NEW HAVEN, Conn. -- A former New Haven minister who said he was upholding God's law when he beat two children with a belt because they disobeyed their mother is suing the police officers who arrested him. The Rev. Walter Oliver had been charged with assault and risk-of-injury charges in 2001, but a Superior Court jury acquitted him of the charges three years ago. The lawsuit filed last month in U.S. District Court claims false arrest, malicious prosecution and the violation of his constitutional right to exercise religion.
Oliver's attorney, Norm Pattis, argues in the lawsuit that the police warrant failed to acknowledge that Oliver's administration of corporal punishment to disobedient children, in the eyes of many people, is proper and an accepted religious practice.
"A bunch of politically correct goons have decided that you can't spank a child without going to jail," Pattis said Friday.
Police got involved when a pair of boys from West Haven, then 11 and 12, reported the spankings to the Department of Children and Families. The corporal punishment happened in New Haven, so the case was transferred here.
The lawsuit names New Haven Detective Benjamin Alma and West Haven Detective Marvin Kasowitz as defendants.
It took a six-member jury about 1 1/2 hours on Nov. 10, 2003 to find Oliver not guilty of two counts of risk of injury to a minor and two counts of third-degree assault for hitting the boys.
Oliver acknowledged he administered what he calls "holy spankings," with the permission of the boys' mother, acting under biblical advice.
He beat his own sons, he said, and they grew up to be productive members of society.
"If you beat him, he will not die, but you will save his soul from hell," Oliver said, quoting from the book of Proverbs.
Posted by: tazoez
Hmm, I think he should have put that a little better. If he used the word "spanked" what he said, I would agree with him. I, however, do not agree with "beating" a child.
ma police, boston ma police, massachusetts police, massachusetts police, mass state police, mass police, ma, mass, massachusetts, massachusetts, massachutes, massachusetts law, massachusetts polece, police, officer, police officer, cops, police gear, law enforcement, police duty gear, state police, sheriff, law, police supply, police agency directory, police agency, police department, traffic officer, police dept, state trooper, dispatcher, massachusetts county sheriff, massachusetts sheriff, massachusetts department of corrections, ma doc, doc, dept of corrections, police information, civil service, ma civil service, massachusetts crime, police training, police academy, ma police academy, massachusetts officers, masscop, masscops, mpa, bpa, ibpoa, police association, massachusetts police news, massachusetts crime news, mass most wanted, police career information, police patrol, police administration, police books, crime scene training, police discussion, crime discussions, cops
About MassCops, the home for Massachusetts law enforcement.
The Massachusetts Law Enforcement Network opened in 1998 and is now a part of the New England Police Network The site is a pro-police discussion forum intended for sworn police officers and civilian law enforcement officials as well as those interested in pursuing a career in law enforcement here in Massachusetts.
The goal of The Massachusetts Law Enforcement Network is to provide an informal network of law enforcement officials here in Massachusetts for educational and informational purposes.
The forum covers many topics such as Police Related News Articles, Agency & Profession Discussions, Police Training as well as Law Enforcement Career Information.
The Massachusetts Law Enforcement Network and The New England Police Network (NEPN) and it's network sites are privately owned websites/domains and are not affiliated with or endorsed by any government association or agency.
MassCops (masscops.com) and (masscop.com) are privately owned are not affiliated with or endorsed by the Massachusetts Coalition of Police (masscop.org)
ma police, boston ma police, massachusetts police, massachusetts police, mass state police, mass police, ma, mass, massachusetts, massachusetts, massachutes, massachusetts law, massachusetts polece, police, officer, police officer, cops, police gear, law enforcement, police duty gear, state police, sheriff, law, police supply, police agency directory, police agency, police department, traffic officer, police dept, state trooper, dispatcher, massachusetts county sheriff, massachusetts sheriff, massachusetts department of corrections, ma doc, doc, dept of corrections, police information, civil service, ma civil service, massachusetts crime, police training, police academy, ma police academy, massachusetts officers, masscop, masscops, mpa, bpa, ibpoa, police association, massachusetts police news, massachusetts crime news, mass most wanted, police career information, police patrol, police administration, police books, crime scene training, police discussion, crime discussions, cops