Iowa man sues after arrest for profane post against deputy
DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) — A southwest Iowa man has filed a free speech lawsuit against a sheriff's deputy, his supervisor and the county after he was arrested for writing a social media post that profanely criticized the deputy.
The ACLU of Iowa filed the lawsuit Tuesday of behalf of Jon Richard Goldsmith, a Red Oak resident who became angered after attending a festival in Corning and watching an Adams County sheriff's deputy search a car and have a confrontation with another person.
Goldsmith later criticized the deputy, Cory Dorsey, in a profane Facebook post that led the sheriff's department to charge Goldsmith with third-degree harassment, a misdemeanor.
The charge was later dismissed but the ACLU sued the county, Dorsey and his supervisor, Sgt. Paul Hogan, for what it alleged was a free speech violation.
The suit calls for the county to pay damages to Goldsmith, stop charging people who criticize law enforcement and require training of officers.
Sheriff Alan Johannes declined to comment.