Posted on 10/15/2005 11:17:43 AM PDT by Jay777
A judge who declared all public areas of Los Angeles County courthouses "no speech zones" has been hit with a federal civil rights lawsuit.
According to the complaint filed Thursday, a general order issued Sept. 13 by California Superior Court Judge William MacLaughlin "prohibits such free speech activities as picketing, distribution of literature, and demonstration."
"The courts are supposed to be protecting our First Amendment rights, not suppressing them," said Mike Johnson, senior legal counsel for the Alliance Defense Fund. "This judge's order is a constitutional travesty and has already forced our clients and other law-abiding citizens from engaging in classic, ordinary free speech."
The complaint says the ban "requires even an individual prospective speaker to get a permit but fails to provide any objective criteria or time restrictions governing the granting of a permit."
Alliance Defense Fund attorneys represent best-selling author and TV co-host Ray Comfort and Pastor Emeal Zwayne.
ADF says the two Christian ministers have been peacefully sharing their faith most mornings for the last two and a half years outside the Los Angeles County courthouse in Bellflower.
For 20 minutes each morning, Comfort and Zwayne talk with people waiting outside before the courthouse opens for the day.
They have never caused any disturbance for the court or for uninterested persons, ADF insists.
Because of the court's "no speech zone" order, police officers removed the two men from a walkway outside of the courthouse Sept. 30 and told them not to return.
(Excerpt) Read more at worldnetdaily.com ...
I'm in. It's probably the only way we'll ever see tort reform. "We declare that it is unconstitutional to sue us. How dare the peasants question our decisions." 5/4
FMCDH(BITS)
He deserves to be sued for not understanding the Constitution. I'm sure he's told many that ignorance of the law is no excuse. Well, now it's his turn.
That would be cool....and 100 trial lawyers doing the same would be cool too.
FMCDH(BITS)
I fear my opnions about this judge would not only violate Jim's guidelines for keepign my account at the Free Republic but violate any number of federal and state statutes as well since they would be comments about a judge........
Yep, talk about Christianity and the Constitution is automatically toilet paper to these black robed animals...
Why does anyone respect lawyers in black dresses anyway? They're so sick, warped, and twisted as lawyers, then they put on a black dress and get that same mental disease injected with power...
This judge should be impeached for being mentally ill.
I heard about this on Air1 a little while ago, I must have missed the ping in the million pings I got over the weekend.
Ray is doing a lot to encourage Christians to witness. Have you seen the Way of the Master programs? or LivingWaters.com website?
ping...
Can any of you tell me if we have a Rogue Judges Ping list on FR?
If not I'll start one.
Charges against the Philadelphia 11 didn't hold up, I don't think these will either.
Don't know of one, would be glad if you started one.
Tutstar, you may recall this incident.
I was with Rev. Pat Mahoney when he and his group were ordered out of the public area of the court area in Clearwater, Florida by Judge Greer. They were doing nothing unusual except praying. It was a public area.
When the Reverand reminded them of the violation of the First Amendment, the officials just winced and carried out Judge Greer's edict. The First Amendment was irrelevant to Judge Greer. In a clash between the Constitution and the desires of the judge, the judge trumps. The shocked Reverend was planning to sue. Don't know if he did. How can one successfully sue a judge who can trump Congress?
8mm
Pinged from Terri October Dailies
8mm
Wouldn't this fall in the 'moral absolutes' category??
Not many posts on this thread and it certainly is a crucial issue, much like the Philly 11 in regards to stifling speech.
Moral Absolutes Ping.
Can't have any picketing, demonstrations, or even "speaking" around those holy of holies, the couthouses which are the purview and fiefdoms of so many liberal activist judges.
Just thinking - this "no speech" crap could mean than anyone TPTB don't want around could get arrested and dragged off. Very, very ominous. What about "freedom of association" and so on? This is seriously ominous.
Freepmail me if you want on/off this pinglist.
Update on arrest of Ray Comfort for preaching outside courthouse....
via email from Ray.......
The Court Case (an update from Ray)
On Friday, September 30, two deputies stopped me from preaching and handed me a court order. For the past 2-1/2 years, EZ (our manager) and I have been preaching open-air almost daily outside the local courthouse in the City of Bellflower. We have always stayed away from the entrance, and spoken before the courts opened. The officers informed us that a judge issued an order forbidding open-air preaching and handing out tracts, not only in our city but outside the more than 40 court buildings throughout Los Angeles County. This is a violation of our First Amendment rights. Lawyers from the Alliance Defense Fund are suing the judge for $25, and believe that we will be back there speaking within a month. For court case details, see www.FreeSpeechRights.com.
For the past month or so, Scotty (our sound man) has been giving out tracts outside the local DMV. When we couldn't preach at the courts, he thought that perhaps God was freeing us up to start speaking there. So, after the court order he felt compelled to preach outside the DMV for the first time. He carried a recorder in his pocket in case the authorities tried to stop him, then preached to the crowd (the recording is wonderful). He did that for four days without any complaints from the DMV.
Scotty witnessing one-on-one outside the courthouse
Scotty sharing the gospel with an individual
Then he showed up in my office and asked if I would preach on a Wednesday. That was the busiest day, with people wrapped around the building. I told him that I felt it was his territory, and I didn't want to muscle in on him. I would simply carry on at the courts when we were allowed to go back. When I suggested that he take a team there each day, he smiled and said, "Ray, you are today's team." I couldn't get out of it. So I went and preached to 90 - 100 people who were standing in line. It seemed that everyone listened and some even thanked me. Afterward, a security guard relayed that the manager said we couldn't give out literature or preach.
So we went in and spoke to the manager. I explained that I was a pastor and that the local police had given us permission to speak. She replied that it was State property, under the jurisdiction of the California Highway Patrol, and that officers would be arriving any moment to speak to us. After waiting outside for 15 minutes, we concluded that she was bluffing. I wanted to find out what law we were supposedly violating, and the lawyers could fight that too.
When we arrived back at the ministry, there was a call from the ACLU. They said they believed that our First Amendment rights were being violated, and wanted more information about the court order. I told them that we already had representation, but if they could apply any pressure to the judge, we would be grateful.
The next day we went back to the DMV and Scotty preached. Just after he started, the CHP arrived and stopped him. On inquiry, they said that we needed a permit to give out literature, but they were okay with preaching . . . okay with the preaching?! We could hardly believe our ears. So we heartily thanked God for giving us favor.
http://www.freespeechrights.com/
Video link of EZ on this page...
If they operate outside their proper authority, then they are fair game. Of course, getting another judge to see the case through to its conclusion and punish the wayward jurist would be a first, AFAIK.
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.