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WHLT interviews William and Lynn McLean about William's arrest for "disorderly conduct" on March 5, 2008. Here's a story on the arrest from the Hattiesburg American:
Local war protester arrested
By VALERIE WELLS
William McLean was standing at the intersection of Hardy Street and U.S. 49 on March 5 holding a sign protesting the war in Iraq.
McLean said a Hattiesburg police officer told him to put down his sign. He said he responded, "What are you going to do if I don't put down my sign? Arrest me?"
He was arrested and charged with disorderly conduct.
On March 11, McLean, 49, made an initial appearance in Municipal Court. Charles Lawrence, city attorney, was filling in as judge that day for Judge Ed Pittman.
"I recognize the right to protest," Lawrence said. "In my opinion, it didn't need to go to trial."
Lawrence said if McLean had no more problems with the police within six months, the charge would be "passed to the file" or dropped.
According to the Police Department, an officer approached McLean because of safety issues concerning a crowd too close to the street, said Synarus Green, HPD spokesman.
The officer asked McLean to move, Green said. After several attempts to get him to move, McLean was arrested for disorderly conduct.
Green said McLean made "several rude comments" and showed "blatant disregard for authority." Green declined to give any more details due to an "ongoing investigation."
"If anybody was rude, it was the police, and they haven't apologized yet," McLean said.
Asking a police officer what crime you are committing is protected by the U.S. Constitution, civil liberties lawyers say.
"It's a perfectly legitimate question to ask a police officer," said Brent Cox, public education coordinator for the American Civil Liberties Union of Mississippi.
"The problem is when police officers hear it as a challenge," Cox said.
McLean said the incident began when someone complained to police. A police officer came and told McLean to move because he had to be 50 feet from the street.
McLean said he asked if the supervising patrol officer could be called. Previously, Hattiesburg police had told McLean to do this if a police officer interrupted his monthly protests.
When he asked which law he was breaking, he was told it was one that said he had to be 50 feet from the intersection.
When more police showed up, one of them ordered McLean to put down his sign. McLean said when he questioned the unidentified officer, the policeman's face turned red and he became angry and told the other officers he was arresting McLean.
The booking officer's last name was Smith, according to the Forrest County Jail docket. McLean said Officer Smith was not the angry police officer, but was the one who first showed up on the scene and wound up driving him to jail.
"I asked to be charged with the being too close to the road holding the sign," McLean said. "He said it was too complicated to do it that way."
Two other people were protesting with McLean that day: Lynn McLean, his wife, and Scott Tyner, 40, of Hattiesburg.
Tyner said at first one police officer came, but eventually there were seven officers.
Police separated the three peace demonstrators. What disturbed Tyner the most is what he heard one officer say as McLean was handcuffed.
"The officer said William was out in the street and disturbing the peace," Tyner said. He said McLean was never in the street.
Tyner also had asked one of the officers if he could show him in writing what the law was.
"The officer said, 'If I have to go back to my car and get the code, I'm going to cite you for it,'" Tyner said.
McLean said he is keeping the ACLU updated.
"We are certainly going to investigate this," said Kristy Bennett, a staff attorney with ACLU of Mississippi.
F U T H E R back
(arrested again!)
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
The Green
Party of Florida
October 22, 2003
http://keepontrudging.blogspot.com/2011/12/william-in-st-pete-in-2003-united.html
Local war protester arrested
By VALERIE WELLS
William McLean was standing at the intersection of Hardy Street and U.S. 49 on March 5 holding a sign protesting the war in Iraq.
McLean said a Hattiesburg police officer told him to put down his sign. He said he responded, "What are you going to do if I don't put down my sign? Arrest me?"
He was arrested and charged with disorderly conduct.
On March 11, McLean, 49, made an initial appearance in Municipal Court. Charles Lawrence, city attorney, was filling in as judge that day for Judge Ed Pittman.
"I recognize the right to protest," Lawrence said. "In my opinion, it didn't need to go to trial."
Lawrence said if McLean had no more problems with the police within six months, the charge would be "passed to the file" or dropped.
According to the Police Department, an officer approached McLean because of safety issues concerning a crowd too close to the street, said Synarus Green, HPD spokesman.
The officer asked McLean to move, Green said. After several attempts to get him to move, McLean was arrested for disorderly conduct.
Green said McLean made "several rude comments" and showed "blatant disregard for authority." Green declined to give any more details due to an "ongoing investigation."
"If anybody was rude, it was the police, and they haven't apologized yet," McLean said.
Asking a police officer what crime you are committing is protected by the U.S. Constitution, civil liberties lawyers say.
"It's a perfectly legitimate question to ask a police officer," said Brent Cox, public education coordinator for the American Civil Liberties Union of Mississippi.
"The problem is when police officers hear it as a challenge," Cox said.
McLean said the incident began when someone complained to police. A police officer came and told McLean to move because he had to be 50 feet from the street.
McLean said he asked if the supervising patrol officer could be called. Previously, Hattiesburg police had told McLean to do this if a police officer interrupted his monthly protests.
When he asked which law he was breaking, he was told it was one that said he had to be 50 feet from the intersection.
When more police showed up, one of them ordered McLean to put down his sign. McLean said when he questioned the unidentified officer, the policeman's face turned red and he became angry and told the other officers he was arresting McLean.
The booking officer's last name was Smith, according to the Forrest County Jail docket. McLean said Officer Smith was not the angry police officer, but was the one who first showed up on the scene and wound up driving him to jail.
"I asked to be charged with the being too close to the road holding the sign," McLean said. "He said it was too complicated to do it that way."
Two other people were protesting with McLean that day: Lynn McLean, his wife, and Scott Tyner, 40, of Hattiesburg.
Tyner said at first one police officer came, but eventually there were seven officers.
Police separated the three peace demonstrators. What disturbed Tyner the most is what he heard one officer say as McLean was handcuffed.
"The officer said William was out in the street and disturbing the peace," Tyner said. He said McLean was never in the street.
Tyner also had asked one of the officers if he could show him in writing what the law was.
"The officer said, 'If I have to go back to my car and get the code, I'm going to cite you for it,'" Tyner said.
McLean said he is keeping the ACLU updated.
"We are certainly going to investigate this," said Kristy Bennett, a staff attorney with ACLU of Mississippi.
F U T H E R back
(arrested again!)
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
The Green
Party of Florida
October 22, 2003
http://keepontrudging.blogspot.com/2011/12/william-in-st-pete-in-2003-united.html
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