A Vermont man who flipped off a police officer now finds himself $100K richer. In 2018, Gregory Bombard was “pulled over…for allegedly giving Trooper Jay Riggen the middle finger.” Though Bombard denied it at the time, in a lawsuit filed by the ACLU, Bombard later admitted to cursing and flipping the bird…which led to a disorderly conduct arrest. The ACLU lawsuit maintained that Bombard’s “rights to be free from unreasonable seizure and false arrest” were violated, and “that giving the middle finger” is “free expression protected by the First Amendment.” Finally, a settlement was reached that’ll see Bombard receive a $100K payout, along with another $75K for legal fees.
Source: WCAX
Scott's Thoughts:
- I know the ACLU is there to defend our constitutional rights, but this seems a bit much.
- Maybe the officer should have just flipped the bird back?
- We need to be nicer to our law enforcement. They are there to serve and protect us.