Post by Jesse Morrell on Oct 5, 2005 1:28:08 GMT -5
The Tyler trial was this past October 4th in the Smith County Courthouse.
The charges brought against me by the State of Texas were "criminal trespass" on
the Tyler Junior College public campus.
I requested a trial by jury, as well as punishment (if found guilty) by the
jury. Right before trial the prosecution offered me one last plea bargain,
actually a pretty sweet deal, but I still wanted the whole issue to be heard by
a jury and if I was guilty I wanted it to be proven with facts by the
prosecution.
The prosecutions case was:
1)My open-air meetings were possibly disruptive to classes but deffinately did
disrupt one college professor in his office.
2)Because of that I was not permitted to be on the campus.
3)I returned to the public campus after being warned twice and therefore were
trespassing.
Our case was:
1)My open-air meetings were done at a reasonable time, location, and with a
reasonable volume level.
2)The campus never told me a specific time, place, or location for free speech
which they must do as a public campus.
3)My friend had received permission for us to be on campus from the
administration building.
4)I complied with the police and their requests every step of the way to the
best of my knowledge and ability.
5)My motives were purely to use my first ammendment right on public property and
not to do anything criminal or disruptive.
After 3 officers testified against me, one college professor testified against
me, I testified for myself, the two prosecutors made their case against me, and
my lawyer made his case for me, the jury found me guilty of the trespassing
charges.
The prosecution requested the punishment be either 2 years probation with a
$2,000 fine or 90 days in prison. The jury decided to give me no fine, no jail
time, and 6 months probation.
Probation now consists of:
1)A monthly trip to visit with my probation officer.
2)60 hours community service (which I can do at the Salvation Army!)
3)$50.00 a month probation fee, along with the court fee of $276.00.
I can simply say that I am glad that the whole ordeal is done and over with and
I can put it all behind me. The entire situation has been very grieving to me.
But I look forward to preaching on the campuses that will permit free speech.
The charges brought against me by the State of Texas were "criminal trespass" on
the Tyler Junior College public campus.
I requested a trial by jury, as well as punishment (if found guilty) by the
jury. Right before trial the prosecution offered me one last plea bargain,
actually a pretty sweet deal, but I still wanted the whole issue to be heard by
a jury and if I was guilty I wanted it to be proven with facts by the
prosecution.
The prosecutions case was:
1)My open-air meetings were possibly disruptive to classes but deffinately did
disrupt one college professor in his office.
2)Because of that I was not permitted to be on the campus.
3)I returned to the public campus after being warned twice and therefore were
trespassing.
Our case was:
1)My open-air meetings were done at a reasonable time, location, and with a
reasonable volume level.
2)The campus never told me a specific time, place, or location for free speech
which they must do as a public campus.
3)My friend had received permission for us to be on campus from the
administration building.
4)I complied with the police and their requests every step of the way to the
best of my knowledge and ability.
5)My motives were purely to use my first ammendment right on public property and
not to do anything criminal or disruptive.
After 3 officers testified against me, one college professor testified against
me, I testified for myself, the two prosecutors made their case against me, and
my lawyer made his case for me, the jury found me guilty of the trespassing
charges.
The prosecution requested the punishment be either 2 years probation with a
$2,000 fine or 90 days in prison. The jury decided to give me no fine, no jail
time, and 6 months probation.
Probation now consists of:
1)A monthly trip to visit with my probation officer.
2)60 hours community service (which I can do at the Salvation Army!)
3)$50.00 a month probation fee, along with the court fee of $276.00.
I can simply say that I am glad that the whole ordeal is done and over with and
I can put it all behind me. The entire situation has been very grieving to me.
But I look forward to preaching on the campuses that will permit free speech.