Opinion ID: 2980037
Heading Depth: 3
Heading Rank: 2

Heading: Incident at Center on March 2, 2007

Text: On March 2, 2007, Skovgard arrived at the Center around 9:30 a.m. and spent most of her time on the sidewalk along Vineyard Avenue, prior to Gros’s arrival. When Gros arrived, he walked in the grassy area along Wheatland Avenue, staying within three feet of the road.[3] Kaminski soon approached Gros with a threat to call the police if Gros did not get off the grass. When Gros ignored him, Kaminski leaned into Gros, making physical contact with him, and then accused Gros of assaulting him. Gros reacted by continuing to walk as before, while Kaminski went into the Center to call the police department to report that Gros and Skovgard were trespassing and to retrieve a video camera. Skovgard then joined Gros, walking along the grassy area on Wheatland Avenue. Officers Pedro and Mannix arrived soon thereafter and initially spoke with Kaminski. Kaminski advised the officers that he had asked Gros and Skovgard to leave the Center’s property on the grassy area on the north side of the clinic, but they had refused. Kaminski also informed them that the Center wanted Gros and Skovgard off the grass and back onto the sidewalk to conduct their protests. According to Pedro, at this time Gros was fifteen feet off of Wheatland Avenue, while, at his deposition, Mannix testified that Gros and Skovgard were approximately ten feet into the grassy area when he arrived. (This is in contradiction to the testimony of Gros and Skovgard who stated that they always stay within three to four 3 Gros had made the decision to walk along Wheatland Avenue on this day because Skovgard previously told Gros that Kaminski had told her that she was not allowed to walk on the grass and Gros wanted to “basically make a statement to say [Skovgard] is not the only person that is protesting here . . . . [b]y leaving his footprints [in the snow along Wheatland Avenue.]” 3 No. 10-3520 Skovgard v. Pedro feet (or a couple of feet) of the roadway.) The officers believed that the edge of the roadway marked the Center’s property line.4 The officers several times told Gros and Skovgard that they needed to get off the grass and encouraged them to continue their protests on the sidewalk, but Gros and Skovgard continued walking in the grass. The officers then stated that they would arrest Gros and Skovgard if they did not get off the grass, at which time both Gros and Skovgard told the officers that they did not have to get off the grass because it was public right-of-way. Gros also mentioned that they had been protesting on that property for over twenty years and had never been harassed by the police before. Nevertheless, the officers handcuffed and arrested Gros and Skovgard for criminal trespass, transporting them to the police station and detaining them in the City jail. Ultimately, the charges were dismissed against Gros and Skovgard when it was determined that they were protesting within the public right-of-way. The public right-of-way on Wheatland Avenue extends 25 feet from the centerline of the road. It is unclear how wide the road is or how many feet the right-of-way extends into the grassy area along Wheatland Avenue.5 . . . .