The main emphasis of the complaint against Chief Blanchard of Aransas Pass, Texas, is allegations that he violated Jason Followell’s First Amendment rights.
Key Takeaways
- Followell was kicked out of city council sessions due to indecency restrictions, so he and his lawyer, CJ Grisham, filed a lawsuit against Chief Blanchard and the authorities.
- The dispute intensified when Mayor Ram Gomez ordered Blanchard to remove Grisham.
- Followell filed a civil rights action in March 2024, alleging violations of the First and Fourteenth Amendments.
Followell and his attorney, CJ Grisham, filed a lawsuit against Blanchard and other officials following events involving public decorum regulations during city council sessions.
The argument started after both of them were asked to leave a meeting in January 2024 due to their inappropriate and council-rule-violating language.
Followell publicly swore at the police chief at this meeting, calling him “Chief Blanchard, you piece of sh*t!”
Followell actively participated in these sessions, using his position to criticize the administration of the city for what he believed to be corruption and poor management.
Followell made headlines when he refused to back down from accusations of disrespect and insisted that his First Amendment rights prevented an arrest for the words he used.
His lawyer, Grisham, contended that calling government officials “tyrants” and using profanity “does not provide probable cause for arrest” were examples of speech that was protected by the constitution.
When Mayor Ram Gomez ordered Blanchard to remove Grisham, things became worse.
“Stop talking and just sue me,” Blanchard allegedly said, setting the stage for the next court dispute.
Followell filed a civil rights complaint against the city, Chief Blanchard, and other authorities in March 2024, claiming that the Texas Constitution and the First and Fourteenth Amendments had been violated.
According to the lawsuit, Followell’s right to free speech was restricted by the city using a variety of tactics, including as issuing a criminal trespass warning and enforcing rules that forbade criticizing the government.
This case raises significant concerns about how to preserve meeting order while simultaneously defending individuals’ right to free speech, particularly when those expressions target public servants.
The action requests monetary damages for Followell’s rights being violated, a determination that the city’s restrictions are unconstitutional, and an order to suspend their enforcement.
The lawsuit has drawn attention due to its emphasis on defending constitutional rights and possible abuse of authority by local government representatives.
Chief Blanchard who has been in charge of the Aransas Pass Police Department since 2012, is being questioned about the way he implemented these contentious policies and the possibility that he utilized the legal system to intimidate opponents.
Followell is pursuing legal action under 42 U.S.C. § 1983, which permits lawsuits for civil rights abuses, and the case is still pending.
In addition to raising more general questions about government overreach and the restriction of constitutional rights, Blanchard and other officials are being monitored for their conduct.
Just in case you were not conscious,
Blanchard has labored for the Sinton, Portland, and Mathis police departments.
He graduated with a bachelor’s degree in criminal justice management from Tarleton State University, an accomplice diploma from Del Mar College.
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