Mleataylor
New Member
FREEDOM OF SPEECH vs. Disorderly conduct
Our neighbors constantly sit outside and, when they know we are in our yard, speak loudly and say things like, "the trouble-makers next door" "they beat their dog" "they are drug dealers", etc... It started over a complaint we made to the Health department over sewage they were allowing to drain into a ditch. The son has verbally threatened my friend "I will hunt you down and mess you up, you won't see me coming, etc...". Words have been excahnged, no threats on our part, but my friend did express himself about the womans lies and called her a name. She called the sherrif, who refused to take our statements and today we received notice that my friend is being charged with disorderly conduct. I think these people are harrassing us, they make up lies in our hearing until they come up with something so outrageous that words are exchanged. The last time, the elderly mother said "Make sure you tell the officer about all the YOUNG BOYS that come over!" 5 people rarely visit, they are all over the age of 30!!!! We can't even enjoy our yard for fear of this situation heating up. We put up a fence and that just made things worse. Her son even made seven different threats to stalk my friend and "take him out", "mess him up", etc..... Please HELP!!! Can we go after them for liable? They gossip all over the town about our "constant" drug dealing, beating our dog, and the nasty comment about young boys. None of these things are true..... How can we protect ourselves? I've even thought about trying to record their tirades.
Please help!
Our neighbors constantly sit outside and, when they know we are in our yard, speak loudly and say things like, "the trouble-makers next door" "they beat their dog" "they are drug dealers", etc... It started over a complaint we made to the Health department over sewage they were allowing to drain into a ditch. The son has verbally threatened my friend "I will hunt you down and mess you up, you won't see me coming, etc...". Words have been excahnged, no threats on our part, but my friend did express himself about the womans lies and called her a name. She called the sherrif, who refused to take our statements and today we received notice that my friend is being charged with disorderly conduct. I think these people are harrassing us, they make up lies in our hearing until they come up with something so outrageous that words are exchanged. The last time, the elderly mother said "Make sure you tell the officer about all the YOUNG BOYS that come over!" 5 people rarely visit, they are all over the age of 30!!!! We can't even enjoy our yard for fear of this situation heating up. We put up a fence and that just made things worse. Her son even made seven different threats to stalk my friend and "take him out", "mess him up", etc..... Please HELP!!! Can we go after them for liable? They gossip all over the town about our "constant" drug dealing, beating our dog, and the nasty comment about young boys. None of these things are true..... How can we protect ourselves? I've even thought about trying to record their tirades.
Please help!
