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What started as a routine public records request at Lawton City Hall turned into an arrest that police immediately regretted. An attorney visiting the building to gather documents for an investigation found himself in handcuffs after officials claimed his language violated city ordinances. The entire encounter was captured on multiple cameras, creating a potential federal civil rights case.
The Harassment That Started It All
The trouble began before anyone even reached the records office. A woman accompanying the attorney was immediately followed by security guards upon entering the building. Despite requests from the attorney for the guards to maintain distance, the harassment continued throughout the first floor.
When police arrived, they acknowledged the woman could seek a protective order for harassment but took no action to stop the security guards. The attorney discovered something even more troubling when he reached the second floor.
City Offices Mysteriously Closed During Business Hours
Every office on the upper floor was locked, including the city clerk's office responsible for handling public records requests. Under Oklahoma's Open Records Act, government offices must have staff available to accept records requests during regular business hours. The widespread closure appeared timed to the attorney's visit.
A sign claimed the clerk's office was closed for lunch from noon to 1 PM, but it was already past 1 PM. The attorney found the deputy city manager and explained the legal requirement to accept records requests during business hours.
The Deputy City Manager's Explosive Reaction
The deputy city manager initially seemed cooperative, offering to help locate the requested records from a previous day's filing. But the situation deteriorated when the attorney objected to continued surveillance by armed security guards.
The conversation escalated when the attorney used profanity to express his frustration. The deputy city manager claimed cursing was prohibited in the building, setting up a First Amendment confrontation that would soon spiral out of control.
When Words Become Weapons in Officials' Eyes
The attorney repeatedly explained that courts have consistently ruled profanity is constitutionally protected speech. He cited federal civil rights law and invited officials to remove him for his language, knowing it would create grounds for a lawsuit.
But the deputy city manager doubled down, claiming the attorney's words constituted "obscenity" and violated city ordinances. When a security supervisor stepped aggressively toward the attorney, verbal warnings to back away were twisted into alleged threats.
The Arrest That Couldn't Stand
Police ultimately arrested the attorney under a city ordinance prohibiting obscene language. However, something changed during a private conversation between the attorney and an officer away from the building's cameras. Multiple recording devices captured audio of the officer admitting the arrest "shouldn't have just happened."
The officer acknowledged the attorney was "really smart not to arrest" but explained he felt compelled to act once given a direct order by the deputy city manager. The conversation revealed the department's awareness they had violated clearly established constitutional rights.
What Happens When Officials Realize Their Mistake
The footage captures a remarkable moment of law enforcement recognizing they've stepped into a federal civil rights violation. The officer's candid admissions about following improper orders from civilian officials could prove devastating in court.
Watch the full encounter to see exactly what the officer said when he thought the cameras were off, and discover whether the attorney ultimately got his public records.
