Georgia town to pay $55K after arresting man with 'God bless the homeless vets' sign
A Georgia city has agreed to amend its panhandling regulations and pay $55,000 after a man who carried a sign reading "God Bless the Homeless Vets" was arrested.
The City of Alpharetta and demonstrator Jeff Gray reached a settlement last month before the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Georgia Atlanta Division, the details of which were released Monday.
According to the agreement, the city agreed to amend its rules on panhandling to protect First Amendment rights and provide training for law enforcement to respect said rights.
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Additionally, Alpharetta agreed to pay $55,000 in legal fees and other costs, $41,250.00 of which will go to Gray, and the remaining sum will go to The Foundation for Individual Rights and Expression, which represented Gray.
"For and in consideration of Defendants' promises and obligations under this Agreement, Plaintiff agrees to dismiss with prejudice all claims asserted in the Lawsuit or that could have been asserted in the Lawsuit in accordance with the process set forth in this Agreement," the settlement continued.
"Defendants hereby release and forever discharge any and all Claims against Plaintiff arising out of or relating to the Lawsuit, both past and present, occurring on or before the Effective Date of this Agreement, known and unknown, foreseen and unforeseen."
In a statement, Gray thanked FIRE for successfully challenging the local ordinance on freedom of speech and panhandling.
"The City of Alpharetta stomped on my right to freedom of speech and they would have gotten away with it if not for FIRE," stated Gray. "FIRE taught Alpharetta that everyone has the right to free speech, including people who are poor or homeless. Working with the wonderful team at FIRE has been one of the best experiences of my life."
In January 2023, Gray filed a federal lawsuit against the city and officials Arick Furr and Harold Shoffeitt from the Alpharetta Department of Public Safety.
At issue was a 2022 incident in which Gray was detained, arrested and charged with having allegedly violated the city's anti-panhandling policy.
"Gray's speech about the plight of homeless veterans — whether 'panhandling' or not — and his subsequent questioning of Lt. Furr's actions, was clearly established as protected political expression," stated the complaint. "Even if Gray was 'panhandling,' it is clearly established that the First Amendment protects speakers asking others for help."
Gray has a YouTube channel titled "HonorYourOath Civil Rights Investigations," on which he labels himself a "civil rights investigator, First Amendment auditor, Second Amendment auditor."
In 2021, Gray sued officials in Moultrie, Georgia, after he was charged with disorderly conduct in 2019 when he walked around city hall with a sign reading "F— City Hall," reported The Moultrie Observer.
Around the same time that Gray sued Alpharetta, he also filed suit against Blackshear Police Chief Chris Wright over an incident in which Gray was cited for allegedly violating an ordinance against "holding a 'parade, procession, or demonstration' without the Blackshear City Council's permission."
In July 2023, in response to the lawsuit against Wright, the Blackshear City Council agreed to amend their Parades and Demonstrations Ordinance so individuals do not have to get advanced approval from city officials to demonstrate on public streets and sidewalks.
