Name: Federal judge rules First Amendment doesn’t protect Connecticut man arrested with sign warning of ‘Cops Ahead’
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Federal judge rules First Amendment doesn’t protect Connecticut man arrested with sign warning of ‘Cops Ahead’

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AdvertisementBy Hartford CourantOct 06, 2020 at 3:30 pmA federal judge last week dismissed a lawsuit brought by a man arrested for holding a sign warning people of police officers ahead during distracted driving enforcement in Stamford, noting the man’s actions were not protected by the First Amendment.U.S. District Judge Alfred V. Covello granted Stamford Sgt. Richard Gasparino’s request for summary judgment in the matter, and denied a similar request from Michael Friend, who argued the police sergeant violated his First Amendment rights to free speech.Advertisement“We are reviewing the decision and thinking carefully about our options,” said Dan Barrett of the ACLU of Connecticut, who represented Friend. “Our contemplation about the First Amendment includes the ability to protest the police on the sidewalk and publicize information about the police.”In a 30-page ruling issued Sept. 29, Covello wrote: “In this case, it is questionable whether Friend’s act of holding a ‘Cops Ahead’ sign a few blocks from a location in which officers were stopping distracted drivers, rises to the level of expression of an opinion related to a matter of public significance.”AdvertisementThe suit stems from a 2018 arrest in which Gasparino took a sign reading “Cops Ahead” from Friend who was standing two blocks away from officers looking for distracted drivers. Gasparino told Friend to leave and not come back with another sign, or he would face arrest.As it happensGet the latest updates on Coronavirus and other breaking news events happening across Connecticut &gt; According to court records, Friend returned with a larger sign and was taken into custody by Gasparino about 30 minutes later for “interfering” with the distracted driving investigation.Friend appeared in court on several occasions before his case was dismissed by prosecutors.Friend argued in the lawsuit that his actions, sharing public and truthful information, obtained legally, was protected speech, records show.Gasparino’s lawyers argued that the signs were “of little, if any, public concern” and that stopping Friend did not chill free speech.Covello ruled that there was sufficient compelling interest behind the police sergeant’s actions.“Although Friend identifies the government interest at stake as one of ‘generat[ing] ticket-writing opportunities,' instead, the police department’s interest was in saving lives by stopping distracted drivers and issuing citations for their behavior,” he wrote in his ruling.Nicholas Rondinone can be reached at nrondinone@courant.com. Advertisement

AdvertisementBy Hartford CourantOct 06, 2020 at 3:30 pmA federal judge last week dismissed a lawsuit brought by a man arrested for holding a sign warning people of police officers ahead during distracted driving enforcement in Stamford, noting the man’s actions were not protected by the First Amendment.U.S. District Judge Alfred V. Covello granted Stamford Sgt. Richard Gasparino’s request for summary judgment in the matter, and denied a similar request from Michael Friend, who argued the police sergeant violated his First Amendment rights to free speech.Advertisement“We are reviewing the...

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Federal judge rules First Amendment doesn’t protect Connecticut man arrested with sign warning of ‘Cops Ahead’

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