Lawsuit: Brothers Unlawfully Arrested For Exercising 1st Amendment Rights
BALTIMORE (WJZ) -- A federal lawsuit was filed Wednesday that alleges two brothers were unlawfully arrested for exercising their First Amendment rights in Annapolis.
According to the lawsuit, Jeff and Kevin Hulbert were arrested while Jeff was carrying a sign on a public sidewalk in the state capital.
Jeff was reportedly unlawfully ordered from the sidewalk, before being arrested by police while "lawfully picketing."
Kevin Hulbert was then arrested for filming police while they arrested his brother, according to the lawsuit.
The lawsuit also alleges the Chief of the Maryland Capitol Police retaliated against the Hulberts with additional charges because he was "angry about the negative media coverage his office was receiving."
An attorney for the Hulberts, Cary Hansel, issued the following statement:
"When our government treads on the rights of one, it tramples the freedoms of all. Our Constitution is only as strong as our grip on freedom when the government attempts to wrest it away. The Hulberts had every right, as all of us do, to express their views without infringing on the rights of others. This suit seeks to secure and protect freedom of speech for all Marylanders."
Follow @CBSBaltimore on Twitter and like WJZ-TV | CBS Baltimore on Facebook
