Saturday, July 23, 2011

Websites to help stop bullying in school

To all advocate against bullying and abuse,

I have received an email (see below) for help with complete information on " recommendations you have for evidence based whole school models that prevent violence and bullying happening in schools".   I am copying you on an email that I send with links to other websites that may help out in stopping school bullying.

The world is too small for all organizations to work towards stopping bullying and abuse alone, therefore we must partner up and help save lives internationally as well as locally.  Thank you in advance for your help and support.

Here are a few websites that you should also check out:

Please check out and use whatever resources you need from our website http://www.haltnow.ca/.  As well I am redesigning this site so any recommendation you have to make it a better site would be appreciated.

All the best
John

Sunday, July 17, 2011

Self Defense was seen as assault in court

I am the founder of Humanity Against Local Terrorism – HALT which website is http://www.haltnow.ca/. This is a website to help stop bullying, abuse and domestic violence.

I have to explain why I made a split decision choice to protect my son that goes against everything that I stand for.  Two years ago there was involved in an incident with another coach which ended up with me striking the other coach, in self defense, to stop him from going for a bat to either come after me or my 11 year old son.

I am adding the articles from a news reporter that has made me guilty before the court was even over. I am adding some of his articles for you to know that I am not hiding anything.
[2] Dad applies for mistrial in batting cage rage case - http://www.pressdisplay.com/pressdisplay/viewer.aspx

I have already applied for an appeal so that I can re-try my case. I fired my first lawyer and am presently taking him up against the Law Society for poor conduct and negligence. He had all the proof to help me get an finding of innocent and failed on every avenue. Even when the other coach said after he was asked “what were you going for?”, the other coach said “A BAT”. This is in the transcript.
Since this Blogging is new to me it may take me a little time to find out how I can get my transcripts from the court onto the Blog so everyone can read what was said and make up their own mind. I am innocent and will spend the rest of my life proving this. If anyone knows of a way I would appreciate your help.
I can only give my side of the story, which I believe must be stated, since all anyone is reading is the victims account; and his account was completely different from his two witnesses; yes even his two witnesses.  This incident all happened within approx. one minute and has changed my life completely.  Please read why I made a decision to go against everything I believe in and make a move for self-defence.
My side leading to self-defense:
[1] I coached baseball on and off for many years
[2] I had the batting cage booked every weekend at the same time for the entire season. When we were there we never had anyone else show up from other teams to practice, until the incident day.
[3] I came in and let the other coach know that I had the batting cage booked, which he in turn aggressively told me to leave and come back later. I must state that I had a cast on one of my feet.
[4] The only people in the cage at this time was the other coach, a player from his team at the end of the batting cage, my 11 year old son and myself. The only addition to this was one of his witnesses that came in during the incident and just watched everything transpire without stepping in.
[5] After trying to reason with this man I just ignored him and starting to move up the 115 lbs pitching machine into place with the hopes that the coach would realize it was time to leave.
[6] As I was getting closer to the pitching machines location he came over and knocked me over and into the pitching machine. As I was trying to keep this 115 lbs machine from falling over (bottom leg in cast) he immediately picked up a ball and pitched it to the player that was standing at the end of the batting cage.
[7] After re-setting the machine, he must have realized that I was not going anywhere so he started to pick up the basket of balls and threw them (x2) over the batting cage pitching area. Then started yelling “I am tired of you f***** guys…” He is swearing and kicking all the balls over the end of the batting cage. (his witnesses attest to this throwing of the balls).
[8] By now my 11 year old son is standing next to me since he was scared of what was going on.
[9] The coach then came right up to my face and said twice “Do you want to go”; which I said no. (One of his witnesses stated that he heard him say this, my son told the police officer that he said this and I said this in court.)
[10] After I said no he immediately turned around and started to lift up the mess (fish line) wall where his bat bag was laying. I stood there watching him and after I realized he was going for a bat I took a step towards him and hit him to try to stop him from grabbing a bat.
[11] I didn’t know what else to do since my son was with me, we were 20 feet from the exit where his witness had been watching the whole time, there were 2 baskets of ball scattered all over the area and I was in a foot cast.  I had no place to go.  I just swung to stop him from grabbing a bat and unfortunately hit him in the face. I am so sorry for hurting this man.  No one desearves to be hurt by another person.  All I was trying to do is protect my son and myself.  This was 100% self-defense.
[12] The only people now around at this time were a few extra adults. No other children.
[13] I confronted the witness and brought up the point that he (a) assaulted me by pushing me against the pitching machine, (b) threw 2 baskets of balls potentially at me, (c) asked me if “I wanted to go” and then (d) he was going for a bat. (One of his witnesses stated that I said this to him. Why would I say this immediately after unless it happened?)
[14] I immediately wrote down what happened in my vehicle and then went to the police to press charges on him for his assault with the pitching machines. When the police officer asked for the other coach’s name I did not know who he was so I could not press charges.
If I can get the transcript on you can read this for yourself.
At the end the judge ignored the other coach's witness’s accounts and judged me on the other coach’s account (which contradicted his own witnesses account). One of the main issues that I am confused about is how can this other coach lie in court to what happened while he had swore on the bible to tell the truth, the whole truth and nothing but the truth. I bring this up since it goes against everything that I believe in.
I will continue to keep you up to date with what happens at the appeal date. I also think that it may be a good idea to add copies of the character witness statements that were included to help the judge understand you I am in so many words and my letter to the Law Society outlining in 7 pages every area that my 1st lawyer dropped the ball in helping me receive a finding of innocent. Again, if you can help me understand how to add these documents I would appreciate it.
I started HALT to stop bullying, abuse and domestic violence. I am 100% against any sort of violence of any kind. That is why I have spent over 400 hours building this site as a starting point for people who are in trouble. I would not accomplish this dream and then do something to tear it down.
Over the past two years, I was guilty until proven guilty. I am innocent (it was self-defense and I did turn my check 3 times before I had to protect my family) and will prove it.

Wednesday, November 24, 2010

Bullycide in America (teenage suicide due to bullying)

This is a book of real stories about real kids. Kids who took their own lives because they thought it was their only way out of a hopeless situation.  It is about the tragic choices they made in an effort to end the pain - when they believed there was no other solution.

It is told by mothers who are willing to share their own personal pain as they watched their children suffer and struggle. It is about their own efforts to advocate for their children while they continue to deal with their own devastating loss and the aftermath of bullycide.

http://www.haltnow.ca/resources/books-and-educational-material.html

Tuesday, November 23, 2010

A Child Called ‘It’ - A story of a child abuse SURVIVOR

Pelzer is the survivor of the third worst case of child-abuse in California’s history, a case he vividly recalls in A Child Called “It”. Here he tells of a childhood so horrific and, at times, so nauseating that while reading I found myself praying that there was a hell so Pelzer’s parents could rot in it for all eternity. And not just hell, mind you, but a special place in hell designed specifically for people like this, a level of hell beyond anything Dante could imagine.

The tale starts with The Rescue, March 5, 1973. Having had his head smashed into the kitchen counter that morning for some minor offense, the 12-year-old Dave is sent to the school nurse upon arriving at school. It is a familiar routine for the child; he lies to the nurse about the bruise on his head, spouting the ridiculous explanation his mother has instructed him to recite. The nurse, once again, doesn’t believe him and checks her file on the boy. Bruises, cuts, malnutrition, and, of course, the stab wound: it’s quite a thick file....(to read more - click on link)

Saturday, November 20, 2010

Thursday, November 18, 2010

Complete information on Domestic Violence

http://www.haltnow.ca/category-list.html

1  Myths and Facts about Domestic Violence 
2  Domestic Violence - Definition 
3  Domestic Violence - Introduction 
4  Domestic Violence - Adult Victims 
5  Domestic Violence - Sexual Abuse 
6  Domestic Violence - Who is an Abuser / Batterer 
7  Domestic Violence - Children Victims 
8  Domestice Violence - Government and the Law 
9  Domestic Violence - Types of Domestic Abuse 
10  Domestic Violence - Emotional Abuse 
11  Domestic Violence - Physical Abuse 
12  Domestic Violence - Stalking / Cyberstalking Abuse 
13  Domestic Violence - Psychological Abuse 
14  Domestic Violence - Economic Abuse / Financial Abuse 
15  Other Types of Forms and Tactics of Domestic Abuse and Domestic Violence 
16  Domestic Violence - Causes of Domestic Violence 
17  Long-Term Consequences of Domestic Violence 
18  Support and Help for Victims of Domestic Violence 
19  Domestic Violence - Economic / Societal Consequences 
20  Recognizing the Signs of Domestic Violence