Posted on 02/17/2005 9:55:43 AM PST by 26lemoncharlie
TESTING THE FAITH Judge drops all charges against Philly Christians Adults who evangelized at homosexual event vindicated, teen girl likely off hook tomorrow
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Posted: February 17, 2005 12:33 p.m. Eastern
© 2005 WorldNetDaily.com
In what is being hailed as a victory for free speech, a judge in Philadelphia today dismissed all criminal charges against four Christians who were arrested for evangelizing at an outdoor homosexual event.
Judge Pamela Dembe of the Philadelphia County Court of Common Pleas dismissed the charges, saying that she found no basis whatsoever for any of them.
"We are one of the very few countries that protects unpopular speech," Dembe said after viewing a videotape of the arrests. As WorldNetDaily reported, on Oct. 10, a group of 11 Christians was "preaching God's Word" to a crowd of people attending the Philadelphia "OutFest" event and displaying banners with biblical messages.
After a confrontation with a group called the Pink Angels, described by protesters as "a militant mob of homosexuals," the Christians were arrested and spent a night in jail.
Eight charges were filed: criminal conspiracy, possession of instruments of crime, reckless endangerment of another person, ethnic intimidation, riot, failure to disperse, disorderly conduct and obstructing highways.
None of the Pink Angels was cited or arrested.
After a preliminary hearing in December, Judge William Austin Meehan ordered four of the Christians to stand trial on three felony and five misdemeanor charges. If convicted, each could have received a maximum of 47 years in prison. One female teenage protester faces charges in the juvenile justice system, but those charges likely will be dropped tomorrow.
"The judge saw this case for what it is," Joe Infranco, senior counsel for the Alliance Defense Fund, said in a statement. "This was the right response to an outrageous abuse of power to silence speech that some people didn't like.
"What took place here was a government crackdown on disfavored speech. The OutFest participants staged a national coming-out day on a public street using public funds, and then they tried to say it's a private event. That didn't make any sense, and neither did the actions of the police. …"
Dembe is the judge who last month removed the bail requirement that the defendants stay at least 100 feet away from any homosexual gathering.
Yippee!!!!
Now, if we could put that judge in charge of the Terri Schiavo case, I could get a good night's sleep for a change.
Praise the Lord!
Bttt
Thanks for the ping! This is awesome!! Praise the Lord indeed! He is our advocate, intercessor, counselor and helper! :o)
About friggin time, now they should go after that anti-Christian SOB district attorney, Charles Ehrlich, who pushed these so-called "hate crime" charges against the Christian protestors. They should sue him in federal court, under the civil rights act (42 USC 1983) both in his capacity as DA and individually as a private citizen. And when they win, they can take his home and throw the dirt bag out onto the street.
--Boot Hill
ONLY problem is the message has already been sent that
Christians are accepted in Philly only if they are polite and remain behind closed doors, and do not offend anybody.
Problem is Scripture is still considered Hate Speech and
Christianity a Hate Group. Until PA removes Sexual Orientation from their protected class status the confusion will remain. I see nothing to celebrate in this
dropping of charges -except in that the good people wrongly
charged no longer face prison.The fundamental problem
remains unchanged.
It isn't just CHRISTIANS, it's anyone on the RIGHT!
Deo gratias.
SECOND: About friggin time, now they should go after that anti-Christian SOB district attorney, Charles Ehrlich, who pushed these so-called "hate crime" charges against the Christian protestors. They should sue him in federal court, under the civil rights act (42 USC 1983) both in his capacity as DA and individually as a private citizen. And when they win, they can take his home and throw the dirt bag out onto the street.
Prosecutorial Immunity would prevent that (sad, I know) BUT, the city is still liable for "malicious prosecution" under that same code. There's also the matter of conspiracy between the prosecutor(s) and the homo's from DOJ who attended the rally and insisted on this prosecution. Hmmmm....come to think of it, Title 18 USC 241, "conspiracy against rights" trumps both judicial and prosecutorial immuunity, last I heard. There's a case like that out of San Diego where a judge is/was being prosecuted criminally. Good luck getting DOJ to prosecute their own on this though.
A thank you to all of those who prayed for us and for a just outcome of the case.
Also, thank you to all who wrote letters, made phone calls, and told others about what was happening.
I really appreciate it!
Thanks You,
Dennis Green
http://www.lifeandlibertyministries.com
I'm curious. Was the ACLU ever approached about this? Did the ACLU ever offer to protect your free speech rights? I am assuming this is not the kind of free speech the ACLU would be interested in protecting.
Amen.
O, and pass the ammunition.
I think they should sue. Not out of vengence, but out of the desire to prevent other people from being falsely prosecuted.
Maybe eventually, but the wheels of justice are slow. These people were arrested, jailed, had to make bail(?), were threatened, and incurred legal fees. All unjustly. The system shouldn't have allowed that to happen.
The system failed when they were arrested. The system failed when the arraignment judge didn't throw the case out. The system failed when the prosecutors decided to pursue the case. The system failed when the first judge ordered them to stand trial.
That's way too many failures.
Now how about those court cost and attorney's fee's?False arrest?
All I can do is repeat -
WOO HOO!!
And thank God.
Hope is not lost.
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