kid that saved a bus load of people is now in jail for stealing bus

http://stevegilliard.blogspot.com/2005/09/jailed-for-saving-lives.html


In Massachusetts We'd Call This Yankee Ingenuity

A friend on a lawyer listserve sent me this story. This kid is definitely getting a pro bono lawyer. He found an abandoned bus in New Orleans, packed it with survivors, and drove it to the Astrodome. The reaction of the officials? They're going to charge him with theft. Unbelievable.

This kid is a hero. They should give him a medal. He evacuated 100 people faster than FEMA.

The link is to the video from the television story, followed by the transcript.


Taking refuge in the AstrodomeThursday, September 01, 2005 Updated: 07:55 PM

HOUSTON -- NEWSCHANNEL 5 crews were in Houston as some desperate refugees arrive in a stolen bus.

HOUSTON -- Thousands of refugees of Hurricane Katrina were transported to the Astrodome in Houston this week. In an extreme act of looting, one group actually stole a bus to escape ravaged areas in Louisiana.

About 100 people packed into the stolen bus. They were the first to enter the Houston Astrodome, but they weren't exactly welcomed.

The big yellow school bus wasn't expected or approved to pass through the stadium's gates. Randy Nathan, who was on the bus, said they were desperate to get out of town.

"If it werent for him right there," he said, "we'd still be in New Orleans underwater. He got the bus for us."

Eighteen-year-old Jabbor Gibson jumped aboard the bus as it sat abandoned on a street in New Orleans and took control.

"I just took the bus and drove all the way here...seven hours straight,' Gibson admitted. "I hadn't ever drove a bus."

The teen packed it full of complete strangers and drove to Houston. He beat thousands of evacuees slated to arrive there.

"It's better than being in New Orleans," said fellow passenger Albert McClaud, "we want to be somewhere where we're safe."

During a long and impatient delay, children popped their heads out of bus windows and mothers clutched their babies.

One 8-day-old infant spent the first days of his life surrounded by chaos. He's one of the many who are homeless and hungry.

Authorities eventually allowed the renegade passengers inside the dome.

But the 18-year-old who ensured their safety could find himself in a world of trouble for stealing the school bus.

"I dont care if I get blamed for it ," Gibson said, "as long as I saved my people."

Sixty legally chartered buses were expected to arrive in Houston throughout the night. Thousands of people will be calling the Astrodome "home," at least for now.
-snip-
--------------------------

:puke:

like a bit more evidence that Jabbar has been charged, or is in custody. This kid needs a lawyer and also a P.R. agent, and maybe even a bodyguard. Truly. Or at least some friends around him. The rightwingnuts will try to destroy him. And even if they weren't at full froth, it's not easy being in the splotlight like this. The blunder of charging him with anything--if that's what has happened, or is pending--will surely backfire. But he could be looking at a media firestorm, and probably needs help. I have to laugh, thinking that this kid needs help--was anybody ever more of a sefl-starting rugged individualist? Still...he's in new waters now, and they'll trash him if they can.

I nominate Jabbar Gibson for head of FEMA.

Fire Michael Brown. He is not only a failed horse lawyer, but he is the horse's ass.

Think on who the real criminals are in this manner.

Here is an excellent article on the same subject-

http://www.chron.com/cs/CDA/ssistory.mpl/editorial/3335822

Gawd, people can be such assholes. This guy saved a busload of people, and this is the thanks he gets. Sheesh.

n/t

I hate to say it, though, but he is probably better off in jail than in Amstrodome. At least he will have his own bed, and they will feed him 3 times a day.

And the federal government's complete inability to do anything other than punish those who manage to accomplish something they refused to do, themselves. He saved the lives of 100 people. Strangers, no less. And he drove them seven hours to the Astrodome. He didn't sell the bus or ditch it anywhere. He took people to safety. He took them where he believed they would be fed and housed in clean conditions. He's a hero. The federal government is a zero.

Oh, please, PLEASE, let them take this to court!!!!!!!! I think people like Anderson Cooper and Keith Olbermann would be happy to highlight the idiocy of that decision. And what led to the 'crime' in the first place.

------------------------------------------------------
Save New Orleans, then save the nation!
http://timeforachange.bluelemur.com/electionreform.htm

I was on the radio last night, refuting a wingnut caller's version of the story.

he said that somebody HIGHJACKED a bus, then destroyed it

I called in and said that he had clearly been listening to Rush Limbaugh (broadcast on that station....WLS/CHicago), and that this was one of several lies the guy had told, and that it was exactly what Rove, etal were putting out there in a desperate attempt to do ANYthing to deflect the reality of their criminal negligence

:grr:

given a medal. White people "find" buses but black people "steal" them. Friggin' unreal. Just when you think you can't be any more outraged, something new comes along.

eom

The linked story reads that he said "I don't care if I get blamed for it."

I don't see anything about an actual arrest.

Even if he was arrested (I heard he wasn't going to be charged), I would be curious if there is any evidence he is in jail.

They are angry that he saved more black people.

A bus is more important than hundreds of human lives: their bible tells them so.

If anyone has info on how to help this kid, please post.

They can do what they want to him, but his life is changed. He saw a need, and took action, and people live because of him.

:applause:

those idiots are chomping at the bit do lock up or shoot any black americans who step out of line one little bit

Somebody has to help this kid. This is wrong!

Harry Connick, Jr. said with great admiration on Larry King's show that Charmaine Neville did something very similar. They should give them medals for saving lives. I sure hope that charges are dismissed in the case of this heroic young man.

rescues 100 people, while they ate cake and shopped, and naturally, they call him a criminal. That is Bush's America.

We need to go over their heads. Can the people not institute an organization that awards medals of Honor and medals of Shame for those involved in this tragedy?

This kid needs to be replace the Fema moron as head of Fema, or head of Homeland security.

I would like to see a huge ceremony, organized jointly by Jesse Jackson, Cindy Sheehan et al, where a Medal of Bravery is awarded to this kid, and pink slips and indictments handed out those who sat by and let the People die of thirst.

Extradite him to New Orleans?

would his potential case have in either New Orleans or in Houston?

In New Orleans, the highest priority has to be cases of serious felonies about to reach the 45-day limit on bond obligations after arrests. Hundreds of accused hardened criminals may be about to go free, and any administrator who would go after Jamal now needs immediate psychiatric help:

From http://www.nola.com/newslogs/tporleans/index.ssf?/mtlogs/nola_tporleans/archives/2005_09.html :

'New Orleans criminal justice officials cringed Wednesday at another disaster evolving in the wake of Hurricane Katrina: the possible long-term collapse of the city�s criminal justice system. With the flooding of the police department�s evidence and property room in the basement of police headquarters, evidence and records in hundreds of criminal cases appeared to be irretrievably lost, police spokesman Marlon Defillo said. Evidence in the most serious, pending cases, from murder to rape to robbery, was housed in the basement, Defillo said. �We lost thousands of documents and untold evidence,� Defillo said. �We lost everything.�

The floodwaters in the basement of criminal court at Tulane Avenue and Broad Street also inundated old evidence in thousands of old cases under appeal. The lost evidence could reopen cases that otherwise had little chance of getting back into trial court. �We�re in serious trouble,� Defillo said....

By law, suspects must be tried within 30 days of a misdemeanor arrest and within 45 days of a felony arrest or they are automatically released from any bond obligation.'

Who can we call and email to ask to represent him pro bono?

Starting a fund for him sounds like a good idea! I'll also donate.

That kid is an American HERO!

or whomever stole a bus and drove out a bunch of people...and she's not in jail!!!!

Yes, it was Harry Connick, Jr telling the story on LK....

One of the Neville Brothers daughters.

people have to know so they get enraged and involved.

We didn't find out Jabbar was arrested until right now.

Maybe the Neville cousin stopped before reaching the Astrodome so that they had no *proof* she took that bus.

Steve's captions are usually tongue-in-cheek.

Google news shows no such information about Gibson in jail.

and I'm not finding any articles citing an arrest. Most likely a rumor.

..then I don't know why they're making a case of this. If he stole a bus that was being used to evacuate those with more immediate needs, then I would protest his lauding as a hero, but I have yet to see proof that he did anything but take an abandoned bus.

(on edit: Wait, he's not even in jail?!)

find out how much his bail is?


http://www.houstontx.gov/courts/satellite.html

(Not open today, or probably tomorrow)

If anything, the Red Cross is scrambling to explain why they wanted to refuse him at first...

http://www.bloghouston.net/item/1783

He did a brave and noble thing.. 'never drove a bus before..'

God it makes me want to cry and then lob a grenade.

relying on your guts and ingenuity---comandeering vehicles, getting supplies.

Think about cultural messages in "Day after tomorrow" "Independence Day" and all the rest---our children are taught that this is what "heroes" do.

I'll give him all the money I can spare and just called my friend in San Antonio who is a corporate lawyer and asked him to find out more and get a criminal lawyer for this kid if he doesn't have one. He's aware of it and said that if anything, the kid will have his pick of lawyers but that he's paying attention to this "and others" (???) and so are many, many other attorneys.

as Harry Connick, Jr.'s character said in 'Independence Day'

Kick the Tires and Light the Fires ~ Formerly, to bypass or severely shorten the required routine of physically inspecting the aircraft prior to flight. Currently meaning "let's get this aircraft preflighted and outta here, pronto"
http://www.everything2.com/index.pl?node_id=430766

was supposed to sit there and let people die?

yeah, according to bushevik logic, yes. private property and all.


this shit reminds me of the scene in "Dr Strangelove" where Keenan Wynne is outraged that th Peter Sellers character tells him to shoot the coke machine to get change to make the call to stop a nuclear war with the remark "I can't do that, that's private property!"

going on is welcome. the outcry that would result, and publicity on further details of Republican idiocy, would only help to sink those turds.

Fema also turned away 3 Wal-mart trucks filled with water because they weren't pre-approved! Gotta dump this guy Brown now, he's a former horse-show judge and was fired from that job of 11 years!

may he be recognized by the people as the hero he is, and may he get a megaphone to talk about "while Bush fiddled around with his guitar, I was saving people's lives."

The kid is a hero.

- 18 Years old
- Never drove a bus before
- First evacuation mission to arrive at the Astrodome
- Saved 100 people

Someone should put him in charge.

If we can keep him out of prison, he is a bright look at the future.

My neighbor thinks he should have said it was washed out of the bus barn by the floods and sent to him by god...

It's a testament to the depth our society has sank to when things like this can take place.

I'm willing to chip in to get him out.

Is that even an option?

she stole a bus and evacuated her self and 45 others.

Saw it on Fox last night.

Her sister who was a fox news reporter, told the story.

I believe this is Aaron Neville's sister, not sure tho.

they could have a commercial where they say "here's a guy who can get you there,safely."

I want the name of anyone who jails him and I want the name of a judge that would dare punish him.

It's for the greater good, y'know.

I recall in one movie Arnold stealing a Sunbeam Alpine, and, because it's small (about like an MGB) and because he's so "tall" (5'9" or so) that he had to rip the driver's seat out. Ha ha, good stuff.

I'm surprised they didn't send the guy to Gitmo.

What the fuck? How can they POSSIBLY spin this as ANYTHING but the heroic effort it obviously WAS???
Goddamn America is turning to SHIT right before our eyes...
This kid WILL NOT be jailed for this... he CAN'T be.
THERE ARE LIMITS TO THIS BULLSHIT! THERE ARE LIMITS TO THE AMOUNT OF BULLSHIT THAT EVEN THE AMERICAN PEOPLE CAN CONSUME!
Watch out, Georgie... you're walking a verrrry dangerous line here.
d

I'll contribute to his legal fund. A crappy meal in a Houston jail has to be better than no meal or facilities in NOLA.

Go to hell, you cretin muthafuckas.

He evacuated 100 people faster than FEMA.


That's why they are going after him. This dirt poor kid who just lost everything made the multi-billion dollar agency look like the incompetent fucking morons that they are. Actually, I do believe the problems with the relief efforts goes way beyond incompetence, but that is at least the way it is going to be perceived by most people.

Truth is, the oligarchy won't allow anyone outside the chosen aristocracy to take any initiative at all: it's called being "uppity." So Gibson -- and by example anyone else who might dare be like him -- is beaten back down, put "in his place" by criminal prosecution.

Since Gibson crossed a state line, it's a federal charge -- federal prosecutor and federal court completely under the control of Bush/Justice -- not to mention the vengeful fury with which Bush always retaliates against anyone who reveals the ugly truth about what America has become. So Gibson will almost certainly be arrested, be vindictively tried, be maliciously imprisoned -- left to rot until the Democrats take back the government (if indeed that is ever allowed to happen again).

Is not entirely under their control. Gibson has the right to a jury trial. Since the "crime" took place in New Orleans, specifically at the US District Court for the Eastern District of Louisiana, which is in New Orleans.

Most 18-year olds charged with anything in federal court will be given some baboon to serve as their public defender, and he'll urge them to cop a plea, guilty or not. I have to think, however, that in this one case the outcome may be different. The prosecutor has got to realize that this case is unwinnable and frivolous.

I hope.

Who's the DA or Federal Prosecutor who'd be stupid enough to litigate this one.

FREE JABBAR GIBSON!! FREE JABBAR GIBSON!! FREE JABBAR GIBSON!!

that young man better NOT be locked up! Someone locate the young man and let us know he is okay!

Beware "news" from Houston.

Story from last Thursday:
http://www.chron.com/cs/CDA/ssistory.mpl/topstory2/3334317



(More at link)

For that, he is a hero, and should he end up in prison for this, deserves the full support of every American who has an ounce of compassion for the people who lived through the nightmare which is New Orleans.

I don't have any faith my government, but I still have faith in the majority of the American people.

He'll get a great high-profile pro bono lawyer if they pursue this... and the publicity that comes with that will make them wish they NEVER pursued it.

And how about the testimony of the other passengers. First-hand accounts of what they and others went through due to the incompetence and indifference of authorities. Hmmmm ... They might not want to press charges.

=================

Time to Impeach? Sign here:

http://www.VoteToImpeach.org

That kid is a bona fide hero!

"I dont care if I get blamed for it ," Gibson said, "as long as I saved my people."

Amen, brother! Those people will NEVER forget you, and neither will I. This kid deserves a goddamn medal, and the ARREST him? George W. Bush's America: Where property is more important than human life.

MojoXN

"Can do?" That's for the likes of Chavez and Fidel. Doesn't the kid know he's living in a banana republic?

He can't be any worse than the mass murdering war-criminal. x(

Nothing done with any malice, but rather the noblest of intentions. 100 lives saved, 100 people out of a living hell and the young hero gets the shaft. Dismiss these charges and set this man free!!

It's a farce and a shame. End this now.

It's impossible. Nobody drove a school bus full of people to safety. In the first place, there were no drivers. And in the second place, there wasn't enough time.

Don't believe me? Just ask people at DU.

BTW, their "newsteam" has six people, 4 men and 2 women, all openly white (to borrow a phrase from George Carlin.)

Anyway, their e-mail address is:

Jenny@krgv.com

I don't know who Jenny is, but let's flood her inbox with outrage at their treatment of Mr. Gibson!

Here's my e-mail:


Dear Jenny and the KRGV Newschannel 5 team,

I, and many others, I�m sure, take offense at the story on Jabbor Gibson. Mr. Gibson is the brave young man who drove a school bus filled with refugees all the way from New Orleans to Houston. In an age when may people complain that the news does not cover enough positive and uplifting stories, this is exactly the kind of story you might put forward as a compelling example of compassion, heroism, and American ingenuity.

Why is it, then, that your channel chose to characterize Gibson�s actions as �an extreme act of looting?� You apparently don�t know what looting is. Looting is taking advantage of a disorderly condition for profit or greed. Had Mr. Gibson taken the bus and sold it, that would have been looting. What he did was a selfless act of heroism, not looting.

The irony here is that, in addition to the 100 refugees, Mr. Gibson saved the bus as well. Unlike many other busses that probably are being damaged by floods or looters in New Orleans, this bus is safe and sound in Houston.

Whoever wrote this story is a pinhead. His/her editor is a pinhead, as well.

City, State, Federal?

I can't get the video with my crappy system.

It would take a prosecutor with no sense of self-preservation to bring charges against that kid. I don't think even the GOP is THAT stupid.

I did some googling and apparently Freepers have the same love for this guy that we do, the only difference is that they want him to be NO Mayor while we want him for head of Fema.

:D

After the courthouse is emptied of water, and you convene 9 New Orleans residents to judge him.

friggin ridiculous.

I don't see a legitimate news source for this - and haven't seen this in the local media.

The TV spot I saw made the kid out a hero.

Where can I confirm this?

If the boy is really in jail, I'd like to help him - but can't find a HOUSTON source that says this is truth.

...with anything or put in jail? Someone wrote that, "...the 18-year-old who ensured their safety could find himself in a world of trouble for stealing the school bus." But I can't find any information indicating that this statement has any connection to actual events. In fact, the above quote is not even in the original article. If it ever was, it has now been deleted.

http://www.newschannel5.tv/2005/9/1/4255/Taking-refuge-in-the-Astrodome

it's an old trick.

I wonder, what good does it do to spread false info like this?

this is the same article that explained what happened--but does not say any arrests have come---

(Just putting a Forbes-like spin on it. ;-) )

(On edit: The REAL Forbes also probably has editors to make sure their reporters spell names correctly...)

n/t

:mad:

and this kid gets jail time for saving a busload of people from the Katrina disaster? I wouldn't want to be the prosecutor of this case. It's a loser for sure. What jury would convict? Talk about juror nullification of the law; this case begs for it.

Mr. Gibson, you are charged with reckless heroism and endangering the public image of the federal government, how do you plead?