Re: Rick Hudson, abandoned trucker -- NEWS WITH ATTITUDE

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Date Posted: 12:42:07 11/19/00 Sun
Author: Mike
Subject: Re: Rick Hudson, abandoned trucker
In reply to: Russ Hamer 's message, "Rick Hudson, abandoned trucker" on 20:18:10 08/06/00 Sun

>I find this story hard to believe What kind of company did he work for? Or was It his own truck, even In the US I dont bthink this could happen like you say Rick Hudson has been in Macedonian prison now for just
> over a year. He was a trucker
> delivering supplies for NATO forces in the Balkans. He
> was accused, tried and convicted
> of causing death by dangerous driving after a speeding
> car lost control and crashed on
> the opposite carriageway sadly killing the driver and
> one passenger. Three others were
> injured. Rick, with other truckers and motorists, had
> stopped to help after the accident.
> Rick was arrested because he was sporting NATO badges
> on his truck!
> There is more to this, of course, and have every
> sympathy with the bereaved of the
> speeding driver and passenger but in court vital
> evidence was suppressed or ignored.
> Three Croatian tanker drivers were not called or their
> eye witness evidence not heard.
> A taccograph from several hours before during Rick's
> passage through Greece was used
> in evidence instead of the correct record.
> The engineers report that proved that the crashed
> vehicle has been travelling in excess
> of 100 mph, before it began its 65 meter skid and 35
> meter roll still hitting a vehicle
> behind Rick's at over 30 mph, was brushed aside.
> A plan of the accident shows Rick's truck in an
> inaccurate and impossible road position
> that would be laughable in other circumstances.
> No contact was made between Rick's vehicle and the
> crashed car.
> No blood test, a legal requirement, was made of the
> dead driver.
> The car was not tested for road worthiness.
> Rick had been signed into the country by a border
> guard bearing a type of insurance
> green card that had shortly before been invalidated by
> the Macedonian government.
>
> Much of this information did not become available
> until long after Rick's swift conviction
> and incarceration and despite appeals he remains in
> prison. NATO have abandoned him
> and politicians, however well intentioned, seem unable
> to help.
> In January this year Rick was moved to Skopje jail and
> reports appeared in the local
> press that he was a soldier working for KFOR
> responsible for the death of two
> Macedonians! For a while his life was in real danger
> from inmates and it was only the
> protective friendship he struck with four Indian
> prisoners, his obvious genteel and open
> nature and his faith that prevented him from ending up
> with a knife in his back. (They
> have their own cutlery!)
> Rick is such a gentleman that his name was actually
> top of a list produced by the prison
> governor recommended to the president of Macedonia
> for early release in an amnesty
> granted each August in that country. His name was
> deleted last week by committee
> before it reached the president.
> Shortly before that a claim by relatives of the
> deceased and injured, thwart again with
> inaccuracies, was upheld in a civil court. Presumably
> that was why Rick's name was
> withdrawn from the release list. Which is a shame
> because he has no chance of ever
> paying the �111,600.00 demanded as he apparently
> should never, like hundreds, perhaps
> thousands of other truckers, been allowed through the
> country with that invalid
> insurance card. His company cannot pay, NATO do not
> want to know and he has lost
> everything, including his home, in legal costs.
> His parents, sister and friends have worked hard to
> bring this despicable travesty of
> justice to the attention of those with power. Progress
> is being made but too slowly,
> especially in the light of recent developments in the
> area that could once again place
> Rick in danger. Not that he is living in the lap of
> luxury with 691 fleas to share his
> blanket, his 10 meter square cell and the food that is
> brought in for him.
> A fund raising event has been organised for the 25th
> August at "The Spot" in his home
> town of Derby, England. Two great bands, Burdock and
> DIP, are performing free of
> charge, substantial raffle prizes have been donated,
> notables such as Philip Whitehead,
> MEP, will give up their time to attend and update us.
> We expect but still pray for media
> coverage. Support is growing but more is needed.
> The trouble is that it is not sympathy that is
> required. Or people to assume that as a
> trucker he must be guilt of smuggling illegal
> immigrants or drugs. Rick needs people to
> know what really happened to him, tell others, write
> him a letter, send him food, books
> or insect repellent, come to the event in Derby, write
> to their MP, write to their
> newspaper, make a donation, and ask NATO, the European
> Courts of Justice, Human
> Rights organisations, the British FO and the
> Macedonian government why this innocent
> man has had his life ruined.
> If you can just do one of these things you will have
> helped. If you do them all, and more
> you will begin to get a bruise on your forehead off
> that wall. If many do it perhaps the
> wall will crack. Justice may prevail and we will get
> Rick back.
> Please help.
> Rick's address....
> Richard Owen Hudson G.B.
> K P D
> Idrizavo
> Skopje
> Republic of Macedonia
>
> The appeal fund....
> Mr. and Mrs G Hudson
> 52, Hillside,
> Findern,
> Derby DE65 6AW
> or
> Barclays Bank Derby
> Sort Code 202585
> Account No. 90279196
>
> Homepage, out of date, no time, perhaps you can help
> here...?
> <a rel=nofollow target=_blank href="http://:www.geocities.com/carpetsquare/">http://:www.geocities.com/carpetsquare/</a>
>
> Or call me for more information, or ways to assist,
> on..
> +44(0)1332 384150 daytime
> 07774 619678 Mobile
> Russ@carpetsquare.demon.co.uk

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Replies:

Re: Rick Hudson, abandoned trucker -- Russ Hamer, 17:30:52 11/22/00 Wed