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| Protesters seek answers after homeless man's death in New Hampshire jail | |
| (about 4 hours later) | |
| Holding signs that read “Justice For Jeffery” and “End Debtors’ Prison”, about 20 protesters chanted in front of the Hillsborough County department of corrections on Friday afternoon. In response, inmates pounded on the narrow and darkened windows. | Holding signs that read “Justice For Jeffery” and “End Debtors’ Prison”, about 20 protesters chanted in front of the Hillsborough County department of corrections on Friday afternoon. In response, inmates pounded on the narrow and darkened windows. |
| The protesters were there to demand answers over the death of Jeffery Pendleton, a 26-year-old homeless poverty activist who died in custody earlier this month. | The protesters were there to demand answers over the death of Jeffery Pendleton, a 26-year-old homeless poverty activist who died in custody earlier this month. |
| The group of protesters was mostly made up of Pendleton’s co-workers at Burger King and fellow “Fight For $15” activists, who aim to boost salaries and create a union for fast food workers. | The group of protesters was mostly made up of Pendleton’s co-workers at Burger King and fellow “Fight For $15” activists, who aim to boost salaries and create a union for fast food workers. |
| “If Jeffery was here, he would be one of those people up front,” said Abdias Maleaus, 23, pointing to protesters leading the chants. | |
| Maleaus is a Dunkin’ Donuts employee who met Pendleton at a protest outside the Republican debate in Manchester last month. Together, they chanted a variant on the New Hampshire state motto: “Live free or die! Can’t survive on $7.25!” | Maleaus is a Dunkin’ Donuts employee who met Pendleton at a protest outside the Republican debate in Manchester last month. Together, they chanted a variant on the New Hampshire state motto: “Live free or die! Can’t survive on $7.25!” |
| “He took over when I got tired,” Maleaus said. | “He took over when I got tired,” Maleaus said. |
| According to Nashua police sergeant James Stone, Pendleton was detained on Tuesday 8 March, after he was arrested for marijuana possession and pre-existing warrants for not paying a court fine or not attending a scheduled court appearance. | |
| Police had been called to a Nashua apartment to assist probation and parole officers. Bail was set at $100. According to the Union Leader, Pendleton was unable to pay. | Police had been called to a Nashua apartment to assist probation and parole officers. Bail was set at $100. According to the Union Leader, Pendleton was unable to pay. |
| At 2.45pm on Sunday 13 March, Pendleton was found unconscious in his cell. According to a statement issued by David Dionne – the superintendent of Hillsborough County corrections department – Pendleton did not respond to medical assistance and was pronounced dead at 3.19pm. | At 2.45pm on Sunday 13 March, Pendleton was found unconscious in his cell. According to a statement issued by David Dionne – the superintendent of Hillsborough County corrections department – Pendleton did not respond to medical assistance and was pronounced dead at 3.19pm. |
| “There appeared no indication that Mr Pendleton was in any form of distress,” said Dionne. | “There appeared no indication that Mr Pendleton was in any form of distress,” said Dionne. |
| According to the state’s chief medical examiner, autopsy results are pending. Dr Jennie Duval, the deputy chief medical examiner, told the Union Leader her preliminary observations showed “no evidence of any natural disease or no evidence of trauma”. | According to the state’s chief medical examiner, autopsy results are pending. Dr Jennie Duval, the deputy chief medical examiner, told the Union Leader her preliminary observations showed “no evidence of any natural disease or no evidence of trauma”. |
| Pendleton’s death is being investigated by Manchester police and Hillsborough County’s department of corrections. Citing the ongoing investigation, both declined to comment. | Pendleton’s death is being investigated by Manchester police and Hillsborough County’s department of corrections. Citing the ongoing investigation, both declined to comment. |
| ‘We’re just trying to get by’ | ‘We’re just trying to get by’ |
| This was not the first time Pendleton had been held in jail because he was unable to make bail. | This was not the first time Pendleton had been held in jail because he was unable to make bail. |
| In May 2014, he was arrested for trespassing in a park adjacent to the Nashua public library. According to the New Hampshire chapter of the American Civil Liberties Union, which filed a civil lawsuit against the city of Nashua on his behalf, he was unable to come up with $100 bail and was therefore held for 33 days. In that suit, Pendleton was awarded $10,315. | In May 2014, he was arrested for trespassing in a park adjacent to the Nashua public library. According to the New Hampshire chapter of the American Civil Liberties Union, which filed a civil lawsuit against the city of Nashua on his behalf, he was unable to come up with $100 bail and was therefore held for 33 days. In that suit, Pendleton was awarded $10,315. |
| The same year, Pendleton was the plaintiff in an ACLU civil lawsuit against the nearby city of Hudson, over its “unconstitutional practice of detaining, harassing, threatening, dispersing, and citing panhandlers”. He was awarded $7,640. | The same year, Pendleton was the plaintiff in an ACLU civil lawsuit against the nearby city of Hudson, over its “unconstitutional practice of detaining, harassing, threatening, dispersing, and citing panhandlers”. He was awarded $7,640. |
| In a 2013 film produced by the ACLU about Hudson’s policy against panhandlers, Pendleton appears, begging for money with a group of homeless people. | In a 2013 film produced by the ACLU about Hudson’s policy against panhandlers, Pendleton appears, begging for money with a group of homeless people. |
| “We’re just trying to get by,” he says. “The Hudson police, they don’t care if you want to get by or live or anything. They just don’t want you there doing it.” | |
| Pendleton was represented by Gilles Bissonnette, the ACLU’s legal director in New Hampshire. | Pendleton was represented by Gilles Bissonnette, the ACLU’s legal director in New Hampshire. |
| We have a young, poor, black person who died in police custody who tried … to [end] the criminalization of poverty | We have a young, poor, black person who died in police custody who tried … to [end] the criminalization of poverty |
| “He was getting involved in these cases not because he thought there was money down the line,” Bissonnette said. “He was getting involved because he really hoped there would be change.” | “He was getting involved in these cases not because he thought there was money down the line,” Bissonnette said. “He was getting involved because he really hoped there would be change.” |
| Bissonnette, who said Pendleton was a “kind and sweet person”, called his death a tragedy. | Bissonnette, who said Pendleton was a “kind and sweet person”, called his death a tragedy. |
| “We have a young, poor, black person who died while in police custody,” he said, “and that individual, through his prior efforts, had tried to help others by ending the criminalization of poverty that has occurred not only in New Hampshire but throughout the country.” | |
| Days after Pendleton’s death, the Justice Department criticized state policies, which it said perpetrate cycles of incarceration and debt among the nation’s poor. | Days after Pendleton’s death, the Justice Department criticized state policies, which it said perpetrate cycles of incarceration and debt among the nation’s poor. |
| New Hampshire state representative Elizabeth Edwards attended Friday’s protest. She attended, she said, because she cared about criminal justice reform. | |
| “Jeffery Pendleton’s death is a strong example of why it’s so necessary,” Ward said, concerned that he was arrested for marijuana possession at all. | “Jeffery Pendleton’s death is a strong example of why it’s so necessary,” Ward said, concerned that he was arrested for marijuana possession at all. |
| New Hampshire may soon decriminalize the possession of small amounts of marijuana; a measure was approved by state house representatives this month, although the state senate has not been friendly to such legislation. | New Hampshire may soon decriminalize the possession of small amounts of marijuana; a measure was approved by state house representatives this month, although the state senate has not been friendly to such legislation. |
| Related: Sandra Bland: suspicion and mistrust flourish amid official inconsistencies | Related: Sandra Bland: suspicion and mistrust flourish amid official inconsistencies |
| At the protest, Wilton Vilceña, 29, another Fight For $15 activist and Dunkin’ Donuts employee, said he was suspicious about Pendleton’s death. | At the protest, Wilton Vilceña, 29, another Fight For $15 activist and Dunkin’ Donuts employee, said he was suspicious about Pendleton’s death. |
| The case reminded him, he said, of that of Sandra Bland, a black woman who was found dead in a Texas jail cell last year, three days after she was pulled over for a traffic violation. The medical examiner ruled Bland’s death a suicide; her family is filing a wrongful death suit. | The case reminded him, he said, of that of Sandra Bland, a black woman who was found dead in a Texas jail cell last year, three days after she was pulled over for a traffic violation. The medical examiner ruled Bland’s death a suicide; her family is filing a wrongful death suit. |
| “All these killings and dying in custody, it’s starting to become a trend,” said Vilceña, who traveled to the protest from Brockton, Massachusetts. “Sooner or later, ‘custody’ is going to be one of those words that is associated with death.” | |
| Robert Mericer, 31, said he came in honor of Pendleton, a co-worker at the Burger King on Nashua’s Main Street. Though they worked together for several months, he said, he did not know Pendleton was homeless. | Robert Mericer, 31, said he came in honor of Pendleton, a co-worker at the Burger King on Nashua’s Main Street. Though they worked together for several months, he said, he did not know Pendleton was homeless. |
| “He was a good dude,” said Mericer. “I would have definitely have helped him if I had the money, but before anyone had the chance to help him he wound up dead.” | “He was a good dude,” said Mericer. “I would have definitely have helped him if I had the money, but before anyone had the chance to help him he wound up dead.” |
| Protesters pointed to an online fundraiser set up by Pendleton’s family, in an effort to bring him home to Arkansas for burial. | Protesters pointed to an online fundraiser set up by Pendleton’s family, in an effort to bring him home to Arkansas for burial. |