Posted on 05/29/2003 11:32:30 AM PDT by Timesink
MAY 28--Turns out the Florida woman who is suing for the right to wear a Muslim headdress in a driver's license photograph has previously been subjected to an, um, unveiled government portrait. Following her 1997 conversion to Islam, Sultaana Freeman (formerly Sandra Keller) was arrested in Decatur, Illinois for battering a foster child. Freeman, 35, pleaded guilty in 1999 to felony aggravated battery and was sentenced to 18 months probation. As a result of the conviction, state officials removed two foster children from Freeman's care. The mug shot of the felonious Freeman (below left) was taken after her arrest in the Illinois case. Freeman returned to the dock this week--that's her testifying in the below right photo--to challenge Florida rules requiring prospective drivers to submit to unveiled photos for their licenses. Last year, Freeman sued the state after her license was revoked when she failed to allow officials to photograph her sans headdress. State officials contend that, in light of the September 11 attacks, it is crucial that all motorists now be photographed in an unadorned state. (1 page)
For more on Freeman's case, check out Court TV's coverage.
Ping to toot my own horn! I'll just be over here doing my prescience dance.
Case: 1998 CF 001472 D 001
Litigant: FREEMAN, SULTAANA
Closed Date: 07/09/1999
Date Remarks
10/05/98 **Complaint filed on 10/01/1998.
10/05/98 ----------------------------------------------------------------------
10/05/98 People by Mr. Sauer. Defendant fails to appear.
10/05/98 Motion for bench warrant.
10/05/98 Hearing set for 10/26/1998 at 09:00 in courtroom 1.
10/05/98 People to send notice.
10/05/98 ----------------------------------------------------------------------
10/19/98 Notice of Hearing on file as of Oct 19, 1998. lb
10/19/98 ----------------------------------------------------------------------
10/26/98 People by Mr. Sauer. Defendant present. Entry of appearance of
10/26/98 Mrs. Waller. Motion for bench warrant denied. Defendant present
10/26/98 pursuant to bond. Defendant's age is 30. Defendant waives
10/26/98 arraignment.
10/26/98 Preliminary hrg set for 11/05/1998 at 10:00 in courtroom 3B.
10/26/98 ----------------------------------------------------------------------
11/05/98 State's Attorney, Mr. Fichter, present. Deft. present
11/05/98 and with counsel, Ms. Waller. Cause called for preliminary hearing.
11/05/98 Sworn evidence heard. Finding there is probable cause
11/05/98 to believe the defendant committed the offenses in the Information.
11/05/98 Pretrial Discovery Order and Answer on file.
11/05/98 Defendant admonished as to his right to be tried and sentenced
11/05/98 in absentia. All motions to be filed by December 18, 1998.
11/05/98 Status hearing set for 11/30/1998 at 01:30 in courtroom 3A.
11/05/98 ----------------------------------------------------------------------
11/30/98 Assistant State's Attorney Jack Ahola present. Defendant
11/30/98 not present. Attorney Ruth Waller present
11/30/98 for Defendant. On motion of the Defendant, case reallotted for
11/30/98 status hearing on January 4, 1999, at 1:30 p.m. in courtroom 3A.
11/30/98 ----------------------------------------------------------------------
01/04/99 Assistant State's Attorney Jack Ahola present. Defendant
01/04/99 not present. Attorney Ruth Waller present
01/04/99 for Defendant. On motion of the Defendant, case reallotted for
01/04/99 status hearing on February 1, 1999 at 1:30 p.m. in courtroom 3A.
01/04/99 ----------------------------------------------------------------------
02/01/99 Assistant State's Attorney Jack Ahola present for the People.
02/01/99 Defendant present with counsel, Mrs. Ruth Waller. Agreed Motion to
02/01/99 Withdraw FILED this day. Case is continued for appearance of
02/01/99 Defendant and counsel February 22, 1999, at 1:30 p.m., in
02/01/99 Courtroom 3A.
02/01/99 ----------------------------------------------------------------------
02/22/99 Assistant State's Attorney Richard Foote present. Attorney Glenn
02/22/99 Fuller present and enters his appearance for the Defendant.
02/22/99 Case set for status hearing on April 5, 1999 at 1:30 p.m. in
02/22/99 courtroom 3A.
02/22/99 ----------------------------------------------------------------------
04/05/99 Assistant State's Attorney Jack Ahola present. Defendant
04/05/99 not present. Attorney Glenn Fuller present
04/05/99 for Defendant. Representation discovery completed. No pending
04/05/99 pretrial motions. Case allotted for pretrial on May 3, 1999
04/05/99 at 3:00 p.m., in Courtroom 3A.
04/05/99 ----------------------------------------------------------------------
05/03/99 Assistant State's Attorney Jack Ahola present. Defendant
05/03/99 not present. Attorney Glenn Fuller present
05/03/99 for Defendant. Representation discovery completed. No pending
05/03/99 pretrial motions. Case allotted for pretrial on July 6, 1999
05/03/99 at 3:00 p.m., in Courtroom 3A.
05/03/99 ----------------------------------------------------------------------
07/06/99 Assistant State's Attorney Jack Ahola present. Attorney
07/06/99 Glenn Fuller present for Defendant. Defendant not present.
07/06/99 Case set for Dispositional Hearing on July 9, 1999 at 11:00 a.m.
07/06/99 in courtroom 3A.
07/06/99 ----------------------------------------------------------------------
07/09/99 Assistant State's Attorney Scott Rueter and Defendant present
07/09/99 with Attorney Glenn Fuller. Information amended to charge the
07/09/99 Class 3 crime of Aggravated Battery. Defendant withdraws not guilty
07/09/99 plea and tenders a plea of guilty. Defendant admonished pursuant to
07/09/99 Supreme Court Rule 402(a). Written jury waiver filed. Court finds
07/09/99 that the admission is knowingly and voluntarily made and that there
07/09/99 is a fact basis for the admission. Judgment of conviction is
07/09/99 entered for the Class 3 crime of Aggravated Battery (Count I).
07/09/99 Counts II and III are dismissed. Court advised regarding Defendant's
07/09/99 prior criminal history. Defendant waives Pre-sentence Report.
07/09/99 Case called for immediate sentence hearing. Defendant is sentenced
07/09/99 to a term of probation for 18 months. Defendant is ordered to pay
07/09/99 a $25 per month probation service fee and court costs. Certificate
07/09/99 of Conditions filed this day. Defendant's cash bail surety is
07/09/99 applied to payment of fines, fees and costs. Balance of fines, fees
07/09/99 and costs to be paid within 60 days. Defendant is advised
07/09/99 regarding her right to appeal.
07/09/99 ----------------------------------------------------------------------
01/16/01 Order of Discharge from Probation entered and filed.
01/16/01 ----------------------------------------------------------------------
1989 TR 013414 D 001 KELLER, SANDRA M 11/22/1967 DRIVING 21-25 MPH ABOVE LIMIT *
1997 OP 000399 P 001 KELLER, SANDRA M __/__/____ *
1997 MR 000209 P 001 KELLER, SANDRA MICHELLE __/__/____ *
1998 CF 001472 D 001 FREEMAN, SULTAANA 11/22/1967 AGG BATTERY/GREAT BODILY HARM *
2000 SC 000207 D 001 FREEMAN, SULTAANA __/__/____ *
2001 CH 000091 D 001 FREEMAN, SULTAANA L F/K/A MYKE, __/__/____ *
1998 TR 025996 D 001 FREEMAN, SULTAANA LAKIANA MYKE 11/22/1967 REGIS EXPIRATION/1ST & 2ND *
2000 SC 000086 D 001 FREEMAN, SULTAANA LIKIANA ET AL __/__/____ *
Last week, at a district justice's office just north of here, two Amishmen pulled up in buggies, came out of the snow into the warm and were found guilty of failing to mount state-mandated reflective orange triangles on their carriages.The fine was $100 apiece.
An hour later, at a district justice's office 10 miles to the north, the routine was repeated, this time with three Amishmen, all found guilty, each fined $100.
Nobody paid up, though.
"We don't think it's too much to impose on these people. It's good enough for everybody else," said Ted Farabaugh, a township supervisor in West Carroll Township, home to many of the Swartzentrubers. "Take away the triangle, and people have less chance to see the buggies. Then, there's going to be a head-on collision, with people trying to avoid them."
In Ohio, the largest single Amish enclave in the world, a study done through the state Department of Transportation and Ohio State University branded the orange reflective triangle "the single most recognizable emblem" to mark slow-moving traffic. That's important, Ohio Highway Patrol Lt. Joel Smith said, since the driver of a 55-mph vehicle bearing down on a 5-mph buggy will see the gap between them close from 500 feet to 44 feet in six seconds.
The new cases, and any more that come along, will be joined in a court fight framing a state traffic code provision as infringing on religious liberties of a small sliver of the state's Amish population, said Witold Walczak, executive director of the American Civil Liberties Union's Greater Pittsburgh Chapter.
The fight centers on a tiny, 88-year-old branch called Swartzentruber Amish, rigid by even mainline Amish standards. While the rest of the Amish spectrum has adopted, sometimes grudgingly, the orange triangles, the Swartzentrubers refuse.
source
I guess you don't have any constructive contribution, just trying to nickpick after being shown how wrong you were about fundamentalist Christians getting special rights in this country.
As for your lame argument about the Amish, that's a non sequitur.
You are confused between "special rights" and applied rights. The Amish have applied the rights that we all have, and haven't been signigicantly "defeated" in their application to date. They've lost some battles in some states, but mostly they've held their own. But you did mischaracterize their use of non-powered vehicles in the vast majority of cases.
Maybe you're jealous because you don't have the courage to take a bold stand for your rights. Instead, you punch your keyboard and make like you're some great scholar, above the fray. Ha.
It is obvious you did not read the case, since you keep making uneducated statements.
I won't bother to answer your uninformed comments anymore.
You're doing the forum a favor by not responding. You should take that track on all threads.
With that veil on, it's hard to tell whether or not she has a beard.
8-)
Please FReepmail me if you want on or off my infrequent 'general interest' ping list.
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