On August 25, 2019 in Worcester, Massachusetts, police officers arrived outside Cornerstone Baptist Church. They were there attempting to retrieve a child after receiving a report of a custody dispute involving the granddaughter of the church’s pastor, Joseph Rizzuti, Sr. Officers arrived at the church to retrieve the child after the child’s father alleged that the mother had failed to return the child following a visit. Officers wrote in their reports that churchgoers and family members kept interfering, refused orders by police and resisted arrest. The body cam footage shows what happened. The church’s pastor, Joseph Rizzuti, Sr., stands outside the church, telling his daughter to leave. Worcester Police Sgt. Michael Cappabianca, Jr., walks over to him.
Is there a First Amendment right to call a police officer a “tyrant?” Yes. Does it matter whether he’s actually a tyrant or not? No. Does it matter whether you’re a pastor standing in front of your church or a homeless guy with a cardboard sign? No.
guess the pastor called it as he saw it. true to form It took that many cops for 3 people?Sue big time.
We have to many thin skinned cops that lose their tempers today and thanks to video they’re finally paying the price for it.
They will not “pay the price for it” We did hear that the cop tried the “load him up with charges” but it didn’t work. Now this is obviously a violation of his constitutional rights and the man will get paid off by the city. Who wins and who loses? No one wins because the 50-75k they will have to pay is not worth what he, his family and church parishioners went threw. So who loses, the tax payers are the biggest losers, the city will steal the money from the people to pay for these criminals with badges. Lastly we have the cop, he will never be held accountable for causing all of this trouble. That’s the biggest issue here is we need to stand as one to demand the police that violate someone’s rights is instant dismissal.
If they really wanted to push it, they could make life miserable for all cops involved and the city for where this happened. I would keep the heat on these thugs until they were all fired, they were definitely in the wrong.
And also, the city’s insurance carrier will cover the costs of any fines levied.
Agreed. we need more stupidity like this for more lawsuits.