Posted on 06/13/2022 7:53:40 AM PDT by grundle
An Alabama man who planted flowers on the gravesite of his fiancee and was arrested at the direction of the woman’s disapproving father was found guilty of littering this week.
About a month after Winston “Winchester” Hagans got engaged, his fiancee, Hannah Ford, was killed in a three-car crash in January 2021 that shattered what was supposed to be the happiest time of their lives. To honor the 27-year-old, Hagans placed a planter box full of fresh flowers and photos of the two of them on her grave in Auburn, Ala.
But earlier this year, Hagans was arrested on a charge of criminal littering. City officials had reassured him that he could put the planter at Ford’s gravesite unless there was a complaint. Then he discovered that a complaint had been filed — by the Rev. Tom Ford, his fiancee’s father.
“The police don’t enforce the law unless the owner of the plot tries to do something about it,” Hagans told The Washington Post earlier this year, adding that his late fiancee’s father did not approve of their relationship.
Hagans was convicted Thursday on one count of criminal littering and ordered to pay about $300 in fines and court costs, the Opelika-Auburn News reported. The 32-year-old man was also given a suspended jail sentence of 30 days that will remain suspended as long as Hagans does not place any more flowers or planter boxes on his fiancee’s grave.
(Excerpt) Read more at webcache.googleusercontent.com ...
The difference between Alabama and Florida is Florida IS NOT full of native Floridians.
I strongly suspect most things you hear “Florida Man” did were done by people that weren’t born here.
yankees and non U.S. born hispanics pretty much dominate this state.
God Forbid that anyone should violate the cemetery rules in their agony of pain for their lost loved one!
And what of the excerpt above that said he asked and they said it was okay? How can he be violating "rules" if they told him he could do it absent a complaint?
Are you making "the rules" about the complaint? If you are, that still boils down to the father, and not the cemetery "rules."
“But why do people have to add pain to someone, even if they are in the wrong? Why is there no common sense or “heart” to these actions?”
Common sense would be to obey cemetery rules especially after being warned of possible legal action.
Maybe the guy was a scumbag? The dad could have been 1000% against his daughter marrying this guy and ruining her life and didn’t want to be reminded of him constantly after she was gone. There have a few “boyfriends” my daughters have had that I wanted to put into a grave. I would not want one of them to keep hanging on like some bad veneral disease.
I find strange folk everywhere, and I have no doubt that many consider me to be strange folk.
Damn, it sounds a little petty to me. Especially the Rev. Tom Ford. I sure do not see any ‘Christian’ love & forgiveness here.
What ever his reasoning.
"Section 1: All persons born or naturalized in the United States, and subject to the jurisdiction thereof, are citizens of the United States and of the State wherein they reside. No State shall make or enforce any law which shall abridge the privileges or immunities of citizens of the United States; nor shall any State deprive any person of life, liberty, or property, without due process of law; nor deny to any person within its jurisdiction the equal protection of the laws [emphasis added]."
Insights welcome.
My son’s truck was stolen while he attended the Auburn/Alabama game in Auburn 18 years ago. The Auburn police still haven’t found it.
I see idiot court decisions every where I look nowadays.
Or possibly you are incorrect.
“And what of the excerpt above that said he asked and they said it was okay? How can he be violating “rules” if they told him he could do it absent a complaint?”
City (owner of cemetery) employee is on record warning him about placing boxes and telling him legal action would be coming if he continued.
“I wasn’t referring to the fiance’s common sense, I was referring to the lack of common sense on the part of the Court system, which has become all too typical nowadays.”
Dude was warned by the city to stop or face legal action.
He didn’t stop. Court made reasonable decision IAW the law.
I will be contrary on this one.
I am with the dad 100% The young man did not leave just flowers he left a box with his photo on it, the couple was not married they were engaged which means quite a difference these days. The Dad did not like the guy and wanted better for his daughter and does not need to go to her grave and look at that guys mug the Dad was with her all of her life and raised her, the other guy not that much. I feel for the guy and sorry he misses/lost her but he should bow out to the wishes of the family/Father
Exactly, if he wants a say, he should have put a ring on it. Shacking up is not marriage.
“He was warned by the city (owner of the cemetery) and still continued placing the boxes.”
10 times. Sounds like a lawless criminal type. Maybe the dad saw that in his character and knew he would be very bad news for his daughter.
They need a plain vase that anyone could put flowers in.
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My wife’s site has two such vases.
No justice in this case. The father is severely hurt too but highly misguided. The daughter is gone. This action is uber petty.
Some were removed and returned to the dude before they became rotten.
Why the KJV my friend? Why not post a version that I can understand? Lol
“he left a box “
Left 10 boxes. Some after he was asked not to by a father’s friend and even after being warned not to by the city.
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