My Affadavit For The Don Adams Civil Case

Self/Judicial Watch | 12/14/2001 | Self

[Physicist]

DECLARATION OF KEVIN L. STERNER, Ph.D.

 

I, Kevin L. Sterner, hereby declare as follows:

1. I am employed as a physicist and staff scientist of the Department of Physics and Astronomy at the University of Pennsylvania.
2. On October 2, 1998, I left my office at the university at approximately 4:00 PM and traveled to Dilworth Plaza in downtown Philadelphia, arriving at approximately 4:20 PM. I traveled alone downtown with the intention of peacefully protesting against former President William J. Clinton, who was visiting Philadelphia for a political fundraising event.
3. In order to protest peacefully against then-President Clinton, I constructed a sign, made of posterboard with a wooden handle attached to the posterboard with staples. The sign read: "Coward," printed in 450 point Helvetica bold lettering. I carried the sign in an opaque, plastic bag.
4. As I approached Dilworth Plaza, I noticed a large crowd of a few hundred people, that appeared to be composed of Teamsters and Carpenters' Union members. A large number of the crowd wore t-shirts supporting then-President Clinton that also identified their respective union associations. The Teamsters and Carpenters' Union people were gathered to protest in support of then-President Clinton.
5. Philadelphia Police officers began directing people in the Dilworth Plaza area to stand behind metal barricades that had been erected at the corner of 15^th Street and JFK Boulevard. At police direction, I found myself herded behind the barricade with the Teamsters and Carpenters' Union.
6. I decided that, despite being outnumbered by Clinton supporters, I would display my sign and peacefully express my dissatisfaction with President Clinton. I chose a place in the direction that the local television news cameras were pointed to remove my sign from my bag. The Teamsters and Carpenters near me began screaming and cursing at me immediately. An unidentified person behind me grabbed my sign and began pulling the sign, and me, backwards into the crowd. The sign's handle broke. I held onto my sign for a short while, until it was violently ripped from my possession and my shoulder was wrenched. I stumbled ant tried to regain my balbance while the crowd of Teamsters and Carpenters continued to shove, jostle, threaten and curse me.
7. Through the continuing Teamster and Carpenter verbal and physical assaults, I made my way out of the crowd to safety, crossing 15th Street to the west side of Dilworth Plaza. My shoulder was in pain from having my sign ripped away. I also suffered cuts and bruises from the shoving Teamster and Carpenter crowd. The threats and profanity of the Teamsters and Carpenters, as well as their fast, violent, personal attacks on me and my sign bothered me deeply. No Philadelphia police came to my assistance or offered me first aid.
8. Although I sought safety away from the Teamsters and Carpenters, I remained in the downtown area, near City Hall. At approximately 5:00 PM, I moved to the north side of City Hall and came upon other "Anti-Clinton" protesters, among them Don and Teri Adams. This was my first occasion meeting Don and Teri Adams, as well as the other protesters. I spoke with various "Anti-Clinton" protesters from approximately 5:00 PM to 5:30 PM. We walked to the Windsor Hotel to protest and back to the vicinity of City Hall to continue protesting. I was back in the vicinity of City Hall at approximately 6:30 PM.
9. I noticed a Teamster tractor trailer, parked on JFK Boulevard by Love Park, that appeared to be a Teamster base of operations for the protesters. Teamster personnel appeared to be manning the trailer and there was much coming and going by persons wearing clothing with the word "Teamster," or the Teamster logo. I also noticed a tour bus with the Teamster logo parked near City Hall.
10. Between approximately 6:30 PM and 7:00 PM, I noticed a group of Teamster protesters begin shouting and jeering several Anti-Clinton protesters I had met earlier in the evening. I recognized Don Adams whom I remembered from our extensive conversation earlier in the evening. As I walked towards the Anti-Clinton protesters, it appeared that an altercation broke out. I could not make out any details of the altercation, however I saw Don Adams a few moments later, and he was clearly bloody and beaten.

Date: 12/14/2001       Kevin L. Sterner, Ph.D.

COMMONWEALTH OF PENNSYLVANIA
COUNTY OF PHILADELPHIA

Subscribed and sworn to before me this 14th day of December, 2001.

SEAL

Mary Ann Dinkins
Notary Public

[Physicist]

The civil phase of the Don Adams case is about to begin. I include it here primarily for permanent public archival purposes, although it is of interest to FreeRepublic for several reasons. First and foremost, people on FreeRepublic have taken an active interest in the Don Adams case since the night it happened. Second, the events at Philadelphia's City Hall on the afternoon and evening of October 2, 1998 led directly to the October 31, 1998 FreeRepublic March for Justice, which (combined with the commencement of weekly protests at the White house by the Washington, DC chapter) marked the beginning of mass activism by FreeRepublic, and exerted an influence on the impeachment process. And finally, among the mere three dozen anti-Clinton protesters who faced down the Teamsters that day were five then-members of FreeRepublic (of whom I was the only one attacked, thankfully). Teri Adams, who was beaten in defense of her brother Don, subsequently became a member of FreeRepublic.

I have been supboenaed by the attorneys representing Teamsters Local 115. I will be deposed on Thursday. I will post my subpoena shortly.

[Physicist]

FYI

[First_Salute]

Bump.

[First_Salute]

Bump.

[Osinski]

Bumping for posterity.

[JulieRNR21]

Thank you for posting...please give my best FRegards to Teri & Don. I pray that justice will prevail.

Please tell them that FReepers are with them in spirit. And please keep us informed of the outcome of this case.

[Physicist]

Wouldn't have gotten here without you, my friend!

[f.Christian]

America's brown shirts--taliban---shame!

[Fred Mertz]

Thanks for the update Kevin.

Does Teri Adams still FReep here?

[Senator Pardek]

Here's some "history" for newbies - Don Adams Case Update:Three Morris Teamsters Heldover For Trial In Assault Of Clinton Protestors!!!!

[timestax]

bttt

[Swede Girl]

Thanks for posting this. Your affadavit was interesting to read. Please keep us posted on the case!

[Physicist]

Please read the subpoena I received from Teamsters Local 115 for later this week.

[Physicist]

Does Teri Adams still FReep here?

Only occasionally, if ever. I'm hoping that will change after the civil case is over.

[Physicist]

Not-just-a-geek bump!

[Gordian Blade]

Thanks for the bump. I had no idea you were there, but I distinctly remember the incident, both from radio news and from my reading about it on FR.

[Physicist]

A good source of background for the Don Adams case is my series of notes taken at the pretrial hearing of Teamsters Kevin McNulty and Marc Nardone, on February 10, 1999.

Part 1

Part 2

Part 3

Part 4

[longshadow]

Not-just-a-geek bump!

Best wishes for the depo. Give 'em Hell!

[Scully]

Thanks for posting this, all my best hopes for the outcome.

[WillaJohns]

Make sure they pay you your witness fees. Have fun, tell the truth and nothing more.