Fred Weary Lawsuit

[TheCD]

Per SI.com

HOUSTON (AP) -- Houston Texans' Fred Weary is threatening to sue the city if it doesn't comply with his requests stemming from a November arrest in which he was shot with a Taser gun.

Weary said Friday that he has sent a letter to Mayor Bill White and Police Chief Harold Hurtt asking for a public apology from the two police officers involved in the incident. He also is asking for monetary compensation and that the city review its policies regarding racial profiling and the use of Taser guns.

"I'm in a position to fight this and I plan on fighting it to the end," Weary told Houston television station KRIV. "It wasn't right. None of the actions by the two officers was justifiable."

White spokesman Frank Michel said he couldn't comment on possible litigation.

The officers said they stopped the offensive lineman because he didn't have a front license plate and was driving "suspiciously." A misdemeanor charge of resisting arrest was later dismissed because of insufficient evidence.

Joe Walker, Weary's attorney, said the lineman could seek as much as $250,000 from the city.

"Let me make it real clear. If we don't get a response within 90 days, we tee it up. We're going down to the courthouse and file a lawsuit," he said.

Sorry if this has been posted already, hadn't seen it anywhere.

[Kaiser Toro]

Way to go Fred, stand up for what it is right.

[Yankee_In_TX]

I can only imagine what the cop's car video would reveal. They'd better apologize!

[edo783]

The way it seems to have gone down, he should sue them.

[alphajoker]

Hmmm, let's see...$250,000 or an apology? I hope the HPD is smart enough to make the right choice. Especially when it's obvious that those two police officers were clearly in the wrong.

[Texans_Chick]

My take is here:

Link

[Arky]

I'm really glad Weary is doing this.

No telling how many times something like this happens and the victim/defendant/accused/whatever just doesn't have the resources to fight City Hall...

[2BCF]

Originally Posted by Yankee_In_TX

I can only imagine what the cop's car video would reveal. They'd better apologize!

That video shows the truth.
If it's as the officer stated and he didn't comply and was advancing toward her, Weary should be the one apologizing.
If you break the law, no front plates, etc., you break the law. Stop whining about being "profiled" and move on.
I've been pulled over before for not having a front license plate, but I never challenged the officer by continuing to walk toward the officer when told to stop.
Weary's demands are ridiculous. With crime as bad as it is now, the police do not need any more restrictions, just the opposite.

[gsbtxn]

Originally Posted by 2BCarrFree

That video shows the truth.
If it's as the officer stated and he didn't comply and was advancing toward her, Weary should be the one apologizing.
If you break the law, no front plates, etc., you break the law. Stop whining about being "profiled" and move on.
I've been pulled over before for not having a front license plate, but I never challenged the officer by continuing to walk toward the officer when told to stop.
Weary's demands are ridiculous. With crime as bad as it is now, the police do not need any more restrictions, just the opposite.

Have you seen said video? The rest of your post seems to imply that you have. Or are you profiling as well?

[SamuraiSword]

Originally Posted by 2BCarrFree

That video shows the truth.
If it's as the officer stated and he didn't comply and was advancing toward her, Weary should be the one apologizing.
If you break the law, no front plates, etc., you break the law. Stop whining about being "profiled" and move on.
I've been pulled over before for not having a front license plate, but I never challenged the officer by continuing to walk toward the officer when told to stop.
Weary's demands are ridiculous. With crime as bad as it is now, the police do not need any more restrictions, just the opposite.

Her who is her?

BTW An officer said to me one time it doesn't matter if you have a front license plate. I believe him because in Houston I see many vehicles without front license plates. I think the officer was doing his usual profiling.

[gtexan02]

First, I think Weary is right. Good for him for making a big deal of this.

HOWEVER, if he sues Houston and keeps the money, shame on him. This guy makes millions and millions and is looking to get even more. I hope he donates it to racial profiling education or to charities aiding minorities or the like.

[Lucky]

Originally Posted by SamuraiSword

BTW An officer said to me one time it doesn't matter if you have a front license plate. I believe him because in Houston I see many vehicles without front license plates.

Don't believe him. Here's the law.

REQUIRED EQUIPMENT
6. LICENSE PLATES—must have one valid plate at the front and one at the rear of passenger and commercial vehicles except dealer plates and those commercial vehicles that are only issued one license plate.

[ATX]

I remember reading somewhere that having a front license plate adds the distance in which a speed gun can clock your speed. Stupid law IMO, out of state cars don't have to have a front license plate here.

[Texans Horror]

Originally Posted by gtexan02

First, I think Weary is right. Good for him for making a big deal of this.

HOWEVER, if he sues Houston and keeps the money, shame on him. This guy makes millions and millions and is looking to get even more. I hope he donates it to racial profiling education or to charities aiding minorities or the like.

First, from what I read, it sounds like the goal is the apology, not the money. The money is there only if teh apology is not made.

Second, I am sure Fred makes enough without needing to "exploit" Houston. I don't know his exact salary, but I'm guessing it's not a wanton amount of millions. It's probably more along the line of 1.5 spread over a few years. On the one hand, more than you or I will see in a lifetime, but on the other hand, if he has trouble making the starting team in part because of this trouble - and he is playing for a team that values character - then he has every right to sue.

Fred isn't doing anything most people wouldn't do, but it seems to me he's doing it for the right reasons.

[Tyr]

Originally Posted by SamuraiSword

BTW An officer said to me one time it doesn't matter if you have a front license plate. I believe him because in Houston I see many vehicles without front license plates. I think the officer was doing his usual profiling.

It is the law and cops will pull you over if they want to. Yes, most cops don't seem to worry about the front plates due to so many cars not using them. I had a Sherrif run me down on the Beltway a couple of years back solely because I didn't have a front plate. This is after 8 years of having my vehicle and never having a front plate. May not happen often, but eventually you find an officer that will do it.

I don't know the specifics so I do want to speculate. However, Weary did not have a front license plate on his car so therefore WAS breaking the law, they had the right to pull him over. What happened after that? I can't say but I do feel Tasering was a little over the top but officers are taught to defend themselves if they are advanced on. So it may or may not be a legitimate suit. My personal opinion, both the officer and Weary made mistakes in this instance.

[The Pencil Neck]

Originally Posted by Lucky

Don't believe him. Here's the law.

I knew a guy that drove around Texas for 5 years with expired out of state plates and no front plate. I lived here (in Texas) for a year and a half with expired California plates and then moved to Pennsylvania before getting new ones. I don't think I had a front plate for that time in Texas. (I can't remember, but I don't think you have to have front plates in Cali.)

IIRC, it's also a law that all non-residential buildings in Houston have hitching posts in front of them.

Many laws are not enforced.

[vtech9]

Originally Posted by Tyr

It is the law and cops will pull you over if they want to. Yes, most cops don't seem to worry about the front plates due to so many cars not using them. I had a Sherrif run me down on the Beltway a couple of years back solely because I didn't have a front plate. This is after 8 years of having my vehicle and never having a front plate. May not happen often, but eventually you find an officer that will do it.

I don't know the specifics so I do want to speculate. However, Weary did not have a front license plate on his car so therefore WAS breaking the law, they had the right to pull him over. What happened after that? I can't say but I do feel Tasering was a little over the top but officers are taught to defend themselves if they are advanced on. So it may or may not be a legitimate suit. My personal opinion, both the officer and Weary made mistakes in this instance.

Does Weary have Texas plates? Does he live in Texas year round? If he holds a residence in another state, has registered plates from that state, and that state doesn't require a front plate, he is not required to have a front plate while in Texas. However, if he holds a residence in Texas and lives in Texas longer than 6 months out of the year, he is required to have Texas plates, and have them displayed on both the front and back of his vehicle.

[Double Barrel]

Originally Posted by Yankee_In_TX

I can only imagine what the cop's car video would reveal. They'd better apologize!

If it doesn't 'magically' disappear first.

Good for Fred. Stand up for what is right!

[HJam72]

I did get a ticket in Galveston once for not having a front license plate on an 83 Trans-Am. The front license plate thing is a stupid law, if you ask me, but it does exist.

The guy got tasered and I really doubt it was necessary, but that's about all I can say.

[Yankee_In_TX]

Originally Posted by 2BCarrFree

That video shows the truth.
If it's as the officer stated and he didn't comply and was advancing toward her, Weary should be the one apologizing.
If you break the law, no front plates, etc., you break the law. Stop whining about being "profiled" and move on.
I've been pulled over before for not having a front license plate, but I never challenged the officer by continuing to walk toward the officer when told to stop.
Weary's demands are ridiculous. With crime as bad as it is now, the police do not need any more restrictions, just the opposite.

*massive edit*

I've been a first hand witness MANY times to what jerks who are on ticket patrol from HPD can be. I'd tend to side with Fred on this one.