Continuing the transcript of the trial, September 29, 1997, in the Bethel Town Justice Court, of the six defendants who were falsely arrested for trespassing at the historic Woodstock site in July, 1997
Presiding is Judge Albert Fimognari
Lawyer for the defendants (Abigail Storm, Daniel Eggink, Cynthis Jewel Eggink, Joe Anderson, Jay and Joy Debberman) is Richard Newberg.
Lawyer representing the plaintiffs (Alan Gerry and Gelish Realty) is Joey Drillings, Assistant District Attorney,Sullivan County.
Newberg- Jay Debberman.
Judge- Raise your right hand....do you swear the testimony you are about to give is the truth the whole truth and nothing but the truth so help you God?
Jay- Yes.
Judge- State your full name.
Jay- My name is Jay Debberman.
Judge- Jay Debberman. Take a seat. I have your records.
Newberg- State your address for the record.
Jay- 270 Rock Hill Road, Highfalls.
Newberg- Jay, you were arrested were you not?
Jay- Yes.
Newberg- Charged with tresspass for being on the Woodstock site?
Jay- Yep.
Newberg- And do you recall what day that was?
Jay- It was on a Tuesday morning, at about ten o'clock.
Newberg- And how long had you been on the site?
Jay- I been going there since I was a little kid. My father's been taking our whole family there.
Newberg- And that particular time, which was a Tuesday in , let me just get the date here... Okay, was it on or about August 5th, 1997 .
Jay- August 5th, 1997... yeah, I think so.
Newberg- How long had you been on that site continuously prior to your arrest?
Jay- I was... I spent the night on the land. And I was there before sundown. Nobody came by and harrassed me.
Newberg- So, you were there... you came there on August 4th?
Jay- Yeah.
Newberg- Did anybody stop you from going on the site?
Jay- No, there was no one there at all, no signs no nothing.
Newberg- Were there any people like watching or anything?
Jay- There was a few other kids who were there.
Newberg- Did you see any policemen, or any other security people up off the site somewhere?
Jay- Just once in the middle of the night, a police car drove by with lights on and just drove around the property. Never came on the property, never stopped.
Newberg- Allright, did anybody tell you that you couldn't go on the property?
Jay- No .
Newberg- Did anybody serve you with any notices at any time prior to your arrest?
Jay- Not till the next morning.
Newberg- What happened the next morning?
Jay- They asked us to take down our tents and leave the property.
Newberg- Who's they?
Jay- Alan Gerry's security people or Granite Associates.
Newberg- Was it Mr. Ruth with them?
Jay- The first guy who was on the stand?
Newberg- Yes, and they came and told you to take down your tent?
Jay- It was around about ten o'clock I guess. I didn't have a watch with me, but this thing only lasted for about fifteen minutes before we were arrested.
Newberg- So, in other words, they came at ten o'clock, and told you to take the tent down and what time... how much later were you arrested?
Jay- About fifteen minutes later.
Newberg- Who arrested you, state police?
Jay- Yeah.
Newberg- I have no further questions, your honor.
Drillings- You saw Mr. Ruth for the first time at ten o'clock that morning?
Jay- I'm guessing it was about ten o'clock, that's what the cop said on the paper when we were in the trooper car that...
Drillings- Did he hand you... I didn't mean to interrupt. Were you done?...Did he hand you that copy of that letter that... have you seen that copy around here?
Jay- We told him we didn't recognize him as the legal land owner, we recognized Mrs. Necketopolous.
Drillings- Okay, so he'd asked you to leave, take down your tents, and you refused to and then you were arrested?
Jay- We asked him by what authority .
Drillings- And fifteen minutes later you were arrested?
Jay- Yeah.
Drillings- How old are you?
Jay- Twenty-two.
Drillings- Judge, I have no further questions.
Newberg- I have nothing further.
Judge- You may step down. Thank you very much. Any other witnesses, Mr.Newburgh?
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