Affidavit of Concepcion

AFFIDAVIT OF ILLEGAL ARREST
CRUEL AND INHUMAN TREATMENT
IN PLAINS, GEORGIA

District of Columbia ss: Before me, Lee S. Daub, A Notary Public in and for the District of Columbia, personally came Concepcion Picciotto, who being duly sworn according to law deposes and says that

I, Concepcion Picciotto, resident of Washington, D. C. with mailing address: F. O, Box 4931, Washington, D.C., 20008, depose and say that my alibi is that on the 1st day of September, 1979, on or about 10:30 P, M., I arrived in Americus, Georgia.

As I was walking alongside of the street (for there are no sidewalks) looking for a motel in which to spend that night, a police car stopped me and Said, "You are violating the law by walking on the street," They asked me where I was going, and for my I. D. They insisted in giving me a ride in their car; I refused politely by saying, "No, thank you." I crossed the street and I went to a liquor store at the intersection of Lawson Drive and McGarrat Street. I walked toward the parking lot where people were looking out of an open window, that is to serve drive-in customers. The police car was following me slowly. suddenly another police car cut in front of me blocking my way. He shoved his head out of the car window. A black policeman by the name of Whitehead, called to me. He ordered me around in an unpleasant arrogant way by saying "Hey, Hey, Hey:" I said "To whom are you talking? I am a human being, not an animal." Policeman Whitehead jumped out of the car, took my arm by the wrist and twisted it toward my back, pushing me to the other police car that had followed me. There they called upon the radio, and a third police car came, I tried to free myself by saying I had not violated any law and that they were violating my civil rights.

Among the people that were watching through the liquor store window, there was a young woman who said, "My God, I, never saw so many police cars for just one person." She spoke to me and said, "What happened?", for she and the others had seen the whole thing. Policeman Whitehead had released my hand by then, She asked me if I had a dollar for paying a taxi. She made a phone call for a taxicab and gave me two motel addresses nearby. The police became less aggressive when they saw the people's concern over their behavior toward me. I wrote down the license plate numbers of the three police cars:

60362
60379
60383

They were still insisting on giving me a ride although they knew I was waiting for a taxi.

When the taxi arrived, there was a man seated in the front, next to the driver, who identified himself as a plainclothes policeman. I refused to ride in the taxi, unless I was alone with the driver. I did not like what was going on, namely, the policemen's continuing harassment and assaulting of me. So I decided to walk.

Next to the liquor store there was a motel. However, I thought I could find another less expensive one. I had to watch my money. There were other people also watching what happened. Two tall police men approached me and asked why the police were investigating me. I explained everything. Also they asked me if I was going to Plains. They were polite. I had the feeling that they were Secret Service men assigned to the President.

Finally I checked myself into a motel called "Best Western Inn". I could not get a room anywhere else, for other hotel clerks had told me that all rooms had already been taken by the President's staff.

The next morning I called a taxi which drove me to Plains, which was the objective and purpose of my trip. I thought the President of the United States would notice my presence out there and help me in my struggle for justice, as well as human rights, for I had traveled so many miles and spent every bit of money I had, by taking my jewelry to the pawn shop.

I arrived in Plains on or about 11 A. M. right at the front of the First Baptist Church. There were a few people gathering to see the President, outside the press, television and a few policemen.

I approached the church marching along the street with my sign, which protested the violations of my human rights. One side of the sign said

Stop - Basta
Torturing Me
Lawless U. S. A.
Hitler's

On the other side you could read

"How dare you, Lawless U. S. A.
Deprive me of my human rights,
Hitler's"

I began by giving literature to read to the public, which consisted of an open letter to the President of the U, S. A., appealing for his support in my struggle for justice and human rights, that continuously are violated by the Government officials, and the Law Enforcement officers.

A few minutes later, the U. S. A. President arrived. I waved my sign and shouted, "Mr. President, Mr, President, Please help me! Sr. Presidente, ayudeme" (which means "help" in Spanish), He went into the church. While waiting, I walked around giving pamphlets and displaying my sign and picture of my head, showing the red of the burns from gas and radiation taken by the Madrid press in June of 1978.

When services were over, the President, accompanied by the First Lady came out of the church and began to shake hands with the people. By this time the police had made a barrier in front of me with their bodies, preventing me from getting closer and making more difficult for me to display my sign, which they tried to cover up from the President's view, I managed to get the First Lady's attention and get quite close to her and I showed her the picture of me saying at the same time, ''Look, Mrs. Carter, what they do to me." She took a quick look at the picture and with a toothy smile said "I am sorry." I felt so disappointed that I had the feeling of having the burden of the whole world on my shoulders, I walked away in the opposite direction, still looking for a way to gain the President's attention, as he was walking toward the little town. I tried to break my way through the crowd that was running after me. The police kept following me, One heavy and tall policeman in a brown uniform put his foot in between my feet, so that I almost lost control of my balance, although I managed not to fall. I lifted my sign above this man's head in order to keep it away from him. I said "Get out of my way, you big fat so".

In my struggle to yet my sign up, I was bumping into people and people were also bumping into me, including the police. All of these people were taller than I am. (I am quite short). So my sign (made from a light plastic window shade vinyl) was bumping their shoulders.

The police grabbed me. A tall heavy negro woman and a white policeman dragged me to the police car, pushing and punching and pinching me. The policewoman, Mrs. Bruce, was pinching me, leaving black bruises on my arms. They drove me to Sumter County Jail, over my protests, for I was not violating any law, On my arrival I asked right away for a lawyer. They pushed me all the way inside, took my pocketbook, took my wig off, which they refused to give me back, after having examined it for security. The charges against me were: Disorderly Conduct, They took pictures of me, pushing me into signing papers which I refused to do, until I could see a lawyer. Mrs. Bruce, the negro policewoman did not stop pushing and pinching me. She asked me to fingerprint papers, which I also refused.

She threw me into a filthy, unsanitary cell and locked me up.

After a while, Policewoman Bruce came, opened the door, and told me someone was there to see me.

There was a man whose face was familiar to me. He identified himself as one of President Carter's staff. His name was J. Warrington

He listened to my story and he asked my permission to photo- graph me with a small flash camera that he was carrying. After he took three pictures and my Social Security number and all the information he needed, he left. I was pushed back into that horrible cell.

A little while later, Policewoman Bruce came back again and told me, "Come on, Let's Go.". "Where", I said. She said "to a hospital". I refused to move from there, insisting on having a lawyer. She grabbed me and pushed me out of the cell and into the police car.

Policewoman Bruce drove me to a hospital, continuously punching, pinching and pushing me. She told everyone at the hospital waiting room that I was crazy. I addressed myself to the people and said "Don't you believe it, as you know there are corrupt police who will do or say anything in order to cover up their bloody crimes." people were aware of these facts,

A nurse called upon us, I was forced to enter the doctor's clinic. Again they gave me Papers to sign, which I refused, I spoke with a doctor by the name of Dr, Harper, who, after I had explained what happened, told Policewoman Bruce that this was not a hospital matter but that it was up to the law.

We left the hospital and Policewoman Bruce appeared to be Very upset and very angry with me, Policewoman Bruce drove me back to Sumter County jail and back to the cell,

When it started to get dark, Policewoman Bruce came and forced me to get out of the cell and again pushed me to the Police car.

I asked where she was taking me. "To a hospital in Columbus" I had no choice; I was in their hands.) This time a negro sat in the front of the car, holding a can of hair spray that another policeman gave him before he got into the car, along with my wig wrapped in a plastic bag. They choked me with gas in the back of the car. I tried to make signals to every car passing by, but this idea was useless, for I Was being driven in a police car.

We arrived at a new modern hospital. When I entered the Office, I talked to the Office Clerk and told her that I was there against my will and that Policewoman Bruce was lying. I asked her to let ne make a phone call. I called Washington, to the Embassy of Spain. I spoke to the Ambassador and told him what happened. He desperately wanted to talk to the doctor (this time Dr. Dally) who refused to talk to the Ambassador unless I talked to him (the doctor) first. The Ambassador left his name and number with the matron, so that the doctor would call him back.

Policewoman Bruce had left and handed some papers to the matron of the hospital. I learned that Dr. Harper had signed them. It was done in a sneaky way, for when I had left the previous hospital, Dr, Harper shook hands with me, and I thanked him, for I thought he had been honest. How policewoman Bruce got those papers signed to commit me at the Columbus Hospital, I do not know.

When Dr. Dally saw those papers and had spoken with me, he said "You know that you can sue that doctor?" I replied, "I did not come here to sue anybody; all I want is to get out of here, for I have been forced, it is not my will. It is unconstitutional for there is a law that no soul, even a child, can be committed unless he Is willing to. Therefore, it is a violation of my civil and human rights. The charges against me were Disorderly Conduct it had to be resolved in the court, who will decide and give a fine. This only reaffirms what I wrote in my pamphlets, that I passed out to the public, that their goal is to put me away for good.

Dr, Dally told me that I had to spend the night out there, for the next morning another doctor will come to talk to me. It was getting late, but I insisted in seeing a lawyer,

After Dr. Dally left, I still was on the public telephone trying to find someone who would help me, but besides being late, it was a long holiday weekend, which made it more difficult for me to find anybody at home. So I remained awake the rest of the night. By then, it was already 1:30 A. M.

I spent the rest of the night awake, for I did not trust anyone.

At seven A. M. they called upon me for breakfast. I did not eat, instead I went to the telephone trying to get help. I asked for the telephone number of that particular unit, but one Of the staff told me they didn't want anybody to know that I was there. Therefore they refused to give me the' number that I managed to get.

Shortly thereafter Dr, Daily introduced me to Dr. Corcega of Philippine origin, Dr. Dally told him that was a marriage problem and that I was arrested by the police on charges of Disorderly Conduct while protesting for my civil and human rights outside the Baptist Church in Plains, Georgia. Dr, Corcega said "If it is a marriage problem, what is she doing in here?" The staff nurses interrupted by calling Dr, Corcega and giving him a file, They ali went into a room, (Dr. Dally had left,) After a while, they called me in. After f had explained the whole story, Dr. Corcega said, "We are going to give you a psychiatric test." I was completely shocked. I protested, I told them it was against my will, that I was forced to be there, and that was unconstitutional for it was a violation of my rights, that I wanted to see a lawyer. They dismissed me from the room. A nurse was waiting outside with my belongings. They told me I was going to be transferred to another unit. They drove me in a car inside of the hospital grounds, and they left me in a horrible unit, where patients were wild. I refused to accept any medication or treatment. I didn't even eat their food. I managed to get some crackers from a machine. I started to use the telephone, calling for lawyers, press, the Embassy of Spain in Washington, who referred me to the Spanish consul in Miami, for they figured it was closer to Georgia than Washington. I asked to stop the psychiatric tests -- even if I had to be repatriated from the U. S. A. But under no circumstances was I going to be a "Guinea Pig in the lab".

Monday, Labor Day, I spent ali day in that horrible unit, making telephone calls - trying desperately to get a lawyer. Naturally, on one was home on the long holiday. But God did not abandon me, for I prayed very hard in order t- be heard. I did get in touch with some lawyers through the answering service and private telephone numbers, who promised to come with an affidavit for me to sign, after they had heard my story.

On the day of September 4, 1979, Tuesday morning, I called upon

Personal Advocacy Unit,
Mental Division,
47 Trinity Avenue,
Atlanta, Georgia 30334
Telephone No. 404 656-4357.

I said that I would like to talk to a lawyer for I was committed in the hospital against my will and that Dr. Corcega wanted to go ahead with psychiatric tests, which ere a violation of my civil and human rights. They transferred my call to a Spanish-speaking woman, who said her name was "Marta" Again I explained what happened. She said "what you need. is a lawyer right away. Also she said, ''I will talk this over with members of the organization on Human Rights; I will send someone to talk to you immediately."

A nurse cut me off the telephone by saying that a doctor wanted to talk to me in his office. I said "Not before I talk to my lawyer, who will be here any moment, The nurse came back with the Spanish-speaking doctor who said to me "I want to make a physical examination of you", I replied, "No thank you, I do not need one and besides I am waiting for my lawyer." "The lawyer", he said "isn't going to get you out of here; it is up to the doctor;" In legal cases, probably, but I am here by force. The doctor in question was identified as Dr. Ivan Cabaiiero.

A lady called upon me. She was from the "Personal Advocacy Unit. Her name was Mrs. Opeal Godwin, a very pleasant lady. She appeared to be very concerned with the case. She was writing notes of the event. We were interrupted by a nurse who announced the arrival of the lawyer, Mr. H. Norwood Pearce. We had a talk, then Attorney Pearce went inside to talk with the doctor and head staff nurses. In a very short time Mr. Pearce and the Director of the unit, a negro female named Mrs. Scott, announced that I was discharged from the hospital and that by I 1 P.M. I could take the bus that goes to Atlanta. Attorney Pierce left. I was waiting for the papers as they said. They returned my valuables that were kept for Security purposes,

While I was waiting, Dr, Caballero came with a nurse end insisted on taking me to his office for a physical examination. Again, politely I refused. They appeared to be upset about my discharge. Then the director, Mrs. Scott, also came to see me, very excited, saying that I must go to jail, that Policewoman Bruce wanted me back in Sumter County Jail, Plains, Georgia, on charges of Disorderly Conduct, It was outrageous. It was obvious that they wanted to keep me there. I went back to the telephone to call the lawyer, the Embassy of Spain in Washington, and told them what was going on out there. I told them that once Policewoman Bruce once decided to commit me to the hospital, she had no right to claim me back at jail.

I waited a while. Then the lawyer, Mr. Pearce, called me on the telephone and said "The charges of Sumter County Jail are dropped; you are free to go.''

So finally, Mrs, Scott, the Unit Director, accompanied me to show the way out, after she had called a taxi for me that would drive me to the bus station.

The taxi drove me to the Greyhound Bus Station; the bus was scheduled to depart at 6 P. M. from Columbus to Atlanta that evening I boarded the bus and seated myself in the front close to the door. There was a negro young girl I asked "How long does the bus take to get to Atlanta" The bus driver rushed in to ask the girl what I had said. He ordered me to move away from the front seat to the rear of the bus, for he did not wish to see me, for I had a kind of disease. I refused, but he threatened me, saying I would have to get out of the bus, I could not take his name, but the bus No. 3445, on Sept. 4, 1979, at 6 r. M,, from Columbus to Atlanta, Ga.

This makes me a helpless victim social injustice,

AND FURTHER AFFIANT SAITH NOT.

(signed) Concepcion Picciotto

Sworn to before me and subscribed in my presence this 14th day of September 1979.

(signed) Les S Daub
Notary Public
My commission expires Sept. 14, 1980

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