By John Vibes
Dothan, Alabama – 30-year-old Robert Earl Lawrence was shot and killed by police on Tuesday night, after he attempted to do a good deed by turning a stray cat in at a local animal shelter. Instead of accepting this good deed and taking the animal in without question, the workers at the shelter demanded that Lawrence show them his government issued ID.
Instead of giving them his ID, Dothan showed them the identification that he did have with him, legal paperwork that identified him as a sovereign citizen, or in other words a person who has claimed emancipation from the government.
The employees of the shelter then made a careless decision that would end the man’s life. For some reason they decided to call the cops. It was not reported that Dothan was at all belligerent or violent with the employees of the shelter, the police were called because he would not show government issued ID, and it seems that the employees were somehow threatened by the fact that this animal lover was also a sovereign citizen.
When police arrived on the scene, Lawrence was hassled by them for several minutes about his ID and his status as a sovereign citizen. Police then informed him that he was being placed under arrest, but when Lawrence attempted to resist, he was shot by an unidentified police officer.
“After repeatedly being told to calm down, Lawrence was advised he was being placed under arrest. A physical altercation ensued, to which Lawrence was shot in the abdomen (by an officer),” Police Sgt. Maurice Eggleston told AL News.
Lawrence was then taken to a local hospital in critical condition, where he later died.
As with most police shootings, the media has been quick to drag the victim’s name through the mud, and bring up past issues with law enforcement and even custody battles to justify the actions of the officer.
However, it is important to point out that sovereign citizens are frequently targeted by courts and police, which could turn any simple court case or police encounter into a potential disaster, even more so than your average citizen.
The political beliefs that Lawrence held, or his past encounters with law enforcement are totally irrelevant to the circumstances surrounding his murder. What is important is that a man showed up to an animal shelter to do a good deed, but instead was killed after not showing government identification, and for having unpopular political beliefs.
John Vibes is an author, researcher and investigative journalist who takes a special interest in the counter culture and the drug war. In addition to his writing and activist work he is also the owner of a successful music promotion company. In 2013, he became one of the organizers of the Free Your Mind Conference, which features top caliber speakers and whistle-blowers from all over the world. You can contact him and stay connected to his work at his Facebook page. You can find his 65 chapter Book entitled “Alchemy of the Timeless Renaissance” at bookpatch.com.
Via:: Free Thought Project