Thread: Nurse sues over ticket for anti-Bush bumper sticker

http://www.cnn.com/2006/LAW/10/16/stick ... index.html

ATLANTA, Georgia (AP) -- A woman who was ticketed for having an obscene anti-Bush bumper sticker filed a lawsuit in federal court Monday against a county in the state of Georgia and its officials.

Denise Grier, 47, of Athens, Georgia, got a $100 ticket in March after a DeKalb County police officer spotted the bumper sticker, which read "I'm Tired Of All The BUSH**."

A DeKalb judge threw out the ticket in April because the state's lewd decal law that formed the basis for the ticket was ruled unconstitutional in 1990.

Grier is seeking damages from the county for "emotional distress," according to the lawsuit.

Grier also seeks a declaration in federal court that her bumper sticker is considered constitutionally protected speech because she is "uncertain and insecure regarding her right to display her bumper sticker in DeKalb County," the lawsuit said.

The lawsuit was filed by the American Civil Liberties Union of Georgia.

Grier, a nurse who works at Emory University and other hospitals, also is seeking punitive damages against the DeKalb police officer who gave her the ticket because he "acted with reckless disregard" of her rights, the lawsuit said.

The state law prohibited lewd or profane stickers and decals on vehicles.

Grier is seeking damages from the county for "emotional distress," according to the lawsuit.

Please, give me a break. It's a shame such trivial issues are burdening our courts, especially considering the number of serious felony cases that are be pleaded down to reduce court time because of full court dockets. In many such situations criminals that should be doing serious prison time are released (probation).

If it had been me getting a ticket for this 'Bushit', I'd be suing Dekalb County, too! Hopefully this action will make a cop think twice before trying to stifle speech he doesn't agree with. I think the cop was/is just as bad as those Socialists at Columbia U.

Agree with her or not, she has to stand up for her First Amendment Rights.