From Deseret News archives:
2 Rainbow men remain in custody
Meantime, both men challenged their arrests and the alleged facts that led up to felony charges of assaulting, resisting or impeding a U.S. Forest Service officer after two separate incidents last week.
Ernie Gunnoe, 23, is accused of recruiting a group of people to prevent officers and a tow-truck operator from removing cars that were blocking access to a Forest Service road in the area. A police officer was hit in the face and the neck with a rock during the event, though Gunnoe is not alleged to have thrown it.
"How am I to be blamed for something when I was a quarter-mile away from the rock-throwing incident?" Gunnoe asked after U.S. Magistrate Brooke Wells deemed him a danger to the community and refused a request to release him from jail.
Wells said she would revisit the issue at a hearing scheduled for next Tuesday.
At a later hearing, U.S. Magistrate Samuel Alba allowed Edward James Jenkins to be released from the Salt Lake County Jail. However, Alba ordered he be held in a Salt Lake halfway house under 24-hour surveillance.
In court, 61-year-old Jenkins accused the Forest Service officers of harassing Gathering participants.
"They come every year to the gatherings and every year they target certain people," Jenkins said. "I'm targeted over and over again. . . . They push situations and make things so it appears that they're right and we're wrong."
Jenkins has been arrested at gatherings in Florida, Arizona and Montana for similar conduct against law enforcement officers. He pleaded guilty to pushing a female Forest Service officer in the chest with a flashlight during the 1998 Rainbow Gathering in Arizona.
Becky Banker, public information officer for the national incident management team stationed at this year's Gathering, said 38 to 40 officers are working in the area to maintain peace among the participants.
"Part of their responsibility this year is to make sure the permit holder is complying with the permit, and that means being down in the Gathering," Banker said. "If laws are broken, it is their responsibility to enforce the laws and the regulations on national forest land."
E-MAIL: awelling@desnews.com
Comments
- Dick Harmon: BCS fight heating 9:11 p.m.
- The number: 57% 9:10 p.m.
- U.S. details terrorist recruiting 9:10 p.m.
- RSL's Russell left exposed 9:10 p.m.
- Chaplin home to be pilgrimage site 9:09 p.m.
- Jazz players react to RSL title 9:09 p.m.
- Police chief convicted of felonies 9:08 p.m.
- Hasan may use insanity defense 9:08 p.m.
- S.C. guv accused of 37 ethics charges 9:08 p.m.
- Birthdays for Tuesday, Nov. 24 9:08 p.m.
- Real Champions
- Bronco, Kyle rubber match
- Protests against Phoenix LDS temple
- RSL wins MLS Cup on penalty kicks
- BYU's Lamb, Jorgensen reprimanded
- Plenty on line for rivalry game
- Time for big matchups in WAC, MWC
- BCS at-large bids up for grabs
- Hall, Johnson matchup key
- Is talking about religion taboo?
- Buttars wants to limit gay rights laws
214 - Glenn Beck to enter politics?
212 - RSL wins MLS Cup on penalty kicks
194 - Palin plans tour stop in Utah
178 - BYU records with win
132 - Palin's book shows she's unqualified
131 - Bronco, Kyle rubber match
128 - Officer cleared in Cardall Taser case
103 - BYU cuts Women's Research Inst.
103 - Jazz finally win in San Antonio
99
Associated Press Personal Finance Writer Candice Choi offers gift-giving...
Obviously these kids have never been out of the state of Utah. Big boy...
C'mon Cowboys!
One can discern easily the opinions of those who comment about a temple....
25 years from now when major college football has a playoff, BYU will still...
Congrats!!! great job on bringing a national title to utah!!! keep it up next...
First of all, people should realize that Kirk Jowers worked Mitt Romney's...
RE:silent majority "im a strong member of the church. i would like to...
The Ethics in Legislation will have a 2 edged sword. Any 3 individuals can...
This article and the points many of the commentators bring up are very...
I'm not a soccer fan, but I'm not totally unfamiliar with the sport. But the...


You can be the first to comment on this story.