I think I understand the kind of world that Legrand fears. In Russia, (at least 15 years ago) the police would stop people randomly and if you looked at all like a westerner (like I did), you would get stopped often whereupon you were to show him/her your "dokumenti". While most of the time it was simply an annoyance, every now and then you would be advised that you were violating something or other and would need to pay a small fine for which the "offender" was given no receipt.
Therefore, I read this article with a great deal of interest.
Olympia lawyer Lagrand Jones says it's not a crime to refuse to provide identification to police.Lagrand Jones' office handles Mason County's public defense.That's why he pleaded not guilty Wednesday in Tacoma Municipal Court to charges of trespassing and obstructing a police officer.
In similar situations people often pay the fine, produce the documents, do what the officer tells you in order to quickly end brushes with authority. It takes courage to do otherwise, and their courage can result in changes in law or at least opinions from a court that other courts are bound to obey.
I don't want to live in a country where I have to tell people who I am and what I am doing if on the face of it, I am doing nothing wrong. Unless the officer has reasonable suspicion of criminal activity based on articulable facts, I don't have to show anyone anything.
For that reason, I salute you Lagrand Jones. You win our first courage award.
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