A Honey of a
Half-Baked Arrest
by Sherry Henderson
Vegans
Caitlin Childs and Christopher Freeman were arrested after a protest
at a Honey Baked Ham store on Buford Highway in Dekalb County,
Georgia just before Christmas 2003. The protest was peaceful and
uneventful until afterward when police and Homeland Security made
it a violent event for the protestors. This is just one of a number
of examples of civil protests previously almost unnoticed by the
authorities drawing the attention of Homeland Security. This editor
feels the push of big government. Judge for yourself after reading
this article.
The following is a part of a legal brief that was filed by Ms.
Childs and Mr. Freeman’s attorney in September of this year.
Ms. Childs and Mr. Freeman are vegans and are members of Viva!
USA and the Animal Defense League, both of which are non-profit
organizations advocating the humane treatment of animals. Ms. Childs
and Mr. Freeman have been involved in numerous peaceful protests
on behalf of these organizations.
8. On December 20, 2003, Ms. Childs and Mr. Freeman participated
in an animal cruelty protest on public property outside of a Honey
Baked Ham Store located on Buford Highway in Dekalb County. Approximately
ten people attended the protest.
9. At least one officer from the Dekalb County Police Department
was present at all times during the protest. The protestors were
instructed by the police not to speak with any customers, even
if they were spoken to first, chilling and restricting their speech.
10. After the protest ended, two protestors (other than Plaintiffs)
walked toward their car parked in a lot across the street. Those
protesters were stopped by a police officer and cited for jaywalking.
Ms. Childs and Mr. Freeman traveled across the street to observe
the events, and Plaintiffs then noticed a man in an unmarked car
taking their pictures.
11. Ms. Childs and Mr. Freeman walked over to the unmarked car
and wrote down the make, model, color, and license plate number.
12. The man in the unmarked car was Detective Gorman, an undercover
detective with the Dekalb County Police Department’s Homeland
Security Division who had been ordered and assigned to monitor
the peaceful protest.
13. Ms. Childs and Mr. Freeman left the protest in a car with another
protester, Misty Brown. Homeland Security Detective Gorman followed
their car. Having noticed that they were being followed, Ms. Brown
pulled into a restaurant parking lot. Immediately, and without probable
cause or reasonable suspicion, a uniformed policeman, later identified
as Officer Moffit, pulled in behind them and blocked them into a
space. Homeland Security Detective Gorman pulled up behind them in
his unmarked vehicle.
14. Officer Moffit approached the car and asked Ms. Brown for her
driver;s license and registration. Ms. Brown, Ms. Childs, and Mr.
Freeman repeatedly asked the officer why they were being pulled over
and the officer refused to answer, stating that “ was the law” and
asking them “do you want to make this easy or do you want to
go to jail?”
Vegans
Caitlin Childs and Christopher Freeman were arrested after a protest
at a Honey Baked Ham store on Buford Highway in Dekalb County,
Georgia just before Christmas 2003. The protest was peaceful and
uneventful until afterward when police and Homeland Security made
it a violent event for the protestors. This is just one of a number
of examples of civil protests previously almost unnoticed by the
authorities drawing the attention of Homeland Security. This editor
feels the push of big government. Judge for yourself after reading
this article. 
