I'm shocked, I tell you.
Absolutely shocked!
Posted on 02/05/2005 6:04:56 AM PST by FeeinTennessee
Judge rules against Christians who preached to homosexuals
'Philly 5' lose round in federal court, prosecutors get away with calling defendants' words 'hateful'
Posted: February 4, 2005 1:00 a.m. Eastern
© 2005 WorldNetDaily.com
In another blow to the "Philly 5" – the Philadelphia Christians facing possible 47 year jail terms for evangelizing at a homosexual event – a federal judge has refused a request to stop the local prosecution of the group.
Judge Petrese B. Tucker, for the second time, has refused to sanction the Philadelphia District Attorney's Office for what the Christians' attorneys say are "retaliatory criminal proceedings."
According to the American Family Association Center for Law & Policy, which is representing the Christians on the federal level, Tucker denied the request for relief last week, saying the Philly 5 had "insufficient evidence ... regarding why any of the defendants would want to stifle their First Amendment rights."
The group's attorneys had presented as evidence their clients' First Amendment rights were violated the fact that Assistant District Attorney Charles Ehrlich told an earlier court proceeding the Christians' religious speech was "hateful, disgusting, despicable words," and "fighting words."
As WorldNetDaily reported, on Oct. 10, a group of 11 Christians was "preaching God's Word" to a crowd of people attending the Philadelphia "OutFest" event and displaying banners with biblical messages.
After a confrontation with a group called the Pink Angels, described by protesters as "a militant mob of homosexuals," the Christians were arrested and spent a night in jail.
Eight charges were filed: criminal conspiracy, possession of instruments of crime, reckless endangerment of another person, ethnic intimidation, riot, failure to disperse, disorderly conduct and obstructing highways.
None of the Pink Angels was cited or arrested.
After a preliminary hearing in December, Judge William Austin Meehan ordered four of the Christians to stand trial on three felony and five misdemeanor charges. If convicted, they could each get a maximum of 47 years in prison. One female teenage protester faces charges in the juvenile justice system.
Brian Fahling is senior trial attorney for the law center.
Said Fahling in a statement: "The law requires us to show bad faith or retaliation by the D.A.'s office; we established that beyond argument with a videotape of the entire incident that shows our clients peacefully exercising their First Amendment rights, then being arrested and charged with crimes that carry a potential for 47 years imprisonment, and a district attorney's office that retaliated against them because it hates their speech.
"It is difficult to conceive of more compelling evidence of bad faith and retaliation than what we have presented to the court in this case."
Fahling colleague Michael DePrimo added: "There has never been a stronger case for federal court intervention based upon allegations of bad faith and retaliation than [the Philly 5] presented to Judge Tucker. … Prior to taking the bench, Judge Tucker was an assistant district attorney for Philadelphia for eight years; she is undoubtedly aware that peaceful expression of First Amendment rights is not criminal."
The next hearing date scheduled for the Christians is Feb. 17, when the court will consider their motion to dismiss the case. Seventeen-year-old Lauren Murch's trial date is Feb. 18.
Apparenly "free speech" is OKAY for Pink Angels and other non-Christian, white, Euro folks....in Philly. The P.C. thought police judges are at it again, using their benches as THEIR "bully pulpit."
Freedom of speech in the modern era means the Left is free to speak and the Right is free to keep its collective trap shut. Just like freedom of religion means freedom for the Left to drive anything religious out of the public sphere, at their preference. Just like freedom to assemble means freedom to assemble with homosexual activists attempting to pervert your organization with militant Marxist ideology, whether you like it or not. Just like freedom from unreasonable search and seizure only applies if nobody has written the word "drug" on the file. Just like freedom from excessive punishment doesn't apply to the politically unpopular, etc., etc., etc.
Let me guess: Judge Tucker is a black female? Affirmative action appointee? If I am wrong let me know.
I would recommend that conservatives who lives in a blue state move out. Find a job in a red state where freedoms are not as restricted. Leave the blue states to the leftists and watch them be destroyed.
These are the "real" hateful bastards.
Second Amendment anyone?!
Bingo! Black appointed by Clinton.
Ethnic intimidation, eh?
What race describes people who basically do not procreate and on average die prematurely from sexually transmitted diseases?
Blessed are those who are persecuted because of righteousness, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven. Blessed are you when people insult you, persecute you and falsely say all kinds of evil against you because of me.
Matthew 5:10-11
HATEFUL? My GOD - what these folks were preaching are word of LOVE - They were preaching because they wanted these homosexuals to find Jesus Christ who can set them free from their sinful lifestyle.
We now can be 100% certain that the prosecutor in this case is NOT a Christian.
If the Philly 5 gets completely railroaded in this case, I see it as a huge step towards the elimination of our "Freedom of speech" and an even bigger blow to Christianity.
I fear that the "end" is far closer than many concede.
In that case, the prosecution is guilty of a federal felony, 'Conspiracy Against Rights' covered under 18 USC 241. Absent a federal prosecution, I suspect the 'evidence' may be less compelling than is claimed.
Bet you're right!
the evidence is readily available for you to make your own judgment on... look through some of the previous threads on this topic for links to the videos, etc.
Now THIS is a case for an executive branch pardon. Too bad nobody has the stones for it.
But being a psuedo-Indian and calling 9-11 victims Nazis is not hate speech when Ward Churchill says it.
I'm shocked, I tell you.
Absolutely shocked!
WOW~ Good Call! You nailed it! Here are her stats.
Tucker, Petrese B.
Born 1951 in Philadelphia, PA
Federal Judicial Service:
U. S. District Court, Eastern District of Pennsylvania
Nominated by William J. Clinton on July 27, 1999, to a seat vacated by Thomas N. O`Neill, Jr.; Confirmed by the Senate on May 24, 2000, and received commission on June 1, 2000.
Education:
Temple University, B.A., 1973
Temple University School of Law, J.D., 1976
Professional Career:
Law clerk, Hon. Lawrence Prattis, Common Pleas Court, 1976-1978
Private practice, PA, 1977-1978
Assistant district attorney, Philadelphia District Attorney Office, 1978-1986
Adjunct professor, Great Lakes Colleges Association, 1984-1985
Senior trial attorney, Southeastern Transportation Authority Legal Department, 1986-1987
Judge, Court of Common Pleas, Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, 1987-2000
Race or Ethnicity: African American
Gender: Female
If this one is lost, THEN, it will open the door for the silencing of Christians all over the country. Is Jay Sekulow in on this?(ACLJ).
I blame those who had a chance to stop ALL of this perversion and filth, 40 years or so ago, when it was just geting started, but instead they listened to the liberal lie of "Christians do not belong in polotical matters, stay out and let us handle things" I, for one was not alive then.
If this does continue, then the only kind of witnessing permisible, will be about the "LOVE" of God. No mention of "sin", Hell, or anything like that, will be allowed.
Absent a federal prosecution, I suspect the 'evidence' may be less compelling than is claimed.
I don't know I saw the video on Hannity and Colmes. It looked pretty compelling to me.
Tucker, Petrese B.
Born 1951 in Philadelphia, PA
Federal Judicial Service:
U. S. District Court, Eastern District of Pennsylvania
Nominated by William J. Clinton on July 27, 1999, to a seat vacated by Thomas N. O`Neill, Jr.; Confirmed by the Senate on May 24, 2000, and received commission on June 1, 2000.
Education:
Temple University, B.A., 1973
Temple University School of Law, J.D., 1976
Professional Career:
Law clerk, Hon. Lawrence Prattis, Common Pleas Court, 1976-1978
Private practice, PA, 1977-1978
Assistant district attorney, Philadelphia District Attorney Office, 1978-1986
Adjunct professor, Great Lakes Colleges Association, 1984-1985
Senior trial attorney, Southeastern Transportation Authority Legal Department, 1986-1987
Judge, Court of Common Pleas, Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, 1987-2000
Race or Ethnicity: African American
Gender: Female
Note: only ONE year of employment in the private sector.
I heard comedian Ron White once talking about gays. He put them down pretty good. Then said something to the effect that if you're gay you believe you have the right to do what you want, and by the same token he believes he has the right to say what he wants.
No surprise there! LIBERAL RAT Judges are quickly becoming the SCUM of the earth!
So, is there anyone that freepers should contact, to help fight this mess?
That one year of 'private practice' could be code for "between jobs" too.....
Note: only ONE year of employment in the private sector.
Actually, zero years of employment in the private sector. SEPTA is the current incarnation of the city transportation system, subsidized by taxes.
bump
Penna is a red state with two very large blue cities. We're working on changing that, too.
I. Group Profile
1. Name: Father Divine's International Peace Mission Movement
http://religiousmovements.lib.virginia.edu/nrms/Fatherd.html#profile
III. Beliefs of the Group
Central to the beliefs of the Peace Mission Movement is that members believe Father Divine "fulfills the scriptural promise of the Second Coming of Christ," and that he "is the personification of God in a bodily form
Fifty Fifth Anniversary Celebration of
The Marriage of Father And Mother Divine!
http://fdipmm.libertynet.org/newsletr/2001june/bilb040a.html
The next speaker was Ms. Petrese Tucker, who is a Judge in Federal Court. She was impressed especially by the young people who had spoken.
"I think that it is very positive that they can come here after somehow becoming acquainted with the Peace Mission Movement. Even though we think that people don't know anything about the Movement, word of the Peace Mission is still spreading. It is at situations like this one that people can come and share and learn. I thank YOU for that opportunity."
I have no idea.
Sorry.
It shouldn't be much of a surprise - many folks were quick to understand that "hate crimes" were going to lead to "hate speech" which was going to infringe on religious freedom by making The Holy Bible the pbject of attacks by the sick people of the world. Satan is alive and well and won't admit defeat until Jesus comes back to dispatch him. Until then, we have to live in the world as it becomes a stinking cesspool and just do our best to oppose Evil.
Yes, but the U.S.Attorney and the Attorney General are both Bush appointees, so Bush, and not the judge, is ultimately responsible for the prosecution.
If the situation were turned around, I’d expect you to all support Act Up’s arrest for “preaching” with bullhorns at the inauguration parade and refusing the police orders to return to their counter protest area. That’s exactly the same as this case
Demonstrations and emotional counter demonstrators are kept apart for a reason . WND is helping these phony, Bush hating “Christians” play good people here for suckers. I’ve spent time working to convince people of that here, but I won’t read replies to this thread. It’s a beautiful day, and I’m not going to waste it rearguing this case. Regards.
Freedom for religious expression is a profound concept from the Founders' era and is link inextricably to all other rights acknowledged and protected by the United States Constitution. This is not about the subject matter of the defendants' speech, it is about their right to express it.
Those so-called "free speech" advocates who, at the same time, advocate for an activist judiciary to denigrate freedom of religious expression might do well to recall these poignant words:
First They Came for the Jews
"First they came for the Jews
and I did not speak out
because I was not a Jew.
Then they came for the Communists
and I did not speak out
because I was not a Communist.
Then they came for the trade unionists
and I did not speak out
because I was not a trade unionist.
Then they came for me
and there was no one left
to speak out for me.
- Pastor Martin Niemöller
INTREP - Survive & Thrive
There will be violence, and Philly will never see another Christian group hold any kind of conference there ever again. they will lose millions from this act.
Can you explain? I missed it.
It does, but only when it's in support of peeing on a crucix, promoting anarchy, or "preaching" the homosexual "religion" in public schools.
Fine, but my opinion doesn't matter much. Why is the BUSH Justice Department dragging its feet if it's that obvious?
Is that video available anywhere yet? I missed it on H&C.
Meanwhile the 3rd Federal Circuit Court has ruled that blocking (physically) military recruiters to a state funded college by "protesters", is protected freedom of speech. Go figure.
I even want the Eagles to lose the Super Bowel because of this.
It probably means part time pro bono work for left wing causes or groups. Notice that the one year overlaps with her first job as law clerk for a judge.
I think you missed that - or does that not count for some reason?
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