Updates
Tue, Nov 17, 2009, 6:30 p.m. PST -- Our boys made it back to Seattle. Phil's criminal case information is now online. (Thanks FlyerTalk.)
Tue, Nov 17, 2009, 4:30 p.m. MST -- Phil and Jesse are on a plane back to Seattle. Should be home at 6 p.m. PST.
Mon, Nov 16, 2009, 11:35 p.m. MST -- Phil is out of jail, finally! The first post-arrest ping from the CDC Skype chat:
[10:34:58 PM] Phil Mocek says: Howdy, folks. Free man, here.
He is listed in the Albuquerque jail release list.
Mon, Nov 16, 2009, 6:45 p.m. MST -- Phil is now listed as bonded meaning he's free to go. The jail said they will let him out in an unknown amount of time -- approximately 4-6 hours or so.
Mon, Nov 16, 2009, 4:20 p.m. MST -- We think we've finally posted Phil's bond, which was lowered to $1,000. According to most sources, he should be out of the Albuquerque Metropolitan Detention Center in 4-8 hours. We are working to secure him legal representation in Albuquerque. Cost estimates are about $2,000-4,000 for a retainer. Hoping he has heard somehow that people have been working to get him out. Incommunicado for 28 hours and counting.
Mon, Nov 16, 2009, 12:20 p.m. MST -- The lawyer we got hold of didn't get to his arraignment in time. It appears Phil was arraigned and put back in the Metropolitan Detention Center, with no modifications to his bond. We've contacted a bonding company and are working to get them 10% bond payment information and license copies via frustrating fax technology. The bond will cost $275, and of that, $228 is non-refundable.
We've continued talking with a few civil rights attorneys in Albuquerque, in hopes of finding someone willing to 1) deal with the litany of criminal charges they threw at Phil for his amateur photography, and 2) seek redress after that. Currently, Phil is still incarcerated.
Mon, Nov 16, 2009, 9:30 a.m. MST -- Phil is charged with four counts -- disorderly conduct, concealing his identity, refusing to obey an officer, and criminal trespass. He is being arraigned this morning.
It is unclear whether police were called because of Phil's refusal to show ID to TSA, or because Phil took photos at the TSA checkpoint. It appears to be the latter -- the photo taking. Interestingly, Phil contacted the Albuquerque airport (scroll down a bit and look for the pmocek posts) many months ago about this very same issue, and was told by airport officials that it is legal to take photographs at the TSA checkpoint.
After much scrambling, we found an attorney who (hopefully) is representing Phil at his arraignment. His bond was initially set at $2,275. The bonding window doesn't take phone payments, so we need someone local to bail him out (either the lawyer, or a bail bondsman). We've set up a paypal account for Phil's Legal Defense Fund.
Activist arrested at Albuquerque airport
Sun, Nov 15, 2009 -- A Washington State medical marijuana activist was arrested at the Albuquerque airport today after refusing to show ID to TSA screeners. Activist Phil Mocek is one of many Americans who believe Americans have a right to travel freely between the states without showing their papers to the federal government.
Mocek was tabling at the 2009 International Drug Policy Reform Conference for a Seattle-based activist group called the Cannabis Defense Coalition. The event was attended by over one thousand people, including New Mexico Governor Bill Richardson, and former Governor Gary Johnson.
At the Albuquerque airport for his flight back to Seattle, Mocek politely refused to show his ID to a TSA screener, who called in a supervisor. Mocek started recording with his digital camera, which caused the TSA supervisor to become extremely agitated. The police were called in, with six officers arriving on the scene. Mocek was immediately arrested. Another Seattle activist, Jesse Gallagos, was traveling with Mocek, and was driven in a police cruiser to the edge of the Albuquerque airport, dropped off, and told he was banned from flying for 24 hours.
