Civil Rights Attorney Needed Marathon FL

[s/v 'Faith']

Yup, what they said.

Originally Posted by Therapy

To add to my congrats.
I remember that most if not all the problems can be attributed to a single officer.

Not surprised. Common in all walks of life. All the way to the opposite side----> criminals.

Originally Posted by Lake-Effect

Impressive. well done.

Originally Posted by darylat8750

Well said ThinLine.

Thanks for your efforts.

Originally Posted by ElGatoGordo

And some thought you'd be arrested 'cause this ain't 'merica no more!

Seriously though, Great Job!!!! Seems like things are back on track. Give usan update in a few months.

Originally Posted by Therapy

Put better than I could have.

Well done.

We liked Boot Key when we were there.

Originally Posted by CaptForce

Thank you "Thin Line" for your challege, your meeting, your sharing with us, your communication skills, your succsess, and the honor of your stance during this conflict.

Originally Posted by ontherocks83

Glad to hear you had a positive interaction. Lets hope for everyone's sake the results are long lasting

Originally Posted by JusDreaming

Great job "Thin Line" I agree that it sounds like it went very well!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[Alecadi]

Thank you Thinline

[JPA Cate]

Hi, Thinline,

Well, man, you walked it, with intelligence, honor and principle--good on ya!

The example you set for your children, the other cruisers, and liveaboards is an excellent one to have in our lives.

Thank you.


Ann

[Hud3]

Here's a link to an article by Claiborne Young in the Salty Southeaast Cruisers Log. He heavily quotes CF.

Cruiser's Net » Archive » Results of 12/18/13 Meeting At Boot Key Harbor Marina Between FWC Representatives, Marathon Local Government Leaders, and the Cruising Coummunity

[onestepcsy37]

Laws are made for the guidance of wise men, and the blind obedience of fools.

- Aristotle

[mcm]

Oxymoron .

[DumnMad]

Yeah, laws are for those without a good conscience - which is all of us at some time or other.

[austinrick]

Originally Posted by Captain Bill

An officer may board a vessel when the operator refuses or is unable to display the safety or marine sanitation equipment required by law, if requested to do so by a law enforcement officer, or when the safety or marine sanitation equipment to be inspected is permanently installed and is not visible for inspection unless the officer boards the vessel."

And there is their 'out.' How many of us have our heads mounted up on deck? And what is 'probable cause?' And how often does a judge rule in favor of a civilian?

[mcm]

what else do you need ?? get a certified copy, keep on the boat, and threaten a lawsuit based on civil rights...remember the guy in Stuart getting the illegal ticket for anchoring, the civil rights suit got him some $$$ in settlement

The Supreme Court ruled that regardless of Arkansas’ law stating that Fish and Game Officers can stop boats for random safety inspections, they do not have the unfettered right to stop and check a boat at will. To do so without probable cause removes the Fourth Amendment protection from unreasonable search and seizure. In this case, randomly stopping Allen’s pontoon, which was “legally registered and illuminated . . . and being operated in an unremarkable fashion” . . . was “unreasonable and violated Defendant’s rights under the Fourth Amendment.

[hellosailor]

"No one gets a new job and knows what to do right away. "
This is why all kinds of employees, including LEOs all over the world, get sent out as TRAINEES and PROBIES and all they do is listen and observe while they are on probation. If the FWC or any other organization is not sufficiently training them before sending them out solo, that's a major organizational failure.

Ready-
I have seen LEOs in a small jurisdiction who repeatedly gave tickets for imaginary violations. And seen those tickets paid before a court, which then dismissed another identical ticket after the victim showed a proper legally certified copy of the motor vehicle laws to the court, as required in that state. The court did nothing about the tickets already improperly enforced, said nothing to the officer, and continued on with business as usual--including collecting on more of the same. Sometimes, the officers ARE in cahoots with the folks who pocket the money, and it is all a fundraising fraud. Sometimes, it is just ignorance.
There's no excuse for either, and there are always mechanisms for enforcing corrections, and bringing up formal charges ranging from misfeasance, malfeasance, outright conspiracy to criminal fraud. Which, like a civil rights action, also tolls federal laws (RICO) which bring federal agents and federal prosecutors, who often are outside the local politics and if not quite "willing" to take action, can be further compelled to take action.
If the local watercops don't know the actual regulations, and they repeatedly get them wrong? That's gross incompetence and grounds for immediate actions. Which if not taken, become grounds for misfeasance and malfeasance against the superiors who fail to take those actions. And it snowballs from there.
But you can't argue, you can't "interfere" (that's criminal too) what you need to do is quietly keep going over their heads, taking names, documenting facts, until someone gets so embarrassed that they step in. There's a lot of either "good" or "loudmouthed" press in Florida and it sounds way past time they were brought in to document and investigate. The good old boys who need lots of votes, tend to try mollifying them.

[Alecadi]

What is the situation now? Is it better? Any follow up after the december 19 th meeting?

[micksbuddy]

I'm not sure about all the interaction between the Marathon community and the FWC, but I was there for a few days about a week ago and saw no undue LEO presence. USCG cruised through a couple of times and I saw FWC boats a couple of times, once they tied up to a boat in the anchorage, but certainly nothing like the nighttime raids that set this thread off. So it seems that the pushback might have had the desired effect.

[READY2GO]

We have not seen any fwc boats on our end of the harbor in over a month now. It would seem someone got a memo. The one boat that was boarded on the other end of the harbor was done at the boaters request for assistance of some issue. I don't remember what it was, but the fwc was called by the boater to come to their boat. It all seems good now. Some of the locals who have been here for years and years say this happens once every few years when new leadership gets assinged to the area.

[Alecadi]

Originally Posted by READY2GO

We have not seen any fwc boats on our end of the harbor in over a month now. It would seem someone got a memo. The one boat that was boarded on the other end of the harbor was done at the boaters request for assistance of some issue. I don't remember what it was, but the fwc was called by the boater to come to their boat. It all seems good now. Some of the locals who have been here for years and years say this happens once every few years when new leadership gets assinged to the area.

Good! Very nice to hear that.

[Striker37]

Maybe the FWC is harassing everyone on mooring balls because they know no one keeps up with matenence of thier boats or has the right safety equipment on board knowing that almost everyone living on boats at boot key is using boats as a house.What irma did to dam near every boat in that mooring area was proof that boaters there dont give a rats a $$ about thier boats.Now the FWC and salvage companies is cleaning up the deralict boats off the bottom and mangroves at tax payer expense.