Unlawful Arrest / Detainment in Grand Rapids, Michigan
This post was submitted to cop-reports.com.
Codee Ferguson recounts his arrest on October 1, 2012 in Grand Rapids, Michigan. He was detained for 12 hours, kept in isolation, without a phone call or a reason for his arrest.
Before he was arrested, he was on public property, holding up a sign that said “End the federal reserve” during the filming of local news.
He later learned his charges were “disorderly conduct” and “violation of the Controlled Substances Act”, for carrying a single Hydrocodone pill, for which he had a prescription. The second charged was dropped, but not without issues.
I don’t understand how holding a sign is ‘disorderly conduct.’
-Bryanne
Hi, my name is Codee Ferguson and I believe I have recently been wrongfully arrested in violation of the 1st amendment. I live in Grand Rapids, MI and was arrested downtown October 1, 2012 by the Grand Rapids Police Department. I was also what I believe to be illegally detained, in isolation for 12 hours, given no phone call or even a description of what my charges where or why I was arrested/being detained.
I was holding up a sign which read “End the Federal Reserve” on public property during a filming of the local news. I was not being disruptive or was I blocking traffic in anyway. No one told me to stop, asked me to leave or to go somewhere else with my protest. The next thing I knew, two law enforcement officers appeared, grabbed me and handcuffed me. They began to bring me to the cruiser without saying a word. They didn’t ask me to stop or to leave or anything, they just showed up and arrested me. As we went towards the cop car I told them I was in accordance with the Constitution and I was exercising my 1st amendment right to free speech and to protest. I continued to tell them because I felt I did nothing wrong that I claim jurisdiction under common law and that I do not comply with this nor do I consent.
Without giving me any reason for my arrest, I was brought to the Kent County Correctional Facility where I was put in isolation for twelve hours without a phone call or description of my charges. While I continuously asked for a phone call or reason for being arrested/detained, I was mocked and laughed at by the Correctional officers.
After being released from isolation I was told my charges were “disorderly conduct” and “violation of the controlled substance act,” and that I was not to receive a bond until seeing the judge that day. I had a single hydrocodone pill in my pocket which I have a valid prescription for. I was out protesting so I did not want a bottle of pills in my pocket, but I had one so that in the case that I began to feel pain, I could take it if needed. I told the nurses this and they did nothing to attempt to contact my physician/pharmacy and get proof of my right to posses this.
Another 12 hours went by and I never was put in front of the judge for arraignment or given bail. Luckily, I was able to contact my grandmother and she had the physician at the pharmacy fax my prescription in. The felony charge was dismissed and I was given a $100 bail for “disorderly conduct.” It had been 24 hours now and I could finally get bailed out; this is after I was forcefully subjected to go through a TSA style radiation bath after I insisted it was unsafe and I did not comply with having it used on me.
I was in jail for a total of 28 hours, I was treated worse than poorly, and still have no explanation of the reason why I was even arrested in the first place. This is unfair and I not only want to fight the “disorderly conduct” charge, I want to prove i was wrongfully arrested in the first place and that I was treated very unfairly. I am emotionally upset and confused; I thought I was allowed to protest peacefully and at least be given a warning/instruction to take my protest elsewhere before arrest/incarceration. Please contact me with your thoughts on this issue and the best course I can take. Thank you.
Submitted by Bryanne
Bryanne@cop-reports.com
