Homeowner had 'a right to resist'
Judge acquits John Coffin on 5 felony charges; Coffin gets time served on 6th.

By TODD RUGER

SARASOTA -- John Coffin won't spend any more time in jail for beating up two sheriff's deputies inside his house, striking one in the head with a Taser gun he took from the other.

Circuit Judge Rick De Furia said at Coffin's trial Tuesday that he doesn't condone the violence against the deputies.

But Coffin, 56, had a right to defend his family and property because the deputies had no right to be in Coffin's house in the first place, De Furia said.

"Law enforcement was responsible for the chain of events here," De Furia said. "I think in situations like this, officers become so frustrated they go beyond what the law allows them to do."

The fight started when Coffin heard his wife screaming in pain, went into the garage and saw two deputies arresting her on the floor.

The deputies were trying to serve Coffin with civil papers that had been given five days earlier. They had entered the garage even though they did not have a search warrant or arrest warrant.

And they arrested Coffin's wife, Cynthia, 50, on obstruction charges even though she had no obligation to follow their orders to bring her husband outside.

"The most critical is the fact the officers broke the law by stopping the garage door from going down," and then entering the garage, De Furia said.

A jury was picked for the trial Monday. But the judge granted a motion by Coffin's attorneys, Derek Byrd and Brett McIntosh, and acquitted John Coffin on five of six felony charges Tuesday morning.

Coffin pleaded no contest to the remaining charge of taking a Taser gun from one of the deputies during the fight.

Before handing down the sentence, De Furia asked how long Coffin spent in jail after his initial arrest.

"You spent eight days in the Sarasota County jail," De Furia said. "That's your sentence. No probation."

Relatives applauded, and Coffin walked out of the courthouse with only a $358 bill for court costs. The sentence surprised even defense attorneys, who had suggested De Furia sentence Coffin to probation.

Prosecutors had asked for more than a year of prison time because of "the totality of the case" and the injuries to deputies James Lutz and Stacy Ferris, whose name is now Stacy Brandau.

The two deputies testified about their injuries Tuesday -- three blows to the head with the butt of the Taser gun knocked Lutz unconscious.

"I just ask that he doesn't get away with this," Brandau told the judge.

Assistant State Attorney Jeff Young told the judge the case "could have been over in five seconds" if the Coffins "had simply come out and cooperated."

"That is a man who took it upon himself to beat up two police officers," Young said.

De Furia said that while he believed the deputies' mistakes were not intentional, the Coffins had every right to lock doors, try to close their garage door and not cooperate.

"What took place in the house was unfortunate," De Furia said, "but Mr. Coffin ... had a right to resist."

Good for him.
But Mr Coffin ( ) should move, before he ends up in one. Do you think those deputies will forgive and forget? Pffffttt...
He's gonna be under the microscope for a verrry long time.

I can understand the judge's ruling.

However, I don't really get the guy's behaviour. Assaulting two officers? That's a pretty aggressive response.

If I came home and police were arresting my wife,

a) my wife would not be fighting them. She would be asking why, yes, but not screaming and fighting.

b) I would calmly ask why she/we were being arrested and what the charge was.

If the police insisted on charging and arresting us, I would comply, then contact an attorney and take if from there.

What possible gain is there to be had by attacking them? They've got backup. You've got none. They will catch up with you.

Also - if the cops show up to arrest you, there's usually a reason.

Like dynalow stated - the reality is the next time this guys screws up, he will get hit hard.

__________________
Chris
2007 E550 4Matic - 61,000 Km - Iridium Silver, black leather, Sport package, Premium 2 package
2007 GL450 4Matic - 62,000 Km - Obsidian Black Metallic, black leather, all options
1998 E430 - sold
1989 300E - 333,000 Km - sold
1977 280E - sold
1971 250 - retired

"And a frign hat. They gave me a hat at the annual benefits meeting. I said. how does this benefit me. I dont have anything from the company.. So they gave me a hat." - TheDon

I'd tell everyone I was the housekeeper...

__________________
"It's normal for these things to empty your wallet and break your heart in the process."
2012 SLK 350
1987 420 SEL

A lot of people would of shot them. They got lucky.

Chris, isn't your wife a doc?

Well, that's the behavior that I'd expect from most educated people.

I would let them arrest me and then sue them for false arrest and violating my civil rights.

It is hard to tell what really happened by just looking at the newspaper accounts.

I cultivate good relations with the writers from the local papers who cover the court beat. Even then, there have been some serious misreporting of stories.

You also have to know the judge, what his agenda is, and why he completely dismissed the case and sentenced the guy to just time served--when even the defense attorneys were asking for probation.

It is a weird case and I would like to know more facts.

BTW, are you having fun with your E430?

And do you still have the vacuum adjustments?

__________________
Current Benzes

1989 300TE "Alice"
1990 300CE "Sam Spade"
1991 300CE "Beowulf" RIP (06.1991 - 10.10.2007)
1998 E320 "Orson"
2002 C320 Wagon "Molly Fox"

Res non semper sunt quae esse videntur

My Gallery

Not in this weather!

Yep, she is, and yep, suing them would be a lot more productive in the long run than bragging rights about having tazer'd a cop. Not just that, it uses the system to work for you and exposes the officer's mistakes and allows the system to work properly. Again - all suppositional as details are lacking in this report.

Oh yeah, loving the E430. Permagrin each time I wind her up on an open stretch of highway! What a fun engine. Shopping around for some 17" rims for the summer at the moment.

Yep, have the vacuum stuff for you, haven't forgotten, just haven't gotten around to it. But I should and will, check your PM box.

C.

__________________
Chris
2007 E550 4Matic - 61,000 Km - Iridium Silver, black leather, Sport package, Premium 2 package
2007 GL450 4Matic - 62,000 Km - Obsidian Black Metallic, black leather, all options
1998 E430 - sold
1989 300E - 333,000 Km - sold
1977 280E - sold
1971 250 - retired

"And a frign hat. They gave me a hat at the annual benefits meeting. I said. how does this benefit me. I dont have anything from the company.. So they gave me a hat." - TheDon

que..que...no speakee engleesh...

Mistress is the Swedish housekeeper....

BTW, Seņora Mistress, have you been hanging around the Israeli Embassy in El Salvador?

Mental images of that poor guy, naked, trussed up and with a red ball gag in his mouth are just too funny!

"Si Seņora Mistress, por favor mas fuerte por favor, mas, mas por favor. Dejeme besarle los pies por favor Seņora Mistress..."

__________________
Current Benzes

1989 300TE "Alice"
1990 300CE "Sam Spade"
1991 300CE "Beowulf" RIP (06.1991 - 10.10.2007)
1998 E320 "Orson"
2002 C320 Wagon "Molly Fox"

Res non semper sunt quae esse videntur

My Gallery

Not in this weather!

SSSHHHHHH i told him not to piss the cab driver off, they never listen to me.

__________________
"It's normal for these things to empty your wallet and break your heart in the process."
2012 SLK 350
1987 420 SEL

No, no it goes like this- ju bedda whip jour feet off ju comin in my clean house with those choose. Ju messin with my floor i gonna slap ju into the next county ju unnerstanding me?

__________________
"It's normal for these things to empty your wallet and break your heart in the process."
2012 SLK 350
1987 420 SEL

Careful there...Hammertime probably speaks/writes Spanish.

__________________
Current Benzes

1989 300TE "Alice"
1990 300CE "Sam Spade"
1991 300CE "Beowulf" RIP (06.1991 - 10.10.2007)
1998 E320 "Orson"
2002 C320 Wagon "Molly Fox"

Res non semper sunt quae esse videntur

My Gallery

Not in this weather!

yup...and Portuguese also...I also dabble in chinglish because I have to buy electronics from China also...I love chinglish...

Here's an e-mail one of my buyers got the other evening froma new vendor soliciting us for business...

S&L Technology & Development Co., Ltd.
I expect the cooperation with you to achieve prosperious future
And I'd like to expand our biz scope all of the world after several years' striving in the ic-trade field,all my honor to meet you to cooperate with you to exploit the bright future.
Jesse slkj13@h

that's not even a bad one..

Here's another beauty...she wants a job? paint a collage? I dunno..

Wah Tat Electronics Hong Kong Co
SALE MYSELF
Hello I want to joint a company who located in ShenZhen or have a office/Branch in Shenzhen and specialize in Asia OEM/CEM...Working time is Asia day time... Below is myself introduction: 1)Colleage deploma,majored in Business English and trading; 2)2 years working experience in IC's,module,diode etc; 3)Good comoonication and negotiation; 4)Hard working and learning; If everything is OK I hope can work in this company at least 5 years. If someboday interesting,please contact me MSN

I guess college is different all over, one would think SPELLING would be a pre-requisite.....sorry to hijack the thread ..some comments made me laugh out loud...