Arrested Occupy SF tagger Richard Barksdale, 43, who actually hails from Colorado Springs, opted for jail time this week after being found guilty for spray painting on the walls of the vacant Cathedral Hill Hotel on March 25. In lieu of the probation, counseling, and 100 hours of community service the judge wanted to sentence him to, Barksdale said he'd rather spend 30 days in the clink. Is this some kind of act of defiance to raise awareness of tagging rights? Or just a plea for three hots and a cot? You decide.
Barksdale (see a photo of him here) was also seen writing his nickname, Dr. Love, on the wall of 888 Turk during the Occupy takeover of that vacant building on April 1, and he still faces misdemeanor trespassing and vandalism charges related to that event.
There's no word yet about court proceedings for that brick thrower, 34-year-old Jessie Nesbitt, who turned out to be a homeless Army veteran with untreated mental illness and substance-abuse issues. He's charged with felony assault, assault on a police officer, and vandalism.
[Examiner]