In April, a Toms River woman was charged with violating New Jersey’s coronavirus outbreak emergency orders by organizing and participating in a protest in Trenton.
Organizer of Anti-Lockdown Protest Arrested
Kim Pagan, of Toms River, was arrested by New Jersey State Police, who alleged that Pagan helped organize a small crowd of protestors that gathered in Trenton to protest the emergency executive orders issued by Governor Phil Murphy in response to the coronavirus outbreak, in violation of the governor’s orders banning gatherings of large groups of people. The protestors gathered outside the state house and in other locations throughout Trenton to protest the governor’s executive orders. Although Governor Murphy defended the shutdown orders as necessary to prevent additional loss of life to COVID-19, others on social media have come to Pagan’s defense, arguing that she and the other protestors had a constitutional right to assemble and protest despite executive orders precluding gatherings of groups of people.
Defending Against Arrest for Violating Lockdown Orders While Protesting
If you have been arrested for violating lockdown orders in New Jersey while participating in protests, you may have certain legal defense arguments available to you. It may be possible to challenge application of stay-at-home orders against you for protesting as a violation of your First Amendment rights to protest and assemble. It might be possible to strengthen a constitutional argument by showing that other protests occurring under the same stay-at-home orders were not subject to enforcement.
Depending on the circumstances of your case, it may also be possible to argue that you were not violating the governor’s orders, especially if you were maintaining social distancing requirements from other protestors and wearing a mask or other face covering while protesting in public.
When you’ve been arrested for violating the state’s stay-at-home orders, you need experienced legal representation on your side. The state understandably takes public health seriously and has brought criminal prosecution upon persons who have attempted to spread or threatened to spread coronavirus to other persons. But you deserve to be treated fairly and with respect when you are arrested while exercising your right to free speech and protest.
If you are facing charges for violating stay-at-home orders, Hercules Law Group is ready to defend your rights and interests against the criminal justice system. You will find our New Jersey criminal defense attorney to be kind, caring, considerate, non-judgmental, and easy to talk to. Hercules Law Group is only interested in protecting your rights, ensuring you are treated fairly, and fighting to get you the best possible outcome in your case. Our criminal defense attorney has the excellent knowledge and skill that you are looking for in a lawyer and will never hesitate to take a case to trial and vigorously advocate on your behalf to get a verdict in your favor. When you’ve been arrested in New Jersey, contact Hercules Law Group to discuss the details of your case with us and learn more about your legal rights and options.
Contact an Experienced Haddonfield Criminal Defense Lawyer About Your Criminal Charges in New Jersey
Were you arrested or charged with a crime in New Jersey? The consequences of a conviction could be severe, leaving you with a permanent criminal record and possibly even sending you to jail. That is why you need to speak with a qualified criminal defense attorney as soon as possible about your case. The attorneys at Hercules Law Group have successfully represented clients charged with crimes in Burlington County, Camden County, Gloucester County and throughout New Jersey. Call 856-222-9991 or fill out the online contact form to schedule a consultation with a member of our legal team. We have an office conveniently located at 76 E Euclid Ave Suite101, Haddonfield, NJ 08033.
The articles on this blog are for informative purposes only and are no substitute for legal advice or an attorney-client relationship. If you are seeking legal advice, please contact our law firm directly.
Disorderly conduct consists of any improper behavior such as fighting, threats of violence, or creating a dangerous atmosphere.
