RICHMOND, Va. — After repeated threats for speaking out on public sidewalks against abortion, two pro-life supporters, represented by attorneys with the Alliance Defense Fund, filed a federal civil rights lawsuit Monday against the city’s police chief and one of its officers.
“Pro-life speech cannot be treated differently than any other kind of speech,” said ADF Senior Counsel Nate Kellum. “The police cannot reprimand speech for being ‘too loud’ when no standard definition of an unacceptable noise level exists.”
Charles Neal and Paul Trout, both of whom remained peaceful and respectful while expressing their free-speech rights on a public sidewalk, were repeatedly threatened by an officer from the Richmond Police Department for demonstrating outside an abortion clinic. The officer, who, like other members of the department, is permitted to work for private entities while off-duty, is employed by the abortion clinic. On two occasions, Neal was arrested by the same policeman and charged with disorderly conduct. Both charges were dismissed. The same officer also issued Trout a citation for violating Richmond’s ordinance against “Creation of Loud and Disturbing Noise” after Trout questioned the definition of “too loud.” That charge was later dismissed as well.
A copy of the complaint filed in the U.S. District Court for the Eastern
District of Virginia, Richmond Division, in the case Neal v. City of Richmond
is available here.
“Both Mr. Neal and Mr. Trout acted entirely within the law while speaking
out against abortion,” Kellum said. “The officer’s reasoning behind the
continual harassment of both men is without merit, as evidenced by the
swift dismissal of the charges filed against them.”
Please let your voice be heard. Write to the RPD and the Mayor to express your concerns and ask that the RPD will put a stop to the continued abuses.
Chief of Police Rodney Monroe
Richmond Police Department
200 W. Grace Street
Richmond, VA 23220
Thank you for your immediate attention.
Dennis Green, Director Life and Liberty Ministries P.O. Box 862 Powhatan,
VA 23139 (804) 492-9216
Life and Liberty Ministries
Richmond Police Officer, Howard Noyse, is on a mission to lock up Pro-life Christians
Life and Liberty Ministries
P.O. Box 862
Powhatan, VA 23139
On Friday, November 5, Officer Howard Noyse of the Richmond Police Department
arrested Fred Neal, a Christian, as he preached truth on the public sidewalk
at Richmond
Medical Center for Women. Fred's charge was "disorderly conduct". This
is a favorite "catch-all" charge used when no law has been violated. This
is another instance in a long
history of harassment by this officer who is on the payroll of RMCW.
For several years this police officer has been moonlighting at the clinic.
In recent days Officer Howard Noyse has been threatening Christians
on a regular basis with arrest if they speak out to those entering the
abortion clinic. Three weeks ago
Officer Noyse issued a citation to Mark Goodell as he spoke to someone
entering the establishment. The charge was also "disorderly conduct".
This criminal charge is described as performing "an act of disorderly conduct with the intent to cause public inconvenience, annoyance, or alarm, or to recklessly create a risk thereof."
The harassment often follows the following mode. Noyse will come out
to the Christians on the street and say that they have been warned about
some often undiscribed violation
of some undescribed ordinance. When asked what he means or for clarification,
the response is usually silence while he turns and walks back into the
abortion clinic ignoring our
requests for clarification.
In recent days Officer Howard Noyse has been threatening Christians
on a regular basis with arrest if they speak out to those entering the
abortion clinic. Three weeks ago
Officer Noyse issued a citation to Mark Goodell as he spoke to someone
entering the establishment. The charge was also "disorderly conduct".
This criminal charge is described as performing "an act of disorderly conduct with the intent to cause public inconvenience, annoyance, or alarm, or to recklessly create a risk thereof."
The harassment often follows the following mode. Noyse will come
out to the Christians on the street and say that they have been warned
about some often undiscribed violation
of some undescribed ordinance. When asked what he means or for
clarification, the response is usually silence while he turns and walks
back into the abortion clinic ignoring our
requests for clarification.
"The abuses perpetrated by this man continue even after his actions
have been regularly related to his supervisors and to the Chief of Police.
Wielding a badge and a gun, he
is out of control and dangerous. When will the Police department
reign in this enemy of the first amendment and the Gospel." stated Dennis
Green, Director of Life and Liberty Ministries.
Officer Howard Noyse
Visit www.lifeandlibertyministries.com to view photos.
Green's first dealings with Officer Noyse stem back several years ago
when he (Green) arrived at Richmond Medical Center for Women with two of
his small children to minister to
those entering. Officer Noyse called for backup and had Greens
truck searched for explosives. The responding officer doing the search
related that he knew that there were no
explosives hidden in the truck but he had to finish the job of searching
because the report had been made by Noyse. Although explosives
were not found, several dubious items
were discovered including two infant car seats and gospel literature.
Life and Liberty Ministries asks that letters be sent to the Chief of
Police requesting immediate intervention. Officer Howard Noyse is
a danger to citizens whose only crime is
that they take the Gospel seriously and are willing to share it with
others on the public sidewalks of Richmond.
Letters should be addressed to the following individuals
Chief Andre Parker
200 W. Grace Street
Richmond, VA 23220
-----------------------------------------
Captain Michael Shamus
2nd Precinct Police Department
177 E. Belt Blvd.
Richmond, VA 23224
-----------------------------------------
Lt. A. A. Jones
3rd Precinct Police Department
301 S. Meadow
Richmond, VA 23220
-----------------------------------------
David Hicks
Commonwealth Attorney
900 E. Broad Street
Richmond, VA 23219
-----------------------------------------
Calvin Jamison
City Manager
900 E. Broad Street
Richmond, VA 23219
Visit LifeandLibertyMinistries.com to view photos.
CONTACT:
Life and Liberty Ministries
P.O. Box 862
Powhatan, VA 23139
Website: www.lifeandlibertyministries.com
E-mail: lifeandliberty@juno.com
Baby John
Another
baby murdered by a babykilling abortionist.
To view more babies
murdered bybabykilling abortionists click here.
Genesis 9:6
Whoso sheddeth man's blood,
by man shall his blood be shed:
for in the image of God made
he man.
Numbers 35:33 So ye shall
not pollute the land wherein ye are:
for blood it defileth the land:
and the land cannot be cleansed of the
blood that is shed therein,
but by the blood of him that shed it.
E-mail: Glory2Jesus@ArmyofGod.com
Telephone 1-757-204-4454
Or write to: Rev. Don Spitz
Pro-Life Virginia
P.O. Box 2876
Chesapeake VA 23327