Posted on 07/16/2004 11:54:32 AM PDT by End Times Sentinel
Charleston, West Virginia-AP -- A judge has dismissed trespassing charges against a couple who wore anti-Bush T-shirts at a rally for the president in Charleston, West Virginia.
An assistant city attorney told the judge that the officers had no authority under the city's ordinances to charge Nicole and Jeff Rank with trespassing on the state Capitol grounds.
On July fourth, police removed the Ranks after the two took off an outer layer of clothing to reveal T-shirts that said "Love America, Hate Bush" and Bush's name with a slash through it.
The couple say they didn't expect to be arrested for expressing their freedom of expression.
Charleston's mayor says the officers acted under the direction of the Secret Service.
However, a Secret Service spokesman says the Secret Service did not order the arrests.
Anything jump out at anyone?
Hard to tell here whether this was based on law or jurisdictional issues, since it was the State Capitol grounds. It could be that under WV state law, that only state troopers have jurisdiction on the capitol grounds.
Something isn't passing the smell test here.
You'd be very surprised how easy it is to get arrested in Amerika.
Most politicians and many police officers have nothing but contempt for our individual Rights.
Yes they are. ANY dissent outside of "free speech zones" is an arrestable offense when the king and his high nobles grace the peasants with their presence.
This isn't new. Bill and especially Hillary are very fond of this practice and used it extensively.
I agree. It stinks that people are arrested for exercising their first amendment rights.
But I'll bet that's not what you meant.
That's pretty contraceptive of you, it's not what i meant. I do agree with you that they had a right and should have not been arreested for wearing those t-shirts.
Seriesly, IIRC, they were nabbed by local LEOs, not Secret Service agents, so it may just be a little over-zealousness on their part. But there was an incident in Wisconsin yesterday when a drooling Bush-hater threw a soda bottle at the president's bus as he passed by crowds. Because of the threat that leftists pose (the bottle could just as easily have been a Molotov cocktail or some similar device), they should see their constitutional rights restricted until they learn to act in a civil manner.
Henry Lee II
"Leftists are crazed and violent people,
with the blood of millions on their hands.”
"That's pretty contraceptive of you,"
LMFAO!
Libertarian?
< bowing>Thank you!< /Bowing>
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