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Utah Rave Permit Details

An article in today's Salt Lake City Weekly lays out the details of the permit flap in the Utah County rave bust of a few weeks ago. The sheriff's argument looks to be pretty thin: He anticipated (as if he had a crystal ball) the rave would exceed 12 hours which would have required an additional permit and other measures.

The promotor, on the other hand, knew his event was for less than 12 hours and planned accordingly:

[Brandon] Fullmer, who scheduled the event for a 9.5-hour period, from 9 p.m. to 6:30 a.m., secured a permit through the Utah County Health Department (UCHD). He took out a $1 million insurance policy, hired security guards, rented portable toilets, obtained a solid-waste permit and met a number of other requirements before booking out-of-state and local DJs.

Since the bust occurred only a few hours into the rave, how is the Sheriff going to establish that it would exceed 12 hours?

“I don’t think there’s any question that the sheriff misapplied the ordinance and acted improperly,” [attorney Brian] Barnard said, adding that the raid was discriminatory and an act of censorship. “If individuals break the law, punish them. But don’t assume that everyone who goes to a rap, hip-hop, or electronic music concert is a criminal.”

Barnard will be representing the promoter and the land owner in a federal civil rights lawsuit against the County.

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    Re: Utah Rave Permit Details (none / 0) (#1)
    by Talkleft Visitor on Thu Sep 01, 2005 at 08:49:54 AM EST
    does that sheriff do stock suggestions also?

    Re: Utah Rave Permit Details (none / 0) (#2)
    by Joe Bob on Thu Sep 01, 2005 at 11:15:22 AM EST
    Wow, it's like Minority Report come to life! Utah sheriffs are able to predict future crime. Too bad these a#$%^&*@s don't do weather forecasts too, they could have saved New Orleans a lot of trouble. I still don't get why the police took what appears to be no more than an anticipated permit violation and used it as a pretext to treat some concert-goers like the Branch Davidians.

    Re: Utah Rave Permit Details (none / 0) (#3)
    by scarshapedstar on Thu Sep 01, 2005 at 11:21:18 AM EST
    Let us await the all-knowing Patrick to inform us that cops can see the future.

    Re: Utah Rave Permit Details (none / 0) (#4)
    by Patrick on Thu Sep 01, 2005 at 01:23:20 PM EST
    Scar, I know you think I have super powers, but alas, that's only in the movies and on TV. Glad you think about me when I'm not here, sorry I can't say the same thing about you. I have approved use permits in the past as part of my duties. I can't speak for Utah, but in California once underage consumption of alcohol and drug use occur the permit is null and void. From what I read, both sides of the account, there is no disagreement that these events took place and in the open where undercover police spies could easily watch it happening. My position still hasn't changed, breaking up the party was the right course of action. Let them sue, it's the proper course for redress if they think they were wronged.

    Re: Utah Rave Permit Details (none / 0) (#5)
    by Sailor on Sat Dec 17, 2005 at 01:03:00 PM EST
    Yes, every parade, festival and concert in the park in CA has been canceled when ANY person was found to have drugs or alcohol. [/sarcasm] Actually I can't think of one event that was canceled. They just arrested the party responsible and the rest of the party went on. That wasn't the reason the cops gave for their invasion (and yes, swat, dogs, prison guards, machine guns and helicopters count as an invasion), they said they KNEW in 12 hours that over 250 people would still be there.