Judge Reduces Jury Award for Bush Protesters

Christine Nelson stands May 18, 2006, at the spot where she says she was first told by Secret Service agents to move at a 2004 President Bush campaign rally in Cedar Rapids, Iowa. In the months before the 2004 election, dozens of people across the nation were banished from or arrested at Bush political rallies, some for heckling the president, others simply for wearing clothing or holding signs expressing opposition to the war and administration policies. Now, federal officials and state and local authorities are being forced to defend themselves against lawsuits challenging the arrests and security policies. (AP Photo/Charlie Neibergall)

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Judge Reduces Jury Award for Bush Protesters

By Becky Ogann

CEDAR RAPIDS (AP) - A federal judge has reduced a jury award for two women who were arrested at a President Bush rally and illegally strip searched.

U.S. District Court Judge Linda R. Reade reduced the awards for Alice McCabe and Christine Nelson on Thursday. A jury awarded McCabe $250,000 and $500,000 to Nelson following a trial in June, but Reade said the awards were excessive.

Reade said that if the former Cedar Rapids teachers didn't want to accept the awards, a new trial would be scheduled to determine damages.

The women were arrested in 2004 after protesting at a Bush rally in Cedar Rapids. They have five business days from the date of Reade's ruling to accept the awards or a new trial will be scheduled.
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Friday, Oct 3 at 2:14 PM Bias control wrote ...

The caption under the photo could not be more biased and left leaning. Shame on you.

Friday, Oct 3 at 2:49 PM ken wrote ...

they shouldnt get a reward for what they done. OK 1.00 each

Friday, Oct 3 at 3:42 PM They're Your Rights Too wrote ...

Why shouldn't they get awards for damages? Their Rights were flagrantly violated. The Bill of Rights (1st 10 Amendments to the US Constitution) clearly stipulates right in the very First Amendment that the government may not take away your Rights of Free Speech, Peaceable Assembly, or Petition for Redress of Grievances. All government officials involved with violating any citizens' Rights should be prosecuted to the fullest extent of the law.

Friday, Oct 3 at 4:06 PM anon wrote ...

3:42 They're Your Rights Too.... the rewards had absolutely nothing to do with their free speech rights being violated, it had to do with the strip search. they should have just moved their protest across the street like the secret service had asked them to

Friday, Oct 3 at 5:04 PM ouch wrote ...

Ouch all the way around. The inconsistencies within our judicial system must end or it will continue to run like a joke. I think they should have taken the money and donated it to their cause. Why not? The government doesn't care that you work hard for that money. They just want to shut these people up. They want to shut us all up. Wake up people!

Friday, Oct 3 at 5:30 PM rs wrote ...

Yes they have the right to protest, however the secret server has teh job of protecting teh president. Could they not have protested just as well accross the street. Teh main thein they wanted is publicity and now they are getting it.

Saturday, Oct 4 at 2:09 AM Anonymous wrote ...

rs is right, they just want attention. Everyone who goes to jail is strip searched to make sure nothing gets in to the inmates. That is standard procedure and I can't figure out how they even got anything in this suit.

Saturday, Oct 4 at 3:34 AM Anonymous wrote ...

Just two idiots who want some much needed attention. Bunch of crybabies.

Sunday, Oct 5 at 4:29 PM Anonymous wrote ...

Must be Gay.

Monday, Oct 6 at 10:15 AM CC wrote ...

I can not believe that these women are getting a penny. Give them 10, 000 for their humility and make them go away. We have so people that have lost EVERYTHING in CR. They are lucky to even see that much money. Do you know how many homes could be fixed with that kind of money?! Then we have those types of people that make a big deal out of everything. Get over it! Too many people have a real reason to complain.

Monday, Oct 6 at 10:07 PM Poor Feminists wrote ...

Why do whining noisemakers like this get so much attention? Could America's lawyer glut have anything to do with it?

Monday, Nov 3 at 8:53 PM Pipipi wrote ...

I, too, was arrested at that very same rally. I was cavity-searched and, ultimately, found guilty by a jury (of?????). Unfortunately, I can not afford to appeal my sentence.

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