Woman off hook over lewd Bush bumper sticker in Ga.

[napi21]

http://www.ajc.com/

It's on the front page, but to read the story you have to register.

By CHANDLER BROWN , DAVID SIMPSON
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
Published on: 04/05/06
Bashing President Bush will not cost an Athens woman $100 after all.

Denise Grier, who was cited in DeKalb County for her "I'm Tired of All the BUSH—" car decal, has had her case thrown out.

"We couldn't prosecute it," DeKalb Recorders Court Chief Judge R. Joy Walker said because Georgia's lewd decal law was ruled unconstitutional in 1990. Walker said a letter of dismissal was mailed to Grier's home last week.

Police Sgt. R.S. Caviness pulled Grier over on Chamblee Tucker Road about 9:30 p.m. March 10, according to police records obtained under Georgia's Open Records Act. He issued her a ticket for $100.

The portion of the Georgia code that Caviness cited on the ticket prohibits on vehicles "any sticker, decal, emblem, or other device containing profane or lewd words describing sexual acts, excretory functions, or parts of the human body."

However, the Georgia Supreme Court declared the law unconstitutional in 1990, ruling it violated the First Amendment right to free speech.

That court decision is noted in current printed versions of the Georgia code, but Caviness said Tuesday it did not show up on a computerized version he had accessed from his patrol car when he wrote the ticket.

He noted the court decision also isn't shown on the version of the Georgia code posted on the Georgia General Assembly's Web site.

When he learned about the ruling, Caviness said, he went to Walker and asked the judge to dismiss the case.

Attempts to reach Grier for comment about the dismissal were unsuccessful.

Grier's story appeared in The Atlanta Journal-Constitution last week and quickly circulated on the Internet, drawing reaction from around the country.

Last week, Grier, 47, said the case was about her right to free speech.

"The officer pulled me over because he didn't agree with my politics," she said.

But Caviness said Tuesday he "didn't even realize it was a political sticker." He said he just noticed the final four letters.

"I wasn't even going to write a ticket," Caviness said. "I was just going to tell her it's not setting a good example for children."

He said Grier interrupted him and said, "Just write me a ticket."

So he went to his car and looked up the code section, Caviness said.

[WannaJumpMyScooter]

1. Since when do cops enforce

"setting examples?"

Boy, if that were the case, about half of them should stay home.

[napi21]

3. I'm just glad the nurse stuck to her guns with this!

She knew she was right and called the cop of just being dumb.

[mdmc]

2. set an example, sue the cop

make him settle the case with a donation to the southern poverty council or the NAACP.

[napi21]

6. I'd rather see the donation made to the Democratic Party of Ga!

Betcha THAT would bother him a lot more!

[mdmc]

12. i'm sure that there is some dem klan member that he could

donate to.

I hear what you are sayin however. peace and low stress

[KurtNYC]

4. He only "noticed the final four letters" so

he will soon be writing tickets for bumperstickers like these:

"The Gospel of Judas: Publish It!"
"I (heart) Salt-N-Pepa's 'Push It!'
"A peaceful world: Wish It!"

Thanks for the update on this story btw.

[catnhatnh]

5. The COP is a bullshitter....

states he was not going to write her a ticket???Then what was his probable cause for the stop???

[napi21]

7. Gotta PROTECT the CHILDREN ya know! n/t

[Demit]

8. Question: Did the story call the sticker "lewd"? Strange adjective to use.

I clicked on your link but couldn't find the story to verify for myself.

[shain from kane]

9. Not lewd from this end. Maybe another angle that I don't see. n/t

[napi21]

10. I posted the whole story in my OP because you had to register to read it.

If you look at the second paragraph, you'll see they used the word "lewd" in the article.

[Supersedeas]

11. Didn't realize that it was a political sticker???????????????????