Michigan Officer Shells Out $35,000 For Open Carry Stop

By Bob Owens

Somehow, I don’t think Flint Township Police will be stopping people who open carry firearms any time soon unless they have a darn good reason.

A man who claimed he was wrongfully arrested on Christmas Eve while legally open-carrying his pistol has reached a $35,000 settlement with the officer who stopped him, according to the man’s attorney.

John David McMorris reached the agreement Tuesday, July 28, after he sued Flint Township Police and Sgt. Russell Fries following his Dec. 24, 2013, arrest. The lawsuit was forwarded to the township’s insurer.

“Mr. McMorris and I are satisfied with our result in this case,” said McMorris’ attorney, Craig McAra. “Civil rights cases for wrongful arrest can be difficult to win given the very high burden of proof placed upon the plaintiff.”

Township police Chief George Sippert declined to comment on the settlement and directed questions to attorney G. Gus Morris, who represented the officer and department in the case.

Flint Township Police maintain that this was a lawful stop, of course, and the city insists that the $35,000 settlement was the most logical way to end the case considering the high cost of litigating the case.

This was the second legal victory for McMorris in the …read more

Source:: Bearing Arms