cannabisnews.com: Rainbow Farm Fallout










   Rainbow Farm Fallout

Posted by FoM on November 02, 2001 at 06:53:30 PT
By Adam Jackson, Tribune Staff Writer 
Source: South Bend Tribune  

Grover "Tom" Crosslin was shot to death by FBI agents Sept. 3. His companion, Rolland Rohm, died a similar death Sept. 4. But the questions surrounding the shootings, and the legal fallout that accompanied them, have refused to die. Crosslin and Rohm were killed during a standoff at Rainbow Farm Campground in Vandalia. 
Beginning today at 11 a.m., the first in a series of Cass County Probate Court hearings will be conducted to determine the outcome of a custody battle over Rohm's son Robert, who was placed in state custody following the death of his father. Robert's grandmother, Geraldine Livermore, is seeking visitation rights and eventually custody of her grandson. To that end, the family and supporters, including two activist groups called Parents for Children and Jail for Judges, will be staging a support rally today at the courthouse, 110 N. Broadway, beginning at 8:30 a.m. and another in the same location on Friday at 10 a.m. "We haven't had any contact with (Robert) since he was taken into state custody," Rohm's stepfather, John Livermore, said. "We're just trying to bring the family back together." But that's just the beginning. On Friday, two hearings, which will be closed to the public, will be held to determine what will be done with the estates left behind by Crosslin, who owned and operated Rainbow Farm Campground, and Rohm. Both men listed Robert as the intended recipient of their property. However, because the two men left no adult representatives for their estates, a court-appointed representative, attorney Peter Smith of Niles, may also be selected to oversee the estates until Robert turns 18, since the 13-year-old is in state custody. Both Rohm's and Crosslin's families are fighting that possibility. And they're going to have some help. Dan Wilson, who heads up Parents for Children, a statewide action group, said he and his wife, Janet Frederick-Wilson, who is an attorney in Warren, Mich., are going to assist the families in fighting the state's actions. "We feel that the best interests of a child should be the first consideration in any case like this," he said. "We need to bring to light a lot of information that is missing from this case," Wilson added. "But getting the authorities to give up this information has been impossible." The legal troubles at Rainbow Farm started in May, when Crosslin, 46, and Rohm, 28, were charged with felony drug offenses following a lengthy undercover investigation of the campground. Investigators said that drug use was rampant at many festivals held at the property. Crosslin The investigation also opened the doors for a potential civil forfeiture of the property, which is still a possibility. But when police showed up to arrest the men after they allegedly failed to appear at a scheduled Cass Circuit Court hearing Aug. 31, they refused to leave the property. In the ensuing standoff, which lasted through the Labor Day weekend, police said the pair burned down several buildings on the property in an effort to keep them out of the hands of the authorities. Police also said that someone on the campground fired shots at a WNDU-TV, South Bend, helicopter flying over the property. Because shooting at an aircraft is a federal offense, FBI agents were called in to assist during the standoff. It was FBI agents who shot Crosslin after he allegedly pointed a gun at them. Then, a Michigan State Police trooper shot Rohm the next day in similar circumstances. Friends and families of the men claim that Crosslin and Rohm were shot without provocation, and that authorities' version of the events -- attributing both men's deaths to single gunshots -- are not factual. Mr. Livermore said requests for copies of the original autopsy reports, which were conducted by Dr. Stephen Cohle in Grand Rapids, have been denied. A spokeswoman for Cohle's office said Wednesday that the release of the autopsy report had not been authorized. Mr. Livermore also claimed there is evidence showing that Crosslin was shot five times, and that a second autopsy conducted on Rohm by Oakland County Deputy Medical Examiner Kanu Virani, showed that Rohm had been shot two times. FBI Special Agent Hank Glaspie of the agency's Detroit office, said his agency regrets the loss of life resulting from the operation, but he was not well-versed on the operation and could not comment further. "It would be really inappropriate at this time," he said. Mr. Livermore also alleged that when he tried to get copies of the original police reports and autopsy records from Cass County Prosecutor Scott Teter, the requests were denied. Teter is on vacation this week and could not be reached for comment Wednesday. Joann Sepic, an investigator with the Cass County prosecutor's office, said Teter still intends to release a full report, but has not set a date for the release of the information. But Mr. Livermore, who was preparing signs Wednesday night for today's rally, said he had filed state Freedom of Information Act requests for the missing information and will continue to appeal until all his questions are answered, and then decide whether a wrongful death suit will be filed. "We haven't buried Rohm yet. We have him in a mausoleum in Elkhart," he said. "It's shameful that a body has to be treated like this, but we won't put him underground until we know all the answers."Note: Families Left To Deal With Legal Aftermath Of Deaths.Source: South Bend Tribune (IN)Author: Adam Jackson, Tribune Staff WriterPublished: November 1, 2001Copyright: 2001 South Bend TribuneContact: vop sbtinfo.comWebsite: http://www.southbendtribune.com/ Related Articles & Web Site:Tom Crosslin & Rolland Rohm Memorialhttp://www.freedomtoexhale.com/rb.htmEnd of the Rainbow - Reason Magazinehttp://cannabisnews.com/news/thread10891.shtmlMore Questions Than Answers at Rainbow Farmhttp://cannabisnews.com/news/thread10880.shtmlCrosslin's Passions Led To Downfallhttp://cannabisnews.com/news/thread10828.shtml 

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Comment #5 posted by Sandino on November 03, 2001 at 09:23:19 PT:
"Just Say KNOIW to Bullshit"!
   FoM please forgive my profanity, but when dealing with the current republowcratic government, what is not obscene? I am finding it difficult to accept the fact that these puppets who run this government have wiped their butts and flushed down the toilet our "Constitution" and "Bill of Rights" (the documents that this government was founded upon) in order to protect us. Protect us; from what? Who are pulling these traitors strings? This is "TREASON" and the greatest obscenity of our time.   As evil as these times seen to be, I truly do beleive that this is the darkness before the dawn, but it is going to take a lot light to overcome these murkey days brought on to us by our crass master, the "compassionate-necrophile" his jack-boot thugs and all the patriotic flagg-wavers screaming; kill, kill, kill for peace.   I have one request to make today; if you have not signed and left comments on the "End of the Rainbow Farm Protest" petition, please do. Let this petition become a ray of light and become a part of the "Fireball" that is now forming to take back what is truly ours: Truth and Justice. http//www.PetitionOnline.com/rainbow   In closing, I would like to say that we must prepair for this future of ours, the evilest of days have been layed upon us, but we must not become disquited, we must keep our heads up, develop an "ATTITUDE", and always remember to "Just Say KNOW to Bullshit". In loving memory of Tom and Rolland, may your sprits keep us high. 
                      S. A. Homes
   Here's a little religious tune for you all:
http//www.hypnotic.com/MEDIA/WINDOWS/jesus and hutch dsl.asx
        
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Comment #4 posted by Robbie on November 02, 2001 at 14:01:22 PT
To the earth, ever may we root
Hi all! Hope everyone's fine. I'm on the road and only really tuning in for dddd/qqqq's hilarious "Inside Sedition" commentaries.I've watched all this war nonsense now for...what, a month now? more? Farce, upon farce, upon shame, upon death. Our government really sucks the big petunia, and I don't understand how men of good conscience should let this happen to us. I suppose I am in the wrong for being less than activist, and that may have to change in a big way in a big hurry. I hope I have the fortitude to stand up when the time comes.This is the first I've thought about Tom and Rollie in a while, and kapt is correct....it's all about the front lawn. The front lawn of political power in this country has to be kept mowed, trimmed, weeded, and chemicaled 6 times a day. And the only way to do that (seemingly on the part of politicians, anyway) is to lie, lie, lie, obfuscate, and lie some more. Then they can slip in a truth about some verifiable fact and slap themselves on the back for their own damned cleverishness. Tom and Rollie were "free" men in a "free" country. That, of course, is why they were killed. The sheeple do endure and so ordain that their leaders feed them feces and they are sated, all the while they FORGET what the FUCKING FLAG REALLY MEANS!! (sorry Martha) EVERYBODY has one flag, two flags, SIX FLAGS on their car and they think they've lived up to the meaning of the stars and stripes. "Its the great big football game...and the US feints the right-side with a justified killing of drug users, while Afghani's suffer a team annihilation. First and goal to go!" When will people ever wake up and realize that this country cannot be about patriotism? ur high minded ideals are defined as EVERYBODY must get the rights we claim to support, or we ARE NOT JUSTIFIED IN ANYTHING WE DO! And we can all go to hell, if you believe that sort of thing.My rant endeth thusly (thisly? I'm very literary, like G Shrub): Tom and Rollie died at the altar of all those things that were brainwashed into my head between 2 and 17 years old. When can the idealism of personal security and relative luxury go the way of the dino? When will that Christ-ly brotherhood thing go into effect, all the while we kill in his name? "We must eliminate the evil-doers...for thems that does evil are truly evil-doers."When are ya gonna look in the mirror George???? When will we all look in the bloody mirror?????
Get UNDER the news, and see the truth
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Comment #3 posted by greenfox on November 02, 2001 at 12:06:35 PT
Soon to fill our lungs...
The hot winds of death-
the gods are laughing, so take your last breath......-gf
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Comment #2 posted by krutch on November 02, 2001 at 09:28:42 PT:
Terrorism by the US Government
The Rainbow Farm raid is an atrocity. I find it amazing that while foreign terrorists where plotting to blow up our buildings and poison our mail, the US Gestapo was busy persecuting a couple of farmers for growing plants that harm no one. Ir makes me want to puke.
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Comment #1 posted by kaptinemo on November 02, 2001 at 07:29:26 PT:
For a place so far inland
something really smells fishy."Friends and families of the men claim that Crosslin and Rohm were shot without provocation, and that authorities' version of the events -- attributing both men's deaths to single gunshots -- are not factual. Mr. Livermore said requests for copies of the original autopsy reports, which were conducted by Dr. Stephen Cohle in Grand Rapids, have been denied." This smells more and more like an Esequiel Hernandez style killing. According to his family's attorney, Hernandez's autopsy report shows he was shot while his rifle was pointing away from the Marine Sniper who killed him. And since he couldn't see the Sniper team that killed him, there's no reason to believe he was shooting specifically at them...only at what he thought were varmints after his sheep. Hence his death could not be excused as 'the exigencies of war'...but cold-blooded and calculated murder. As happened to Crosslin and Rohm.You have to ask; why, when the FBI waited out the Montana Freemen - who were vastly more inclined to wreak havoc upon what they viewed as a rogue and illegitimate government than Crosslin and Rohm ever would - did they not do the same at Rainbow Farm? No food, no water, no rest, constant fear of attacks...all wear you down after a while and are likely to make you amenable to negotiation. So why not wait them out and send in the Mouth Marines?Because the Bush Too Administration has insecurities. It wonders if those things between its' legs might be misinterpreted as a hot dog and two raisins. Very small ones. So it decided to whup up on a few American citizens to show the rest of us that Our Fearless Leader does indeed 'have a pair'. Ordinarily I'd call what happened Federal 'buck fever'. But the intent is far more sinister than simple jitters. This was done to punish, to discourage others who might stand up to the coming increase in Federal tyranny. To chill dissent. It's not the first time that this has happened; history is replete with examples of a government trying to use force against it's own citizens in an attempt to divert or squash much needed reforms that directly threaten powerful political and economic interests.Yep, there are lots of questions the 'authorities' really don't want to answer...as they always have tried to avoid answering when the use of force for purely political means is employed by minions of The State doing the shooting.
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