Man arrested over yard sign...

VALLEY CENTER, Kansas ? He was cuffed, fingerprinted, booked into the Sedgwick County Jail and released on bail. His crime: putting up a yard sign critical of the Valley Center city administrator.

Jarrod West is out on bail, facing criminal defamation charges for a sign he put in his front yard about persistent flooding issues he says cost him over $50,000 over the last three years. The sign says, "Dear Valley Center, I did not buy Lake Front Property! Fix this problem. This is what I pay taxes for. PS. Joel this means you!" Joel being City Administrator Joel Pile.

"They want me to shut up and go away," said West. "I've got a home to protect. It's nothing fancy, but it's mine."

When City Administrator Joel Pile saw the sign, West was arrested and booked into the Sedgwick County Jail on a criminal charge of defamation. He spent the night behind bars and is now free on a $10,000 bond.

"I think it's an ego trip for somebody and I think somebody's abusing their ego and authority," said West.

"We've advised him of the process to come through the City Council," Pile told KSN.

Pile stands behind the criminal charge, saying West has acted with malice in criticizing him and he's been told any action to alleviate flooding has to come from the City Council.

"People and individuals have an absolute right to free speech," said Pile. "But however, when they do it and continue to do it within the realms of what we believe is actual malice for the purpose of holding me accountable to the public we believe that crosses a line."

Pile says the city will drop the charges against West if he stops blaming Pile for the flooding issues on his property. West says he's yet to hear from the city attorney about the charges being dropped. He's scheduled to make a court appearance on the misdemeanor charge Wednesday.

Believing his civil liberties have been violated, The American Civil Liberties Union has agreed to help West if the case continues.

Valley Center has man arrested over yard sign - Local news - Wichita, KS - News - msnbc.com

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Originally Posted by R13

Believing his civil liberties have been violated, The American Civil Liberties Union has agreed to help West if the case continues.

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Sounds like he's got a case to me.

I hope they burn Pile a new *******.

Saw that article the other day. Yeah, I think he has a case.

I think he absolutely has a case, when I first read it, I wondered what would happen with a sign about some few idiot SB members we have. :)