Angelique
03-14-2006, 08:25 PM
A Lawrence County motorist is going to federal court to protect a very specific part of what he claims are his free speech rights: the right to show his middle finger.
Thomas Burns of New Castle was cited last April after he became frustrated with a PennDOT traffic delay and he flipped his middle finger at a construction worker. The worker reported the gesture to a police officer in Beaver County who cited Burns.
The citation was dropped in October when the officer and the offended construction worker failed to appear at a hearing Burns requested to fight the citation.
But now Burns is suing in federal court in Pittsburgh saying he never should have been cited in the first place and was maliciously prosecuted.
*like the federal courts arent full enough with REAL cases! And why is the construction worker taking time off his job to call the cops over that mess and why did the cops even take him seriously?
Thomas Burns of New Castle was cited last April after he became frustrated with a PennDOT traffic delay and he flipped his middle finger at a construction worker. The worker reported the gesture to a police officer in Beaver County who cited Burns.
The citation was dropped in October when the officer and the offended construction worker failed to appear at a hearing Burns requested to fight the citation.
But now Burns is suing in federal court in Pittsburgh saying he never should have been cited in the first place and was maliciously prosecuted.
*like the federal courts arent full enough with REAL cases! And why is the construction worker taking time off his job to call the cops over that mess and why did the cops even take him seriously?