Mississippi spurning
Posted in Jefferson D.C. by R Lee Wrights on May 25th, 2009 by Peter Orvetti
Jones County, Mississippi, is sometimes called the “Free State of Jones,” a nickname that dates back to a period of near-anarchy in the sparsely populated area in the 1840s. With few people, there were few laws, and no law enforcement personnel. A quarter-century later, the Free State of Jones was a hotbed of anti-Confederate activity.
These days, Jones County is not a hotbed of anything. It is best known, if known at all, for being the birthplace of singer Lance Bass and independent film star Parker Posey. Still, given its past as a place so radical that its residents rebelled against rebellion and once lived without laws, it would seem like it would be a hospitable place for three peaceful travelers “searching for freedom in America.”
That’s the motto of Motorhome Diaries, a cross-country journey by Pete Eyre, Adam Mueller, and Jason Talley intended to “connect with those who reject government violence in favor of a voluntary society.” All three are veterans of the self-governance movement; Eyre and Talley are former heads of the Competitive Enterprise Institute-affiliated Bureaucrash Activist Network. These are credible, informed activists.
Alas, Jones County was less than welcoming. At about 9:15 a.m. on May 14, their vehicle MARV (”Mobile Authority Response Vehicle”) was pulled over along Interstate 59 in Jones County by a deputy from the Jones Country Sheriff’s Department. The officer had driver Eyre exit MARV and produce identification. The officer said the reason for the stop was that he was unable to make out MARV’s temporary New Hampshire license plate from a distance.
MARV’s registration was in order, and there had been no moving violation. But rather than waving the travelers on their way, the officer asked Eyre if there were weapons or drugs inside the vehicle. Eyre replied that there were two disassembled handguns legally stored in a locked container, with ammunition stored in a separate locked container. The officer called for backup and ordered Mueller and Talley to exit the vehicle.
Part of the mission of Motorhome Diaries is to create an ongoing documentary of the journey, so Mueller had a video camera rolling as he exited MARV. The officer asked if Mueller was filming, and Mueller said he was. The officer did not stop him. A second officer arrived about five minutes later, and immediately shouted at Mueller, “Get that camera out of my face!” The officer confiscated the camera and handcuffed Mueller. Jones County Sheriff Alex Hodge reportedly said later that the videotaping “had nothing to do with these gentlemen being arrested, and no, it’s not illegal in Mississippi.”
Talley was then asked to produce identification. As he was merely a passenger in MARV, and did not have identification on his person, he declined to do so. No state requires a non-driving citizen to produce identification upon demand. However, according Mueller, this resulted in Talley “being pepper sprayed, put in a chokehold, and wrestled to the ground.” A third officer on the scene then handcuffed Eyre. Though all three officers were armed and Mueller and Talley had by this point been placed inside a police car, Eyre was told this was being done for the safety of the officers. The first officer on the scene later said the video camera could have been a gun — despite having let Mueller keep filming for about five minutes.
A K-9 officer then arrived on the scene and asked Eyre if there were illegal drugs inside the motorhome. Eyre replied that he had already answered that question. The officer threatened to involve the federal Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, and Firearms, to which Eyre replied that the weapons on board were legal. Eyre was asked for consent to search MARV, which he refused. The K-9 officer led his dog around MARV twice, then said to Eyre, “Tell me where the drugs are. You have marijuana in there. Where is it?” Eyre said there was no marijuana inside MARV. The K-9 officer then said. “You calling me a liar? You calling my dog a liar?”
The search of the motorhome turned up medical marijuana literature and libertarian bumper stickers, but nothing illegal. One beer was stored in MARV’s refrigerator. During the search, one officer said he was “going to take a piss in the woods,” potentially violating a Mississippi law against the use of “vulgar and indecent language…in the presence of two or more persons” — not to mention laws against public urination.
Mueller and Talley were by this point being transported to the Jones County Adult Detention Facility. According to Mueller, the officer had “failed to buckle either of our seatbelts” and drove “at an excess of 85+ MPH.” Eyre was also brought to the jail. None of the three was advised of their rights as required by the Supreme Court ruling in Miranda v. Arizona. They were told they could place phone calls after being booked, but were instead placed in a cell for approximately 10 hours, without being notified what charges they were facing.
At shortly after 10:00 p.m., the three travelers were released from the jail after signing paperwork listing charges and fines: $365 for Talley for “resisting arrest” (despite the fact that he had not done anything illegal), $215 for Mueller’s “disorderly conduct” (the specifics of which were left undefined), and $200 for Eyre’s “possession of beer in a dry county” - stored inside a closed refrigerator as MARV passed through a county he had not intended to stop in. Each was also charged $25 extra for a “key charge.”
When MARV was retrieved from impounding the next day, the couch had been damaged, and, in Mueller’s words, “they did a great job of messing the place up.” More importantly, the video camera was inside the vehicle - with Mueller’s footage of the incident erased.
This narrative comes mainly from the accounts of the three activists. Questions submitted to Sheriff Hodge via e-mail were not acknowledged. However, according to the local newspaper, the Laurel Leader-Call, “Hodge said deputies arrested the suspects and subsequent investigation revealed the individuals had an agenda which included not complying with orders given by authorities.” Hodge told the newspaper, “We have a job to do and we will do it. We are not here to promote or condemn anyone’s agenda. … I am proud of our deputies handling of this traffic stop. I have demonstrated my willingness to admit when we are wrong. However, in this case, they handled themselves in a proper and professional manner.”
Peter Orvetti was an early political blogger in the United States, running his Orvetti.com political news report from 1997 through 2002. He is a past editorial writer for the Cato Institute, served as Deputy Director of Communications for the Libertarian Party in the lead-up to the 2000 party convention, and has published commentaries in several major newspapers. Contact Mr. Orvetti at peter@peterorvetti.com.
» Bloggers Spread the Word About Jones County Sheriff’s Department | the Motorhome Diaries said,
May 25, 2009 @ 11:31 pm
[...] And today, Peter Orvetti posted a recap of events in a post entitled “Mississippi spurning” over at Liberty For All. [...]
Bloggers Spread the Word About Jones County Sheriff’s Department | Liberty On The Rocks Denver said,
May 26, 2009 @ 12:10 am
[...] And today, Peter Orvetti posted a recap of events in a post entitled “Mississippi spurning” over at Liberty For All. [...]
Tracy Lannum said,
May 26, 2009 @ 9:49 am
i have had dealings with the Jones county Sheriff.and have found them to be “TRUE PIGS”………Im not surprised……..
Chuck said,
May 28, 2009 @ 2:17 pm
You are certainly entitled to your opinion “These days, Jones County is not a hotbed of anything.” I beg to differ. Although Ron Paul got 5% average of the vote in the 2008 Mississippi primary election. He received 9% in Jones County, almost double the state average and one of the highest percentages in the state. I do not agree with the way motorhomediaries was treated, but I want the record straight. There are many Ron Paul, Chuck Baldwin, Bob Barr, Libertarian and Constitutional Party supporters in Jones County and growing everyday. I welcome all the guys at motorhomediaries back to the “Free State of Jones” anytime.