Woman Ordered To Change Anti-Bush Shirt Before Sentencing

[kpete]

Woman Ordered To Change Anti-Bush Shirt Before Sentencing
Protestor Convicted Of Felony Assault Against Police Officers


POSTED: 1:34 pm EDT June 2, 2006

CLEVELAND -- A woman convicted of assaulting Cleveland Heights police officers appeared in court for sentencing Friday morning, but the sentencing was delayed when the judge said she must change her clothes, NewsChannel5 reported.

Carolyn Fisher was arrested in February when she was hanging up anti-President George W. Bush posters, which police say is against the law. Officers said the woman attacked them when they ordered her to take down the posters.

Fisher was convicted of two count of felony assault against a police officer. She and her supporters showed up for her sentencing wearing anti-Bush T-shirts, but the judge deemed the attire inappropriate.

Judge Timothy McGinty said he had no problem with people protesting the war or the president, but that the courtroom was not the place to express those views.

more at:
http://www.newsnet5.com/news/9312729/detail.html

[proud2BlibKansan]

1. Isn't this the woman who was forced into a psych ward?

The judge called her 'delusional' for her opinion of bush?

[ixion]

2. yes, they're building some special pens, er, places where people

have Freedom of Speech.

Please check yourself in so that you might be carted off to one of these glorious camps of no return.

[derby378]

3. Since WHEN are anti-Bush posters against the law in Ohio?!?

:mad:

[BrklynLiberal]

4. Shouldn't the ACLU be involved in this?

[MADem]

5. The video at the site is helpful in explaining the full story

Her conviction wasn't for hanging the posters, it was for assaulting the police officers. The judge's ruling had to do with his assertion that the defendant wanted to make the issue the war, but he said that wasn't the issue, the assault was the issue. It would be interesting to see if he's as strict with other defendants with regard to matters of dress.

I found a city council meeting minutes from Cleveland Heights on the net about this issue, many of the woman's supporters attended. There is, apparently, a POST NO BILLS rule in Cleveland Heights (on page 14 of the document it is discussed):http://www.clevelandheights.com/upload/newsletter/minutes_02062006.pdf

On edit, here's the salient paragraph:

There are the facts as we know them: 1) Cleveland Heights has had zoning codes and
general offenses code regulations regarding flyers and posters on public poles for many, many
years. This is not a new rule. The zoning regulation has been in place since 1970, specifically
#1163.02, which is Application of Sign Regulations and the General Offenses Code regulation has
been in place since 1943. Again, this particular code has been in place since 1943, so way before
most of us, or all of were born. Some of us, as the Vice Mayor reminded us. The content or subject
matter of the flyers has absolutely nothing to do with the enforcement of the regulation. This City
Council and past City Councils have always supported this regulation. It has absolutely nothing
to do with content. 2) The police were following procedure by informing the woman, three separate
times, that the posters should not be put up. 3) Witnesses at the scene reported that the
woman became out of control and physical with the police officers. The police then followed
proper procedure in getting the situation under control. 4) The Cleveland Heights paramedics
were called because the police officers were bleeding from scratch and bite marks.”