OSA
Bible
The Streets
Press Releases
Newsletters
Articles
Legal
Links
Home

Our Purpose
Our Director
Support Us
Contact Us

email OSA
Web problems or suggestions?

 

God honors those who honor Him

 

 God honors those who honor Him

God honors those who honor Him (1 Samuel 2:30). Our prayers are being answered so rapidly that it is difficult to sing His praises fast enough. Thank you, Jesus for honoring Ron Brock's faithfulness to your preborn children. You have exonerated and exalted him and he is pointing the whole world toward You!

http://www.zwire.com/site/news.cfm?newsid=8006778&BRD=982&PAG=461&dept_id=467992&rfi=6 

City settles suit about truck's graphic images
By ROBERT CARR,
Of The Oakland Press
May 14, 2003

Royal Oak will have to pay California resident Ron Brock almost $45,000 for impounding his truck - which was decorated with graphic anti-abortion images - during the Woodward Dream Cruise in 2001.

Brock's truck, basically a small motor home, was emblazoned with pictures of aborted babies and Nazi Holocaust victims, among other graphic images. He said he drives the truck at various events to protest abortion and expound the word of God.

The city's police officers pulled Brock over during the 2001 Dream Cruise, searched the vehicle, confiscated his personal property and impounded the truck as evidence in a charge of "obscene literature" according to the Thomas More Law Center, which represents mostly conservative and religious clients.

Brock's truck was held for two days, though he was never charged with a crime. A settlement was reached in the case April 30.

Federal Judge Paul Gadola ordered the city to pay Brock $44,707.17 in damages and attorney fees, and signed an order to keep the police from interfering with Brock's peaceful demonstrations in the future.

"Brock is now free to display his messages in public without fear of further interference," said Ed White, an attorney at Thomas More.

Chuck Semchena, Royal Oak's attorney, said the city's insurance company recommended the settlement. The court had already set a precedent by allowing Brock to appear with the truck at the 2002 Dream Cruise, Semchena said.

"He already had convinced the judge that his First Amendment rights were violated," Semchena said.

Police were trying to protect people from a volatile situation, Semchena said.

"The photos of aborted baby fetuses were shocking, and the reaction from the crowd could have been violent," he said.

This point was proven last year, Semchena said, when two people were charged with an assault stemming from an incident with the truck.

"There was some kind of struggle, someone was ripping the photos off the side of the truck, and there was a fight with some of Brock's supporters trying to put them back. The photos seem to elicit an aggressive response," Semchena said.

Police have actually been writing fewer tickets every year during the Dream Cruise, which is on the third Saturday in August each year. Last year's event drew more than 1.7 million people to the 16-mile stretch of Woodward in Oakland County.

White said Brock's victory proves that free speech rights must prevail during the cruise.

"People have the right to display messages, whether their message is popular or not," White said.

The Rev. Doug Jones, president of Woodward Dream Cruise Inc., could not be reached for comment. During last year's cruise, however, he said that anything vulgar detracts from the purity of the cruise, and should not be allowed.

Jones is the pastor of Welcome Missionary Baptist Church in Pontiac.
The WDC Inc. is the group that oversees the cruise and handles sponsorship deals.

C. The Oakland Press 2003

*COPYRIGHT NOTICE** In accordance with Title 17 U.S.C. Section 107, any copyrighted work in this message is distributed under fair use without profit or payment to those who have expressed a prior interest in receiving the included information for non-profit research and educational purposes only.
[ Ref. http://www.law.cornell.edu/uscode/17/107.shtml ]