« Fattest Wallet Ever! | Main | “I’m sorry Dave, but you can’t have the antique vase.” »

Don’t Mess with … North Carolina …

arrestedbastard.jpg .. cause they will fuck you up.

Check this: A couple in West Asheville, NC put a flag upside down on their front porch, as a form of protest, right? Well the Bumblefuck Buncombe County Sheriff’s Office had their own form of protest. It’s called: “My foot. Your ass.”

The upside-down flag had a picture of the President and the words “Out Now,” on it. It’s a misdemeanor in NC to desecrate the flag, so the police responded to the scene. There are two accounts to the story, but I’m going to give you the account of the Kuhns, because it’s actually backed up by several eye-witnesses.

According to the Kuhns, deputy Brian Scarborough came and told them they were desecrating the flag. The Kuhns said that they didn’t mean to, that they were simply put the flag up as a sign that the country was in distress. Nevertheless, the Kuhns took the flag down.

But the deputy wasn’t happy with that. He wanted them to show ID. The Kuhns refused and walked back into the house. So the deputy kicked in the door, knocked out the glass, unlocked the door, and came after the Kuhns. He then chased Mr. Kuhn into the kitchen, pulled out his billy club, and beat the shit out him. Mrs. Kuhn, meanwhile, had to call 911 to report that a cop had broken into their home and was assaulting her husband.

Deborah Kuhn asserted that no warrant was displayed or permission asked to enter the house. After calling 911, she says, she ran outside and began screaming for help.
Sam York, who lives nearby the couple, was awakened by the struggle, as the Kuhns and Scarborough both came out into the yard. “I woke up to Debbie screaming,” he said. “Mark and Debbie were saying ‘you assaulted us’ and the officer [Scarborough], was demanding their identification. Then another officer threatened them with a taser. He told Debbie to back away or he’d taser her and demanded that Mark get on the ground.”
Sorrell confirms this part of the account: “When they were outside, one of the other officers produced a taser and he [Mark Kuhn] surrendered and submitted.”
Deborah Kuhn’s screams also drew the attention of Shawn Brady and several of his roommates, who live next door to the couple. “I run outside and ask them what’s going on and there’s cops chasing Mark around his car,” Brady said. “They threaten to taser him and demand that he get on the ground. He gets on the ground and we ask them what they’re being charged with. They tell us it’s none of our concern. I tell them they’re our neighbors and it is our concern.”
Neal Wilson, who lives with Brady, also saw the deputy produce the taser, he says. After repeated questions, Brady and roommate Tony Plichta said that the deputies replied that “they didn’t know yet” what the couple would be charged with.

So, to all you North Carolinians out there: You best watch which way you hang your flag. And if you vote for a Democrat in 2008, don’t be surprised if there is an officer waiting outside your polling booth with a billy club in hand.

| Comments (3)


Comments

It will be interesting to see whether a qualified immunity defense can stand up to:

(a) Texas v. Johnson (i.e., Should a beat cop know it, or at least know to call HQ for instructions?)

(b) The "they didn't know yet what the couple would be charged with" aspect.

So a cop asks you for I.D.
You say "No," go back into your house and lock the door.
Are you thinking he's gonna shrug and get back into his car?

Whether the deputy "shouldn't have been at the scene" or not is irrelevant. You don't run from the Police. Any idiot knows that.