Protester given chance to have case dropped
The trespassing charge leveled against a community activist for refusing to leave the parking lot outside the Midtown building where Rep. John Faso has an office was “adjourned in contemplation of dismissal” on Tuesday, meaning the charge will be dropped in six months if she doesn’t repeat the offense.
The activist, Callie Jayne, did not admit guilt during her appearance in City Court.
Jayne, who’s involved with the group Citizen Action of New York, was charged with trespassing March 5 after she refused to leave the parking lot of the Seven21 Media Center at 721 Broadway in Kingston. Faso, R-Kinderhook, has a district office in the building, and people who oppose the congressman routinely demonstrate on the sidewalk in front of it.
The sidewalk is public, but the building and parking lot are private property. The building’s operator, Dara Ellenbogen, said previously that she filed a complaint against Jayne after warning her numerous times to stay out of the lot.
In adjourning the case, City Court Judge Philip Kirschner said that “under normal circumstances,” any arrest in the next six months would result in the trespassing charge being reopened. In this instance, however, Jayne can only be convicted of the charge if she stages a protest on the Seven21 Media Center property, he said.
Bryan Rounds, Jayne’s attorney, said Jayne will continue to be granted access to the property and the Seven21 Media Center building to file comments at Faso’s office.
A spokesman for Faso has said the congressman had nothing to do with Jayne being charged.
Following her court appearance Jayne addressed a group of about 40 supporters who had turned out for the proceeding, calling on them to examine their opinions and stand up for others going through the criminal justice system.
“I challenge you all to remember — the same way you laughed and said ‘ridiculous’ for me to have to go to court — [that] there are people every day who are going through this and much worse, and we have to fight every single day for them,” she said.
Jayne also called out Ellenbogen Creative Media, an affiliate of the Seven21 Media Group, which pressed the trespassing charges against her and has a contract with Ulster County to live stream Legislature meetings.
“If Ellenbogen is getting 17,000 of our tax dollars while trying to push people into the criminal injustice system, that’s not OK,” she said. “So not only are we calling to cancel that contract, but we’ve also been in discussions with somebody who is offering to do it for free..
“Because this is not about complaining, this is about solutions, this is about fighting for what we need to fight for,” she added.
Legislature Minority Leader Hector Rodriguez, who called for the county to reconsider its contract with Ellenbogen in light of Jayne’s arrest, attended Tuesday’s proceedings and subsequent rally.
The New Paltz democrat said he is in talks with other lawmakers about ending the Legislature’s relationship with Ellenbogen.
Dara Ellenbogen, who is vice president and chief operating officer of both the Seven21 Media Group and Ellenbogen Creative Media, said last week that she would not give “credence” to Rodriguez’s call.