"

 Arrested for Panhandling 

I was arrested in Nashville, TN at Church St. and George L. Davis Blvd.  I was not adequately told what I was arrested for.  I was kept in booking for 20 hours where I saw people are routinely and currently being kept for 72 hours and usually more.  The ""innocent until proven guilty"" aren't allotted any beds, nor did the employees allow them to lie down.  I was told that I could plead guilty to something, I have no idea what, something about soliciting for business or ride.  No one employed in any part of this was capable of reading the statute aloud.  The public defender told me I could sit, literally sit, in booking for four days and nights until the officer was subpoenaed and then the case would be dismissed or I could be released that afternoon.  I volunteer a lot.  I was to be volunteering at the 2nd Annual Music City BBQ by then, and I cannot volunteer if I have been sitting for 96 hours.  I was arrested for and while sitting on a guard rail while holding a piece of cardboard with ""Hard Times / God Bless / Blessed Day"" on it.  I was not provided with any documentation of my own of my having been arrested at anytime.  I was not told the offense for which I was being arrested.  One police officer said ""Soliciting"" to me.  I was lied to with statements of ""You can find the statute underwhich you are being arrested at metro.com"" and ""you can see what happened at nashvillemetro.com""  I was not given any reason for why I was being arrested, and at least 20 cars drove by clearly listening in on the scanner to see what was going on.  I have no idea what they were accusing me of, whom the arresting officer was, whom the public defender was, whom the prosecuting attorney was, whom the magistrate was, nor whom some guy I have no idea what function is who told everyone that if they asked any questions of the magistrate that the magistrate would take unkindly upon them and would force them into further holding for non-competence.  This begging article lead me to believe that I would be okay if I pursued a legal and open venture.  The actuallity is quite the opposite."