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Woman Harassed for Bumper Sticker Fights Back "
The Indiana Law Blog ^ | 6-30-2014 | ACLU

Posted on 07/01/2014 7:29:53 AM PDT by circlecity

From a news release:

Indianapolis - The American Civil Liberties Union of Indiana filed a lawsuit Friday on behalf of a woman who was pulled over and interrogated after her bumper sticker caught the attention of Indianapolis police officers, violating her First Amendment and Fourth Amendment rights.

On June 17, Pamela Konchinsky of Indianapolis was turning into the Merchants Garage on South Meridian Street in her silver Toyota minivan when two Indianapolis Metropolitan Police officers entered the garage immediately behind her. One of the officers told Konchinsky that she was being detained because of a bumper sticker taped to the rear window of her minivan, which read: "Unmarked Police Car." The officer told Konchinsky that people would think she was impersonating a police officer and that someone might shoot her. After reviewing her license and registration, Konchinsky was ordered to get out of her car and remove the bumper sticker.

IMPD officers' subjecting Konchinsky to detention, questioning, intimidation and harassment over the message on her bumper sticker violates two constitutional amendments: the First Amendment protecting free expression and the Fourth Amendment prohibiting unreasonable and suspicionless seizures.

"We contend that the police officers who detained and interrogated our client without legal grounds to do so violated her constitutional rights, said ACLU of Indiana Staff Attorney Kelly Eskew. "The promise of our Constitution is that these lines cannot be crossed."

The lawsuit, Pamela Konchinsky v. Indianapolis Metropolitan Police Department Officers John Doe I and John Doe II, Cause No. 1:14-cv-1078,was filed in the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of Indiana, Indianapolis Division, on June 27, 2014.


TOPICS: Crime/Corruption; Government; Miscellaneous
KEYWORDS: aclu
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To: circlecity

Had a friend in college that drove a 1970s-ish Benz with a “KGB Staff Car” bumpersticker. Never caught any flack for it from the various Reagan-era law enforcement in the DC area ...


21 posted on 07/01/2014 7:51:08 AM PDT by tanknetter
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To: Usagi_yo
"But really, why follow her into her garage? That’s an act of immediate aggression."

It was a public parking garage, they just followed her when she pulled off of the highway and into the complex.

22 posted on 07/01/2014 7:51:33 AM PDT by circlecity
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To: circlecity

I like the notion that the cops suggested she could get shot for having that sticker....

Are there a lot of shootings of cops sitting in their cars?

Marked or not?


23 posted on 07/01/2014 7:51:36 AM PDT by G Larry (Which of Obama's policies do you think I'd support if he were white?)
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To: Buckeye McFrog
Yep. I wonder how many people think it would be OK for a cop to stop and frisk someone for just wearing one of these t-shirts:


It could be impersonation of a federal agent, after all. They are using a similar color scheme.

Sheesh! Is there any common sense still out there?

24 posted on 07/01/2014 7:51:38 AM PDT by Vigilanteman (Obama: Fake black man. Fake Messiah. Fake American. How many fakes can you fit in one Zer0?)
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To: circlecity

It was a joke that apparently the cops didn’t get.
If it was an unmarked police car, then it shouldn’t have a sign on it that said so..................


25 posted on 07/01/2014 7:51:41 AM PDT by Red Badger (I've posted a total of 2,748 threads and 84,975 replies..)
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To: circlecity

Who knew cops were so invested in reading bumper stickers? Can’t they go at the Coexist Crowd or, even worse, the Baby on Board crowd? Or the Honor Student Crowd, or the Stick Figure crowd?


26 posted on 07/01/2014 7:51:59 AM PDT by miss marmelstein (Richard Lives Yet!)
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To: circlecity

I don’t agree. This is like wearing a t-shirt saying “undercover cop”. No unmarked police car would telegraph itself as such. That is just stupid.


27 posted on 07/01/2014 7:52:19 AM PDT by Freedom_Is_Not_Free (Free goodies for all -- Freedom for none.)
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To: latina4dubya
it is a joke... it could only be a joke... ridiculous...

I certainly agree. The cops were wrong here. But just to be on the safe side, I'm going to remove my "I brake for blondes" bumper sticker.

After all, some cop might think I'm advocating unsafe and reckless driving.

28 posted on 07/01/2014 7:52:30 AM PDT by Leaning Right (Why am I holding this lantern? I am looking for the next Reagan.)
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To: G Larry
"Are there a lot of shootings of cops sitting in their cars?"

I guess there are enough that various cops are paranoid about being shot.

29 posted on 07/01/2014 7:53:37 AM PDT by circlecity
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To: circlecity

A dipshit. Here, I thought it was going to be something to really howl about - like getting pulled over for displaying a NOBAMA bumper sticker. I’m tempted, but there are too many freeking liberals around here who wouldn’t hesitate to do some damage. I had some wacko woman stop me in a parking lot a few years ago because I had one of those fish things on the rear end of my Jeep, except mine had ears, a tail, and feet like a cat (I’m a cat-nut). Called me everything in the book. I was one click away from calling the cops when she finally gave up and left.


30 posted on 07/01/2014 7:54:02 AM PDT by fivecatsandadog (OBAMA ..IMPEACH, REMOVE, AND IMPRISON NOW.)
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To: Vigilanteman

You can buy FBI and CIA ballcaps from DC street vendors.

Iirc there was an actor on that cop show that was filmed in Baltimore who was pulled over wearing an FBI one. The cop saw the cap, said “Have a nice day, sir” got back in his cruiser and drove off ...


31 posted on 07/01/2014 7:55:37 AM PDT by tanknetter
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To: Vigilanteman

There is NO common sense in this country anymore. No sense of humor, either.


32 posted on 07/01/2014 7:56:43 AM PDT by miss marmelstein (Richard Lives Yet!)
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To: Durbin

How about all those retired Ford Crown Victoria cruisers driven by some kid that adds a push bar in front and has the spotlight on the drivers side. Looks exactly like a patrol cruiser to me. Maybe we should just ban all those too.


33 posted on 07/01/2014 7:56:53 AM PDT by Freedom_Is_Not_Free (Free goodies for all -- Freedom for none.)
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To: skinndogNN

***It belongs in the you can’t yell “fire” in a crowded theater file.***

I’ve always wondered, what if there IS a fire in a theater.


34 posted on 07/01/2014 7:57:49 AM PDT by Ruy Dias de Bivar (Sometimes you need more than seven rounds, Much more.)
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To: Nervous Tick

We can do without the pointless insults here.


35 posted on 07/01/2014 7:59:59 AM PDT by jiggyboy
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To: Usagi_yo

I believe that it was a public garage.


36 posted on 07/01/2014 8:01:41 AM PDT by trisham (Zen is not easy. It takes effort to attain nothingness. And then what do you have? Bupkis.)
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To: miss marmelstein

If a person has a “Baby on Board “ sticker on their car and none are, can the cops ask/order them to have it removed?


37 posted on 07/01/2014 8:03:11 AM PDT by GOYAKLA (Waiting for the Golden Screw to be removed from Obama's navel and his a$$ falls off!)
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To: circlecity

If it was an unmarked police car it would not have a bumper sticler


38 posted on 07/01/2014 8:03:49 AM PDT by bert ((K.E. N.P. N.C. +12 ..... Obama is public enemy #1)
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To: circlecity

Do you really think that the police mark their unmarked vehicles with stickers that say “Unmarked police car”?


39 posted on 07/01/2014 8:06:11 AM PDT by Blood of Tyrants (Haven't you lost enough freedoms? Support an end to the WOD now.)
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To: jiggyboy

That was NOT a pointless insult.

It was an insult with a point!

Lighten up, Francis.


40 posted on 07/01/2014 8:07:11 AM PDT by Nervous Tick (Without GOD, men get what they deserve.)
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