Alex Darocy Photography

The family of Sean Smith-Arlt was interrogated in the District Attorney's office for 5 1/2 hours on the morning of Sean's killing by Santa Cruz police. The interrogation took place only two hours after they were first informed of Sean's death on October 16, according to family friend Don Payne. Payne spoke at a community forum organized by the Social Justice Alliance of Santa Cruz (SJA) at Peace United Church on November 1 to address Sean's killing. Payne said he was speaking in the "spirit of transparency" and that he meant no disrespect with his statements. He said that the sharing of information in the case was, "an opportunity to come together in the spirit of finding a solution." Sean was suffering from mental health issues at the time he was shot and killed by Santa Cruz police, who say they deemed him a threat when he advanced towards four officers with a garden rake in his hands outside of a home on the west side. Outside of the SJA foru...

On November 10, peace activists in Santa Cruz protested a book signing appearance by Leon Panetta, the one-time Secretary of Defense and CIA Director. Panetta is currently on a book tour promoting the release of "Worthy Fights: A Memoir of Leadership in War and Peace." Bookshop Santa Cruz hosted the event, which was held in the sanctuary at Peace United Church of Christ, with a crowd of hundreds in attendance. Initially, the book store and the church both attempted, with what little means they had, to prevent individuals from protesting near the actual location of the book signing. They released a set of rules for protesting at the event, which was only lightly enforced until the end of the evening. Eventually five individuals (including this reporter) were "banned for life" from Bookshop Santa Cruz, in retaliation for activities related to the evening's peaceful protest. Three of the four protesters who were "banned for life" from Bookshop Sant...

I was physically assaulted by a security agent who was working for former Secretary of Defense and CIA Director Leon Panetta at a speaking and book-signing engagement in Santa Cruz on November 10. The agent intentionally and deliberately grabbed my camera and hit me with it in the face when I was attempting to take a photo of Panetta leaving the event. I was approximately one foot away from him when he struck me. The security guard who assaulted me. The event was hosted by Bookshop Santa Cruz and held at Peace United Church in their main sanctuary/chapel. The purchase of Panetta's book "Worthy Fights: A Memoir of Leadership in War and Peace" was required for admission. I was there to photograph and report on a small protest that was organized to oppose Panetta's deadly war record, as well as his involvement in expanding the scope of drone warfare. Panetta's security group was comprised of four agents as far as I could tell, but there may have been more ...