Georgia man says witnessing is not parading

Georgia man says witnessing is not parading

If two is company and three is a crowd, does that make one a parade? In Cumming, Georgia, it just might.

Frederic Baumann, a resident of Cumming, was arrested on April 22 for distributing tracts outside the Cumming City fairgrounds. The charges? Officials told Baumann that he did not have a parade or demonstration permit. Attorneys for Baumann are waiting for a judge's ruling following a hearing this week, in the unusual case and lawsuit against his alleged violation of a parade ordinance.

Attorney David Cortman says the legal question for the day, is "Does one person a parade make?"

"That question was answered 'yes' by the city of Cumming, Georgia, who arrested Frederic Baumann for violating the parade ordinance because he was handing out literature on a public sidewalk. That's right, he made a parade all by himself," explains the attorney.

Cortman says they believe that is unconstitutional prior restriction on speech, and that the permit ordinance only applies to private organizations of three or more persons -- so they have moved to dismiss the charges.

He also alleges Baumann was not given ample time to obtain legal counsel before his trial.