It’s been seven months since the May Day unrest that saw businesses vandalized in downtown Santa Cruz. Now a judge has sentenced Jimi Haynes to two years in prison for his role in the mayhem. At the sentencing for the conviction of felony vandalism, Judge Michael Barton had harsh words for the 24-year-old homeless man, who has a history of petty theft: “Mr. Haynes, you really are an idiot. You’ve been given chance after chance after chance. You’re a thief and an idiot and an alcoholic.”
It’s been seven months since the May Day unrest that saw businesses vandalized in downtown Santa Cruz. Now a judge has sentenced Jimi Haynes to two years in prison for his role in the mayhem. At the sentencing for the conviction of felony vandalism, Judge Michael Barton had harsh words for the 24-year-old homeless man, who has a history of petty theft: “Mr. Haynes, you really are an idiot. You’ve been given chance after chance after chance. You’re a thief and an idiot and an alcoholic.”
Haynes could have faced as much as seven years in jail for his role in the May Day unrest, widely referred to as riots and blamed on anarchists, though investigators have failed to identify organizers. Acting Police Chief Kevin Vogel called the sentence “fair.” This was echoed by the owners of local businesses, whose shops were damaged on May 1. Emily Bernard, a manager at Dell Williams Jewelers, said, “It’s important for our community to make a strong statement; that we won’t tolerate this type of behavior in the heart of our community.” The Sentinel reports that Bernard said a broken window at Dell Williams cost $3,900 to replace; 18 businesses reportedly suffered $100,000 in damages.
A tearful Haynes apologized for his actions and denied that he was an anarchist. The public defender assigned to him said he was just drunk and looking for a party. Read more at Santa Cruz Sentinel.
