A VERMONT MAN JUST GOT PAID AFTER A FALSE ARREST FOR FLIPPING THE BIRD AT TROOPER
Stories like this keep both my humor -to some degree- and faith alive in the legal niceties of basic rights in the United States. This story can’t help but remind me of the poor meter maid (aka “traffic warden”) from the movie, Lock, Stock and Two Smoking Barrels. I won’t spoil it for those who haven’t seen it. But let’s just say that some of our baser instincts come to the fore when it comes to negative feelings towards law enforcement. And that brings us to a VT man, one Gregory Bombard, who just got paid after a false and retaliatory arrest in 2018 for flipping the bird at a State Trooper.
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TROOPER ARRESTED THE BIRD FLIPPER FOR DISORDERLY CONDUCT, AND THAT’S A PROBLEM
It’s hard for anyone, including a judge it seems, to understand how flipping the bird to a state trooper is a violation of any law, or in any way interferes with said cop doing their duty. State Trooper Jay Riggen pulled Bombard over after he thought Bombard flipped him the bird as he drove by. That there is an unnecessary traffic stop. Bombard, for his part, denies flipping Riggen the middle finger initially, but totally did after the traffic stop. So what did Trooper Riggen do? He pulled Bombard over again and arrested him for disorderly conduct. And, well, giving someone the finger, even a member of law enforcement, isn’t disorderly conduct. It’s free speech, and expressing disdain for misuse of authority.
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$175,000 IS QUITE THE BIRD IN THE HAND, BUT TROOPER DIDN’T HAVE TO ADMIT ANY WRONGDOING
Or, it’s simply saying fuck you to a cop. That may not be advisable in any way. But it’s totally protected free speech. And the ACLU agreed, filing a lawsuit on Bombard’s behalf in 2021. And now Bombard is getting paid, to the tune of $175,000. 75 grand of that will go to his lawyers’ legal expenses. But a cool 100k is a nice reimbursement for having his rights violated 5 years ago by an authoritarian cop. The only catch? The trooper and police don’t have to admit to any wrongdoing for being authoritarian douches.
