Charges dropped in flag desecration case

[Sonicmedusa]

Source: Asheville Citizen Times

by Mike McWilliams
published August 2, 2007 2:53 pm


Asheville – Buncombe County Sheriff Van Duncan today said charges have been dropped against a couple accused of flag desecration and assaulting a deputy last week.

"After consulting with out legal counsel, and after talking with the District Attorney Ron Moore, we decided to ask for voluntary dismissal on all the criminal charges against the Kuhns," Duncan said. "They're being dropped because after reviewing the initial reason why were at the Kuhn's residence to begin with, it's pretty apparent to us where the Supreme Court stands on this issue (flag desecration) and also it has been dealt with in this state in 1971, and we do not feel like we can successfully prosecute the desecration of the flag statute."

Buncombe County sheriff’s deputy Brian Scarborough, acting on a complaint from a fellow National Guardsman, issued the charge Wednesday at the Brevard Road home of Mark and Deborah Kuhn.



Read more: http://www.citizen-times.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=200770802076

---

Justice will not be delivered until that deputy faces criminal charges for home invasion and assult on the couple.

[Ian David]

1. Let the counter-suit begin! n/t

[Sequoia]

2. Let's hope that happens.

[zehnkatzen]

3. Actually, I might move to Buncombe County...

...the crime rate must be zero, since the local popo have enough time to go hassling some people over protected expression.

Hey, it's a freeish country, right.

The irony of this happening in Buncombe County (reputed to be a possible origin of "bunkum", later "bunk", meaning, of course, "complete BS") has not been lost on me.

[Demeter]

4. Bullies CAN Be Cowed and Restrained

Thank goddess. This is the turning point, boys and girls. The sun has peeked over the Antarctic Circle at last.

[saigon68]

5. acting on a complaint from a fellow National Guardsman

More thug behavior by out of control saviors of Cheney

Maybe they'll send him back to Iraq-Nam, where he can "defend democracy"

[Uncle Joe]

7. I hate to quibble with you saigon,

but the last person, I would want in a fox hole with me, would be Deadeye Dick.:scared:

[PoconoPragmatist]

15. You Mean

the guy who shot Harry Whittington in the face, thinking he was a Quayle? :P

[Uncle Joe]

6. It's off to the greatest pages for you.

Thanks for the thread Sonicmedusa.

[Sonicmedusa]

17. Thank you Joe.

[Harry Monroe]

8. Pinning a photo of Bush to the flag??

Now that IS desecration and disrespect of the flag!!!

[Dr.Phool]

14. Alberto Gonzales wearing it on his lapel during the Senate hearings.

Now, that's flag desecration.

[Tempest]

9. They are implicitly saying they did not assault the cop as he stated

I hope the couple gets a lawyer and he looks at the deputy's report. There will be trouble if the deputy reported he was assaulted and the D.A. fails to prosecute. The argument that the deputy filed a false report can be raised.

[Richard Steele]

13. And the only other eyewitness is saying the same thing.

I hope this deputy is charged for the crimes he committed,
but I doubt that he will be.

[Faygo Kid]

10. Great news, but what a scary bunch of nuts on the paper's forum.

despite this, I think the Kuhns remain in physical danger.

[Liberal Lassie]

11. Guess they wouldn't like my car very much either.

TOO DAMN BAD!

:spank:

[Sonicmedusa]

18. Yes they are.

I enjoyed the presence of your sanity there, faygokid.

[shance]

12. Apparently the policeman who assaulted them was recently back from Iraq?

Can someone confirm that?

[PoconoPragmatist]

16. So That Excuses His Assault On Innocent Americans??

I hope he gets criminally charged! If he's got nothing better to do than to try to stop expression of speech that he does not agree with, then the county doesn't need a deputy, he can go hang out in the jailhouse for a while and cool his heels.

[ashevillepolitics]

19. You're missing the story: it has to do with City Council's attempt to create partisan elections

The people who came to Haywood Rd to the LET ASHEVILLE VOTE
campaign headquarters were the same people who ran away from
the deputy who was a friend of a guy who had just served in
Iraq.  

The people who came to the LET ASHEVILLE VOTE center are the
same people.  they appeared to be drunk and disorderly,
according to LET ASHEVILLE VOTE people on Haywood road who
just about called the cops at that time, as they
screaming'WE'RE REPUBLICANS' which did not matter to the non
partisan effort of all involved, including me, marsha hammond,
west asheville. 

here are the paper report on the matter which have invigorated
Asheville political life.  Yes, I'm a registered Dem. 

Welcome to letashevillevoteLet Asheville Vote Headquarters -
844 Haywood Road (Volunteers will make every effort to staff
this location up until 10pm every day until the deadline on
...
www.letashevillevote.org/ - 19k - Cached - Similar pages -
Note this 

The Let Asheville Vote petition: It ain’t over till it’s over
...The recent signature scramble was organized by south
Asheville resident Charlie Hume and others, under the banner
of Let Asheville Vote, in response to ...
www.mountainx.com/news/2007/it_aint_over_til_its_over - 20k -
Cached - Similar pages - Note this 

The petitions are in: Let Asheville Vote says it cleared 5000
...For 30 days, the organization Let Asheville Vote has
pounded the pavement and recruited businesses in an attempt to
force a public referendum on the issue ...
www.mountainx.com/news/2007/071807buzz3 - 19k - Cached -
Similar pages - Note this
[ More results from www.mountainx.com ] 

CITIZEN-TIMES.com: Challenge to partisan vote fadesLet
Asheville Vote organizer Charlie Hume said he remained
optimistic. "They've only gone through a cursory
count," he said. "There is still an opportunity ...
www.citizen-times.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=2007707210305
- 37k - Cached - Similar pages - Note this 

CITIZEN-TIMES.com: The voters of Asheville should decideLet
Asheville Vote is apolitical and, to date, has collected
approximately ... One of the organizers of Let Asheville Vote,
he lives in South Asheville. ...
www.citizen-times.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20070713/OPINION03/70712101/-1/OPINION08
- 36k - Cached - Similar pages - Note this
[ More results from www.citizen-times.com ] 

The Urban News - Asheville, NC - Let Asheville Vote532 of 542
municipalities in North Carolina use a nonpartisan election
system, according to the Let Asheville Vote Web site. ...
www.theurbannews.com/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=303&Itemid=1
- 35k - Cached - Similar pages - Note this 

The Urban News - Asheville, NC - Front PageLet Asheville Vote
· World Changers lending hand to West Riverside neighborhoods
· Chase of an African-American Couple Ends at Police Station
...
www.theurbannews.com/ - 28k - Cached - Similar pages - Note
this
[ More results from www.theurbannews.com ] 

Ashvegas - Journal - Breaking news: Petition has enough
signatures ...The word on the street is that the Let Asheville
Vote petition drive has enough signatures to force the city of
Asheville to return to a non-partisan ...
ashvegas.squarespace.com/journal/breaking-news-petition-has-enough-signatures-asheville-will-.html
- 23k - Cached - Similar pages - Note this 

Ashvegas - JournalA Let Asheville Vote petition was approved
by the Buncombe County Board of ... Let Asheville Vote had to
get 5000 signatures of registered city voters to ...
www.ashvegas.squarespace.com/ - 52k - Aug 1, 2007 - Cached -
Similar pages - Note this 

[PDF] 15-Jul 16-Jul 17-Jul 18-Jul 19-Jul 20-Jul 21-Jul Time
Sunday ...File Format: PDF/Adobe Acrobat - View as HTML
Tex Ralph's Westerns Let Asheville Vote! Ralph's Stuff. The
Midnight. Foundation. Old Red Beak ... Let Asheville Vote!
Growing Up Black in. Black Mountain ...
www.urtv.org/documents/Schedule56F.pdf - Similar pages - Note
this 

[ProudDad]

20. The "Citizen-Times" seems to have

removed the call on their front page for vigilantes to report "flag desecration" to their local cops...

as I suggested they do...

On Edit: They never did email me back and thank me for pointing out their error...

[Sonicmedusa]

21. I called and personally talked to the editor

He seemed surprised it was there, admitted he did not know that was posted at the ACT website and said he would have it removed immediately. 24 hours later, it was still up on the website and I emailed a scathing letter saying how deplorable it was that the ACT was calling for people to turn in their neighbors. I asked "is ACT an arm of Bush's ministry of Propoganda?"

Actually, it is still still up on the webpage of the breaking story:
http://www.citizen-times.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=200770725118

2/3 of the way down the page, right side.

[jackster]

22. did anyone call and report this?

http://www.outsidethebeltway.com/archives/2006/06/president_bush_defaces_flag/

[ProudDad]

24. Damn, so it is!!! (n/t)

[LiberalFighter]

23. The National Guard buddy of the deputy needs to be severely disciplined!!

[ProudDad]

25. Anyone in the county who can call the Kuhns' Lawyer?

or the local DA and report the paper's incitement to vigilantism...

[ProudDad]

26. Lest we Forget

What the American Flag Stands For
by Charlotte Aldebron

http://www.commondreams.org/views02/0403-01.htm