A Letter From Dan

A Letter From Dan

Above is a letter from Dan and copies of the ORDER SETTING BAIL and the REQUEST FOR APPOINTMENT OF SPECIAL JUDGE BY THE INDIANA SUPREME COURT in which Judge Sally Blankenship disqualified herself from presiding over Dan's case. (after she imposed a $500,000 surety and $100,000 cash bond)

Order Setting Bail

Order Setting Bail for Dan Brewington

By Matt Brewington

Above is the order from Dearborn County Superior Court II setting bail for Dan Brewington. I cannot believe that a court of law could provide the public with such an illogical rationalization for setting a half million dollar bond for an honest, law abiding citizen.

The order states that Dan “has a history of not following court orders”. This is from a court that has NEVER held Dan in contempt for not complying with ANY court order.

Another reason for the maliciously high bond is testimony from psychologist Dr. Edward Connor during Dan’s divorce proceedings. Dr. Connor suggested that Dan’s writings were similar to those who have committed crimes against their families. This statement is not from the custodial evaluation but from the trial after Dan had requested Dr. Connor’s case file and pointed out that Dr. Connor was not licensed to practice psychology in the state of Indiana. (He obtained his license before the trial.) The order also references parts of the custodial evaluation which stated that Dan has a “degree of psychological disturbance that is concerning and does not lend itself to proper parenting”, that Dan had in the past shoved his wife and blocked her car from leaving, and had posted on Facebook that “this is like playing with gas and fire, and anyone who has seen me with gas and fire knows that I am quite the accomplished pyromaniac”. First, we do not know the details of Dr. Connor’s concerns because Dan was denied his legal and contractual rights to the evaluation case file. Second, the “shoving” incident and blocking the car was in 2006 and there were no complaints or police reports. And third, the Facebook post was a metaphor for legal volatility and a reference to building bon fires at our family hog roasts. There was never a threat to any individual and Dan has never been involved in any fire.

The court also arbitrarily suggests that Dan “is unlikely to follow the conditions of bond as to the no contact orders” even though he has NEVER attempted to contact Judge Humphrey or physically threatened ANYONE.

The most concerning reason for the outrageous bond is the holier-than-thou attitude explained by the statement that Dan has “a general disdain for the authority of the Court and the legal system” First of all, Dan has the utmost respect for the judicial system despite the attempt of Dearborn County officials to reduce it to cynicism and malice. We believe that the vast majority of lawyers and judges hold the law in the highest regard and are shamefully embarrassed by the ignorance of the simple minority who would rather use the law for personal vindication of their own defensive behavior than to protect the rights of all citizens. Secondly, as long as someone is in compliance, it is perfectly within their rights to show disdain for the law. Disdain is a feeling, an emotion, something that is not and should not be controlled by law. But that is Dearborn County justice. It’s a do as I say system, a system in which judges and prosecutors believe they ARE the law rather than administrators and defenders of justice.

My brother Dan has no criminal record. He has no history of violence or drug abuse. Judge James Humphrey sat on the bench for a three day divorce trial yet waited two and a half months before deciding that Dan MAY be dangerous to his two little girls even though he had equal parenting time for the entire two and a half year divorce with no incidents. He hasn’t seen his girls in a year and a half and has never done a single thing that could be considered “a threat to community and/or individual safety”. He sits in the Dearborn County jail on a half million dollar surety bond, plus a $100,000 cash bond because they can’t stand the critical words he writes in the public forum that is the internet. They can’t stand that he does not fear Dearborn County justice. And they are really not going to be able to stand it when a federal court learns of the vindictive and downright evil behavior of the Dearborn County courts.

1st Amendment Rights

By Matt Brewington

$500,000. Half of a million dollars. Dearborn County Judge Sally Blankenship set Dan Brewington’s bond at half of a million dollars.

Words cannot express the pain that the Dearborn County Judicial system has brought upon my family, friends, and supporters of my brother Dan. It is NOT the pain of wondering whether Dan is being treated with dignity and respect in the Dearborn County Jail or if he is feeling isolated and alone because they wouldn’t even allow his Ohio attorney to speak with him. That doesn’t sadden us. We know Dan is strong enough to handle any situation with a smile. No, what hurts the most is how prostitutes of injustice such as Judge Sally Blankenship, Judge James D. Humphrey and Prosecutor Aaron Negangard attempt to pull even the most upstanding citizens into the cynical, cesspool of arrogance and vindictiveness they call law. Their collective attempt to undermine our most basic of rights is an embarrassment to the vast majority of men and women all over this country who uphold the rule of law absent their personal opinions or beliefs regardless of how much it may pain them to do so.

How is it that the aforementioned, who, I assume, all have law degrees, need an elementary school class in civics? I don’t know. But here it is on the most basic level: there are three EQUAL branches of government, the legislative, executive and judicial. Our society has a long tradition of criticizing the legislative and executive branches. We drag our politicians through the mud but somehow fail to provide the judicial branch with the critiques and criticisms that are essential for the advancement of our more perfect union. So it is no wonder that, when void of these criticisms, a legal system such as the one in Dearborn County Indiana can still operate as if it were the Jim Crow south of the early 20^th century.

Dan arrived at the Dearborn County Jail at 6:00am on Friday, March 11, 2011 to turn himself into authorities. He was processed and then at approximately 11:00am he went before Judge Sally Blankenship. Dan was informed of the charges against him including the charge of leaking Grand Jury information. Chief Deputy Prosecutor Joeseph Kisor told Judge Blankenship that Dan wrote online that he was going to release Grand Jury information but Mr. Kisor didn’t bother to mention that the link below his statement took readers to dialogue of the movie ”A Few Good Men.” Now I am not an attorney but I think that the charge of leaking grand jury information would require evidence of actual leaked grand jury information, not just a statement (obviously made in jest) of the intent to do so. Another comical interlude to an otherwise fascist 3 tent circus was the conditions of Dan’s potential bond. According to Judge Blankenship Dan was not to go to Judge Humphrey’s house, call, mail, or email him or his family, none of which Dan has EVER done. Also, Dan was not to write about anything to do with the case, and most disturbingly was not to have any “agent” write for him. Well, I have a message for Judge Blankenship: I am my own man and an “agent” of myself. My brother doesn’t tell me what to say or write and neither do you. Do you even understand your pathetic attempt to place a general gag order on all of Dan’s friends, family and supporters who are members of a community of nearly 2 billion internet users worldwide?

The Dearborn County Court system’s ignorance of our fundamental right to Freedom of Speech is beyond belief. I am embarrassed for the citizens of Dearborn County and the State of Indiana, and for all of us as citizens of The United States of America. Embarrassed that in the 21^st Century a backwoods judicial system can still exist only a few minutes outside of a major metropolitan city.

My brother never even came close to the line of intimidating or threatening a judge or anyone else. He didn’t leak grand jury information or obstruct justice or perjure himself. He DID criticize judges and may have said things that weren’t very nice. (Boo hoo, sniff, sniff) Judge Humphrey wasn’t very nice to my two little nieces when he abruptly removed their loving father and family from them. Again, two and a half months after the final divorce proceedings Judge Humphrey arbitrarily decided that my brother MIGHT be a danger to his children with absolutely no evidence or testimony of any such danger or abuse. Those who know the story know the pain Dan deals with not having seen his children for over a year and a half. And a similar pain has been inflicted on a grandmother, uncle, great aunts and uncles and cousins of all ages who haven’t seen their two little girls either. We are family. And with many friends we run hundreds deep. I can almost smell the fresh cut lumber, poster board and markers that make up the protest signs. Hang tight Dan, federal help and First amendment attorneys are on the way. Media is on the way. Justice is on the way. We will prevail.

Dan's Charges in Dearborn County

Check out the charges that Dearborn County Prosecutor Aaron Negangard has brought against me. It's rather perplexing considering that I have never "communicated a threat" of committing an illegal action against anyone. Prosecutor Negangard has absolutely no evidence of such behavior. The best part is how Negangard is charging me with threatening Dr. Edward J. Connor on or about August 1, 2007. Dr. Connor released his custody evaluation report on August 29, 2007 and there is no mention of any behavior that suggests that I present a danger to anyone. In fact, Dr. Connor recommended that I be able to continue to care for my daughters three days a week. Nice try Prosecutor Negangard. BTW, everyone understands that your make-believe case against me is a crock.

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I saw that a good friend of mine, Beth (Osterday) Strange, is running a Facebook promotion for her Dental Practice so I volunteered to lend a hand. We both grew up in Norwood, Ohio, a community where friendships stand the tests of time and distance. I’ve known Beth’s husband since elementary school. Both are loyal friends, caring individuals and good parents. I volunteered to help promote Beth’s practice because she brings that same kindness and loyalty to the dental profession.

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"Confidential" Grand Jury Transcripts

As you can see, it got pretty heated between Dearborn County Prosecutor Aaron Negangard and me when I was before the grand jury. I have to say that he made me crack in the Dearborn County Courthouse. This confidential dialogue came from a microphone that was hidden under a disposable Dixie Cup.

Prosecutor Negangard: Daniel Brewington, did you order the Code Red?

Dan Brewington: You want answers?

Prosecutor Negangard: I think I'm entitled.

Dan Brewington: You want answers?

Prosecutor Negangard: I want the truth!

Dan Brewington: You can't handle the truth!

Dan Brewington: Aaron, we are bound by a legal system that has walls, and those walls have to be guarded by men with intelligence and honesty. Who's gonna do it? You? Your crooked court officials? I have a greater responsibility than you could possibly fathom. You weep for Dr. Edward J. Connor, and you curse people who challenge the system. You have that luxury. You have the luxury of not knowing what I know. That Dr. Connor’s professional demise, while tragic, has protected a lot of families. And my existence, while grotesque and incomprehensible to you, helps society. You don't want the truth because deep down in places you don't talk about at parties, you don’t want my integrity to go near your legal system. We use words like honor, code, law. We use these words as the backbone of a life spent defending something. You use them as a punch line. I have neither the time nor the inclination to explain myself to a man who rises and sleeps under the blanket of the very freedom that I provide, and then questions the manner in which I provide it. I would rather you just said thank you, and went on your way, Otherwise, I suggest you pick up a sign, and march against corruption in the Indiana Courts. Either way, I don't give a damn what you think you are entitled to.

Prosecutor Negangard: Did you order the Code Red?

Dan Brewington: I did the job I...

Prosecutor Negangard: Did you order the Code Red?

Dan Brewington: You're Goddamn right I did!

As many of you have figured out, this is an altered version of the courtroom dialogue from the movie “A Few Good Men”, starring Jack Nicholson, Tom Cruise, and Demi Moore. I want to apologize to most of the people who came to this blog with the expectation that they were going to find the actual dialogue from yesterday’s proceedings. I am prohibited from talking about what went on inside the grand jury hearing. I am simply trying to teach Dearborn County Prosecutor Aaron Negangard a couple of lessons. The first lesson is freedom of speech. Sometimes I like to move away from the monotony of all of my legal research and take a little time to entertain. That’s another component to freedom of speech; the ability to entertain. The second lesson is that I take life very seriously but at the same time I enjoy living life. Prosecutor Negangard is coming after me with vengeance; I’m going after (legally speaking of course) corrupted public officials because it’s the right thing to do. There is also an amusing sidebar to the situation. People appreciate how I am able to take on a corrupt Dearborn County Justice System with a smile on my face and a spring in my step. It’s not because I am crazy or dangerous as Dr. Connor would like people to believe; it’s because I am a person who takes life in stride and I am not going to let a group of criminals bring me down.

So there you have it Aaron. The jokes on you and people find it very entertaining so it falls under First Amendment Speech. Of course I probably didn’t have to tell you that. After all, you are a powerful lawyer and I only have an associate’s degree from the University of Cincinnati.