Jim,

This sounds like an excellent suggestion. But did your friend Randy Dumse actually try it? Have you tried it where you live? What were the results? Are you *sure* one can get this information if one is not an attorney or bail bondsman?

When I was arrested, I couldn't get a copy of my own police report -- they would only give it to my attorney. I chose to temporarily represent myself in order to force them to give it to me, and they still made me wait an inordinate length of time and charged $10 for a document that consisted of like a half dozen ordinary black and white 8.5" by 11" pages.

I can attest though, to the truth of what you say about receiving mail. I received numerous letters from attorneys I'd never had anything to do with, who'd somehow gotten word of my arrest.

How many names did you or Randy get, and how much did it cost you, if anything? How much information was available about the arrestees? What agency or agencies did you have to go through? What information did they want from you?

I hope to see a follow-up column with details. More people will be likely to take you up on it if there is some kind of road map.

Love & Liberty,
((( starchild )))