Arrest over Cheney barb triggers lawsuit

[sunny]

<!--EZCODE AUTOLINK START--><a href="http://www.rockymountainnews.com/drmn/local/article/0,1299,DRMN_15_5039230,00.html">www.rockymountainnews.com...30,00.html</a><!--EZCODE AUTOLINK END--><br><br>By Charlie Brennan, Rocky Mountain News <br>October 3, 2006<br>A Denver-area man filed a lawsuit today against a member of the Secret Service for causing him to be arrested after he approached Vice President Dick Cheney in Beaver Creek this summer and criticized him for his policies concerning Iraq. <br>Attorney David Lane said that on June 16, Steve Howards was walking his 7-year-old son to a piano practice, when he saw Cheney surrounded by a group of people in an outdoor mall area, shaking hands and posing for pictures with several people. <br><br>According to the lawsuit filed at U.S. District Court in Denver, Howards and his son walked to about two-to-three feet from where Cheney was standing, and said to the vice president, "I think your policies in Iraq are reprehensible," or words to that effect, then walked on. <br><br>Ten minutes later, according to Howards' lawsuit, he and his son were walking back through the same area, when they were approached by Secret Service agent Virgil D. "Gus" Reichle Jr., who asked Howards if he had "assaulted" the vice president. Howards denied doing so, but was nonetheless placed in handcuffs and taken to the Eagle County Jail. <br><br>The lawsuit states that the Secret Service agent instructed that Howards should be issued a summons for harassment, but that on July 6 the Eagle County District Attorney's Office dismissed all charges against Howards. <br><br>The lawsuit filed today alleges that Howards was arrested in retaliation for having exercised his First Amendment right of free speech, and that his arrest violated his Fourth Amendment protection against unlawful seizure.<br> <p></p><i></i>

[robertdreed]

That's some banana republic shit. <p></p><i></i>

[Pissed Off Cabbie]

<!--EZCODE AUTOLINK START--><a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2DzHhbZgtfk">www.youtube.com/watch?v=2DzHhbZgtfk</a><!--EZCODE AUTOLINK END--> <p></p><i></i>

[erosoplier]

Sometimes I regret not having devoted more time to reading Foucault, and others. As things stood, that man's arrest, and news of it, was largely only going to serve to discourage other people with a similar opinion from behaving in a similar fashion if they ever happen to see Dick Cheney in their local mall. Heh.<br><br>In an alternative universe, in a self-professed freedom loving country, the politician whose security entourage arrested such a man might spend the next few weeks in the media spotlight attempting to convince the general public that he in no way approved of the actions of his security staff, and would never let it happen again. In an alternative universe, the stain on his reputation might never-the-less remain for years.<br><br>The difference between this universe and an alternative one is all to do with <!--EZCODE ITALIC START--><em>power</em><!--EZCODE ITALIC END-->, and power (say it with a French accent - <!--EZCODE ITALIC START--><em>pawurr...</em><!--EZCODE ITALIC END--> - it feels good!) is <!--EZCODE ITALIC START--><em>systemic</em><!--EZCODE ITALIC END-->...<br><br>Though I guess the emphasis changes a little when more people hear of the incident in relation to the man involved having filed a lawsuit. Good on him.<br><br><br>(My rant for the day). <p></p><i></i>

[postrchild]

Well its kind of fitting for the VP conduct himself in this manner. If they had it their way we'd all be put into camps, so we couldnt even "assault" them no matter how minor. But anyway, as I said before its fitting for a VP of a country....neither he nor "his people" "<!--EZCODE BOLD START--><strong><!--EZCODE ITALIC START--><em>can handle the truth</em><!--EZCODE ITALIC END--></strong><!--EZCODE BOLD END-->!" <p></p><i></i>

[Hugh Manatee Wins]

Even though laws are made up to protect the White House hijackers from public criticism, this illustrates what a dangerously slippery slope the 'crime' of hate speech creates towards criminalizing political speech.<br><br>The government always Orwellifies laws designed to protect the little guy into protection of the powerful. <p></p><i></i>