The Death of David Chain

Does this sound like an accidental killing to you?

The voice of A.E. Ammons (the logger who felled the tree which killed Earth First! nonviolent civil disobedience activist David Chain later the same day). "A.E." is yelling at another activist in the small group protesting in the forest with David:

AE: (Raging) Get the fuck out of here! You've got me hot enough now to fuck!

Activist: (Apologetically) We don't want to cause you any problems.

AE: (Angrily) You already have! So get out of here! You cock suckers! I mean it!

[snip]

AE: (Threateningly) Get outta here! Otherwise I'll fuckin', I'll make sure I got a tree comin' this way!...

AE: (Raging) Ohhhhh, fuck! I wish I had my fuckin' pistol! I guess I'm gonna just start packin' that motherfucker in here. 'Cause I can only be nice so fuckin' long. Go get my saw, I'm gonna start fallin' into this fuckin' draw!

Outrage!

HIDEOUS HUMBOLDT SHERIFFS READY TO CHARGE ACTIVISTS WITH MANSLAUGHTER! OF DAVID CHAIN
WHILE INCOMPETENT HUMBOLDT D.A. LETS KILLER LOGGER WALK FREE!
CRAZED ANTI-ENVIRO MOB THEN DEMOLISHES ISOLATED TREE-SITTER'S CAR IN MURDEROUS CLUBBING FRENZY!
DEMAND FOR INDEPENDENT STATE, FEDERAL, AND UNITED NATIONS INVESTIGATIONS OF DAVID CHAIN MURDER AND GOVERNMENT-SANCTIONED HUMBOLDT HATE CRIMES BEFORE SOMEONE ELSE IS MURDERED!

January 22, 1999 7:30 p.m.: Earth First! Climber Falls from Tree in Rain Storm!
Injury and Rescue Specifics Unknown

David Chain's Aunt Has Created a Beautiful Family Tribute Web Site for Gypsy!

Fundamental Documents—Start here:

"SET POOR LOGGER FREE!" announces Humboldt County District Attorney Terry Farmer. Collusive D.A. announces that Humboldt County will NOT file charges against logger A.E. Ammons, the man who killed David Chain. Farmer will not file charges against witnessing Earth First!ers either. (December 17, 1998) Earth First! Media Center calls for the immediate resignation of Humboldt County District Attorney Terry Farmer for malicious and dangerous incompetence.

OUTRAGEOUS, HIDEOUS HUMBOLDT SHERIFF'S DEPT. RECOMMENDATION: "CHARGE ACTIVISTS WITH MANSLAUGHTER!" The Humboldt County Sheriff's official recommendation had been to charge the Earth First! activists who witnessed David Chain's death with the involuntary manslaughter of David Chain! They recommended that no charges be brought against the Killer Logger A.E. Ammons. David Chain's mother Cindy Allsbrooks describes here her meeting with Detective Juan Freeman. (October 22, 1998)

"MOTHER OF SLAIN ACTIVIST REVEALS COVERUP" Cindy Allsbrooks announces press conference to discuss her meetings with law enforcement officials covering up the MURDER of David Chain. (October 22, 1998)

Susan Moloney, Headwaters Forest organizer and support guide for Julia Butterfly's ground crew, became a victim of unrestrained anti-enviro hate crimes, overtly-supported by Humboldt County officials, when a crazed mob demolished her car with their clubs and crowbars in two separate smashing frenzies, and then pushed it over an embankment with a truck, crushing its roof; all as she sat defenseless, 165 feet up in a tree with another anti-Maxxam treesitter and his sister who had travelled to California to be with him up in the tree for the Christmas holiday. The sitter himself, local land owner Nate Madsen, has been sitting alone in the tree for three months. (December 27, 1998)

Witnesses Statement about the death of David Chain.

Earth First! Press Release: Video shows Pacific Lumber knew activists were nearby.

Video transcription of logger A.E. Ammons shortly before he felled the tree that killed David Chain (Please be forewarned. This logger has a vile mouth and an amazing propensity to use extreme profanity). Print out this transcript and then download the sound file the EF! Media Center has produced from the original video.

Click to hear a 2-and-1/2 minute sound clip created by the EF! Media Center and ASIS Telemedia of Garberville, CA, made from the original activist video of enraged logger A.E. Ammons shortly before he felled the tree that killed David Chain. Click here: A.E. Ammons RealAudio file (streaming).

You can order a copy of the unedited 16-minute raw video footage from which we made the sound clip of A.E. Ammons making his Monstrous Death Threats. Please send $15-25, payable to "Earth First!" (sorry, no credit cards acceptable) to the Earth First! Media Center, P.O. Box 324, Redway, CA 95560. Thanks for your support!

How Gypsy Really Died—an eyewitness account by Farmer.

New Petition to initiate Mendocino County investigations into the 1990 car bombing murder attempt on Judi Bari. Please print out, sign and circulate this petition today! (June 16, 1999)

Judge's ruling tells out-of-control Humboldt County law enforcement that it's OK to torture immobile, nonviolent protesters. Judge tosses out Earth First!'s Anti-Pepper Spray lawsuit! (October 26, 1998)

Non-violent Pepper Spray Victims Homepage

So, What's Up with Headwaters Forest? The Latest News and Calls to Action!

Legal Opinions:

Attorney Jay Moller writes to Humboldt County District Attorney Terry Farmer to call for Independent Investigation and Crime Scene Preservation.

Second Degree Murder! That's how attorney Jim Fahey sees it. Here's his letter to the Anderson Valley Advertiser.

Author Derrick Jensen summarizes our outrage in his Sentient Times article: "What Hurts Most?" [Our title]

MAXXAM-criminalized Pacific Lumber Company has its 1998 Timber Operator's License revoked for relentless pattern of criminal logging. EPIC President Paul Mason explains the decision by the California Department of Forestry to make this unprecidented move.

We can really use your Help right now!

Other sources of Information on the Killing of David Chain:

Want an introduction to the Headwaters Forest issue? You can't do any better than reading this 1995 essay (recently revised) by EF! Media Center Director Andy Caffrey: "Partners in Crime: Bill Clinton, Pete Wilson, Wall Street and the Death of the Redwood Forest"

Listen to the 6:00 PM PDT Evening News on KMUD in Redway, CA to hear the absolutely greatest coverage in the world on the David Chain killing and the ongoing battle to save Headwaters Forest. Listen here at news time for a streaming RealAudio version of the news, Monday throught Friday. The evening news can also be heard the following morning, Tuesday through Saturday, at 8:00 AM PDT. And tune in Tuesday nights from 7:05 to 8:05 to hear The Environment Show for in depth coverage of Headwaters Forest news.

The Earth First! Journal has a four-page section on David Chain

Mass Media news stories, press releases, family statements and announcements archive courtesy of Bay Area Action's Headwaters Forest Project.

"Redwood Defender Killed in Headwaters" A-infos Radio Project clip.

Here are the web sites for the various Northern California Headwaters Forest organizing campaigns.

Here's subscription information for e-mail update and action alert mailing lists from four Headwaters Activist projects. You can sign up at this link to Headwaters Updates produced by Bay Area Action, the Luna tree sit with Julia Butterfly, the legal activists at EPIC (Environmental Protection Information Center) in Humboldt County, California, and news from the Earth First! Media Center. (link created January 2, 1998)

OH! So you want to do something, now, do you? Want to tell somebody off? Want to join up with some stalwart fellow citizens? Well, then, welcome! And come check out our Action Address Book to find who you're looking for.
Tributes, Letters & Announcements:

ACTION ALERT: March to End the Violence, Thursday, September 24, 1998, Noon, Eureka, Calif.

EPIC Statement Regarding the Death of David "Gypsy" Chain.

"The Death of David Chain" song by David Rovics. [PLEASE NOTE: David has now released a new CD, We Just Want the World, which has terrific recordings of this song and his tribute song to Judi Bari, an apt reworking of "Joe Hill." So check out this link to his web site to hear some samples from his CDs, and then order We Just Want the World. If you like Robert Hoyt or Dave Lippman, you'll like David Rovics. Funny, passionate, irreverant and smart. You won't be disappointed!]

"Song for David Chain" song by Dr. Richard Scheinman.

Your Letters of concern and solidarity, from groups and individuals (under construction... some day...).

Back to EF! Media Center. Last updated January 23, 1999, partial update June 16, 1999

Does this sound like an accidental killing to you?

Outrage!

January 22, 1999 7:30 p.m.: Earth First! Climber Falls from Tree in Rain Storm! Injury and Rescue Specifics Unknown

David Chain's Aunt Has Created a Beautiful Family Tribute Web Site for Gypsy!

January 22, 1999 7:30 p.m.: Earth First! Climber Falls from Tree in Rain Storm!
Injury and Rescue Specifics Unknown