First Amendment
Rev. Billy Plans Civil Suit After DA Drops Protest Charges
Posted Nov 15, 2007, 12:17 pm CST
By Debra Cassens Weiss
The First Amendment looms large in the case of Rev. Billy, who was arrested in June for harassing police by reciting the text of the free speech guarantee.
The case against the street performer was dismissed after prosecutors missed a deadline on purpose, the New York Times reports. The Manhattan district attorney’s office decided not to file papers explaining why the arrest was justified.
Now the self-proclaimed reverend, whose real name is William Talen, is planning a civil rights suit for false arrest, malicious prosecution, and violation of his First Amendment rights.
The faux preacher uses a megaphone to rail against consumerism outside Manhattan businesses.
Police said they arrested Talen at a bicycle rally when he refused their request to stop reciting the First Amendment through an unamplified megaphone and followed them around.