Police Misconduct Attorney Jerry L. Steering has been suing the police since 1984 for police brutality, false arrests, malicious criminal prosecutions and First Amendment retaliation cases. Mr. Steering in an Expert and Specialist in suing the police in federal court for constitutional violations in the City of Westminster, throughout Orange County, and throughout the State of California. Mr. Steering has also sued the government as far away as in federal court in Alabama and in the District of Columbia. Mr. Steering many years of experience and acquired knowledge can help you maximize your chances of actually winning your Police Misconduct Civil Rights case, and winning is the only thing that matters. As the old saying goes, “The young lawyer knows the law, but the old lawyer knows the Judge”. THE WESTMINSTER POLICE DEPARTMENT IF OFTEN BRUTAL AND IS INSTITUTIONALLY DISHONEST. The Westminster Police Department can often be a very cruel and brutal agency. There is almost no limit what they will do to protect themselves from the victims of their outrages, including falsely arresting and procuring the malicious criminal prosecution of their beating or tasing or pepper-spraying victims. When Westminster police officers truthfully testify about the Westminster Police Department’s mistreatment by the Westminster Police Department, they retaliate against its own “whistleblower” officers for nothing more than testifying to the truth in their lawsuit depositions. See, Edinger v. City of Westminster, U.S. District Court, Santa Ana, Case No.: SA CV 14-0145-DOC (RNBx). When Westminster police officers beat, falsely arrest and procure the malicious criminal prosecutions of their victims, they are often promoted and never disciplined; that is until the video evidence is so clear that the politicians cannot justify the Westminster police outrages. See, California Cop Suspended for Punching Latina as State Police Reject 98% of Racism Complaints, Newsweek, Apr 23, 2021. WESTMINSTER POLICE ARE NOT YOUR FRIENDS, AND THEY ARE NOT THERE TO HELP YOU; ONLY THEM. Verbal protest and verbal challenge to police orders and actions are constitutionally protected by the Firs Amendment to the United States Constitution. Such actions by civilians are supposed to be the bedrock of a free society. For example, in 1987 the United States Supreme Court struck down a City of Houston, Texas Municipal Ordinance that criminalized any actions or attempts “to interrupt a police officer in the performance of his duty”. In striking down the Houston Municipal Ordinance, the Supreme Court held: “Second, contrary to the city’s contention, the First Amendment protects a significant amount of verbal criticism and challenge directed at police officers. “Speech is often provocative and challenging. . . . [But it] is nevertheless protected against censorship or punishment, unless shown likely to produce a clear and present danger of a serious substantive evil that rises far above public inconvenience, annoyance, or unrest.” The Houston ordinance is much more sweeping than the municipal ordinance struck down in Lewis. It is not limited to fighting words nor even to obscene or opprobrious language, but prohibits speech that “in any manner . . . interrupt[s]” an officer.10 The Constitution does not allow such speech to be made a crime.11 The freedom of individuals verbally to oppose or challenge police action without thereby risking arrest is one of the principal characteristics by which we distinguish a free nation from a police state.” Houston v. Hill, 482 U.S. 451 (1987), Brennan, J. When Westminster Police Department officers perform traffic or pedestrian stops on civilians, any verbal protest or verbal challenge to their orders or actions are typically deemed “Contempt of Cop” by Westminster police officers. When that happens, Westminster police officers are likely to beat or tase or pepper-sprays their perceived contemnors, and will usually falsely arrest and at least attempt to procure their malicious criminal prosecutions for some imaginary resistance offense, such as violation of Cal. Penal Code § 69 (resisting officer with force), Cal. Penal Code § 148(a)(1) (resisting/delaying/obstructing a officer), Cal. Penal Code § 240/241 (assault on officer), Cal. Penal Code § 242 / 243(b) & (c) (battery on officer causing injury) and Cal. Penal Code § 245(c) (assault on officer with weapon). This is no joke, this is reality. Don’t think that it can’t happen to you, because it can. In fact, if you are reading this article, you probably now realize that constitutionally protected conduct such as verbal protest or verbal challenge to police orders or action will result in these terrible consequences to you. IF YOU ARE THE VICTIM OF POLICE MISCONDUCT, JERRY L. STEERING CAN HELP YOU. As the old saying goes, “The young lawyer knows the law, but the old lawyer knows the Judge”. Mr. Steering’s many years of experience and knowledge in suing the police can help you maximize your chances of winning your Police Misconduct Civil Rights case, and winning is the only thing that matters. Just because the police violated your constitutional rights doesn’t mean that you can do anything about it. In order to “do something about it”, to enforce your constitutional rights, it takes a great deal of experience, insights, skill and savvy. Jerry L. Steering has been suing police agencies for constitutional violations since 1984. He has the experience, insights, skill and savvy to actually win your police misconduct civil rights case, and winning is the only thing that matters. If you are the victim of police misconduct, Jerry L. Steering can help you. Call Jerry L. Steering, Esq. at (949) 474-1849, or email Mr. Steering at jerry@steeringlaw.com . FREE CASE EVALUATION
