Pastor Terry Jones to sue for being arrested for doing nothing

Let see if we understand this Rube Goldberg case.  First, Jones decides to hold a protest outside the largest mosque in the US, located in Dearborn, MI.  He files for the permit to assemble on public land across from the mosque, and is denied permission, told his gathering would "reach the peace" by inciting Muslims to violence.  Jones then requests a trial on his denied request, at which point the ruling went against Jones as he refused to pay a "peace bond" of originally 25K but reduced to one dollar.  He finally paid the dollar but was told he had to stay away from the mosque for three years.  Now, Jones plans to protest outside the Dearborn City Hall on Friday, April 29 instead of outside the mosque and he is filing a lawsuit against the county for arresting him for doing nothing except exercising his free speech rights.

Whew!  Now I disagree with some of Pastor Jones behavior and actions, but his defence of free speech is something all of us need to uphold in the strongest possible terms.  Also, do not forget that in Dearborn the Muslim population is 40%, the city council is Muslim as is the Chief of Police.


From DETNews.com April 25 by Oralandar Brand-Williams and Mark Hicks

Terry Jones says he'll sue over his arrest

The controversy over Florida pastor Terry Jones is unlikely to end anytime soon.

He said he plans to file a lawsuit against the Wayne County Prosecutor's Office and other government offices in connection with his arrest Friday following a jury trial that found he was likely to create a "breach of the peace" for plans to protest outside the Islamic Center of America in Dearborn.

And he still vows to conduct his protest, but it will be Friday outside Dearborn City Hall.

"We invite every American who still believes in the freedom and rights that our Constitution guarantees to come and stand with us," Jones said Sunday.

The controversial Quran-burning pastor said he is working with the Ann Arbor-based Thomas More Law Center because "we were arrested for something we had not done."

This is still the United States of America, isn't it?  When did we start arresting people for doing nothing?

Jones' case is unique, said Richard Thompson, the center's president and chief counsel. "There are legal experts and commentators from all sides of the political spectrum who agree that what happened to Pastor Jones was a violation of the First Amendment."

Constitutional law expert Robert Sedler said he is glad Jones is challenging the "bizarre" ruling by 19th District Judge Mark Somers requiring Jones to post a "peace bond," jailing him for refusing and ordering him to stay away from the mosque for three years — all before Jones held the demonstration.

"The Supreme Court says you cannot deny a permit because of the message..."

But Dearborn tried. 

Read it all