Ohio State University Police

[redkow97]

i don't blame someone for calling the cops if they see something they view as suspicious, or potentially dangerous. Better than starting a riot.

But there's nothing inherently illegal about carrying an empty holster either. The cops SHOULD show up and check things out. So long as they're not uber-douches thereafter, I don't see the issue.

I would wager that wearing an empty holster is constitutionally protected free speech. It is certainly not a crime.

Even when speech is antagonistic in nature, so long as it isn't a clear and unambiguous call to violence, it's going to be protected. The police are allowed to regulate where that speech takes place though. i.e., they can make holster wearers stay across the street from people attending the vigil.

[FZRMatt]

was working that night and heard the run go out. Our officers responded to assist OSU PD wit a person with a gun call. I believe that the call came is as a man waving a gun around. So, yes they are going to respond, with their guns drawn, detain the suspect, investigate then release him. I work in the hood, and people with guns pass off their guns to other people all of the time. As an officer, I am trained to hide my chosen weapon from time to time. One of the ways we hide them is to cross our arms and tuck which ever weapon we are holding under our arm. They did exactly what they should have done.

OSU PD has VERY strict rules on removing their weapon from their holster. They actually had an officer die after being shot while investigating a property crime (didn't meet the criteria for pulling weapon). I guarantee the officers had no idea he was the president of whichever group he was president of until he told them. Just because President Gee doesn't like the group doesn't mean there is some conspiracy against them on the part of the police department.

[jagr]

was working that night and heard the run go out. Our officers responded to assist OSU PD wit a person with a gun call. I believe that the call came is as a man waving a gun around. So, yes they are going to respond, with their guns drawn, detain the suspect, investigate then release him. I work in the hood, and people with guns pass off their guns to other people all of the time. As an officer, I am trained to hide my chosen weapon from time to time. One of the ways we hide them is to cross our arms and tuck which ever weapon we are holding under our arm. They did exactly what they should have done.

OSU PD has VERY strict rules on removing their weapon from their holster. They actually had an officer die after being shot while investigating a property crime (didn't meet the criteria for pulling weapon). I guarantee the officers had no idea he was the president of whichever group he was president of until he told them. Just because President Gee doesn't like the group doesn't mean there is some conspiracy against them on the part of the police department.

This is what we are pissed about. There are also articles going around listing his name and calling it a hate crime.

[shittygsxr]

This is what we are pissed about. There are also articles going around listing his name and calling it a hate crime.

Jagr is correct, OSUPD is supposed to take the call seriously. It was apparent in very short order that there was no man "waiving a gun" or even in possession of one. The focus should have immediately shifted to the false call to the OSUPD and the persons who made such allegations.

[FZRMatt]

This is what we are pissed about. There are also articles going around listing his name and calling it a hate crime.

I just finished reading all of the posts. I initially thought the issue was going to be the officers response to the situation. I was wrong. They were only responding to the information that they had.

[shittygsxr]

I just finished reading all of the posts. I initially thought the issue was going to be the officers response to the situation. I was wrong. They were only responding to the information that they had.

I really hope the OSUPD is treating this call as seriously as the spray paint on the Hale Center

[FZRMatt]

I really hope the OSUPD is treating this call as seriously as the spray paint on the Hale Center

NO! NO! NO! That was destruction of OSU property therefore making it incredibly serious! This is just the infringement of some dumb ass students rights.

[John]

Newbern was released at 9:07 p.m. but was informed by police that the field investigation would be forwarded to the university’s Committee of Academic Misconduct where he could be charged with disorderly conduct.

we aren't going to arrest you because you didnt do anything illegal, but we may still charge you with disorderly conduct because screw you!

[John]

Just because President Gee doesn't like the group doesn't mean there is some conspiracy against them on the part of the police department.

yeah but would anyone admit it if there were?

[kiggy74]

i don't blame someone for calling the cops if they see something they view as suspicious, or potentially dangerous. Better than starting a riot.

But there's nothing inherently illegal about carrying an empty holster either. The cops SHOULD show up and check things out. So long as they're not uber-douches thereafter, I don't see the issue.

I would wager that wearing an empty holster is constitutionally protected free speech. It is certainly not a crime.

Even when speech is antagonistic in nature, so long as it isn't a clear and unambiguous call to violence, it's going to be protected. The police are allowed to regulate where that speech takes place though. i.e., they can make holster wearers stay across the street from people attending the vigil.

I agree with this, but would also point out that Southboro Baptist Church holding "God hates fags" signs at the funeral of fallen soldiers is also protected under the 1st ammendment, even though it is incredibly insensitive if not horrificly stupid.

With that in mind, its frustrating to learn that somone would use a racial tolerance event to make a statement about firearms rights... also horrificly stupid.

[Casper]

If anything happens to Mike, OSU and the papers/websites running anything about what he did being a hate crime could have a helluva lawsuit on their hands. I'm pretty sure that's about as libelous as it gets.

Saying it was racial intimidation ("The Fourth Hate Crime"): http://www.plunderbund.com/2012/04/08/osu-students-disappointed-in-dispatch/

Should would be helpful if there was a video of the events.

[shittygsxr]

was working that night and heard the run go out. Our officers responded to assist OSU PD wit a person with a gun call. I believe that the call came is as a man waving a gun around. So, yes they are going to respond, with their guns drawn, detain the suspect, investigate then release him. I work in the hood, and people with guns pass off their guns to other people all of the time. As an officer, I am trained to hide my chosen weapon from time to time. One of the ways we hide them is to cross our arms and tuck which ever weapon we are holding under our arm. They did exactly what they should have done.

OSU PD has VERY strict rules on removing their weapon from their holster. They actually had an officer die after being shot while investigating a property crime (didn't meet the criteria for pulling weapon). I guarantee the officers had no idea he was the president of whichever group he was president of until he told them. Just because President Gee doesn't like the group doesn't mean there is some conspiracy against them on the part of the police department.

This comment alone, which is true, shows that this was a call not of concern for safety but to get someone falsely arrested.

A crowd of 200 with a man waiving a gun would not be a crowd of 200 for long, people would have ran. The officer using common sense would have thought, hey if there is a guy waiving a gun why are all these people just standing around and surprised that we are here.

There is no rational argument against this. Between the police reports I have read, the witnesses I have spoken to and the OSUPD officer on this board. There is NO otherside to this story.

[FZRMatt]

we aren't going to arrest you because you didnt do anything illegal, but we may still charge you with disorderly conduct because screw you!

Not sure where the "charge him with disorderly conduct" came from (I know it wasn't you). The Student Judicial Review Board has no legal authority, they only determine if he violated the school's code of conduct. He may or may not have, that is to be seen.

[Casper]

Not sure where the "charge him with disorderly conduct" came from (I know it wasn't you). The Student Judicial Review Board has no legal authority, they only determine if he violated the school's code of conduct. He may or may not have, that is to be seen.

It says in the article police released him but said that it was being sent to the SJRB and that he may be charged with disorderly conduct at a later time.

[shittygsxr]

Here is a link to the Columbus Dispatch article and photo taken hours before this event.

http://www.dispatch.com/content/stories/local/2012/04/05/students-empty-holsters-protest-campus-gun-ban.html

Please remember this is a very large university often times with multiple rallies vigils protests going on simultaneously. On your way to class you could walk through several of these events unassumingly

[Tonik]

It says in the article police released him but said that it was being sent to the SJRB and that he may be charged with disorderly conduct at a later time.

That was also in the Buckeye press release, which I would assume he had would have had a hand in writing. That same press release called it a Trayvon rally, not a racial vigil as several folks have stated emphatically in this thread. There are a million different unsubstantiated stories about what happened. Sounds kind of familiar doesn't it?

[imprez55]

^ no they are turning it into a hate crime which is about as far from the truth as you can get.

Well that's just frustrating. I wish him the best.

...

With that in mind, its frustrating to learn that somone would use a racial tolerance event to make a statement about firearms rights... also horrificly stupid.

He wasn't using the event to make a statement. He was making a statement all week, the event just so happened to go on during that week so he attended. See this:

...

Please remember this is a very large university often times with multiple rallies vigils protests going on simultaneously. On your way to class you could walk through several of these events unassumingly

[John]

Not sure where the "charge him with disorderly conduct" came from (I know it wasn't you). The Student Judicial Review Board has no legal authority, they only determine if he violated the school's code of conduct. He may or may not have, that is to be seen.

its from the link in the first post of this thread.

[Exarch]

Im not gunna stir up shit here so this is my 1 and only post on this topic.

Seriously.... Being detained for having an empty holster? I dont get it, nor have I read the artical to try and understand it. Its not empty holsters people should be worrying about, its people trying to conceal a weapon and accidently flashing it that should set off an alarm. Now even if thr holster wasnt empty it doesnt automatically mean he has intent to use the weapon, infact ide feel less threatened if I knew someone had a gun they wernt trying to hide.

Like I said, im not 100% sure on the detaios, but people are too uptight and even though I dont believe anyone should have a gun outside of their home or on the range other than bring military or a cop. he shouldnt of even been questioned about the empty holster in the first place.

[FZRMatt]

its from the link in the first post of this thread.

I know how SJRB works, and when I read that, I just assumed that they were referring to code of conduct "charges". Which actually means very little in this case.

Im not gunna stir up shit here so this is my 1 and only post on this topic.

Seriously.... Being detained for having an empty holster? I dont get it, nor have I read the artical to try and understand it. Its not empty holsters people should be worrying about, its people trying to conceal a weapon and accidently flashing it that should set off an alarm. Now even if thr holster wasnt empty it doesnt automatically mean he has intent to use the weapon, infact ide feel less threatened if I knew someone had a gun they wernt trying to hide.

Like I said, im not 100% sure on the detaios, but people are too uptight and even though I dont believe anyone should have a gun outside of their home or on the range other than bring military or a cop. he shouldnt of even been questioned about the empty holster in the first place.

He wasn't detained nor questioned about the empty holster in itself. He was detained and questioned about the empty holster, that the person who called 911, said contained the gun that he supposedly been waving around.

[John]

I know how SJRB works, and when I read that, I just assumed that they were referring to code of conduct "charges". Which actually means very little in this case.

that may very well be what they are referring to. the article wasn't the most well written.

then again, disorderly conduct IS one of those things that gets used to just jam people up when there isn't really anything else to get them on... so who knows. i guess only time will tell.

[Exarch]

I know how SJRB works, and when I read that, I just assumed that they were referring to code of conduct "charges". Which actually means very little in this case.

He wasn't detained nor questioned about the empty holster in itself. He was detained and questioned about the empty holster, that the person who called 911, said contained the gun that he supposedly been waving around.

Ahh, that makes sense

[ross]

With that in mind, its frustrating to learn that somone would use a racial tolerance event to make a statement about firearms rights... also horrificly stupid.

Mike wasn't there to make a statement about firearms, he was there for the same reason everyone else was...a rally for victims of hate crimes and that is exactly was he became a victim of that night. The media makes it out like Mike was standing in front of a crowd with his arms crossed in an intimidating nature. He was actually in the front of the crowd listening to the speakers. See how leaving out that "the" makes a difference to the story.

The only way you can get the true facts about this story is not going to be from the news, it's from the guy behind the beard, if you're lucky enough to know the real person he is, not the guy the media wants you to think he is.

[gen3flygirl]

^this. Mike is the type of person to seek out common ground with people. He fights for people's rights even if he doesn't agree with their view point on certain things.

[John]

The media makes it out like Mike was standing in front of a crowd with his arms crossed in an intimidating nature.

what media outlet said that?

i just did a quick search on dispatch.com, 10tv.com and nbc4i.com and saw nothing of the sort.

there were a couple results that mentioned SFCC and mike newbern as the president, but none of them were talking about the incident at the rally they were just talking about SFCC in general.