Posted on 11/20/2011 3:30:47 PM PST by DogByte6RER
Bigfoot takes free speech claim to NH high court
Bigfoot is taking his First Amendment case to New Hampshire’s top court.
When Jonathan Doyle of Keene donned a Bigfoot costume and set out to videotape staged sightings of the fabled ape-like creature on Mount Monadnock two years ago, state park officials put the kibosh on his escapades, saying Doyle and his friends had failed to pay $100 for a special-use permit 30 days in advance and secure a $2 million bond.
But such requirements stifle free speech and artistic expression and are too broad to pass constitutional scrutiny, say Doyle and the New Hampshire Civil Liberties Union. Defeated at the trial court level, they’ve now climbed to the top of New Hampshire’s legal system, the state Supreme Court.
The state, which won a summary judgment motion in May, argues the permit requirement for organized events is applied fairly and is designed to enhance public enjoyment of the state’s parks “free from unwelcome or unwarranted interference, annoyance or danger.’’
Merrimack Superior Court Judge Larry Smukler agreed, saying Doyle’s film “was far more than a simple attempt at spontaneous expression. It was a full-fledged commercial production.’’
The justices of the Supreme Court are slated to hear from both sides Thursday.
Doyle first wore his Bigfoot costume on the top of Monadnock on Sept. 6, 2009, then interviewed hikers at random about what they saw. Those interviewed went along with the skit and Doyle posted his video on YouTube.
The 31-year-old Doyle is “a sometimes landscaper, sometimes janitor and a full-time free spirit, filmmaker and performance artist,’’ NHCLU director Barbara Keshen described in her brief.
(Excerpt) Read more at articles.boston.com ...
But we can't apply the same free-speech regulation to Occupy Wall Street, can we?
Laws are for the law-abiding.
All others may do as they please, as long as they are Lefties.
http://youtu.be/FVVjJ6uST3o I wonder how much this bionic Bigfoot had to fork out to the government before he could act in this 1970s TV show?
I was once fined $500 for shooting on the shoulder of a state highway which was owned by a federal (NPS) park. The fee, had I applied for such, was also $500. I understand the law and respect it. However, the NPS park Superintendent gave away about $20,000 worth of national tv publicity just so that she could smugly enjoy busting someone in her little sandbox.
Go get’em!
From the headline, I thought this was about Moochelle.
eventually all the parks will be shut down because of budget constraints and only the wealthy elitists will be able to utilize them.
oh well.
teeman
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