Press Releases from the ACLU of Sacramento County

ACLU Sacramento Town Hall Meeting to Address Impact of Mass Incarceration on Education Funding 

Assemblyman Roger Dickinson (D-Sacramento) to Lead Discussion of California Budget Crisis and the Need to Re-Order Budgetary Priorities on THURSDAY, April 25 at 6 p.m. at Sacramento Convention Center

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
April 22, 2013

CONTACT:
Will Matthews, ACLU of Northern California, (415) 293-6409 or wmatthews@aclunc.org

SACRAMENTO – The American Civil Liberties Union of Northern California is convening a town hall meeting at the Sacramento Convention Center Thursday, April 25 at 6 p.m. featuring Assemblyman Roger Dickinson (D-Sacramento), who will lead a discussion about the ways in which California’s outsized spending on incarceration has a direct impact on the state’s decreasing investment in higher education.

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

The Sacramento County Chapter of the American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) of Northern California Board of Directors unanimously elected Betty Williams as Chair and Executive Director of the Sacramento Chapter at its meeting on January 14, 2013. Ms. Williams is the first African American to head the local ACLU Chapter and brings a wealth of experience and knowledge to the branch.

With a historical tenure of 8 years as immediate Past President of the Sacramento National Association for the Advancement of Colored People (NAACP), Ms. Williams has long been a defender of and advocate for the civil liberties of Sacramento County residents. She serves as advisor to the County Sheriff's Advisory Committee, the Career Education Training Board, the California High Speed Rail Community Board and a number of other groups. Additionally, she is responsible for development and implementation of the Parents' Know Your Rights in Education Academy, the Associated Ministers Empowering Neighborhoods Group and Free Legal Clinics for Sacramento residents.

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Monday, Sept. 10, 2012

Sacramento City Council Tuesday Poised to Limit Free Speech; Community Groups Join ACLU of Sacramento to Oppose New Ordinance that Restricts Constitutional Rights

SACRAMENTO – Community representatives, including members of veterans groups, Occupy and the ACLU, said they will rally against a controversial measure to be considered Tuesday (9/11/12) by the Sacramento City Council that would limit and restrict free speech rights at City Hall – including an outright ban on any free speech activity after 11 p.m.

Occupy Sacramento plans to hold a potluck – illegal under the new law if passed – in front of City Hall at 4:30 p.m. There will be a news conference at 5 p.m. The Council meets at 6 p.m.

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Thursday, August 9, 2012
Contact: Cres Vellucci 916/996 9170 aclu-sacramento@comcast.net

Attention: Assignment Desk

ACLU of Northern California Urges Sacramento City Council Committee Reject New Ordinance Restricting Free Speech Activities Around City Hall; Briefing Set at 2:30 Today

SACRAMENTO – The ACLU of Northern California has sent a letter to Sacramento City Council members sitting on the Law & Legislation Committee urging them to oppose a measure on the committee's agenda today (August 9) which would restrict free speech activities around City Hall.

The ACLU/NC said the proposal "contains numerous unconstitutional burdens on speech" in a letter to council members Darrell Fong, Steve Cohn, Jay Schenirer and Sandy Sheedy.

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Friday, Sept. 23, 2011
Contact: Cres Vellucci 916.993-2294 or 916.996-9170 aclu-sacramento@comcast.net

Distinguished civil rights expert available for Sacramento media,
will speak at annual ACLU Sacramento meeting Sunday

SACRAMENTO – The American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) of Sacramento will hold its annual meeting here Sunday, Sept. 25, at 1 p.m at the Sierra 2 Center (2791 24th St.).

A news briefing will be held at 12:30 p.m. Keynote speaker Kelli Evans, a former senior trial attorney in the Civil Rights Division of the U.S. Dept of the Dept. of Justice and now Associate Director of the ACLU of Northern California, will be available to comment on civil rights issues in the Sacramento area.

SACRAMENTO – The American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) of Sacramento and National Lawyers Guild (NLG) of San Francisco will host a "Know Your Rights" Workshop Sept. 27 from 6-8 p.m. at the Sol Collective, 2574 21st Street in Sacramento.

The workshop is free and open to the public.

"A Legal Guide to Survival in the Post 9/11 World" will include information about what to do if stopped by the "police, immigration agents or the FBI."

For more information, call 916.993.2294, email: aclu-sacramento@comcast.net or go to www.aclusac.org

ACLU Sacramento expresses new 'concerns' over Twin Rivers Police shooting of 17-year-old youth; Board members will attend community meeting Thursday

SACRAMENTO – The American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) of Sacramento today
said it is watching developments in a case surrounding the shooting of a17-year-old teen last month by a Twin Rivers police officer.

Today (Thursday) there is a meeting (5:30 p.m.) between law enforcement and community groups at 6040 Watt Ave near an elementary school in North Highlands. Sacramento ACLU board members will be available for comment at that time.

The Sacramento ACLU chapter – noting there has been a rash of Sacramento area police shootings in recent years, including that of an unarmed suspect handcuffed in a police car earlier in 2011 - said it has concerns about this particular police shooting because of conflicting statements by Twin Rivers Police following the shooting. He was allegedly reaching for a gun on the ground.

The Sacramento ACLU Chapter released this statement:

"The Sacramento ACLU will, as always, reserve judgment on this matter until all the facts are in...however, we are always concerned about the shooting of a suspect, and in this case the circumstances around the shooting (2 youths sitting in a park), and the young age of the victim bring additional questions. We encourage independent citizen review of such incidents. And the records of officers involved should be open for inspection for more public transparency. Police abuse continues to be a major concern, particularly in poor communities and communities of color."

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Tuesday, April 12, 2011

Attention: Daybook/Assignment Desk

Internal documents reveal UC may have spied on student fee hike protesters; ACLU chapters join students Tuesday at news conference to disclose efforts by university to control free speech protests

DAVIS, Ca. – High-ranking University of California, Davis administrators – including several vice chancellors – and campus police may have conspired to monitor and control constitutionally-protected fee hike protests at the university, according to internal documents uncovered by students involved in the demonstrations.

A news conference to release those documents will be held TUESDAY, April 12, at 10 a.m., at UCD (South Plaza of the Memorial Union, near the central quad of the UC Davis campus.).

ACLU Sacramento has 'concerns' over Elk Grove police
shooting of unarmed, handcuffed suspect; ACLU will
attend community forum on Tuesday

SACRAMENTO – The American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) of Sacramento today said it is "concerned" about the shooting of an unarmed suspect by Elk Grove police while he was handcuffed in a patrol car, and is sending representatives to unofficially attend a community meeting by police Tuesday.

The community meeting is being held Tuesday at 6:30 p.m. at the Elk Grove City Council Chambers (8400 Laguna Palms Way).

The Sacramento ACLU has said it will reserve judgment, but Monday stated "We are concerned when we hear about these type of police shootings. We encourage independent citizen reviews of such incidents."