Court officers in Kootenai County, Idaho, have been made somewhat famous by 21-year-old Robert Peterson.
When I first watched this video, I didn’t know how it would end. So as I watched, I made note of some fairly serious issues as they unfolded. Perhaps you may want to do the same.
Warning: don’t go sipping your soda unless you have paper towels nearby. This video gets really, really good. You watch, and let’s hammer this thing home below.
Let’s Go to the Videotape
I know, hilarious. I burst out laughing so loudly and so suddenly that I think I may have scared the living daylights out of any number of nearby colleagues. Truly, this is one of the best videos I’ve seen in long, long time.
Beyond the pure comedic value here, we’ve got some really good topics for discussion.
First and foremost, let’s have a round of applause for the solid professionalism of all those court officers!
The response of all the officers involved was outstanding. The subject was intentionally and purposefully antagonizing but not one of those officers took the bait, totally thwarting the young man’s effort to make them look “bad.”
Well done, everyone. From start to finish these officers were truly top-notch, and they all deserve great praise.
Okay then, what else do we have? What does this guy’s language tell you? What is this guy saying about himself every time he opens his face hole?
The encounter began with something not too out of the ordinary — a suspect refusing to give a full real name.
Our subject — a sovereign citizen named “Robert” (last name Peterson) — had shown up to his court appearance with a video camera. Although a press permit is required under Idaho state code in order to record proceedings, Peterson refused to shut off his camera. Officers refuse entry.
Almost immediately in the video, “Robert” began using language that had my alarm bells ringing. Watch out for phrases like:
“I’m not a person. You deal here with Admiralty Maritime Jurisdiction which deals with persons, which I am not. ...I’m a man.”
“I don’t wish to create joinder with you.”
“I don’t know what the hell law book you’re reading man, but it doesn’t apply to me.”
“You are not God. You have no jurisdiction over me.”
The clip closes with Peterson trying to barge through the officers blocking the entryway. I have no idea what that officer had run though his head as he deployed that TASER, but if it was me it would be something like, “You’re right, I’m not. And you’re wrong, I do.”
