Geoff is a highly respected High School Math teacher and beloved baseball coach married to Jamie, a homeschooling, urban farming, entrepreneur promoting local economies and FOOD JUSTICE who owns her own business called "Great Full Farm."
Jamie has been attending town meetings advocating for real food access, representing Pachamama Alliance Democratizing Democracy Working Group, Main Street Bridgeton, and "Decarcerate the Garden State." After an unnecessary fatal shooting by town police, Jamie began giving voice to minorities afraid of police brutality, and just last week the Mayor said to her personally, "I do not want this to become the next Ferguson."
Within the week her house had been raided while they were not home without cause or warrant. Many of the charges brought against both were not only bogus, they were trumped up and to make matters worse extra charges were claimed to have been brought against them and posted on the police web site which paparazzi, like Spencer Kent of NJ.com, immediately exaggerated even further.
Clarification to set the record straight:
Neither Jamie nor Geoff spent time in jail; no bail was set or required; the children were not in danger, nor were they taken. There were three 6 inch marijuana plants found among the thousands of seedlings in the greenhouse, and half a gram of marijuana found also. Enough Said.
GOOD CITIZENS ARE WORTH DEFENDING
March 16. 2015
Dear Mr. Mayor, Town Council, Cumberland County & NJ Superior Court Judges,
Citizens for Fear Reduction ~ Bridgeton request the following actions be taken immediately:
#1. All charges be dropped and against Jamie Warner and Geoff Portale and all legal fees be covered by the police department without law suit or any further action.
#2. Public apology be made by the police chief addressing false allogations listed on police web site, for how these events transpired in order to restore the reputation of our exemplary citizens and in order to assure the public that those who advocate for minority rights will not experience character assassination or any other form of bullying.
#3. Hire outside consultants in conflict transformation and restorative justice to facilitate a shift in the power structure of the town, so that citizens participate fully in hiring trusted people to serve and protect their neighborhoods as we all work together toward community resilience.
Signed,
Citizens for Fear Reduction ~ Bridgeton
