Two years after six local activists were arrested on Cinco de Mayo at Story and King Roads on the Eastside of San Jose, the Santa Clara County District Attorney’s office dropped all charges against the last of the defendants, Brian Helmle. The charges stem from Mr. Helmle’s arrest, along with five others, for their participation in a speakout against police brutality and copwatch on May 5, 2006.

“After two years of fighting these charges to defend the legal right of the people in this country to observe and record police behavior, the racism that we were trying to confront on Cinco de Mayo was borne out by the way the legal system treated us. Of the six of us, I was one of two white people and I was the only one who could afford a private attorney through help from my family, and I think that those are the only reasons why my charges were dropped” said Mr. Helmle.

see also: San Jose Copwatcher has charges dismissed, community members speak out | The Other USA - San Jose