On March 9th, 2020, I became the victim of a "mistaken identity" false arrest, in Gilroy, California.  The Gilroy police told me I had a warrant, took me took me to the local jail, but when they ran my name and finger prints nothing came up in the system. 

Instead of releasing me, they booked me as someone else who did have a warrant and dumped me off at the Santa Clara County Jail, fully aware I was not the right person.  When the error was realized, by the Santa Clara County Jail staff, I was released and the incident was then covered up by Gilroy police.  

Two months later, the police had conducted no investigation into the incident even though I had complained to the city.  In fact, the only response I got from city officials was an e-mail that said, "ignore him," from interim city manager Jimmy Forbis, instructing the police to not investigate and continue to cover up the arrest. 

I then contacted Michael Moore, from the Gilroy Dispatch, to write an article and expose the cover up.  

Two weeks later, after effort-filled and strenuous attempts to communicate with Moore, he flatly refused to call me, strung me along for weeks, until he reluctantly sent me a message telling me the Gilroy Police issued a statement confirming my own story.  

The world then erupted into protests and controversy over police reform after the death of George Floyd. Protests ignited in Gilroy as Michael Moore continued help the police cover up my arrest and the corrupt actions of Jimmy Forbis.  

Instead of publishing what happened to me, the Gilroy Dispatch published articles glorifying Chief Smithee as a supporter of police reform, now joining in on the plot to hide the facts from the public, and confirming the Chief as a very dishonest man.  

Both the Chief and The Dispatch manipulated the public and revealed that rather than serve the people, the local newspaper is supporting the local corrupt police and hiding thier crimes against citizens from the public. 

Since then many other citizens of Gilroy have come forward with similar stories about GPD and The Dispatch.  My experience was not an isolated incident, after all.  

People need to sign this petition and demand that Michael Moore, The Dispatch, and police, stop proliferating this cover up.  When media protects corruption, it hurts the citizens.  When police lie to the public, or hide things, it damages the public trust and creates a culture where police can get away with anything they want.  

Demand accountability.  

Thank you for reading and be sure to sign sign sign share share share.