TVA Coal Ash Disaster Matt Landon arrested helping blind grandmother by TVA police 5-5-09

On March 5, 2009 Matt Landon, a United Mountain Defense volunteer gave a blind grandmother a ride home after a public meeting in Roane County, TN. He rolled very slowly through an unstaffed, illegal, roadblock set up by the TVA police and was later arrested outside of the grandmother's home. He was charged with trespass in a motor vehicle, entering a restricted area, and disobeying a traffic control device. He spent 36 hours in jail got two meals and was released on $3,000 bond. When he appeared in court on March 23, 2009 TVA tried to have his bond taken away and have him thrown into jail. He had to endure a 7 month probation period after which time all of the charges were dropped. The charges were expunged from his record on Oct 19, 2009. The arrest of Matt Landon followed a pattern of harrassment by the TVA police following the TVA Coal Ash Disaster of Dec 22, 2008 in which TVA actively sought to repress anyone involved with Knoxville Independent Media from getting the true story out to the world. TVA also tried to supress the gathering of independent data including a citizen's air monitoring program. Matt Landon continues to work with all of the residents affected by TVA's Coal Ash Disaster.
www.unitedmountaindefense.org
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Category:

News & Politics

Tags:

• umd
• United Mountain Defense
• Matt Landon
• tva
• ash
• disaster
• swan pond
• coal
• arrest

[Siskuwihane]

Amazing that someone who is "just taking a grandmother home" has a video camera with him and his lawyer on the phone.

[annebonnylives]

UMD volunteers ALWAYS have cameras on them for documentation. Thats why we have over 15 people on video at different times getting harassed by the tva cops.

[annebonnylives]

So much for "open and shut"--today in court TVA made more outrageous claims and the judge THREW OUT ALL THE CHARGES. Not one stuck--nada--ALL of them dismissed. Sometimes the legal system works.

[annebonnylives]

Not open or shut at all. What about the other 4 videos and 10 UMD volunteers who will all testify in court about TVA harassment? The TCA for car trespass says really clearly that the person has to be warned first--and IF they don't leave you cite--with no risk of incarceration.

[annebonnylives]

1. His car WAS registered. TVA took a red piece of paper from him that they made to hang on peoples rear view windows--it was nothing official. They TOOK it from him then arrested him for not having what they took.

2. Again--the private property he was on when arrested was the grandmothers that he gave a ride to--not TVA's. The road was public. Even the statute for vehicular trespass says folks have to be ordered to leave first.

Your facts are wrong. You didn't do you research.

[FreedomJunkie420]

Are you serious??!!? This "douchebag" and others like him are standing up for these people,and actually for all of us!! If everyone tried to become the next Rosa Parks then we wouldn't be in the grasp of these facist pigs! This is still America and we didn't steal this land by sitting idol or bowing down!!!Wake up PLEASSSSE!!!

[Vorpalbite]

All I can say is ; If you arent a NAZI punk - you better get used to being treated like this

[Akablizzard]

why are you trying to be the next Rosa Parks ... There are so many other ways to help with this travesty, why does some doushe bag like this kid have to be local

[operationnorthwoodz]

The winning defendant can file a Bill of Costs within 30 days(?) with the court clerk to recover all court expenses, and may get attorney fees paid via Equal Access to Justice Act (civil) and Hyde Amendment (criminal) 18 U.S.C. § 3006A , and a 1983 civil lawsuit for false arrest, false imprisonment and malicious prosecution.

[simplygoodwoman]

Actually, Roane County needs MORE of UMD and others STANDING UP for the people here. Please, do NOt speak up for the whole of Roane county that they are "tired of them" (UMD) as that is NOT the case. Way to go Matt!

[Photocrazy40]

They took his tag because he isn't a resident in the Swan Pond area. UMD needs to take their video cameras and harass people in other places because Roane County is getting tired of them causing problems. As for Matt Jones....he need to go back to the rock he climbed out from under!!