Several weeks ago Russ was working in the garage and I was doing the dishes. A black Bronco pulled up in our driveway. A man got out who had two pieces of paper in his hand. I did not have a good feeling about him and decided to go outside. Before I got there he asked Russ if he was Russ Hamilton. Russ responded by saying, "It depends, Who are you?" Answer "I am the sheriffs department." Russ asked to see some ID as he has no badge or uniform on. He ignorned this request. He then said," I have some papers for you." Russ said, "Just put them down on the seat of the motorcycle." Instead the man walked toward Russ and slapped him on the shoulder with the papers saying, "Consider yourself served." Russ said, "I consider that assault." He said, "Consider it what you will." Russ said, "Consider getting the f... off my property." The man walked over to his car, put his hands on the roof and turned glaring at Russ like he wanted him to start something. At this point he saw me and realized there was a witness. He looked disappointed, got in his car and left. I took down his license plate number.

The next day Russ went to the clerks office in Greenfield district court and filed a criminal complaint. Many people don't know that in the commonwealth the only people who can file charges are the police and sovereign citizens. On November 7, 2001 Russ had a show cause hearing in front of Assistant Clerk Magistrate Margaret Polmari. By then we had found out this man's name was Gordon Ainsworth. Basically his defense was that being a sheriff makes you above the law and gives you the right to assault people. Ms. Polmari tried very hard to reason with the man and explain to him that all Russ was asking for was an apology and it would be in his best interest to do that. Mr. Ainsworth was arogant. He made statements like "You don't know was it was like going there. I felt like I was going to Ruby Ridge lane and they live out in the middle of nowhere. They have a large loud dog and a sign on the door that says public officials shoud be shot." Russ and I both looked at him and in unison say, "We do not." At this point Ms. Polmari put a stop to his ranting. The sign we have on our door actually says if you are a public servant and are here to violate our constitutional rights you will be prosecuted. Now we know the man not only lied under oath but entered our house unlawfully because the sign was on an inside door.

Mr. Ainsworth then said "I suppose the next thing you are going to tell me is that people can file charges against the police for cuffing them?" She said, "Yes they can, if unnecessay force is used."

Ms. Polmari then said I can understand why they found it objectional when a total stranger came on there property, refused to identify himself and acted in a threatening way. Mr. Ainsworth said sarcastly, "Well I find it objectional that I am even here." At this point Ms. Polmari started to get annoyed with him and said ,Well you are here and you have an attitude proplem." She tried once more to convince him to apologize. His response, "I don't apologize to anybody." When Ms. Polmari tried for the last time Mr. Aldrige said he would have to ask his boss Sheriff Macdonald first. She stared at him in disbelief and said "You mean to tell me you need you boss'es permission to apologize to another man." He said ,"Yes."

At that point she said, "I am going to continue this for a week and told Russ she would notify him of her decision by letter." As we were leaving we overheard Mr. Ainsworth saying to Sheriff Macdonald "She wants me to apologize." Sheriff Macdonald responded by saying, "You not apologizing to anybody." Isn't that contempt of court and obstruction of justice plus entering into a conspiracy to violate someone's civil rights? Russ,of course, will no longer accept an apology and wants him prosecuted to the fullest.

Linda and Russ Hamilton
Heath, Ma.
(413)337-4306