Saturday, August 14, 2010

Jury returns NOT GUILTY verdict on ALL counts in Pastor Anderson trial on 8/13/10

(Note: this narrative can be freely copied and/or drawn from and is not copyrighted whatsoever. This narrative was written by Pastor Anderson himelf).


On Friday, August 13, 2010, a jury found Pastor Steven L Anderson not guilty of both misdemeanor charges brought against him.


The two charges were “obstructing the highway” and “resisting an order directing, regulating, or controlling a motor vehicle,” and involved an incident on April 14, 2009, when Pastor Anderson refused a warrantless search of his vehicle at an internal border patrol checkpoint at mile marker 78 of eastbound I-8, 75 miles east of Yuma, AZ (55 miles north of the international border). The 1 hour and 15 minute standoff ended with Border Patrol and Arizona DPS officers shattering out the car’s windows, tasering Pastor Anderson for 18 seconds, and maliciously shoving his face into broken glass and roughing him up before taking him to the hospital and then ultimately to jail.


A six person jury from Wellton, AZ, found Pastor Anderson of Faithful Word Baptist Church not guilty on the count of “obstructing the highway.” When asked why, one of the jurors stated that “they were the ones who stopped [Pastor Anderson] and caused [him] to be in the roadway against [his] will, and they had no right to send [him] to secondary to be searched.”


The jury found Pastor Anderson not guilty of “resisting an order directing, regulating, or controlling a motor vehicle” because the statute states that you must be resisting an order from a peace officer directing your motor vehicle, and border patrol agents are not peace officers. The DPS officers who later arrived on the scene were peace offices, but although DPS Officer Jones testified in court that he twice ordered Pastor Anderson to move his car to secondary, video evidence revealed that in fact he never ordered Pastor Anderson to go to the secondary inspection area. He only ordered him to get out of his car, which is not an order regulating a motor vehicle. Therefore he could not have resisted an order that he never received. In addition, before Officer Jones even spoke with Pastor Anderson, he had already put stop sticks in front of the tires of the car which would have made it impossible for him to send Pastor Anderson to the secondary inspection area.


A few new facts about the incident surfaced in the course of the two day trial as the state’s witnesses were questioned and cross examined. A detective with DPS who is an expert in dog handling and dog training and which had actually had experience with the border patrol K-9, “Jerry C”, that supposedly alerted to “concealed humans or narcotics” in Pastor Anderson’s vehicle, explained that the dog did not actually alert to the Pastor’s vehicle. In his words, the dog “was on the fringe” or on the verge of an alert by dragging its handler toward the vehicle, but that an actual alert would have consisted of the dog sitting down where the supposed contraband was located. The dog never sat down.


Another discrepancy was clarified by the same witness about the length of time that Pastor Anderson was tasered. The first deployment of the taser lasted for 13 seconds, and the second deployment lasted for 5 seconds. It was previously thought that the two deployments were back-to-back, but the state’s witness produced evidence that there was a 3-4 second break between the 13 second deployment and the 5 second deployment. “I sure didn’t feel that break!” said Pastor Anderson. “That just tells me that the 50,000 volt torture session lasted for 22 seconds instead of 18 seconds.”


Another interesting piece of testimony was when DPS Officer Jones and DPS Officer Jeff Mitchell were questioned about the photographs showing large amounts of Pastor Anderson’s blood in the exact shape of his head on the jagged broken glass of what used to be the driver’s side window. Both officers stated that they had no clue as to how or why the Pastor’s head made contact with the jagged edge of the window. According to Pastor Anderson, one of the border patrol agents grabbed his head and purposely shoved it down into the broken glass while he was being tasered in order to “control” his head. The DPS officers stated that they were too far away to see Pastor Anderson being extracted, but that in all their many years of experience which included extracting people through open car doors many times, no one’s head had ever made contact with the broken window sill.


The two “not guilty” verdicts beg the question of why the Pastor was tasered and brutalized since according to Arizona statute, he had not broken any law. Pastor Anderson is suing the DPS and US Border Patrol on five counts: Negligence and/or Gross Negligence, False Arrest and Imprisonment, Intentional Infliction of Emotional Distress, Assault and Battery, and 42 U.S.C. § 1983 (Deprivation of Constitutional Rights).


As one of the six jurors shook Pastor Anderson’s hand on his way out of the courtroom, the juror told him, “Thanks for standing up for our rights as Americans.”

57 comments:

T.G. said...
This comment has been removed by the author.
T.G. said...

AMEN! Thanks for standing Bro. Anderson!

1 Cor 16:13 Watch ye, stand fast in the faith, quit you like men, be strong.
Gal 5:1 Stand fast therefore in the liberty wherewith Christ hath made us free, and be not entangled again with the yoke of bondage.
Eph 6:11-14 Put on the whole armour of God, that ye may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil. ... take unto you the whole armour of God, that ye may be able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all, to stand. Stand therefore ...

Lynn said...

When you get out of the book of Acts and read the rest of the New Testament there are very serious warnings about the times we live in but we are being lulled to sleep because the TV Evangelist and others are having us focus on our comfort..THANKYOU Pastor Anderson for your courage "IN THE LORD" of course. Love Always IN CHRIST Lynn.

Anonymous said...

Thanks Pastor Anderson. I hope this all makes national news and that changes are made to the way we work the boarders and handle immagrants.

Helga Hickman said...

"As one of the six jurors shook Pastor Anderson’s hand on his way out of the courtroom, the juror told him, “Thanks for standing up for our rights as Americans.'"

This says it all!

Thank you, Pastor, for standing up for your rights! What a shame that this be done here in this our "free" country!!


Therefore, my beloved brethren, be ye stedfast, unmoveable, always abounding in the work of the Lord, forasmuch as ye know that your labour is not in vain in the Lord. 1 Corinthians 15:58

Your labor is not in vain!

Fascist Nation said...

Sure seems like some of the dog handling testimony differs from the first trial video. It will be interesting to compare the two trials if the video becomes available.

I also get a kick that the prosecutor (Katz?) got the jury from Wellton he demanded---just not the conviction. Haven't seen him quoted in the press this time either.

Ed Vallejo said...

"Many a time have they afflicted me from my youth: yet they have not prevailed against me." PS 129:2

STAND FAST IN CHRIST.

Ed

KuernoDeChivo said...

Thanks for keeping us informed on this case.

Each time I see someone stand up I get the feeling that their actions postpone this full-blown police state that we have breathing down our necks.

Each additional day allows us to prepare ourselves better and "trim our wicks" both temporally and spiritually for what is coming.

Unknown said...

I go online every day and see the terrible things men do to each other in this country, and though I am truly sorry for what you have experienced I am equally grateful that the world has another example of true, moral courage. They are sadly needed.

While we all have differences, some things are fundamental. I would label myself as agnostic if I had to, but that is no barrier to recognizing the actions of a truly just man.

Thank you, Steven. People like yourself make the world a better place.

Anonymous said...

In March of 1775, attorney Patrick Henry, rode into the small town of Culpepper, Virginia. As he rode into the town square, he was completely shocked by what he witnessed. There, in the middle of the square, was a man tied to a whipping post, his back laid bare, with bones exposed. He had been scourged mercilessly, with whips laced with metal. When they stopped beating him, Patrick Henry could plainly see the bones of his rib cage. He turned to ask someone in the crowd, "What has the man done to deserve such a beating as this?" The reply given him was that the man being scourged was a minister. He was one of twelve preachers, locked in jail, because they refused to take the king's license to preach the gospel.

The governor was under orders from King George to compel all preachers to take the license. While being tried, without the benefit of a jury, the minister stated, "I will never submit to taking your license. I am controlled by the Holy Spirit, and authorized by God Almighty, and will not allow you to control me by a license, no matter what you may do to me." Three days later, he was scourged to death, and such was the fate of the other ministers, as well. This was the incident that sparked Patrick Henry to write the famous words, which later became the rallying cry of the American Revolution,

"What is it that the gentlemen wish? What would they have? Is life so dear, or peace so sweet, as to purchase at the price of chains and slavery? Forbid it, Almighty God! I know not what course others may take, but as for me, give me liberty, or give me death!"


THE WAR INEVITABLE SPEECH March 1775
Patrick Henry (1736-1799)


Seems Sir that there is a history of such bold actions by Ministers.

Anonymous said...

Pastor Anderson, Sir,

I am so glad so won this case, and your honor was returned. Thousands of people are being brutalized by these zionazi marxist fabian socialist storm troopers all over America, and unlike you, are plowed over by corrupt Law Enforcement Agencies, Courts, and Civil Governments.

Your win is a sign that the corruption can be stopped if citizens on juries do the right thing, and stopped protecting the true criminals who hide behind the color of law.

The Jewish Zionist Marxist American media will NEVER cover your win in court, as thier AntiChristian ZioNazi Owners & Masters will NEVER let the people know you one, because it does not serve THIER agendas!

No King But King Jesus
Appeal To Heaven Flag 1775
Non Nobis Domine
Jesus Bless,
Truly I Am,
Commander General
True Sons of Liberty
"The Life Guard"
http://www.youtube.com/sonsofliberty1765

Anonymous said...

Good for you sir, Good for you!

Ever since this mess happened, you are one of my Heros. Finally a man willing to put it all on the line for the United States Constitution!
Not a celebrity not a sports figure (the mistake of todays society to label these people heros), but a real Man and a real Hero!

Good for You sir! and Thank You...

Anonymous said...

p.s. My son lives in Sierra Vista. When I come to visit him I will make sure to drive to Tempe and visit your church. Chuck Baldwin won't believe it when I come back to Pensacola with a picture of you and me! Haha!

Anonymous said...

Gal 5:1 "Stand fast therefore in the liberty wherewith Christ hath made us free, and be not entangled again with the yoke of bondage."

God bless you pastor!

PS: I like this qoute hehe :))

Anonymous said...

simply put, thank you.

Anonymous said...

Great AJ interview, wish you could have expanded on freedom and where it comes from... etc.

Thanks again for taking a stand and being a free man.

Dawn said...

I thank God that you were found not guilty , this police state seems to be getting worse . I pray that more people will start standing up for our rights the way that you do . God Bless You ...

Nadreck said...

I've been following the saga of the checkpoint incident just about since it happened and have also been poking around your blog and youTube channel in between updates.

I have to say that I really hate your stands on most issues and would bitterly oppose them if we ever came in contact. I will, however, also bitterly oppose any attempt to stop you from having those views or screaming them from the rooftops if you want to. This includes any attempt to allow the State unlimited and unchecked dominion over ornery cusses such as you and I.

If I sit around while the minions of the government haul you, horrible person that you are, away for no particular reason then I'm probably next and wouldn't have much to complain about when my turn came.

Congratulations! Few people would stand up for their rights to the extent that you have. I hope your lawsuits take these clowns to the cleaners and teach them a lesson.

Nadreck said...

I've been following the saga of the checkpoint incident just about since it happened and have also been poking around your blog and youTube channel in between updates.

I have to say that I really hate your stands on most issues and would bitterly oppose them if we ever came in contact. I will, however, also bitterly oppose any attempt to stop you from having those views or screaming them from the rooftops if you want to. This includes any attempt to allow the State unlimited and unchecked dominion over ornery cusses such as you and I.

If I sit around while the minions of the government haul you, horrible person that you are, away for no particular reason then I'm probably next and wouldn't have much to complain about when my turn came.

Congratulations! Few people would stand up for their rights to the extent that you have. I hope your lawsuits take these clowns to the cleaners and teaches them a lesson.

Anonymous said...

I gotta say the vindictiveness of the prosecutor ready stunned me.

Any competant prosecutor would have seen how groundless the charges were and dropped them but this guy pushed to be slapped down by the jury as he was.

Thats why you never take anything done by the state lightly. And that includes lying cops like these.

I did notice that the k-9 guy kinda flipped and protected himself by saying the dog never actually alerted. Kinda wishy washy first calling in cops and now saying well the dog didn't actually alert to anything.

Anonymous said...

You Are A HERO .Keep Doing
What you doing.

Anonymous said...

PTL-Proverbs 29:2 KJV

Anonymous said...

Get this now Officer Russ Jones, the officer that helped in Pastor Anderson's beating is now running for Judge of Wellton Justice Court against Judge Cora Romine. Judge Cora Romine needs all the help to not get this hateful man elected! RE-ELECT CORA ROMINE November 2, 2010!

Anonymous said...

Thanks for the example Pastor,

I stood up for my rights in Albuquerque and won too. If you get a laser speeding ticket in Albuquerque all you have to do is ask for discovery. The cops fought this as long as they could, even stooping to lying to me, saying I didn't have a right to discovery because I wasn't an attorney. After my third time in court the city attorney and the cop didn't show. What a fraud they are.

Hope you get a million for every one of those stitches.

stoney13 said...

Sue them for a MILLION A STITCH! And $5000,000.00 for the TASER! ($10.00 a volt is fair!)!

And remember! That as demonstrably false as these officer's testimony was! No matter how desperately they grasped at this bundle of lies, and in doing so endangered everything you are, and everything you ever thought to be! No matter the prosecutor endeavored with every dirty trick in the book, outright lies, and dramatic performances if required to further his incredible hypothesis, supported my equally incredible evidence! Even all these things were done to you and more! You must in your heart forgive them! And I know you have!

Take comfort, brother, that God in his Infinite Wisdom creates nothing worthless! They can always serve as a bad example!

dklord said...

Steven, I am glad you stood up for your rights and did not willingly exit your vehicle. We must be aware of our rights and not submit out of fear or ignorance. That gives them the feeling that they should be obeyed at all times, right or wrong.

Anonymous said...

Thank you, Sir. Good man.

Anonymous said...

Thank you Pastor Anderson. No one should be treated like this. My heart goes out to you. I am headed to the Wellton court next month to fight a corrup officer- probably one of same cops that victimized you. During my search on google for the Wellton Justice Court I came across this article detailing how you were brutalized by these goons. Best wishes- Kristy from Hobbs, NM

Anonymous said...

May God bless you for defending the freedoms of this country. And may you win your suits related to the abuse and torture you suffered. God bless you!!

CZJon said...

You know what we all need? We need to understand really what we are allowed to do and not to do. These cops some times lie, stretch the truth to get us to do what THEY want, not what is constitutionally right. Where can we find this info?

CZJon said...

You know what we all need? We need a guide as to what the police are allowed to do in these type of roadblocks, or just what they can do legally and illegally in the case of our civil liberties - Where can we get this?

RonD said...

I have a serious problem with your religious and political views. I think they are misguided and bigoted and I don't think we would ever see eye to eye on that subject matter.

However, I commend and support you for courageously standing up for your rights as I know having done so, you have stood up for all our rights.

I am further glad to hear your are pursuing a lawsuit and I expect you will win rightful restitution. Hopefully, this will also begin to enact the needed changes to restore sanity in law enforcement by curtailing these warrantless searches and seizures.

I know that at least when it comes to our civil rights, we most certainly can see eye to eye and agreed to disagree on the rest.

So, best of luck to you sir, thanks for doing this. -a liberal from Washington DC

geoh777 said...

Pastor Anderson, I understand that you have a lawsuit planned or pending against the officers who assaulted you. I hope that God smiles upon your efforts and that you succeed against these criminals.
George Hilbert

Rob said...

Thank for standing up for American liberties. All the best with your case.

Rob said...

Thank you for standing up for our American liberties. All the best with your case.

Anonymous said...

Pastor Steven Anderson is a very BRAVE MAN. He risked his life and liberty for his freedoms and those of others.

Steven Anderson's tactics are correct. If you do battle with the armed enforcers of the government, you will lose - as they have the biggest guns. The ONLY way to beat them is by TOTAL NON-COOPERATION on any and all levels.

Etienne de La Boetie's "The Politics of Obedience: The Discourse of Voluntary Servitude" (1550) wrote: "Resolve to serve no more, and you are at once freed. I do not ask that you place hands upon the tyrant to topple him over, but simply that you support him no longer; then you will behold him, like a great Colossus whose pedestal has been pulled away, fall of his own weight and break in pieces."

BTW: I am NOT religious in any sense of the word greatly admire courage.

Anonymous said...

He should have acted like a pastor (peacemaker) and answered a simple question. Not like an obnoxious troublemaker making it difficult for people trying to do a job that protects all other citizens from terrorists, drugs and illegal aliens. Border Patrol Checkpoints have been around forever and will never go away! So quit trying to change something that will never change. They are established by supreme court authority!

Someone tell me what "rights" were protected here other than the right to get your but tasered?

You all crack me up trying to use the Bible for your own gain. And I am a Christian myself. Why not utilize your time to evangelize and bring people to Christ rather than waste your time making a pointless youtube video.

What was gained here? A butt whooping and a not guilty verdict and some expensive lawyer bills! The checkpoints are still there, the agents still have their jobs and the memory of the electricity going through your body is still there.

SMH

There are way more important things to be fighting for people. please get a clue!

Anonymous said...

Thank-you Mr. Anderson.

Anonymous said...

As a recently returned disabled combat soldier, I wish to offer my thanks to you sir for showing that those of us who fight for the freedoms back home are not doing so in vain, that there still exists those that will rise up against tyranny, even when the source of such comes from those we elect to protect us. Too often I hear from fellow Americans willing to give up our most basic rights, for the sake of comfort, false security, and laziness.

The only rights you truly have, are those you are willing to fight for.

Catherine Todd said...

Is there an update to your winning your case? Did you bring a civil suit afterwards? I hope you won BIG. I am very afraid of what is happening here in the U.S. and the only way we can stop it is by legal resistance, as you have done. Good for you. I hope more people follow your lead!

Catherine Todd said...

I'd like to receive updates on comments, too. Thanks.

Catherine Todd said...
This comment has been removed by the author.
Achandler said...

These checkpoints are scary. Hopefully we can fix this before too many people are harmed.This is a concern for us all, not what our beliefs or bent. As these folks are supposed to represent us as citizens, I do apologise paster for your treatment. Good luck on your suite.

Anonymous said...

You are going through these unlawfull stops because your former Pres. Bush has put the fear in almost every American with what amounts to pure fiction (lies). You have become fearfull of your neighbour for no reason , the people who have gained from all this is ..Bush..Chaney...Rice and infact all the former Rep. Gov't. Your country has become a country like the former USSR..Live Free or Die does not exist anymore in the USA..

Raindog said...

Im wondering what the status of your lawsuit against the perpetrators of the crime against you is.

Anonymous said...

I know that there was pain that evening and that there were legal costs, as well. I want to thank you for assisting me and my son, as he will have to live in this country longer than I. I want him to live in a nation that is more free than it is today.

Catherine Todd said...

"As one of the six jurors shook Pastor Anderson’s hand on his way out of the courtroom, the juror told him, “Thanks for standing up for our rights as Americans.”


Amen from us all, too. If we don't stand up to these brutal police, we will be living in Nazi America all too soon. It's happening now, right before our very eyes. Thank you Pastor Anderson! Good luck with your own lawsuit. I hope you win MILLIONS. They only "learn" when it hurts their pocketbooks.

Niyshia said...

There's supreme court case law that says you have the right to resist an unlawful arrest and also use force if necessary! We have to know the law so that we support our peers. "Jury of Peers" people! Do BPAgents take an oath to uphold the Constitution.

Unknown said...

The problem I saw with this whole business, which was never raised in court, is the issue that "The dog is trained to detect concealed humans". What is a concealed human? well it's a person the animal cannot see but can smell.

This poses a problem because the sent of a human could still be present days or weeks after they have been in the car. So logically if you have given anyone a lift recently, you could be subject to being stopped for a dog alert.

This seems to be a rather spurious pretext.



Unknown said...

There isn't a cop required to tell the truth they are allowed to legally lie to you they're actually trained by other officers to lie to you also there isn't a cop on the planet required to know the laws of the state they work in this is the truth look it up cops do not have to know the laws in order to enforce them makes a lot of sense don't it

Catherine Todd said...

Has the pastor sued these horrible "peace officers" and "border patrol?" If so, what has been the outcome? I swear, without people standing up to the brutalities of these gang members hired to "protect us," we wouldn't have a chance to even live after coming in contact with any one of them. I have come to hate the police, the more I read. They need to be sent to jail for life for the bad acts and misery they dish out. A long taste of their own medicine.

Frank said...

Dear Pastor,

I am deeply sorry for such aggressive & brutal treatment at the hands of those who are suppose to be protecting us.Someone needs to apologize to you, preferably those border agents. I've heard you speak as you have told your story, I can tell you are a good man. The Lord allows some serious trials in life. Draw near to his flaming heart of love. Blessed day in Christ Jesus.

Unknown said...

God Bless you brother !!!! Way to go !!!!

Anonymous said...

Gestapo tactics cause broken spirit causing defamation of character (obvious in rant) results in loss of faithful followers (need to include in law suit).

Unknown said...

Give bullies a little power and they always abuse that power. This should be classified as criminal acts against an innocent US citizen with jail time and a civil settlement. The only real man in this story is Pastor Anderson.

Joe Flinn said...

Reverend Anderson's total P
plight and runnin with u.s. border patrol at a checkpoint could very well have easily been avoided had he simply cooperated with the border patrol agents.

The check points are there to catch bad guys who manage to avoid being caught and arrested for their illegal activity at that time and point.

I have stopped numerous times at these check points with absolutely zero problems by simply cooperating with the BP Agents.

Get a grip on reality people. These check points are there for multiple purposes. One, catch the bad guys. Two, catch them before they harm American citizens.

If you believe this has not happened, you are naive.

Unknown said...

Joe Flinn has failed to grasp that the agents were abusing their authority.Anderson simply stood against their arrogant stupidity. Joe is the poor fellow who needs to wake up to reality and stop kissing the rear ends of Border Agents who act like animals and idiots.