Posted on 06/06/2005 5:59:57 AM PDT by PJ-Comix
Swap Shop owner Preston Henn was arrested and booked into jail Sunday night on charges related to a May 20 altercation between Henn and BSO deputies, an incident that began when Henn tried to evict one of his longtime tenants.
The arrest came the same day that Henn returned from Las Vegas and went back to running the flea market, which is near Fort Lauderdale.
''He's going to spend the night in jail. I'm going to try to get him out of jail in the morning,'' said Henn's attorney, Bruce Rogow.
``Getting him out of jail is the No. 1 priority. Then I'm sure he'll enter a not guilty plea.''
Henn, 74, was arrested on two counts of battery on a law-enforcement officer, one count of simple battery and one count of criminal mischief, according to Broward Sheriff's Office spokesman Jim Leljedal.
Henn was arrested about 10 p.m. after a deputy stopped Henn's vehicle on Atlantic Boulevard in Pompano Beach. There was a warrant for his arrest.
On May 20, Henn was taken away in a BSO squad car after witnesses said he shoved Swap Shop vendor Joel Leibovitch, bowled over a BSO district chief and kicked out the window of a patrol car.
Henn spent more than a week under psychiatric care at Imperial Point Medical Center. Henn was hospitalized under the state's Baker Act.
After his release, Henn told anyone who would listen that deputies went too far when they used a Taser gun on him and pointed a gun at his family during an altercation two weeks ago.
Last week, he shut down Swap Shop businesses run by the daughter and wife of a Broward sheriff's deputy who headed his security detail.
Jennifer Bautista, daughter of BSO Deputy Louis Bautista, runs an Italian ice stand, and Dana Bautista, the deputy's wife, runs a beauty parlor.
Henn has also tried to evict Leibovitch several times.
''It's really sad when a man feels he can do whatever he wants to without having any repercussions come to him,'' Leibovitch said.
Rogow said that arresting Henn Sunday night was unnecessary.
``Clearly, they knew that Preston would have counsel and that he could voluntarily surrender. I'm somewhat surprised that they would arrest a 74-year-old man at 9 o'clock on a Sunday night knowing that he's not going anywhere. I think it was a bit overzealous.''
But during the day on Sunday, Henn said he was back to business as usual at the Swap Shop and he did not expect to be charged in the confrontation with deputies.
''I can't see how they can possibly bring a case on that,'' said Henn.
``I don't expect to be charged.''
FYI
(I had no idea, by the way, that members of the BSO were as rough as this article makes them out to be.)
Preston Henn is facing a LOOOONG jail term down the road and NOT just because of this incident. It will ALLLL come out.
I'm still not sure, however, what Preston Henn did that got the Boston Symphony Orchestra so upset that it send agents all the way to Florida to arrest him.
Did he fail to tune his instrument properly?
Did he talk on his cell phone during a BSO concert?
Did he serve white wine with Beef Wellington?
Naw. If he'd served the chablis with the "Welly" they would have called in a covert hit from the New York Phil.
Henn vs Jenne. I like the sound of that. Both are equally odious.
If you live in South Florida---TURN ON CHANNEL 7 News in a few minutes. I just saw a quick video clip of Preston Henn. He looks like a completely broken man (or suffering from drug withdrawals). There will be more video on this channel in just a few minutes. DO NOT MISS IT!!!
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