T h e D a i l y G a z e t t e )NAL Thursday. October 26. 1995 Troy man admits smoke bombing By MEREDITH KRUSE He said he's helping other fathers and KAREN ROACH Protest against Family Court system who claim to have been wrongly im Gazette Reporters detonated — in area P3, north of the has won the support of some Capital prisoned for allegedly failing to pay child support. But the conversation parking garage on Monday evening, Region fathers who have similar com was cut ofT before he could say how ALBANY — A Troy man who alle Peters said. Capitol Police had gotten plaints, and currently serves on the board of the Capital Region chapter of many people had joined his "De gedly set off smoke bombs in the park a call earlier that day about a smell of smoke in the area. the Fathers Rights Association. f e n d e r s o f J u s t i c e " m o v e m e n t . ing garage of the Plaza Parker said it's hard to tell how said he planned the stunt to draw at "As best we can determine, they Association member Patrick Yellen much of a threat Collins is. tention to what he claims is wide were just smoke bombs," he said. of Fort Ann said he cheered when he "He tells us he's not a dangerous spread discrimination by state courts "They weren't anything that would saw news of Collins' action on televi against divorced fathers. cause any structural damage of any sion. guy. Now is he just telling us that? We don't know," he said. type." "We've all been trying to think of "I'm trying to put them in a position Yellen said he thinks there is ling up where they can't dismiss the charges But a note left at the scene and also ways to get the media's attention, and hopefully this will do it," Yellen said. "the potential for violence" if di against me. I want what's going on delivered to newspapers on Wednes s EZ-Pass "What he's done to me is like Nelson vorced fathers' demands for joint brought out in the open," said Charles day declared that the smoke bombing Mandela ... he's brought to light the custody and open court sessions "was just a warning" and urged that rity introduced the pro^am to E. Collins III in an interview Tuesday aren't met. the Justice Building at the plaza's corruption in the system." bany area in April. Capital Re- from the Albany County Jail. In a May 1993 letter to President Fathers Rights Association chap ommuters.received their white Collins, 44, of 108 Brunswick Road, north end be evacuated immediately ter president Paul L. McCauley of because "the State judicia Bill Clinton and a host of other state •.April. has been waging war against the and federal officials, Collins said Niskayuna wouldn't ofTer an opinion ;er the E-Z Pass system, custom- state's Family Court system since his ry is coming down." that if his demands weren't met, his on Collins' action, but said men are Police searched the building and epay the amount they expect to divorce 14 years ago cost him custody "options" included firebombing becoming increasingly frustrated tolls each month. As the motor- of his three children. He accused state didn't find any evidence of explosives, state and federal office buildings, with the Family Court system, which ves through a toll booth, over- and federal judges of "extortion, case so the building was not evacuated, kidnapping officials, and even dis they believe favors women. antennas read the tag mounted fixing, child abuse, and the deliberate said Robert Hinckley, a spokesman rupting the Belmont Park and Sara The group's membership has ; windshield and deduct the toll violation of constitutional and civil for the state Oflice of General Serv toga Race Course horse racing grown from 25 to about 200 people he customer's account. rights" in a letter to Albany County ices. meets. over the past 18 months, he noted. ; system uses the same technolo- District Attorney Sol Greenberg dated Collins, a former convenience store Collins was charged with a^ravat- "There is extreme discontent upermarket checkout scanners. Monday, the day of the smoke bomb owner and heir to the Collins Lumber ed harassment after sending out here, and we have kicked people Pass was introduced in 1993 in ing. business in Troy, was charged with that letter, but in February 1994, Al out of our organization because of wer and in BufTa- Collins was arrested late Tuesday at criminal anarchy, a felony, and sec bany City Court Judge E. David Dun their behavior," he said. "People I is scheduled to be installed at the Niskayuna studio of WRGB after ond-degree criminal nuisance, a mis can dismissed the charge. Duncan like to characterize fathers who ob Thruway toll plazas by the end station officials called police and said demeanor. He was arraigned Tuesday ruled that the statements in the let ject to the goings-on in Family Court