November 22, 2001

A funny thing happened on my way to the 6th Street Harm Reduction Center on Thanksgiving day, I had volunteered to help with the dinner and to perform ( I play guitar ).

I was walking down Haight St. (yes, here in San Francisco) near Scott St., with my pipe in hand ( a shiny brass pipe), I was clearing it to put it away and was not smoking nor did I have any medicine in my hands, when I was stopped by two SFPD bicycle cops. They took my pipe and asked me for my pot to which I complied and informed officer Zukor badge #191 and officer Mclaughlin badge #2186 that I was a medical user and showed them my Department of Public Health ID.

They completely ignored me, accused me of breaking the law and threatening to arrest me took my CA drivers license. They ran my name and told me to take it up with the DA, to which I replied that I knew Mr. Hallinan and that they were in violation of State law. They repeated I was breaking the law and that I should go to Mr. Hallinans' house to smoke. At this point I approached a homeless man, sitting on the corner whom had witnessed the entire bust. I asked him his name and the officers acknowledged him and told him I was putting him on the spot. Officer Mclaughlin then informed me there were two options, forfiture or arrest, I asked him what forfiture entailed, and he said he was going to arrest me as I penned his badge # and off. Zukor's. I was then taken to a police station and endured the customary humiliation of being handcuffed to a bench for two hours and searched three times.

When they couldn't find anything to hold me for they told me I would get out with a citation. I asked off. Mclaughlin why I wasn't informed of my rights and what this "forfiture" deal was, and he answered I watched too much TV and was under no obligation to inform me of my rights.

I was asked if I went by any other names than Bond. I informed them my name was Bono not Bond. They then proceeded to dig up a traffic violation from July to add an additional charge and send me downtown to spend the rest of my Thanksgiving behind bars.

I give thanks that it was me, and not some poor patient who out of fear or ignorance of their rights fail to proceed to bring these bullying ignorant brutes to justice!!!! Charles Bono