Butts County registered sex offenders are suing to stop the Sheriff’s Office from putting signs in their yards to discourage trick-or-treaters ahead of Halloween.
The suit, filed in U.S. District Court in Macon, asks the court to order the agency to stop the practice, which began last year with deputies planting signs that read: “NO TRICK-OR-TREAT AT THIS ADDRESS!! A COMMUNITY SAFETY MESSAGE FROM BUTTS COUNTY SHERIFF GARY LONG.” Deputies put up some of the signs while others among the county’s 200 registered sex offenders were told to display one themselves or face unspecified trouble, according to the complaint.
A hearing is set for Thursday at 9:30 a.m. for a judge to decide whether to bar the signs this year.
Here is a copy of the complaint: GA Halloween Sign Complaint
From ACSOL
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Sunny
October 24, 2019
CNN has been covering this story and just posted an update:
https://www-m.cnn.com/2019/10/24/us/sex-offenders-sue-sheriff-halloween-signs-georgia-trnd/
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Any ideas on how long it takes the county in Georgia to update their court website? I’d like to hear the results of this as soon as possible. If I could be at the hearing I’d go just to hear the respondents arguments.
Roger, since this was filed in federal court it should be updated as soon as the judge makes a decision. But you need an account through PACER to access the records.
I just logged in to check, and there were no documents posted since yesterday, 23 Oct.
Was a time public shaming was considered punishment.
This is typical of what happened in Germany and the Gestapo. The courts , the police, the judges and prosecutors make up the law as they go. According to the constitution of the United States, all of what they are doing is illegal but just as the Gestapo kept lists of the Jews and other people that they considered subversive the government of this country has done the same thing with sex offenders as a class of people.
But as have all great civilizations, this nation is in free fall and I really have no faith that anything can be done about it.
Today I have to go take a mandatory polygraph test. No other crime requires it nor is it even accepted in the courts except for sex offenders.
Keep up your hopes and prayers and I thank all of you who are striving to make changes in the process. Follow the bouncing buck and everything will become exceedingly clear.
Exactly right.
It is beyond insane that people SUPPOSEDLY think that a “$EX offender” needs “therapy” but that someone who sticks a gun in someone’s face once a year does not. It is ridiculous. Further, “therapy” that is nothing more than an extension of the probation/parole office is worse than worthless. Our country would be better off without it. Having said that, GOOD therapy can help just about anyone. But “$EX offender therapy” will never be good therapy.
The polygraph thing is even more idiotic. I know with 100% certainty that polygraphs do not work. I think most informed people know that. And whatever benefit that might be gained from the polygraph and its trickery I think is well more than offset by the hostility and hate that they cause. I know for a fact it was in my case. It was way worse than worthless for the public.
The thing to remember about “therapy” and forced polygraphs is that they are doing it ONLY because they can. They can get away with it. It is about $$$$$ and they will take every dollar that they can get away with stealing. Forever. That is the only reason it is done.
Registries have gravely harmed Amerika and will continue to help it devolve rapidly.
Good! I like their moxie!
All the registery is a Continuous servitude : Slavery to the Federal and state judical systems
Good to keep these abusers of power in check. It’s a deterioration of his own community by pinning neighbor against neighbor, instead of using his position as a public servant to keep the peace. His act is a deterioration of the American values.
Just know that there are going to be a lot of wins coming up in 2020, especially in 2021. It is on registrants to save this country from these people who practically have no respect for the Constitution or this country. Follow their money and there’s so much corruption one can find.
Our president is my personal example of how to think: You’re going to win! You’re going to win SO big. And have SO many wins. And you’re not going to know what to do with it. Just hand the upcoming leftover WINS to another fellow American neighbor and they’ll realize they have to thank you later.
That’s the thing about speaking truth to power, if the power in question is the local hired gun, the threat is real.
Too bad someone or a bunch of someone’s couldn’t rent a billboard or something with a message about the local sherriff perpetuating myths and garnering votes by spreading unwarranted fear.
Just sayin 😎
Let’s remember folks, this is NOT punishment or punitive just a small civil inconvenience. Nothing to see here, move along.
(Chokes on my food)
Alexa, is it wrong to place signs in people’s yard putting their families lives at risk?
Yes Jack, this is very wrong on so many levels.
Let us hope the judge is not the Sheriff’s brother
Excellent!
This Jim Crow-like discrimination must STOP!
Using the courts is, certainly, the best way, we all must certainly agree.
But this populist/fascist/Hitler-esque/Orwellian HATE must stop! (by any means!!!)
Butts County has no ordinances regarding Helloween or registered citizens:
https://library.municode.com/ga/butts_county/codes/code_of_ordinances
So the sheriff is a trespasser and abuser of power.
I would think that unless there was something in the terms of probation (assuming EVERYONE was on probation) this is going to be easily dismissed.
But of course I am often amazingly wrong about these things…
Does it say in the “FEDERAL laws” that a Sex Offender is NOT allowed to give out candy during Halloween ??. If it doesn’t, Then can’t anyone forced to have these signs, File charges against the Sheriff for “Something” ?????
I hope that they prevail with their suit.
I’m not making light of the situation but years ago during a race for Brevard County Sheriff the incumbent sheriff had the fence on the sheriff’s work farm painted with “Sheriff Miller’s Work Farm” and the safety warning signs that were placed roadside for inmate work crews, safety from traffic for the workers not safety for the public from the workers, were printed with “Sheriff Miller’s Inmate Work Crew”. They blamed it on an overzealous campaign manager but once the news caught the story the fence was painted over and the work crew warning signs were replaced….. funny memories from a time long ago.
Another example of using sex offenders, and stranger danger, to garner votes! Note the Sheriff’s name appears on the signs. Call it the “stupidity of the American voters”!
The sheriff is a mentally ill sociopath. Reason therefore does not exist in his world. He must be forced to stop this illegal abuse if there will be any change.