Last night Portland Police Officer John Bartlett was recognized by freelance journalist Cory Elia, so when Alia pointed out that he recognized Bartlett from a previous night Bartlett did what any cop would want to do, he assaulted Elia and took him to jail. Elia hosts a show on KBOO called TRIPP-P with fellow journalist Lesley McLam. Within minutes McLam was also arrested (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=A-H1Sr-r_tE). Also arrested was freelance journalist Justin Yau. These unjustified arrests are just the latest in a series of attacks on the press by the Portland Police. Things have gotten so bad that the ACLU filed a class action lawsuit earlier this week (https://copblaster.com/uploads/files/aclu-oregon-v-portland-police.pdf) and last night's events were enough for United States District Judge Michael Simon to issue an emergency temporary restraining order exempting members of the press from dispersal orders (https://copblaster.com/blast/25822/judge-michael-simon-just-made-portland-a-lot-safer).
Multnomah County District Attorney Rod Underhill's office announced via Twitter (https://twitter.com/BrentWeisberg/status/1278446673702903814/photo/1) that they do not intend to pursue charges against McLam (see is listed as McClain), but that she is still in jail pending the filing of no complaint paperwork. Why they could not just let her go on her own recognizance is not clear or justified. Elia and Yau were released but the police are still holding their property as evidence. This has been enough for Elia to announce a temporary vacation from covering protests because the cops have his camera. MCDA spokesman Brent Weisberg said that no charging decisions have been made in the cases of Elia and Yau.
Despite clear and convincing video evidence (see Elia's video below) that Officer Bartlett assaulted Elia for identifying him, Portland Police Chief Chuck Lovell has not announced any disciplinary action against Bartlett. CopBlaster.com believes that Bartlett should be fired and charged with assaulting Elia based on the video evidence. If anyone else is caught on camera doing that they are charged right away. Underhill should also drop all charges against Elia and Yau.
CopBlaster.com spoke to one of the victims. That victim identified "Petty and Bartlett" as arresting officers in these cases. People have been talking about Bartlett online over the past 24 hours, but the naming of Petty seems to be a new development. According to the Oregon Criminal Justice Information Records Inquiry System (CJ IRIS) the Portland Police Bureau has one officer with the last name Bartlett (Bartlett, John H.
56711) and one officer with the last name Petty (Petty, Michelle E. 58008).
Public records contain the following information for officers Bartlett and Petty:
JOHN H BARTLETT
DPSST#: 56711
DOB: JUL-1988
AGE: 32
RECENT ADDRESSES:
***** **** **
WEST LINN, OR *****
2020 - Now
Owner
**** SW CASCARA LN
TUALATIN, OR 97062
2014 - 2020
MICHELLE E PETTY
DPSST#: 58008
DOB: FEB-1989
AGE: 31
RECENT ADDRESS:
**** ** **** ***
PORTLAND, OR *****
2011 - Now
The full addresses are available upon request. We thought about posting them in full but we find it easier not to piss where we eat whenever possible. They may be made available upon request for people we believe will use them peacefully.
UPDATE: We have replaced the PDF with a copy of the lawsuit that Lesley McLam and Cory Elia just filed against officers Bartlett and Petty. Mayor Ted Wheeler is also being sued.