Hemet Church Members Sue CHP Over Bible-Reading Arrest at DMV
Pastor Brett Coronado, Mark Mackey and Edmond Flores, Jr., residents of Hemet, were outside the Department of Motor Vehicles at 1200 S. State St. just after 8 a.m. on Feb. 2.
By Maggie Avants and Guy McCarthy
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April 27, 2011
Members of Calvary Chapel Hemet are suing the California Highway Patrol because they claim their free speech rights were violated when they were arrested while reading the Bible aloud in a DMV parking lot, according to a Murrieta law firm.
Pastor Brett Coronado, Mark Mackey and Edmond Flores, Jr., all residents of Hemet, were outside the Department of Motor Vehicles at 1200 S. State St. just after 8 a.m. on Feb. 2 when Mackey began reading scripture aloud, according to their attorneys. The DMV was scheduled to open at 9 a.m.
In a video of the arrest, a security guard told the men they needed to go somewhere else. Shortly after, a CHP officer pulled up, walked over to the men, took a Bible out of Mackey's hands and put handcuffs on him.
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According to California Penal Code 602.1 (b), the offense is listed as: "intentionally interfering with any lawful business carried on by the employees of a public agency open to the public, by obstructing or intimidating those attempting to carry on business, or those persons there to transact business with the public agency, and who refuses to leave the premises of the public agency after being requested to leave by the office manager or a supervisor of the public agency, or by a peace officer acting at the request of the office manager or a supervisor of the public agency."
More:
http://banning-beaumont.patch.com/articles/hemet-church-members-sue-chp-over-bible-reading-arrest-at-dmv
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