ACLU Sues CHP Officer in Free-Speech Case
The ACLU is suing a California Highway Patrol officer for allegedly violating the free-speech rights of a deaf motorist.
The motorist, Jason Kaldani of Virginia, had filed a complaint against Officer Richard Gibson, charging that Gibson refused to make accommodations for his disability. Gibson pulled over Kaldani on the Golden State Freeway in Newhall in January for speeding and Kaldani later paid a fine, said David Schwartz, senior staff attorney with the American Civil Liberties Union in Los Angeles.
According to the transcript of a call Kaldani made in May to the CHP, he asked the officer to write down why he was pulled over. Kaldani contends the officer kept speaking to him, ignoring the fact that he was deaf.
Kaldani filed a formal complaint with the CHP, alleging mistreatment. CHP officials later wrote to Kaldani, saying Gibson had been cleared of any wrongdoing.
Several months later, ACLU officials said, Gibson sent a letter to Kaldani, threatening to file a lawsuit for defamation of character and seeking $5,000 and an apology as a “direct result of the citizen’s complaint you filed against me with my employer.”
On Tuesday, calls to Gibson were routed to CHP spokesman Ernie Garcia, who said Gibson would have no comment until the lawsuit could be reviewed.
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