District 0 for 3 in depositions

APS School Board President and Defendant Marty Esquivel banned me, effectively for life, from participating in APS school board meetings.  The basis of the ban, he argued, was my out of control behavior at previous public forums and meetings.

He, by and through his lawyers, has produced a number of video tapes of my petitions and claims they are evidence of my out of control behavior.

Out of control?  Out of whose control?

Esquivel will try to convince a federal court jury that I was personally "out of control".  He will try to convince them that I was so out of control that there was a real possibility that I would "get a rifle and shoot up the place".  The evidence, produced in the form of videotapes of the actual incidents, indicates otherwise.

I was not out of control; I was beyond Marty Esquivel's control.  It is not against the law; it is not even unethical.  I would be proud if any of the thousands of students to whom I preached Character Counts! witnessed me doing it again.  He ordered my to stop doing things that I have every right to do; speaking freely, assembling freely and, petitioning my government for redress of my several grievances; all of which are Constitutionally protected human rights. 

In any event, the third of at least six depositions took place today.  APS' Director of Communications Rigo Chavez answered questions under oath.

When asked to point to any real evidence that I have threatened any of the leadership of the APS ever, he could not.  He did claim that I had invaded Defendant Monica Armenta's "personal space" on at least two occasions.  I have no recollection of either, and Chavez did not elaborate on what I did when I was allegedly there.  He claimed as well that I have invaded School Board Manager Brenda Yager's personal space on two occasions.  Again, I have no recollection of either, and Chavez did not elaborate on what I am supposed to have done once there.

When asked to back up their allegations with proof, they cannot.

Former School Board Member David Robbins could not

Marty Esquivel himself could not, and Rigo Chavez could not.
0 for 3 by my count.

Tuesday APS Chief of Police Steve Tellez will swear to tell the truth.  The truth is, he has already been asked for any evidence he has that I have ever threatened any one of them ever.  He has said he has none.

Thursday, APS Executive Director of Communications Monica Armenta, the fountainhead of the slander and libel against me, will testify that that I have never threatened her or her family.  Or she will lie under oath.

On the 27th of this month, APS Supt Winston Brooks will swear to tell the truth.  He will testify that he has no real evidence that I ever actually threatened anyone, ever.  Or he will lie under oath.

At that point, the leadership of the APS will be 0 for 6 in an effort to conjure up some threat where no threat exists.

If ever I had behaved threateningly, it would be have been with the understanding that I had absolutely nothing to gain, and absolutely everything to lose.

Consider that damage they have done to the messenger's reputation with all their libel and slander, with no evidence at all.  The proof is in fact, overwhelmingly against them.

Consider the damage that would be done to my "cause" if I had chosen to actually threaten any one of them.  Nothing to gain; everything to lose, why would I even consider it?

This not about my conduct; it is about the content of my speech.

This is about the ethics and accountability scandal in the leadership of the APS.




photos Mark Bralley