JohnCenaFan28
10-26-2008, 07:46 PM
A US woman who was arrested and prosecuted for swearing at her toilet has won nearly £12,000 in compensation.
Dawn Herb's legal fees will also be paid as part of the out of court settlement with the city of Scranton, Pennsylvania.
She was arrested last year after a neighbour, an off-duty police officer, heard her swearing at her overflowing lavatory through an open window.
She was charged with disorderly conduct and faced a possible 90 days in jail, reports the Scranton Times-Tribune.
But the judge at her trial found her not guilty, saying that swearing was not illegal and her language was constitutionally protected free speech.
Civil rights group the American Civil Liberties Union, which took up the case, announced the settlement.
"It's clear the city was wrong," Ms Herb said in a press release. "However, I'm glad that I was able to fight for my rights. In the end, I found justice."
Mayor Chris Doherty voiced dissatisfaction over the incident, saying: "It is what it is."
-Ananova
Dawn Herb's legal fees will also be paid as part of the out of court settlement with the city of Scranton, Pennsylvania.
She was arrested last year after a neighbour, an off-duty police officer, heard her swearing at her overflowing lavatory through an open window.
She was charged with disorderly conduct and faced a possible 90 days in jail, reports the Scranton Times-Tribune.
But the judge at her trial found her not guilty, saying that swearing was not illegal and her language was constitutionally protected free speech.
Civil rights group the American Civil Liberties Union, which took up the case, announced the settlement.
"It's clear the city was wrong," Ms Herb said in a press release. "However, I'm glad that I was able to fight for my rights. In the end, I found justice."
Mayor Chris Doherty voiced dissatisfaction over the incident, saying: "It is what it is."
-Ananova