JACC press conference, blog post by John Hoff
Al Flowers, who allegedly BIT an officer who was trying to serve an arrest warrant on Flowers' daughter, (click here for article mentioning THAT) has a long, messy legal history both criminal and civil. Interestingly, mainstream media are only mentioning PART of the history.
About the most glaring example of "half truth" reporting was in a recent Star Tribune article, which contains the following paragraph...
In 2009, he was cited for marijuana possession — a citation that was later dismissed after Flowers denied the drugs were his and sued Hennepin County for seizing his items improperly, alleging that deputies planted his wallet and ID in a room of a house he was visiting that contained marijuana.
Well, that's very interesting, isn't it? But if the Star Tribune is going to mention marijuana charges, then why not mention how in 1999 Flowers was found GUILTY of marijuana possession? (Case 27-CR-99-008364)
Also in 1999 he was charged with resisting or interfering with arrest (same stuff he's charged with now) and pled it down to guilty for disorderly conduct.
One difficulty in digging up the record of Al Flowers is that his son is also named Alfred Flowers, with "Junior" after the name. But the MNCIS online court system isn't perfect, so how to tell for sure if (for example) a support action filed by a woman in Brooklyn Park against Al Flowers is for the senior or the junior Al Flowers?
And what about all those EVICTION actions? Do these involve the father or the son? The Flowers family has a long and troubled history. And some of it isn't even online. The daughter who was wearing the ankle monitor when police arrived is a JUVENILE, so her record isn't online. Plenty of Al Flowers' civil suits are online, though...
Indeed, to some degree it appears Flowers tries to virtually live off lawsuits. So when those police arrived at his door, he didn't see oppression, injustice and/or brutality...
He saw ECONOMIC OPPORTUNITY.
And this is the man some in the community consider their "leader" on issue of, for example, police misconduct?
As the Chief of Police said, this incident is a "distraction." So what will happen with this "distraction?" A quick payout to rid the city of embarrassment, even if the city is in the right and Al Flowers' involvement in city issues actually DAMAGES the cause of the people he purports to "represent?"
Being an "activist" on police misconduct issues doesn't give anybody a free pass to BITE an officer. If Al Flowers had his TEETH clamped down upon some bodily part of an officer (heaven knows WHAT) then it's not a surprise Al Flowers received injuries to his HEAD. If a pit bull is clamped down on your leg, what part of the pit bull are you going to strike? His waggy TAIL?
JNS blog urges criminal charges to be filed against Al Flowers. These charges need to be filed BEFORE Al Flowers files a civil suit, like the colorful stunt he pulled after shoving City Councilman Don Samuels at the JACC press conference.
Oh, wait. There's ANOTHER example of media "half truth" reporting. One television station reported on a payout to the Flowers family (I believe it was the lawsuit filed by his sister, Lisa Clemons) but made no mention of Al Flowers' very UNSUCCESSFUL lawsuit against City Councilman Samuels in the great "toe stepping" assault trial in federal court; a lawsuit dismissed by a jury after incredibly short deliberations.
I say: Nobody should get a free pass to BITE a police officer, no matter how politically embarrassing it is to charge an "activist" for assaulting police.
Allegedly.
This blog post has a nice summary of litigation by the Flowers family...
ReplyDeleteAt least up to the date of the article.
SO much more after THAT!
http://www.minnpost.com/politics-policy/2007/12/flowers-and-his-sister-quick-sue-or-fighting-racism-minneapolis
How would you know what the mainstream media is doing or thinking?
ReplyDeleteYour writing is just baseless assumptions.
Maybe the mainstream media is being responsible, and following the request of Chief Harteau and are refraining from passing judgement until all the facts are available and public.
Only a sleazy blogger like you would pull assumptions out of his ass and assume that Flowers was 100% at fault.
Until the investigation is complete all we know is what people claim, with no proof provided. Flowers lies, cops lie.
Your reporting is nothing but tabloid trash because all you care about it revenue, not the truth or being responsible.
ASSUMPTIONS, you say?
ReplyDeleteDid I ASSUME his criminal convictions out of thin air? Or did I ASSUME the results of that unsuccessful federal lawsuit out of thin air?
These are not ASSUMPTIONS, but relevant facts being ignored by the mass media on the basis of, what? I don't know...political correctness or something? Fear of being sued by the ultra-prone-to-sue family of Al Flowers?
this is ALISA CLEMONS& AL FLOWERS ,15 min. of Fame,( they both gotten there rocks off) on this attention ,they both looking to be important? on the backs of TRUE north side residents ,SAD, SAD,& SAD, the only time you will see them is to pick -up a pay check from THOR,MPS,NAACP,MPLS URBAN LEAUGE,SUMMIT OIC.EMARGE,PARK BOARD & THE CITY OF MINNEAPOLIS$$$$$.CSI. is a fraud & everyone knows this,, but because they Use Rev. Hightowner &MR.HAYDEN(both who is begin USED)this there legal COME -UP$$$$$$PIMPS @ THERE BEST.PLEASE tell me what LEGAL JOB has AL HAD???Alisa GOT FIRED IN ???? WAKE UP north side. you are being PLAYED.AL.Flowers LIVE IN SOUTH MPLS,ALISA LIVE IN BP. they both has collect over $3 million on the north side backs(TRUE RESIDENTS)this city of Minneapolis will keep giving them shut out money ,while we deal with murders, pot -holes & sex offenders,
ReplyDeleteJohnny, regarding the vewry interesting article from MinnPost in 2007, as referenced at 2:37PM, I think that needs to be sent to all main stream media in the area as well as anyone who will listen. Time to nip this money-grab in the bud, don't you think?
ReplyDeleteIs he yet another poverty pimp, out to benefit himself? Are people afraid to call him out on this? Go, Johnny, go!
If Big Al ever got part of $3M, why does he keep getting evicted? You would think Alisa would assist in financial planning on his behalf. The Flower Family has been a pain in the ass to Minneapolis tax payers for way too long. Just the typical TNB we expect.
ReplyDeleteI've met Al Flowers on numerous occasions. Just because he's a cantankerous bastard prone to see racism doesn't mean that he's always wrong. Also, while it may be true that the law doesn't require the officers to produce a warrant, the constitutional requirement that there BE a warrant implies that in most cases (not exigent circumstances) it be produced upon demand. It's perfectly reasonable to ask to see a warrant and - in this case - completely unreasonable for the officers to not be able or willing to produce it. It's not like they were in hot pursuit. I believe that they were itching for a confrontation and Flowers daring to ask to see a warrant was all the provocation the jack-booted thugs needed.
ReplyDeleteAnd I have recently come to believe these were two relatively new officers who had no idea who Al Flowers was or what they were walking into. They were doing routine police work and not on a mission to "get" Flowers or even aware of who he was.
ReplyDeleteHe probably bite the leg of one officer kicking him. If that's what happened all officers will lie and say he wasn't being kicked and he will end up with a charge.
ReplyDeleteMpls police routinely brutalize people. Many civil cases are settled and the city does not just settle unless they believe there is a good chance they could potentially have a loss if it goes to trial.
ReplyDeleteWRONG.
ReplyDeleteUnfortunately, even when the city thinks it can win a case it would rather pay out than spend more than the settlement on legal costs. And, over time, this creates a "lawsuit class" of people who think they can live off suing the city over and over.
Oh, my...
ReplyDeleteCheck out this article. The Al Flowers "shakedown" of the mainstream moderates is finally getting the documentation it deserves.
http://www.minnpost.com/learning-curve/2014/07/quiet-ok-375000-mps-budget-item-al-flowers-related-group-now-drawing-question
Why didn't you all let us know earlier that this was coming down?
ReplyDeleteDeals have been inked and there ain't no way Al will renege on the done deals.
Comment about potentially racially offensive words rejected. I don't need that kind of thing around here. Clean it up.
ReplyDeleteBut keep commenting. Good discussion. At the end of the day, is anybody going to CARE the Minneapolis Public School system is more or less paying "shakedown" money in the six figures?
I am publishing only part of a comment that was submitted. I will not allow foul, profanity laced, sexist and defamatory remarks that are directed at our mayor, even if I don't agree with some of her policies.
ReplyDeleteClean it up, commenters.
Partial comment that was submitted is as follows:
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He was just waiting for his buddies Rybak and Samuels to leave the scene(not that he didn't try dubious shit then) you see. XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX in charge of the city. Dolan gone. Knowing the cop scene and roster due to his inside source (sister Alisa Clemons) and the opportunistic asshole phony that he is.. the time was ripe so he plucked. This city loves to payout so Al's timing is impeccable. It's time we put this guy on the shelf.
I am posting this comment below but xxxx'ing out "trash talk" about Mayor Hodges.
ReplyDeleteI will not tolerate such comments about our Honorable Mayor on my blog, even if I disagree with many of her policies and decisions in office.
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you can't stand the truth and you are being sued again. Do society a favor and delete your blog and this xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx....you post this when hell freezes, big boy.