(September 12, 2008) Yesterday in a Miami Court room, Judge Arzola granted a judgement of acquittal, finding Kelis Rogers-Jones innocent of all charges brought against her by the Miami Beach Police Department in March 2007. Evidence admitted at the trial firmly established that Kelis did not interfere with any police investigation at the time and that she did not engage in any disorderly conduct. There was no basis to arrest her and she was also found innocent of any charges brought against her for resisting arrest.
"We feel vindicated that the court recognized that Kelis did nothing wrong," says defense attorney Ira N. Loewy. "Her protest over the illegal and unjustified harassment of her husband and friends was protected by her constitutional civil right to speech. She plans to bring a civil suit against the Miami Beach Police for this violation of her civil rights and unlawful arrest."
"I'm thrilled that justice prevailed in the end," says Kelis. "Racial profiling is a very serious matter. Unfortunately, most victims learn to deal with this form of harassment in their daily lives because they feel that they don't have a voice or because they're not able to absorb the costs to legally fight it in court. I hope that this sheds light on the fact that wearing a uniform and carrying a badge does not allow you to act above the law."
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