MONTICELLO – The Connecticut man who was stopped for speeding in
the Village of Liberty and sent his traffic ticket into the court changing
“Liberty” Town Court to “Tyranny” Town Court along
with vulgarities written across the ticket, has reached a monetary settlement
with Sullivan County.
Willian Barboza was arrested and charged with aggravated harassment after
he returned the ticket with the “F-bomb” scrawled across the
front. A local judge was enraged by Barboza’s language, but Federal
Judge Cathy Seibel said the town violated his right to free speech and
dismissed the charge.
Barboza filed suit against the village and the county, the latter because
an assistant district attorney was involved in the prosecution.
Following a closed door session on Thursday, Sullivan County Legislature
Chairman Luis Alvarez said the county settled agreeing to pay Barboza
$30,000 in damages as well as $5,000 toward his legal fees.
Judge Seibel found that Barboza was deprived of his First Amendment right
to free speech when he was charged in the local court.
