Curfew for Clinton Louisiana after 11pm, for everyone!

Clinton Louisiana is a very short drive from Baton Rouge in East Feliciana Parish. It appears that the town of 1,600 city council has made it ILLEGAL to be outside or driving in the town from 11pm-6am. Period. The police chief said since the law adopted on May 30th of this year there have been no burglaries. An LSU student who studies late in the library is afraid to study past 10 pm so he wont get a ticket for being on the street after 11pm. He has also filed a lawsuit along with the ACLU. I suppose the powers that be are trying their plans on a small scale to see what the reaction is. What to do if I get a booty call at 10:56pm? ACLU files federal lawsuit challenging Clinton's curfew. Article below.

theadvocate.com...

A late-night drive through the East Feliciana Parish town of Clinton might give the impression of just another small, sleepy Louisiana town where residents would rather be at home in bed or on the sofa watching TV.

But, in reality, there could be another reason for the quiet streets. It’s illegal to be out past 11 p.m.

Clinton resident and LSU student Tommy Mead hopes that will change. Mead sued the East Feliciana Parish town Wednesday in an effort to overturn a recently adopted curfew that bars residents — adults and children — from public places between the hours of 11 p.m. and 6 a.m.

The suit was filed on Mead’s behalf by Justin P. Harrison, legal director of the New Orleans-based ACLU Foundation of Louisiana.

George Brown, who said he lives just outside Clinton’s town limits, said the curfew means he no longer visits Clinton Quickstop, the town’s only 24-hour business, late at night. Brown suspects the city law might be hurting the store’s business during curfew hours.

“I don’t want to go to Clinton after 11 o’clock at night and subject myself to possible arrest,” Brown said.

Brown added that the curfew is perplexing, given that Clinton’s 2010 population was only about 1,600.

“There’s not too much going on,” Brown noted.

Mead often studies at the campus library until late at night and fears he could be arrested while returning to Clinton from Baton Rouge. Mead added that he frequently visits friends and stays out late and should not be subjected to arrest and prosecution for exercising his right to socialize with other people.

Mead’s suit, which also targets Mayor Lori Ann Bell and Police Chief Fred Dunn, alleges Clinton residents risk a $500 fine and/or 30 days in jail if they are “late-night dog walkers, star-gazers (or) patrons of the city’s 24-hour convenience store.”

Calls to Bell’s office and cellphone were not returned.

Dunn said Wednesday: “The citizens of the town of Clinton approached me and wanted the curfew. Until I am told otherwise, it will remain in effect.”

Sounds like the 'sheriff' is damned if he does and damned if he doesn't.

Aclu is crying people can't go out after curfew

Then turn around and scream

Someone civil rights were violated after they were robbed or killed!.

College should organize mass walks at 11-6 during those time.

A town of 1600 and so far the only ones objecting to it are a student and someone who will miss his Big Gulp at midnight?

And in other thread someone will ask how these laws get passed and stay on the books. They will ask why the US is moving into a police state. They will ask why there are so many freedoms, rights, liberties taken away day by day.

Well here's the answer on a mini scale to study and answer all those questions.

It's because no one gives a damn and 2 people can't carry the load for an entire town.

Take that to a National scale and the answer is quite clear.

Peace

reply to post by jude11


In a town of 1600, I'd imagine most are adults and the elderly who go to bed before 11 and, therefore, the law doesn't affect them.

I find it disturbing that the police said they wouldn't apply the law to everyone. Only the ones doing other things that while breaking the law, like playing loud music, which isn't even illegal.

Awe, you said ACLU, now Neo96 is all for the curfew.

To me this is stupid. That's not America. What if someone has to work at night? What if you are running late?

Yea, there hasn't been any burglaries except the people's freedoms were straight up robbed from them.

reply to post by HauntWok

Awe, you said ACLU, now Neo96 is all for the curfew.

What?

Read one word of this?

Sounds like the 'sheriff' is damned if he does and damned if he doesn't. Aclu is crying people can't go out after curfew Then turn around and scream Someone civil rights were violated after they were robbed or killed!

Rather clear there YES?

They should probably outlaw electricity too.
Without it, the burglars couldn't see at night to rob homes.

So if myself, if I lived there, whom likes to sit on my porch a good part of the night smoking and reading on my ipad, can be considered breaking the law if I am doing that past 11:00pm?
Welcome to the Police Nation, Clinton

I have been looking at this city on Google Earth. There are two major roads that go through Clinton, hwy 10 east-west and hwy 67 north-south. The town certainly does look large enough to have an active night life.

What do you do if you break down in the middle of the night going through Clinton? What if you need gas or food while driving through late at night - nothing will be open.

What do you do if your cat gets out and you need to find her or you need to walk your dog - or you mom calls and tells you she needs to go to the hospital?

There are tons of good legal reasons people need to be on the streets after 11 pm. I hope this gets overturned so it will set the right kind of precedent and not the wrong kind.

reply to post by neo96

Rather clear there YES?

Absolutely, if the ACLU is opposed to something, you are for it.

We get ya.

I personally think this is stupid.

The only thing I could say to this would get me banned!!
No way! Nope, not American at all! If I were forced to stay inside at those hours.........Na ah nope....

Originally posted by HauntWok
reply to post by neo96

 

Rather clear there YES?

Absolutely, if the ACLU is opposed to something, you are for it.

We get ya.

I personally think this is stupid.

Did the post say that?

Miss the damned either way ?

Guess so easier to twist a post to take pot shots at other posters.

Originally posted by jude11
A town of 1600 and so far the only ones objecting to it are a student and someone who will miss his Big Gulp at midnight?

And in other thread someone will ask how these laws get passed and stay on the books. They will ask why the US is moving into a police state. They will ask why there are so many freedoms, rights, liberties taken away day by day.

Well here's the answer on a mini scale to study and answer all those questions.

It's because no one gives a damn and 2 people can't carry the load for an entire town.

Take that to a National scale and the answer is quite clear.

Peace

Micro of a macro situation that is occurring across the nations, strapped municipal budgets etc, economy gets bad enough and this might start sounding like a good idea.

reply to post by neo96


But it is stupid neo, there are so many legitimate reasons to be out past 11 at night. Not the least of which is "I feel like being out after 11 at night and this is America."

Originally posted by HauntWok
reply to post by neo96

 

But it is stupid neo, there are so many legitimate reasons to be out past 11 at night. Not the least of which is "I feel like being out after 11 at night and this is America."

So what do you suggest the guy to do to stop crime?

Buy surveillance cameras?

He is employed to protect the public so how?

Let's hear it.

Curfews are nothing new anyways.

Outlaw breathing.

11-6

Doesn't seem that it should be legal for a few in a town ( city council, officials, etc ) to remove the right to move around at night from all adult town citizens.

reply to post by neo96


Uhhhh, actually do his job? Seems like kind of a lazy way of going about solving "crime" doesn't it?

"Yeah no, you guys just cant go outside from 11-6"

What?

That isn't even taking into account that this is AMERICA.

It would seem a person could not leave town in order to visit another place at night since they would be in town after hours on the way out of town.

"The 2005 film, The Dukes of Hazzard was filmed in and around Clinton"

Ah, Boss Hog is running the place.