Published: January 25, 2006 10:35 am      

Protesters take to courthouse

About a dozen people arrived at the Cherokee County Courthouse Tuesday afternoon to “march the courthouse” in support of those involved in the case of Larry Hinton Jr., who was arrested during fights outside of the Tomato Bowl on Homecoming night in 2004.

Hinton’s trial begins today.

With signs portraying messages like “Stop Police Brutality” and “Just Say No, Corruption Has to Go,” protesters circled the courthouse, despite some angry response from those driving by.

“We just hope to get the public’s attention on all the corruption that’s going on within our justice system,” said Karin Latner, who participated in the march. “Victims have rights, too.”

According to police reports, a series of fights broke out during the fourth quarter of the homecoming football game.

Mosley was charged with resisting arrest, a 13-year-old was arrested for resisting arrest and transported to Anderson County Jail, Hinton was arrested for interfering with duties of a public servant and resisting arrest, and Leslie Hinton was arrested for disorderly conduct.

But, the family said the arrests could have been prevented if officers had allowed them to explain the situation — Mosley said she was not starting a fight, but trying to prevent one.

“Police brutality played a role in the Hinton case,” said Charla Canady, a friend of the Hintons. “They (police officers) need to assess the situation before the brutality part starts. If they don’t come at them aggressively, then it’s not needed.”

Canady said she does not believe Hinton should have been shot with a Taser by Jacksonville police officers.

“They need to ban Tasers, because they’re not safe, especially when excessive force is being used,” Canady said.

However, advocates of Taser guns say they save untold numbers of lives because they prevent officers from having to use deadly force.

Former city of Jacksonville Public Information Officer Lori Thomason said (in a previously published article) Jacksonville officers — who arrested all three adults — had just cause to arrest Mosley.

“There were two juveniles fighting in front of the Norman Center,” Thomason said. “Cherokee County Sheriffs’ Department went to break up the fight, and from what I gather, Mrs. Mosley grabbed the deputy from behind, and tried to stop the arrest.”

Mrs. Hinton was arrested shortly afterwards, Thomason said.

“Mrs. Hinton began verbally inciting people,” she said. “It was like a near riot situation, and when she began verbally inciting people, the police asked her to calm down, and she resisted.”

In November 2005, Mosley and the 13-year-old were aquitted of all charges stemming from the homecoming incident. Mrs. Hinton has not gone to court to fight her charge.

Latner said she believes other cases, such as the investigation of Melissa Decker’s death (her niece) have also been improperly investigated and processed through the Cherokee County justice system.