Man cited for flipping off fire chief gets $9,000 settlement

[matcom]

<snip>

An Ambridge man is a little richer for receiving a disorderly conduct citation last year for flipping his middle finger at Sewickley's fire chief.

The borough's insurance company has agreed to pay the man, David R. Dickinson, and his lawyer, Harlan Stone, $9,000 to settle the federal lawsuit Dickinson brought in April against Sewickley and police Officer Robert McNatt that claimed the citation violated his rights.

The settlement was reached after a conference a few months back with Senior U.S. District Judge Alan Bloch.

"They came up with a number that the insurance company could live with," attorney Paul Krepps, who represented the borough, said yesterday.

Stone refused to discuss the settlement. But he said flipping the bird at the fire chief was protected free speech because it was not meant as a threat or to incite violence.

"In this case it was clear it was meant to insult the recipient," he said.

That is OK, constitutionally speaking.

http://www.post-gazette.com/pg/04287/395063.stm

[Endangered Specie]

1. Boy, he better hope that he don't need them.

Oh, your house is on fire is it now?.... please hold...........