Kirbinator
Regular Member
Jonathon Norris said:Circuit Court date has been set. I received a letter from Ann Marie Adams, Circuit Court Clerk, a few minutes ago.
Monday, November 14, 2011 @ 9:00AM
How did the dishonorable Tracy Todd so eloquently put it? "Let's kick the tires and light the fires!"
Yes, let's.
It's understood this will be at the Jefferson County Courthouse, before the circuit court. As this is a trial de novo, it is expected that all of the witnesses from the previous municipal court will be present, including "This Officer" Osbourne and the amazingly named Sgt. Slaughter -- Osbourne's supervisor for the arrest.
Norris was arrested on July 4, 2009, playing chess on Starbucks' furniture with a homeless man. Norris was armed with a Glock 17 on his side and a semi-automatic AK-47 slung across his back. Another man was arrested that day, Matthew Hennigan, who was armed with a 1911 IWB with an exposed grip. While both were charged with Disorderly Conduct (Code of Alabama 13A-11-7), Hennigan's charges were dropped (null prossed) and his weapon returned to him.
On March 9, 2011 Norris was convicted of Disorderly Conduct by Judge Tracy Todd, a first-year judge in the Municipal Court of Birmingham, Alabama.
On July 20, 2011, the following was posted to AlabamaOpenCarry.com's forums, and soon seconded by others:
Lt Eddie Fulmer
4409 Oak Meadow Drive
Northport, Alabama 35473
205-242-0950
These are the events that occurred on July 20th 2011 at the
Birmingham Municipal Court
David J. Vann Municipal Justice Center
801 17th Street North
Birmingham, AL 35203
To Whom it may concern,
A friend of mine, Kyle, and I arrived at the courthouse at about 1310 hours. We had a friend that was waiting for sentencing there at 1:30. We were there to show support of Jonathon, a mutual friend, who had been arrested on a charge of disorderly conduct for openly carrying a firearm in Birmingham. As a show of support, both of us were wearing empty holsters. After being in the lobby for about 15-20 minutes, one of the officers, T. McCall, approached us and stated we couldn’t have those in the courthouse. She said we were trying to intimidate someone by having them. This is my regular attire that I wear everyday with the exception of my weapon, I explained. She replied “I run things here and you aren’t coming in my court with those on.” After thinking about it for a few minutes, we gave our empty holsters to some of the other people that had shown up to offer support. I believe there were a total of 8 of us who showed up that knew each other.
Kyle and I then went back in, and after going through the screeners, entered the courtroom. I recall 4 of us that were sitting on the row next to the back. Court was to start at 1330 hours. At about 1340 the court doors opened and everyone that wasn’t a defendant was told they had to leave! This is a public courtroom and it’s my understanding that if I’m neither disturbing the peace nor causing some kind of alarm, there is no reason I can’t be there. I remember one gentlemen asking why he couldn’t stay with his daughter who was being sentenced that day. He received no answer. He suffered because “they” wanted us removed. That day the courtroom, and the property it sat on, suddenly became private.
As we exited, our holsters were retrieved and we put them back on. About this time I was really feeling that I/we had been singled out and were being denied our rights as citizens of this great State. I had just been asked to leave a public Courthouse that I help pay for! While standing in the shade of the courthouse waiting to learn Jonathon’s sentence, we noticed more than seven police cars show up. A horse and 2 bicycles with LEO on them also appeared. There were 8 of us, with 3 visibly armed. When the “troops” felt they had enough to approach us, they did and we complied with every demand.
We were threatened with arrest, told we were on private property, threatened again, then told to leave the private property we were own. Yes, she advised us that we were on “private property that was just like the post office property.”
I can say, with some degree of authority, that I have never seen such unprofessional behavior out of police officers in my entire 27 year career with the Tuscaloosa Fire Department. The BPD officers, who were there, were very shallow in the law, disrespectful, belligerent, and threatened legally armed law abiding citizens with arrests they weren’t lawfully able to make. They made the situation, they created, worse with their posturing and almost god-like attitude. The whole thing could have been handled by one officer who knew the law. Instead the officers took it upon themselves to unnecessarily call in reinforcements, and take some of the protection they offer the citizens of Birmingham away. We weren’t displaying threatening behavior, waving signs nor doing anything to call attention to ourselves. I can assure you that every member of our group knew the law better than any officer there. We study the law and KNOW it.
I had many of my rights violated today. I can say, without reservation, my 1st and 2nd amendment rights were trampled by the ignorance of the Birmingham Police officers who were there that day. I can only hope BPD will learn from this instead of thinking that we are going away. There needs to be some training going on and it needs to happen now. The last time something like this happened fire hoses and dogs were involved. Is this what the leaders of Birmingham want? I hope not. All we want is to be able to exercise our rights as provided by the constitution of Alabama and the constitution of the United States of America.
The section below covers what happened to every member of our group. We were in effect, denied our rights under color of the law. I am sending this to every person listed below. Please note almost every word spoken at this event was recorded by audio and some video. We have learned through previous encounters that we need to do this to protect ourselves.
I want to know what is going to be done about this and when. I look forward to hearing from you.
Respectfully submitted,
Eddie Fulmer
205-242-0950
18 U.S.C. § 242 : US Code - Section 242: Deprivation of rights under color of law
Whoever, under color of any law, statute, ordinance, regulation,
or custom, willfully subjects any person in any State, Territory,
Commonwealth, Possession, or District to the deprivation of any
rights, privileges, or immunities secured or protected by the
Constitution or laws of the United States, or to different
punishments, pains, or penalties, on account of such person being
an alien, or by reason of his color, or race, than are prescribed
for the punishment of citizens, shall be fined under this title or
imprisoned not more than one year, or both; and if bodily injury
results from the acts committed in violation of this section or if
such acts include the use, attempted use, or threatened use of a
dangerous weapon, explosives, or fire, shall be fined under this
title or imprisoned not more than ten years, or both; and if death
results from the acts committed in violation of this section or if
such acts include kidnapping or an attempt to kidnap, aggravated
sexual abuse, or an attempt to commit aggravated sexual abuse, or
an attempt to kill, shall be fined under this title, or imprisoned
for any term of years or for life, or both, or may be sentenced to
death.
MAYOR'S OFFICE OF CITIZENS ASSISTANCE:
Don Lupo, Co-Director
City Hall - Second Floor
710 North 20th Street
Birmingham, Alabama 35203-2216
Chief A.C. Roper
1710 1st Ave North
Birmingham, AL 35203
Sgt. Johnny Williams PIO
1710 1st Ave North
Birmingham, AL 35203
Honorable Mayor William A. Bell, Sr
Birmingham City Hall
710 20th Street North
Birmingham, Alabama 35203-2216
Sheriff Mike Hale
2200 Reverend Abraham Woods Jr. Blvd.
Birmingham, AL 35203
Brandon K. Falls DA Jefferson County
801 Richard Arrington Jr. Boulevard North
Birmingham, Alabama 35203
Fulmer and others have filed complaints with The City of Birmingham Police Department. To date, the City of Birmingham has yet to respond or even indicate if such complaints have been investigated.
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