FL's Lakeland Ledger speaks out for the atheist who was arrested for sex noises in her home.

[madfloridian]

The paper says the charges should be dropped and then they use these words..

Otherwise, so much for the American way in Polk County.

I say good for them. They point to two powerful people who have misused their power in this case.

One may argue whether Jerry Hill or Grady Judd is the most powerful official in Polk County. Hill may prosecute anyone within the 10th Judicial Circuit, which includes Polk County. Judd may arrest anyone in Polk County. Both are popular and powerful, and have done much good. Yet, in their actions against Wachs, neither has taken notice of the Bill of Rights. At this point, Hill is in charge. He should withdraw these acts of retribution.

Here is more of their article, one of the few I have read standing up for the rights of atheists not to be arrested so easily.

Second Arrest For Atheist: Bill of Rights Not for Polk

The arrest warrant says she made noise in her home on March 13 that "sounded like a woman experiencing sexual gratification in an extremely loud fashion."

So much for the Fourth Amendment in Polk County.

Wachs is the same person arrested by the Sheriff's Office on March 3 and charged with impersonating a lawyer by using the term esquire. She signed her name EllenBeth Wachs, Esq., indicating that she is a lawyer, said an investigator for the State Attorney's Office in the warrant for her first arrest.

So much for the First Amendment in Polk County. Indeed, look out for the Bill of Rights in Polk — two down, eight to go.

Tampa's WTSP news channel 10 gave more details about the neighbor's ability to get the ear of people in high places.

Controversial atheist activist arrested, accused of being too loud in bedroom

On Monday, the State Attorney's Office filed a charge of Simulation of a Sexual Act in the Presence of a Child against Wachs after the father managed to get the attention of Assistant State Attorney Brad Copely when an injunction for protection hearing was rescheduled late last month.

"I think this is an example of us moving in a direction where we take legitimate issues that require prosecution and move them to an area of persecution," said Wachs' attorney, John Liguori.

He says Wachs was not yelling out in ecstacy.

"It's my understanding that there was another individual in her home whose name is John, that she was calling him to come help her," explained Liguori. He tells us Wachs had taken her chemotherapy medication the night before and was tired.

A comment from Wachs' lawyer:

"A 15 year felony for a neighborhood dispute?" questioned Liguori, "I think number one, they don't like people speaking out and challenging their authority. Number two, I think we have a rich history of the sheriff micro-managing people's lives. We see it in all of the operations he does, bringing people in from all over the world to arrest them and third, I think they facially believe this is a violation of the law."

Channel 10 refused to name the neighbor, saying he was the parent of a victim of apparent sexual offense. However the Lakeland Ledger did name him, and the paper pointed out this happened at 8:30 am.

Wachs made the noise in an effort to make the boy stop playing basketball outside her house on Lake Victoria Drive, a complaint affidavit says. She told him to stop shooting baskets because she was trying to sleep.

A Polk County sheriff's detective began investigating after the boy's father, Otto Lehman, filed for an injunction for protection against Wachs in April.

A complaint affidavit says the boy played basketball near Wachs' home about 8:30 a.m. and she yelled through an open window for him to stop.

Lehman and his son, Forrest, returned later and she started to yell "Oh John," repeating it "over and over again and kept increasing the volume until it was a loud scream," according to the complaint affidavit.

Sounds like a very influential neighbor got the attention of some important state leaders.

I doubt she is liked very much by her neighbors, but that is most surely not the point at all.

Good for the Lakeland Ledger for taking a stand on this.