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About The Clackamas print. (Oregon City, Oregon) 1989-2019 | View Entire Issue (Feb. 27, 2008)
' q First copy FREE; additional copies /C ilackamas Print j ■ J e p e n d e n t, student - run amas tommjinity College, Oregon City, OR newspaper ------------------------------- :------------------------------------------------------ Volume 41, Issue 14 Wednesday, Feb. 27, 2008 Student of Concern’ released, speaks up indent Benjamin Caldwell was •n into custody. Feb. 15 after ckamas Community College ed him in for threatening mes- ?s toward students written his MySpace page. Caldwell held by Clackamas County 'tai Health for a mental evalu- n until Feb. 20. On Monday, \s Editor Lydia E. Bashaw '"viewed Caldwell about the <ts of the last two weeks and. experience with the college Clackamas County officials, law and Caldwell were col- hies on The Clackamas Print two terms. She was the only vidual with whom he agreed ]peak. The interview has been fd for space and clarity. (Clackamas County Sheriff’s Office) lied to me about the reason they needed to speak with me. Then, when I showed up, within 30 seconds there, were six officers pointing Tasers at me. In all,*it was a really bad day. The Print: What happened while you were in custody? Caldwell: Nothing really hap pened while I was in custody. A few other inmates really scared me, but there is nothing like spending a week knowing at any moment you could be shanked with a toothbrush. They took my shoes and. belt and wouldn’t let me have my iPod; The Print: How do you think the situation should have been handled? Caldwell: The school really let this ■balloon into something it wasn’t. They (school officials) needed .to handle this internally. The Print: What was your experi ence like? Caldwell: This has definitely been a learning experience. I don’t think I will do it again anytime soon. Next time, I will not try to piss off so many people. DWELL he Print: What were you thinking 1 you wrote those things? aidwell: I don’t believe I need to ain myself to anyone what I was ring when I wrote those things. It n’t matter. he Print: What was your reaction n you were pulled into custody? aidwell: Basically, C.C.S.O. The Print: Do you feel that your rights were violated? Caldwell: Of course I feel my rights were violated. The school thinks they .are McCarthy,., and can suspend, your civil rights just because you are a student there. I wvuuer wnai will be next — random bag searches? Oh,- but wait - it is perfectly fine to talk about illegal activities like, smoking pot, but write something and you’re •going down. The Print: What’s going to happen now? Caldwelk I haven’t a clue as to ctor accidentally shoots is foot in campus bathroom Kyle Steele The Ckamas Print Oregon City Police responded to an unintentional dis- je of a firearm in the Clairmont Hall restrooms Feb. J n unidentified male Clackamas instructor dropped i rearm onto the floor, causing the bad firing pin in landgun to set it off, The discharged bullet struck the ner inlhe leg but didn’t cause him serious harm; the lividual ?was able to drive himself to the hospital to tend the wound, according to police. “We(f>ok a statement from him at the hospital,” said mtenant Mike Conrad of the Oregon City Police partment. At the hospital, Oregon City Police became aware of the :ident fend investigated the Clairmont restroom where the n was fired. The instructor, who has a concealed weapon rmit, was in his right to carry the firearm on campus der th® rules of the college, so no criminal charges were id by (he officers. jDick-Ashhaugh, criminal justice department chair and of campus security, would not comment regard cident. n City Police Department confiscated the fire- to the faulty firing pin. Campus security filed pt report, which was sent to the Environmental d Safety Office and to College President Joanne An e-mail was sent to the campus community Feb. 20 at 5:47 p.m. sharing the information that Benjamin T. Caldwell had been released from Clackamas County Mental Health. The e-mail, sent by William Leach, dean of campus ser vices, stated that there was no “further reason” to hold Caldwell. A “no trespass order” has been issued to ban Caldwell from all college-owned property. His concealed weapon permit will also remain revoked. In response to the incidents of the past two weeks, the campus expanded security and offered employee assistance and campus counseling to students and staff. The college is also communicating with local mental health and law enforcement agencies to keep updated on the situation. A photo of Caldwell was attached to the e-mail. If anyone sees Caldwell on campus, he or she should call 911 or contact Campus Safety at ext. 6650. - Compiled by Lydia E. Bashaw what will happen from here. I do know that I no longer wish to have anything to do with CÇC. The Print: What kind of communi cation have you had with the college regarding your suspension? Caldwell: I tried to talk to the school and straighten this out, but they are morons. They want me to admit guilt as if I had done something wrong. The Print: Will any of this go on your record? Caldwell-: That is the funniest part; nothing will go on my record, and I was never charged with anything. They never even asked me to lock up my guns or take them out of the . The Print: What will happen with your concealed handgun license? Caldwell: I don’t know what will happen with my C.H.L. As of now, it has been revoked. I don’t really know if I can get it back or not. The Print: How will this affect your future? Caldwell: Well, I can never be a cop in Oregon, so I don’t know yet how this will affect my future. It is too early to tell what will happen in the future, but I don’t think it will stop me from achieving any long-term goals. The Print: What are you going to do now? Caldwell: I have no idea what I will do now. I guess I will catch up on. the house for the timd being. The Print: How did the (mental) evaluation go? Caldwell: The evaluation never really happened. A lot of my old friends were called by the county, and I only talked to them (Clackamas County Health officials) for about 15 minutes. The Print: How are your family and friends dealing with everything that happened? Caldwell: My family and friends seem to be more upset about this than I am. But I can’t really get upset right now. Jensen overcomes a life of trial to triumph on the mat After years of bad choices and wrong turns, Richard Jensen has turned his life around by rediscov ering a familiar pasttime Armondo Borboa The Clackamas Print The most remarkable characteristic that all great athletes share isn’t how often they win. Rather, it is how often they pick themselves up after each fall. Clackamas wrestler Richard Jensen knows how to lose, and he has lost big-time. He lost 17 hazy years of his life to alcohol and meth addic tion, as well as 13 months spent in prison for drug-related crimes. “I just can’t believe I’m here (on the team),” said Jensen about making a spot for himself on the Clackamas wrestling team. “I used to wrestle in high school; I loved it. But then I just threw it all away.” Jensen has been clean and sober for approxi mately four years, and he plans to remain that way. He has enrolled in a certification course and is now learning a legitimate trade in the college’s automotive program. Please see JENSEN, Page 2 Piloto contributed by Tracy Swisher - fctozoneailitie.com
