Seven of eight arrested during Punk Week gathering sentenced to time served in jail

By Lee Higgins Crime and courts reporter

Posted on Wed, Aug 25, 2010 : 7:23 p.m.

Seven of the eight people arrested by Ann Arbor police during a Punk Week gathering at Bandemer Park on Aug. 15 were sentenced today to time served in jail after pleading no contest to disturbing the peace.

Under sentencing agreements reached with 15th District Judge Elizabeth Hines, charges of resisting and obstructing police officers were dismissed.

Attorney Michele Kelly, who represented 22-year-old Page Callison of Oakland, Calif., said she would have liked the cases to have been dismissed.

"But I think the results are good for these particular kids," she said. "They live out of town, and they need to get on with their lives."

On Aug. 15, Ann Arbor police arrested eight people after officers say they refused to leave the Lake Shore Drive park. Officers responded to a report that people were smoking marijuana, lounging naked and having sex at the park, police said.

Witnesses alleged officers used racial and homophobic slurs and were overly rough with people taken into custody. Ann Arbor police are conducting an internal investigation into how officers handled the incident.

While seven of the cases are over, 20-year-old Melissa Lyon of St. Louis, Mo., didn't show up to 14A District Court today because she was sick, said her attorney, Robin Stevens.

Hines adjourned Lyon's case until Sept. 1 and said a warrant will be issued for her arrest if she doesn't appear.

In addition to Callison, the following people were sentenced today to time served:

Kolby McMinn, 24, of Tularosa, NM
Katherine Andaas, 21, of Lansing, MI
Spencer Dilday, 21, of Haslett, MI
Elijah David King, 19, of Oakland, Calif.
John Matthew Hoopes, 31, of Buffalo, NY
Ryan Nicholas Walker, 25, of West Columbia, SC

A number of attorneys took on the case pro bono.

Sarah Coffey, who is a legal worker and member of the National Lawyers Guild, a progressive bar association, said guild members have taken an interest in the case and will "follow the internal investigation."

“My opinion is that it’s a class issue," she said. "That the kids were singled out for harsher treatment based on their appearance and based on the fact that some are homeless.”