Posted on 03/31/2009 11:34:07 AM PDT by ThisLittleLightofMine
For weeks, the case involving racist e-mails sent to a Battle Ground city councilman was put on hold, pending word from the U.S. Attorney's Office in Seattle.
The e-mails were from Battle Ground teenager Christopher Reinhold, who used the name "battleground anonymous." They were sent to Councilman Paul Zandamela, an African-born man from Mozambique who had been sworn into his position the night before the first e-mail was sent, on Jan. 8, 2008.
Lawyers at the U.S. Attorney's Office became interested in the case and on Friday wrote to Reinhold's defense attorney, Jon McMullen, that they would let the case rest if Reinhold changed his plea.
Reinhold had pleaded not guilty to a cyberstalking charge, which is a gross misdemeanor. On Monday morning, Reinhold changed his plea to guilty in District Court Judge Darvin Zimmerman's courtroom.
"Basically, they said, 'If you fight it down here, win lose or draw, we'll charge in federal court,' " McMullen said.
At the U.S. Attorney's Office in Seattle, spokeswoman Emilie Langley said she couldn't discuss the case, per Justice Department rules. The Justice Department doesn't allow its representatives to discuss cases until paperwork has been filed, and in this case, Langley said, communication appears to have been between attorneys.
Son of deputy mayor
McMullen, who had argued this could be a matter of free speech, said he believes the U.S. Attorney's Office may have been interested for civil rights reasons.
"This is different from a guy stalking his girlfriend or someone sending pornography to someone else over the Internet," McMullen said.
Reinhold is 19 and the son of Battle Ground Deputy Mayor Alex Reinhold. He was barely audible Monday, as he stood before Judge Zimmerman.
Neither he nor his father wanted to comment after Monday's court appearance.
Reached by phone Monday, Paul Zandamela thanked Battle Ground residents who stopped him in the grocery store and sent him cards and e-mails of support last winter.
"I just wish the government of Battle Ground had been more supportive to me than they were," Zandamela said. "The citizens were terrific, and I wish the government had done the same thing. And that's sad."
Reinhold is scheduled to be sentenced on May 18. McMullen said he doesn't know how his client will be sentenced, as this is an unusual case and sentencing guidelines for misdemeanors tend to be more flexible than with felonies.
Interesting...he hit all the insults without repeating one.
Now that you mention it, there IS a $200 fine for littering where we live. I am surprised no one tried that route.
I have followed this case and have read the released emails. So yes, his comments via email would suggest he is a racist.
Share the e-mails, please.
Is racism against the law?
One interesting note in all of this Mr.Zandamela is fiscally conservative and challenges the other board members.
I read the emails originally back in April of 08. I am sure if you search you can find them somewhere.
You brought it up so you should cite the source(s).
Actually I didn’t bring anything up....if you look at your posts you posed the question, I answered it. I have read the emails. My source is a small local paper, The Reflector. If you need additional sources you can look them up, although one other person did post one source #19.
You win, jig’s up.
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