FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Rockford, Illinois – April 11, 2006
Student Sues College for False Arrest on Campus and Suppression of His Speech and Second Amendment Views
Shaun Kranish, a civil rights activist and founder of ICarry.org in Rockford, Illinois has filed a federal civil rights lawsuit against Rock Valley College, its Board of Trustees, Police Chief, an officer, and members of the College Administration involved in bringing a criminal charge against him and preventing him from expressing his constitutional beliefs on Campus. The lawsuit arises out of Kranish's wrongful arrest on October 11, 2005 for “Disorderly Conduct,” following his request to meet with a Rock Valley College official to express concern about and convey information regarding school policy. Kranish and other members of ICarry.org disagree with civilian disarmament or "gun control" policies, including Illinois' reluctance to join the 48 other states in the country that allow concealed carry.
Wearing a jacket with “I CARRY .ORG”, the Internet address of the Illinois gun rights organization he founded, and a small empty pouch he had regularly worn on and about campus to represent the need for civilians to be able to defend themselves and protest their disarmament by their government, he voluntarily walked into the Campus Police Department and politely requested to speak with someone. He was thereupon detained for hours as the officers made countless phone calls and conspired with school officials to lodge a baseless charge against him in order to suppress his freedom of speech. When he asked to leave, they held him against his will -- preventing him from attending classes and taking an exam -- without a warrant or probable cause and eventually placed him under arrest -- his first ever.
Maintaining he was falsely arrested and maliciously prosecuted to thwart and silence his free speech and Second Amendment views, Kranish has retained Walter Maksym, a veteran constitutional attorney from Chicago, to represent him. Mr. Maksym, who obtained the dismissal of the criminal charge in State Court, filed suit in the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Illinois on April 7, 2006 seeking damages for Kranish by reason of the false search, arrest, detention, suppression of his right to free speech, defamation, interference with his education, to remove the false arrest and charges from his College records, and for injunctive relief to prevent the College Police and Administration from further suppressing Shaun's freedom of speech on campus. For more information, please visit www.icarry.org.
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OFFICIAL DISCUSSION HERE!!!
For Press Inquiries: Email news@icarry.org or contact Attorney Walter Maksym at 773-929-2923
I would like to thank the thousands of people across the country that have read my story and have given me their support. I would also like to thank all of the people from Illinois and freer states all over the country that have sent me emails and letters of support. Lastly I would like to thank the many individuals, and even out-of-staters, that generously donated money to help pay for legal fees. Thank you all for your support and encouragement. You have given me the strength and resolve to fight on. THANK YOU!
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