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[bob ford <bobford79 AT yahoo.com>]

If they can't get you on that for you you are suspected; then they stick you 
in prison, for several years, for checking the wrong box on a form.  This kid 
may be a bad guy, I don't know.  But , I do know, that , in cases like this, 
the gov't becomes the bad guy, when they smash in your skull for a paperwork 
lie that in , and of, itself ;harmed not one other person.......bobf


Student accused of perjury will stand trial
Jennifer Squires - Sentinel Staff Writer
Article Launched: 09/16/2008 01:32:44 AM PDT

A Cabrillo College student accused of perjury for checking the wrong box on a 
California Department of Motor Vehicles form in January 2007 will go to 
trial, a judge ruled Monday.
 
But Nathan Knoerl, also known as Nathan Pope, will be free on his own 
recognizance, Judge Samuel Stevens decided. Knoerl had been held on $100,000 
bail -- 20 times the normal amount for perjury -- since his arrest by FBI 
agents in Southern California last month.
"Under the totality of the circumstances, obviously the judge feels he made a 
decision in the best interest of the community and in accordance with the 
law," Capt. Steve Clark of the Santa Cruz police said.
 
Police have not said why they requested the high bail when they obtained the 
arrest warrant in August.
 
However, Knoerl has lived in a Riverside Avenue house that was twice raided 
during the ongoing investigation into violent animal rights protests in Santa 
Cruz. No arrests have been made in the February home invasion attack and July 
fire bombings that targeted three UC Santa Cruz researchers.
"There is absolutely no connection between this case and the animal rights 
case," Knoerl's attorney, Doug Fox, said outside of court.
 
The perjury charge against Knoerl surfaced during the probe of the attacks 
and was pursued by a DMV inspector, who testified during Monday's preliminary 
hearing.
 
Inspector James Laughlin said Knoerl obtained a driver's license in September 
2003, then applied for and received a state identification card under the 
name "Nathan Pope" in January 2007. On that application, Knoerl checked the 
"no" box in response to a question about possessing other government IDs in 
other names. 
 
Prosecutor Barbara Rizzieri said that action was perjury.
 
Fox argued that his client didn't perjure himself because it's unclear if 
Knoerl would have been denied an ID card had he checked the "yes" box.
"The application itself is not false. It is who he is," Fox said.
He pointed out that identifying information was the same on both the driver's 
license and ID card. Fox also said his client has state-issued documents in 
both names, including a passport issued to "Nathan Pope" and signed by 
"Nathan Knoerl" with a note stating he also goes by the name Knoerl.
Knoerl's father's last name is Pope but his mother, Britni Knoerl, remarried 
when her son was 5 years old and he has used both surnames throughout his 
life, his mother testified.
 
Knoerl has also had a UCSC student ID card in the name "Matt Matthews," 
Rizzieri said. She didn't know when he had obtained the ID or if he was ever 
a UCSC student.
Rizzieri said it's difficult to track Knoerl in the legal system due to his 
two surnames. The perjury case is filed under the name "Knoerl" while an 
April conviction for stealing textbooks is in the name "Pope." He is on 
probation for petty theft.
 
Perjury is a felony punishable by two to four years in state prison.
Knoerl was released from County Jail on Monday afternoon and apparently went 
home to Oceanside with his family. He returns to court Sept. 30.Contact 
Jennifer Squires at 429-2449 or jsquires AT santacruzsentinel.com.