OFF THE WIRE The goal of the police has been to shut down this law-abiding citizen and small business owner. This is a clear instance o...
The goal of the police has been to shut down this law-abiding citizen and small business owner. This is a clear instance of police harassment taken to an insane and mafia-like level. Don't let these corrupt cops get away with it!
Help us get the word out about Fernando Smith's case and donate whatever you can spare to his legal defense fund! He is due in court TOMORROW so help us SPREAD THE WORD FAST!
http://goo.gl/tTsKOH
Fernando Smith never thought that a trip to the movies with his son would result in his own arrest, and lead to police raiding his business. But that�s exactly what happened. Back on May 17th, at the Country Club Mall, in Cumberland, Maryland, Smith was confronted by a mall security guard who thought he was up to no good.
As it turned out, Smith was just giving his vehicle a minute to warm up � a quirk of his vehicle, as he explained to the security guard. That didn�t seem to matter much to the rent-a-cop, who promptly called the police.
When they arrived, the police demanded identification from Smith, who asserted his rights. He had been at the movie theater at the mall, and was a paying customer. That didn�t stop the police from charging him with Trespassing and �Disorderly Conduct.�
�I could have never imagined taking my 7 year old son out for dinner and a movie would lead to me being disrespected and arrested for trespassing and disorderly conduct right in front of him,� Smith explains.
He had forgotten his briefcase at work, one of two local car dealerships he owns. Realizing this, he had asked his secretary to bring his briefcase to him, so that he could continue spending time with his son.
�My secretary who was waiting for me to exit the movie to give me my briefcase.� But the mall cop thought that this looked like a drug deal, rather than a law abiding citizen being handed his property by his employee. Even after explaining what was going on, the rent-a-cop called the actual cops.
�Real cops arrive and immediately detained me and threatened to arrest me.�
That�s when Smith began recording the cops. Watch the video below�
https://youtu.be/q8G0kPIgWOk
On October 21st, Smith had his first day in court. He beat the Trespassing charge but was convicted of �Disorderly Conduct� in spite of nothing disorderly being observed whatsoever.
