Why were they put in jail?
http://wnd.com/news/article.asp?ARTICLE_ID=54150
Two men who are members of Gideons International, the Christian organization that is famous for, among other ministries, placing Bibles in motels and giving them to children, have been arrested after trying to hand out Bibles on a public sidewalk in Florida, according to a law firm.
The arrest happened Jan. 19, when Mirto and Simpson were on the sidewalk outside of Key Largo School in Key Largo, Fla., and were distributing copies of the Bible to those interested.
"Neither man entered school grounds," the law firm said. "After the school's principal called police, a Monroe County sheriff's officer asked the men to leave immediately or face trespassing charges. As the men prepared to leave, the officer decided to arrest both individuals."
"A copy of our police report (see attached) … clearly states that the people in question were arrested for trespassing on school property - not on a public sidewalk… In fact, they were given the opportunity to step off school property and onto public property, and they could have continued with their activities if they had done so. They chose instead to remain, against repeated warnings, on school property so deputies were forced to arrest them," Herrin stated.
The report forwarded to WND, however, reveals the two were arrested while in their truck in a "no parking" zone. The report said that on the complaint from school principal Annette Martinson, when the two defendants were ordered by the deputy to leave an area that included a bike path, "both defendants slowly walked away towards a teal in color pick up truck that was parked in a no parking zone in front of the school."
One suspect then wanted the officer's ID, and, "I then handed Simpson … my business card and he continued to walk toward the parked truck," said the police allegation from officer John Perez.
The officer then confirms, "I observed both defendants enter the pick up truck and remain seated inside." He watched for several minutes, then approached the pickup truck, parked in a "no parking" zone, "I asked both defendants why they where (sic) refusing to leave," and "Defendant Simpson III stated, we where (sic) just leaving."
"The truck was parked in a no parking zone in front of the school … not on a public street but on school property. The only 'public street' adjacent to the school is Highway U.S. One and there is no parking on the highway," Herrin added.
I'm not especially religious, I'm definitely not catholic, and I am usually bashing organized religion when it comes up in debate, but I don't see what these men did that was so wrong? They were in what they thought was a public space delivering a message to passerby. This happens on countless street-corners each day. The only thing anyone can take umbrage with is the fact that they were near a school, but neither man is a felon (so the sex-offender laws aren't in play) and they packed up to leave when asked. It seems to me that a contrivance of law (arrested for illegal parking? WTF is this Pittsburgh?) was used to arrest two guys who rubbed two people the wrong way.
I really hope these guys win their case and countersue to teach the officials in question a painful financial lesson. They should go get the ACLU involved too.
Two men who are members of Gideons International, the Christian organization that is famous for, among other ministries, placing Bibles in motels and giving them to children, have been arrested after trying to hand out Bibles on a public sidewalk in Florida, according to a law firm.
The arrest happened Jan. 19, when Mirto and Simpson were on the sidewalk outside of Key Largo School in Key Largo, Fla., and were distributing copies of the Bible to those interested.
"Neither man entered school grounds," the law firm said. "After the school's principal called police, a Monroe County sheriff's officer asked the men to leave immediately or face trespassing charges. As the men prepared to leave, the officer decided to arrest both individuals."
"A copy of our police report (see attached) … clearly states that the people in question were arrested for trespassing on school property - not on a public sidewalk… In fact, they were given the opportunity to step off school property and onto public property, and they could have continued with their activities if they had done so. They chose instead to remain, against repeated warnings, on school property so deputies were forced to arrest them," Herrin stated.
The report forwarded to WND, however, reveals the two were arrested while in their truck in a "no parking" zone. The report said that on the complaint from school principal Annette Martinson, when the two defendants were ordered by the deputy to leave an area that included a bike path, "both defendants slowly walked away towards a teal in color pick up truck that was parked in a no parking zone in front of the school."
One suspect then wanted the officer's ID, and, "I then handed Simpson … my business card and he continued to walk toward the parked truck," said the police allegation from officer John Perez.
The officer then confirms, "I observed both defendants enter the pick up truck and remain seated inside." He watched for several minutes, then approached the pickup truck, parked in a "no parking" zone, "I asked both defendants why they where (sic) refusing to leave," and "Defendant Simpson III stated, we where (sic) just leaving."
"The truck was parked in a no parking zone in front of the school … not on a public street but on school property. The only 'public street' adjacent to the school is Highway U.S. One and there is no parking on the highway," Herrin added.
I'm not especially religious, I'm definitely not catholic, and I am usually bashing organized religion when it comes up in debate, but I don't see what these men did that was so wrong? They were in what they thought was a public space delivering a message to passerby. This happens on countless street-corners each day. The only thing anyone can take umbrage with is the fact that they were near a school, but neither man is a felon (so the sex-offender laws aren't in play) and they packed up to leave when asked. It seems to me that a contrivance of law (arrested for illegal parking? WTF is this Pittsburgh?) was used to arrest two guys who rubbed two people the wrong way.
I really hope these guys win their case and countersue to teach the officials in question a painful financial lesson. They should go get the ACLU involved too.