large number of people, the DA’s office would require more than circumstantial evidence before charging the defendant. (While being on the scene and having engaged in a fight would be enough for an arrest, those facts alone are not enough to meet the necessary burden for a prosecutor to file murder charges). ie: They have more evidence than it appears.
4) In cases like these, where the accused is arrested at the scene of the crime, the police typically do not provide detailed statements, evidence-based or otherwise, to the media, this is to preserve the integrity of the case. (Arcata Police Department Chief Tom Chapman said as much to the Times Standard yesterday.)
5) DO NOT MENTION the “sibling fight.” Regardless of the nature of the incident, the fact of the matter is *he was arrested* and that is public record. Mentioning it, even in an attempt to defend it, only serves to spread the story and bring it to the attention of those who did not already know about it. The District Attorney declined to file “domestic violence” charges against Zoellner, due to “insufficient evidence”, which in the legal field is code for the victim refused to cooperate or participate with the investigation. Describing the incident as “nothing but a sibling fight” that has been “ridiculously overblown” does not paint a flattering or sympathetic picture of the defendant or his family members, it implies that he was raised in a family environment where violence was commonplace and accepted. Over 99.9999999% of “sibling fights” do not involve an arrest or a call to 911.

“He was also arrested in June of that year [2013] by Humboldt County Sheriff’s deputies at his McKinleyville residence on suspicion of assault with a deadly weapon for allegedly chocking [sic] an 18-year-old woman, according to Undersheriff William Honsal. Zoellner never faced criminal charges stemming from that arrest, Honsal said, as the district attorney’s office deemed there was insufficient evidence to prosecute the case.” – North Coast Journal, April 17, 2017

6) If Zoellner’s girlfriend was injured in a fight that night, and in fact has a black eye as a result, she should have been seen at the ER immediately in order to officially document the injury, as it could have been a benefit to Zoellner’s defense.
7) Spraying “mace”. Mace is a synthetic chemical irritant, a form of tear gas, whereas pepper spray is an organic based chemical agent. BOTH are classified as weapons under the California Penal Code. Improper use of mace or pepper spray (such as in anger or non self defense) can result in fines, felony charges, and potential prison time. Other victims of the “spray” that night have stated in the media that it was “pepper spray”. There is a difference between the two sprays, and the mislabeling of it by the author of the family statement reflects both a lack of appreciation for the importance of facts, as well as a failure to grasp the seriousness of the use of that weapon.
8) The family statement makes it clear that all four “girls” were intoxicated and unable to drive. The family statement also admits that *while intoxicated* two of the “girls” used a weapon (the spray) against individuals who were neither armed, nor directly attacking *them*. This is not self defense, nor is it necessarily a justifiable act in defense of Zoellner (arguably due to their intoxication), it is Aggravated Assault. (An attempt to cause serious bodily injury to another or to cause serious bodily injury purposely, knowingly or recklessly.)
9) Pepper spray is designed to temporarily blind and incapacitate its target. If the reckless use of pepper spray incapacitated the victim, Lawson, by impairing his vision, leaving him vulnerable and unable to protect or defend himself, the two “girls” who sprayed the pepper spray could be found to have vicarious liability. Meaning, they could potentially be charged with anything ranging from misdemeanor assault, to something as serious as felony murder. (It’s the same reason the driver to the heist gets charged with murder if the other guys kill someone while inside.) While charges like this are not highly likely in this specific incident, given the nuances and high profile nature of the case nothing is out of the question. Thanks to the family statement the prosecutors now know more about one side’s admission of the use of a weapon than they likely did before. Nice job.

I could go on…

If Zoellner’s family really cares about him, if they truly believe that he is innocent, then every single member of that family, and the author of the family statement, should immediately refrain from speaking to any and all media for the foreseeable future. Turn off your TV. Do not follow the case in the news or social media. Do not talk to anyone outside of the family or legal counsel. Go on a self-imposed media blackout. Hire an attorney (even if for only an hour), and LISTEN to him or her. Right now the family is unwittingly helping the prosecution and I doubt that was their intent.

As for the rest of the comments on this post, way too many make me embarrassed to be from Humboldt County. Your ignorance does not reflect well on our community. Maybe race was an issue in what happened that night, maybe it wasn’t. But if you fail to acknowledge the “systemic and cultural racism that exists in our community” then you are a part of the problem.

lauracooskey
Guest
lauracooskey
6 years ago
Reply to  Jeffersonian

Right on. Thank you for laying that out. You are saying in an unemotional, balanced, and polite way what i was trying to say–that we don’t know what happened that night, and won’t for some time, if ever; but we do know from this defensive post by a family member that these people are not exactly beacons of enlightenment, education, or class. Oh, they might be nice enough folks, and we can’t extrapolate from someone appearing to be a [edit] on meth to assuming he was the actual murderer. But we might be more tempted to believe that his word is not trustworthy, that he can’t handle his anger, and that he has absorbed many of the popular entitled attitudes of low-life America.
Maybe i’m wrong; maybe the family are all lovely people with generous, open minds, and a helpful, peacemaking presence–educated or not. But whatever their story, I agree that they ought to keep it private rather than making this a reality-TV episode surrogate.

Mendo DJ
Guest
Mendo DJ
6 years ago
Reply to  Jeffersonian

Mic drop!

Guest
Guest
6 years ago

Thank you for printing this, Kym.

Maybe this will spur other witnesses to come forward, to either agree with this statement, or tell the police that something different occurred.

I don’ t know if any of the commenters getting political have ever been young in a college town, but at large drunken parties, fights happen.

Usually, it’s because some drunks get belligerent and rude. Partying teens just fight over stupid shit sometimes. Sounds like it started over a missing phone, not racism.

Not everything that happens between people w/different skin color is racially motivated, especially at a college party at 3 a.m. on a weekend. And not everything is political. Sometimes, things happen that are just senseless, and very, very sad.

Hello
Guest
Hello
6 years ago

This is b******t Josiah might have been a pretty black boy but he was the leader of the gang a black gang and a sober white boy showed up to take the white girls home this is b******t

Hello
Guest
Hello
6 years ago
Reply to  Kym Kemp

One of the black guy said there were three of us whipping his ass. Three on one that’s a stabbing or shooting or I’m gonna die that’s b******t if it was three white guys on a black guy this would be different the white guys would all get hung.

Hello
Guest
Hello
6 years ago

Go to a party Jeffersonian and investigate it you’ll see the black people hate the white people you got all your legal b******t down but just go see

Hello
Guest
Hello
6 years ago

Why is it brotherhood when black people get together but prejudice when white people get together

lauracooskey
Guest
lauracooskey
6 years ago
Reply to  Hello

In simple terms, it’s only prejudice when white people get together and banish black folks from their group. It would also be prejudice if black people forbade white folks to join their group. That was not the case, however.
But of course there’s more to it. I guess you know, the race-based inequalities in our society have not ended. Sure, there are good laws in place, and maybe the situation is not as bad as it is made out to be by avid anti-racists. Maybe it’s true that some are overdoing the sensitivity, and driving short-fuse whites to feel more angry and racist in response. But the fact that there is still an imbalance (statistics of innocent people of color being killed by law enforcement, or being harassed at voting places, or sent to prison, then exonerated by DNA evidence, vs. numbers of whites, can be looked up) cannot be denied.
So, when you have an imbalance, you have an imbalance in required adjustments. Picture a teeter-totter. The side that was once way down, and is now yet below a level with the other side, needs to come up a bit. The other side needs to come down from its position of privilege or power abuse. I think this is generally agreed upon (though perhaps you’d like to argue this with me… argue that we shouldn’t balance things and work toward a nation of truly, de facto- not just legal- equal opportunities, freedom from racism or any other prejudice, and awareness & understanding of racial issues history, present, and future).
Therefore, whites gathering in an identity- or rights-supporting club might be seen as being concerned about their dropping to a balancing level–about their relinquishing of privilege. They have grievances, and the obvious way to address them would be the old-fashioned way–bullying, killing, lynching, unfairly accusing, etc. This is scary to the people perceiving that they are being thought of as the enemy by the due-for-a-reality-check club of white men who are also driven by fear. It’s unnecessary, uncalled for, and the likely interest only of people who wish to stop the movement toward balanced equality in the real world and in the minds of the people.
Whereas the blacks gathering in an identity-oriented group are only trying to empower themselves to actually dare and demand to carry on the struggle to educate and persuade real people–black and white both–that there can be, and should be, equality.
Do you see that? There’s a desirable middle ground, and people gathering together in the group afraid they have something to lose hints strongly that they don’t want to get to that middle ground. They are impediments to justice, that is, they are racist. But people gathering together to support the move toward the generally desirable middle ground are working toward equality and integration. That being a good thing, they are not racists but assistants to justice and progress.

Now if you want to argue that equality of opportunity and rights is not a good or desirable thing, go ahead, but just admit right up front, then, that you are a racist–because not believing in equality, based on race, is pretty much the definition of a racist.

Thomas
Guest
Thomas
6 years ago
Reply to  lauracooskey

The idea that the only way to elevate one is to bring another down is wrong. The idea should be for everyone to elevate. And speaking of racisicm, just a few posts above you refer to the suspect as a cracker on meth

lauracooskey
Guest
lauracooskey
6 years ago
Reply to  Thomas

Well, i don’t have that idea… that you need to bring someone down to have someone else rise up. However, in the sense that the “up” on the teeter-totter of social justice does not mean only having legal rights, expectations of legal justice, and equal opportunity, but means enjoying customs, habits, and beliefs that are beneficial to you and NOT legal or fair–yeah, that part needs to be subtracted, and to the extent that those illegal or unfair advantages have added to the height of that side, yes, that side would come down accordingly. In other words, unfair or illegal advantages would be cancelled.
I implied that the picture makes him look like a [edit] on meth. I have no idea if he is or not. I was warning that the pic makes him look that way, and the article hints that his family fits the description. Maybe i’m on their side, trying to help them look good… ?!
I don’t think “cracker” is particularly racist, no more than “white trash”–it’s just a description. The words “black” or “white” are not in themselves racist, they only identify someone visually. However, if you prefer, you can try on “low-IQ, low-life tweaker” for size. What i wrote would then read, “… we can’t extrapolate from someone appearing to be a low-life, low-IQ tweaker to assuming he was the actual murderer.” That’s judgmental, but not racist.

rollin21
Guest
rollin21
6 years ago
Reply to  lauracooskey

I LOVE IT! TOO RICH! Lauracooskey calls a white man a cracker and then goes on to defend her comment by saying “cracker” is not a racist term. Let me get this straight Lauracooskey. It’s ok to have a black club because that’s just brothers trying to elevate themselves. But a white club is white people still trying to be oppressive. Riiiight. NEWSFLASH: Calling a white person IS racist [edit]. You have some nerve coming on here day after day calling white people racist.

Hey Kym. This is the double standard I refer too. Cracker is a BLATANT racial term and not a peep from you. People like Lauracooskey use racism with impunity because no one calls her out. Everyone is too afraid that they themselves will somehow be labeled racist. Their fears are justified.
This should put your fears to rest Steve Spain. The “unconscious bias” that you refer too is a f!@#$ joke. My whole life I’ve listened to brainwashed morons like you whining about white racism. You liberals are so indoctrinated that you believe white people are racist even if they don’t feel racist; they’re just subconsciously (or unconsciously if you prefer) racist. In other words, even if I really like black people, deep down I’m secretly a white privileged racist. And if I dare to stand up to REAL RACISTS like Lauracooskey, I’m a racist. If I disagree, I’m a racist. If I say: they, I’m referring to blacks. If I say: “you people”, I must mean blacks. To hell with all of you. Your silence and white guilt is what provokes people like Lauracooskey to exacerbate the problem. She fans the flames of racism and you sit silent, feeling like somehow you deserve it. You are pathetic cowards.

Gazoo
Guest
Gazoo
6 years ago
Reply to  rollin21

As a white privileged cracker, I don’t feel it’s a racist term, however I don’t feel calling anyone anything other than they’re name or mr/mrs is proper, it’s just plain disrespectful.
People use the word racist with little value these daze #nomoreracecard

rollin21
Guest
rollin21
6 years ago
Reply to  Gazoo

The last two sentences in my tirade are directed at people like you, too stupid to even acknowledge a blatant racial term. So PC brainwashed that you’ll proudly denigrate yourself to prove to the world how unracist you are. Look at me everybody, I’m so not racist that I’ll call myself a derogatory racial slur to prove it. If a black man said something similar to what you said in reverse and professed to be a N and then exclaimed that he didn’t feel it to be a racist term, we would rightfully take pity on him for his misguided self loathing. That is what you are doing.

If you ever spent time in the hood, or a prison yard, or on planet earth, you would know that cracker is the primary term that blacks use to denigrate whites. The fact that minorities use it with impunity doesn’t make it not racist. It just shows the desperate lengths whites will go to gain acceptance and prove that they are not racist. I am personally not offended by the term unless someone calls me a cracker directly. I am offended by the double standard. If we are going to hold a moral position then EVERYONE should be held to the same standard. I would prefer if comments like Lauracoosky’s went UNEDITED so that the world could see the hypocrisy and unveil the true racists .

lauracooskey
Guest
lauracooskey
6 years ago
Reply to  rollin21

Well, your own comments are pretty good proof that your attitude is like a brick wall that no reason can permeate, so yes, just let these stand… but i won’t bother trying to get you to admit obvious facts any more. No point wasting time on someone obstinately dedicated to ignorance. Have a good weekend.

lauracooskey
Guest
lauracooskey
6 years ago
Reply to  rollin21

I’m sorry, i thought “the c-word” meant a poor white, aka “white trash” person… not all whites. In fact, just looked it up to find that the origin of the word was the poor farmers of the South who produced cracked grain products. So, yes, poor whites. A demographic group. A real thing. The word has come to mean more than economic status, though: it reflects a lack of class, in character and in society; people who are under-educated, lack manners and refinement, and care little for their health or the natural environment. You can find them at all income levels (check the White House), though mainly they are people who lack the opportunity that money buys.

Social class is real and can’t be ignored, even in America, and you can’t talk about economy, health, politics, religion, science, anything really, without addressing class. The c-word means a low-class white person, though i admit it’s tinged with classist judgment and is a slur. But it’s not the same as calling someone “white” as a slur; it’s saying they’re no-account low-lifes who happen to be white.

Here’s an interesting thought: The c-word, or the expression “white trash,” denotes a certain segment of a certain racial population. Both terms can be considered racist in the sense of racist FOR white people, not racist against whites. That’s because the assumption behind an expression like “white trash” is that most trash is not white, therefore, we need a modifying word to show that we’re speaking of a subset of the white population.
Whereas the n-word, at least as used by racist whites, denotes both low-class blacks and any black. They will use the n-word for a thieving drug addict, and then apply it to a professor or a judge.
Just another way language reinforces stereotypes and hatred. The n-word meaning the worst examples of a people, and also meaning all of them; the c-word meaning only the lowest class of whites.

Is there even a word (used by whites) for low-class blacks –or if a hateful enough slur is found for the worst of them, is it always then just applied freely to all blacks? We whites grant ourselves a range of levels. Just like the language of the slave days–there’s the white trash, and there’s the “quality,” and everything in between.

Joe Pendleton
Guest
Joe Pendleton
6 years ago
Reply to  lauracooskey

So how about the 600000 whites who died in the civil war to end oppression. Do you even realise half of this country was opposed to slavery and in fact if it wasn’t for the Yankee whites you may still be picking crops in the South. So how is the whole country racist. Let it go there is no one alive who owned a slave

Joe Pendleton
Guest
Joe Pendleton
6 years ago
Reply to  lauracooskey

So affirmative action is racist because it allows college admission not based on merit but color?

rollin21
Guest
rollin21
6 years ago
Reply to  Joe Pendleton

Yes affirmative action is racist

Jaekelopterus
Guest
Jaekelopterus
6 years ago

These guys had every right to throw someone out of THEIR party. Getting your ass kicked does not give you the right to kill.

Hello
Guest
Hello
6 years ago
Reply to  Jaekelopterus

Try to fight and three guys at once a*****e just for showing up

Jaekelopterus
Guest
Jaekelopterus
6 years ago
Reply to  Jaekelopterus

WTF are you talking about? Both parties say this started because of a lost cell phone. Guest was convinced someone stole it. Boyfriend just had to get involved.

hum dad
Guest
hum dad
6 years ago
Reply to  Jaekelopterus

your black

Jaekelopterus
Guest
Jaekelopterus
6 years ago
Reply to  hum dad

Comment of the week, ladies and gentlemen! Genius!

Lynn H
Guest
Lynn H
6 years ago

Wow, this story *does* bring racists out of the woodwork though, doesn’t it?

Joe Pendleton
Guest
Joe Pendleton
6 years ago
Reply to  Lynn H

So it’s racist to not want to see a kids life ruined for something he didn’t do.

Bluefin
Guest
Bluefin
6 years ago

Unless there is evidence of malice aforethought, throwing around the term murder is a bit misguided. If Zoellner in fact did the stabbing, this sounds much more like a voluntary manslaughter case. It does not sound like there was time for reflection and if the stabbing occurred after a beating, a jury would most likely find it was done in the heat of passion. If you have ever served on a jury for a murder trial, you know you must keep an open mind and consider all facts presented to you in a court of law and as instructed by the court. There is little presented as fact, other than a black HSU student is deceased by the hands of another, the cause of death was from a stabbing, there was a beating that preceded the stabbing, and the victim of the beating has been charged for the homicide.

scooter
Guest
scooter
6 years ago
Reply to  Bluefin

Bluefin: I’m not sure its been proven as fact that the beating preceded the stabbing.

Also, if the beating did occur before the murder, that still isn’t necessarily prima facia evidence of self defense by the alleged stabber.

Bluefin
Guest
Bluefin
6 years ago
Reply to  scooter

Scooter, no evidence this was murder. Perhaps you are confusing murder with homicide. A homicide does not have to be a murder. And unlikely this will morph to self defense case, but it is always possible. According to one of the assailants, Castillo, the beating (3 on 1) preceded the stabbing. Depending on the timeline, there could be elements of self defense (was Zoellner in fear of his life?). As far as facts go, nothing is legal fact until adjudicated and ruled on by a jury or stipulated by both sides. Before that it is a question of fact, which the prosecution and defense use to form their cases, theories and strategies.

Also interesting the APD says there were no eye witnesses that saw Zoellner with a knife, but eyewitness accounts indicate Zoellner was disarmed. So what was it?

Joe Pendleton
Guest
Joe Pendleton
6 years ago
Reply to  Bluefin

How will it morph to defence when he didn’t do it and plans to go to trial on that

judi
Guest
judi
6 years ago
Reply to  scooter

could the beating have happened at the same time as the stabbing?

Serum
Guest
Serum
6 years ago
Reply to  Bluefin

The thing that stands out to me is that Lawson’s friend said that Ren and Lawson went back to the house because they were angry about what had happened. It sounds like maybe they confronted Zoellner upon re-entry and…maybe another fight broke out or…who knows!

judi
Guest
judi
6 years ago
Reply to  Serum

i believe that a person can be stabbed badly and for some reason the person isn’t aware he’s been stabbed until he feels pain, sees he’s blood and that he’s bleeding.
something a about some stab wounds are hardly if at all felt at the instant of the stab?
i’m too tired to google it *sigh*

Sad
Guest
Sad
6 years ago

The story as to what has happenned here is getting contradicted left and right, not sure if bringing more attention to this will help, i bet major media outlets have been contacted. Everyone involved needs to be well represented moving forward especially if they claim to be innocent.

Truthy
Guest
6 years ago

The racism in this county is staggering. Ignorance first. Haters gotta hate…

Cowabunga
Guest
Cowabunga
6 years ago

Perhaps the Defendant’s Family could start a “Go Fund Me” account, and use the money to hire Legal Counsel. There seems to be enough interest regarding this case that the funding effort would be successful. I am sure there are some good attorneys that could be retained. Maybe even a specialist in this kind of case.

https://www.gofundme.com

Some guy
Guest
Some guy
6 years ago
Reply to  Cowabunga

I would actually consider throwing a few bucks their way. If not for the brotherhood throwing the racism accusations around I probably wouldn’t even be reading this. They are really putting an unintended twist on this case making the accused actually look like a victim of racism.

RacismisaliveandwellinHumboldt
Guest
RacismisaliveandwellinHumboldt
6 years ago

Just yesterday I had to speak up about a young man (white) threatening a person (brown) with the KKK in broad daylight at the Arcata transfer station. Humboldt has a serious racism problem. We need to own it so we can fix it.

Thinking allowed
Guest
Thinking allowed
6 years ago

The thing that is refused by all is that racism is not directional. So that if racial bias is wrong, it is wrong no matter where it is pointed. If there is an insistence only being the defined by who is attacked rather than the existence of the attack, it never will end. If the goal is to punish one group’s behavior without regard to innocence or guilt, the innocent will resent it and the guilty affirmed in their bigotry. If their complaints are ignored, the innocent resent it and the guilty affirmed in their bigotry. It’s a never ending spit fest of irrationality.

So the reality here is that such events as this murder are reduced a chance for uninformed shooting off of either sanctimonious hectoring or fear ridden hate mongering (frequently the same together) that only make everything worse. Silly dominance posturing.

The basic thing is that hardly anyone knows anything.

Wow
Guest
Wow
6 years ago

I am heart broken reading this feed….racisim is alive an kicking in Humboldt county and these comments prove it. Someone is dead, he is black, yes. But he was killed Let’s focus on that. Period. Don’t tell us your sob stories about when you got beat up by black people, your not dead or in prision for killing your asailant. The accused didnt have to go to the hospital, has no concussion, no broken bones. If he was beat by 3 men, then he got off easy…..ive seen worse done in a one on one. Get it together Humboldt!!!!

G Dog
Guest
G Dog
6 years ago

“The basic thing is that hardly anyone knows anything.”

The most insightful statement I’ve read here.

Reply

G-MAS
Guest
G-MAS
6 years ago

It’s sad that all of us are treated differently,why can’t it be were just human beings!!😭

Poppins
Guest
Poppins
6 years ago

This thread of posts is so very important in regards to moving the eventual trial out of the area. I am sure the defense attorney can use the accused!s family media campaign as a justification to how racist the area is to theor advantage. The comments here show how widespread the broader conversation on race relations bring out the perceptions the nation.

I applaud Kym for providing a forum for community members to share their views. Even if I may not agree with most of them, it gives me a deeper awareness of how folks process a deeply disturbing and tragic loss of life.

Is racism something you have personally experienced?

Is your experience discounted because others do not “believe” it?

Can non white folks be racist?

Hard questions for most of us I think.

When I moved to Humboldt County in the early 1970’s I was astounded at the fear and concerns raised by some folks over the race issue. Sadly over the decades I have seen both white and non whites folks who continue to live in a state of anxiety over the folks not like them.

It seems to me that this very real fear and concern is based on past personal encounters and it has made these individuals hyperaware and suspicious, as well as tainting perceptions of reality.

One’s perception is not always based in the reality of what is happening now, but it is akin to seeing the world through a fractured class.

Please keep us updated on this case Kym.

Popping
Guest
Popping
6 years ago
Reply to  Poppins

Sorry for my typos! Learning to use my tablet and cannot edit.

Poppins
Guest
Poppins
6 years ago
Reply to  Poppins

Sorry for my typos! Learning to use my tablet and cannot edit.

judi
Guest
judi
6 years ago
Reply to  Poppins

Popping…
“When I moved to Humboldt County in the early 1970’s I was astounded at the fear and concerns raised by some folks over the race issue….Sadly over the decades I have seen both white and non whites folks who continue to live in a state of anxiety over the folks not like them.”

in the late 60’s black society in america – land of the free and home of the brave – began standing up for themselves and acting out because of the way they were treated by white society.

it fanned the embers of frustration over the disparate treatment they and their forefathers nation-wide received daily. the assassinations was the gasoline poured over the smoking embers.
martin luther king and bobby kennedy were murdered, look where peaceful got them?
the la riots in the early 70’s where horrible and horrifying and that might have been why you noticed “…fear and concerns raised by some folks over the race issue.” when you moved here?

the people i’ve met here have never had a a discussion with a black person, never had a relationship with a black person, some have no contact at all with a black person.

and yet they talk nasty racist crap, some talk like they’re skinheads and want to be separate from the black race by any means. fucking scary shit. people afraid of what they don’t know?

i say something when i encounter people disparaging a group of people, i mostly say “oh please don’t say that” or “don’t use that word, it hurts me in my heart”. some apologize, and some say more of it. their point? i don’t know.
i hope you find this funny… 1st i have a mediterranean complexion and the sun really browns me up and i use to have long dark brown frizzy hair (my hair is a frizzy nice silver color now).
now…1977 i was working in a factory in wi and near me were a group of 4 older coworkers – guys standing around talking and making racist jokes and comments. i overheard them and when i went to work on the unit they were leaning on i said ‘i wish you’d stop using that “n” word and saying shit about blacks. my dad is black, so i’m 1/2 black and you’re talking about me, you’re are really hurting me talking like that’.

we all knew each other and were friendly. the straightened up their eyes grew large, they looked at me like they were trying to see just how black i looked, and they all said how they weren’t racist and apologized and separated, going back to their stations to work.
these were farmers and we lived in a vary rural area in a low population county, a 1% population of black’s, the factory was in a city of 5,000 ppl, largest city in that county being 7,000…

it scares me the more i’m are hearing about “hate” crimes, the numbers of blacks killed by cops, and how the police are recently being targeted and killed only because they’re police. wtf, being show to death while sitting in squad cars!

then we have a president who said the illegal mexican’s are rapists, drug dealers, “very bad people”. he encourages hate and racism across the board and is whipping up tensions against many people who aren’t white.
(actually i trump only likes other rich people.)

i’m hoping the majority can start relaxing and we can begin to become civilized people. if all this shit keeps escalating it will ramp up and we might have the start of some kind of revolution or civil war.

that’s if trump don’t get into it with n. korea, or china, or russia or ______, or _____, or ______ etc.
interesting times we are living.
hang on tight…

hum dad
Guest
hum dad
6 years ago

Trying to turn this entire thing from Kyle to first responders being racists make these “brothers united group” look like the racists. This Chandler guys story makes me absolutely SICK.

Hello
Guest
Hello
6 years ago
Reply to  hum dad

I agree.

Joe Pendleton
Guest
Joe Pendleton
6 years ago

Wow thanks Kym this story needs to be told. Lost coast outpost is in on the fix. Every story hank writes about this he turns comments off so no one can rebut with the truth. There so damm excited to think they caught a racist there willing to let an innocent local kid go down for murder.

I'm not mad, just disappointed -_-
Guest
I'm not mad, just disappointed -_-
6 years ago

http://m.topix.com/forum/city/arcata-ca/TMU24LFFP0OJEFPCP/p6?print=1

Soooo, we’re going to totally forget the the KKK chapter in mckinleyville was disavowed…
BY THE KKK For being TOO VIOLENT and AGGRESSIVE????
Theres like nooo way those ignorant ideas of hate could be deciminated through generations and peers tho….riiiight -_-
Don’t get me wrong, I’m not placing blame on any individual yet…
NOW the community that fosters these ideas of hate and seperation…
yes mckinleyville and rural norcal, sorry guys, you know exactly what I’m talking about.
Your communities are smaller than that of large cities, your social obstacles and ignorance become far more transparent.
Not saying large cities are better, they are more diverse but have many social problems.

There are many good people in places lile mckinleyville and rural areas, but guess what… everyone else is going to judge you based off of the messages of hate that are being sent, while anything good you’ve done or said gets forgotten by the way side…thats really what you guys want?

If you live in these areas and dont like what I have to say, dont get mad at me, get mad at all these ignorant bigots that are making you look bad to the rest of your county and state for that matter.

You DO realize you live in California, one of the most socially progressive states in the US right?
Dont like it?
Then move!
Plently of states are wayyyyy cheaper to live in than CA too if ya didn’t know BTW…

Once again, i am directing this post towards bigots in general.
There are always good people, but the few really bad ones are making everyone look like a steaming POS up here

Ps um who stabbed the GF twice btw?? Might be related…