Vermont man arrested for flipping trooper the bird awarded $175,000 in settlement
Thursday
By Lauren Taylor (Anchor), Evan Hummel (Producer), Jake Maslo (Video Editor)
A Vermont man arrested after allegedly giving a state trooper the middle finger reached a $175,000 settlement, according to the American Civil Liberties Union on Wednesday, June 26. The ACLU said a state trooper pulled over Gregory Bombard following accusations that he had made the gesture, which Bombard denies, and an argument soon ensued.
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Man arrested for flipping off a trooper gets $175,000 after First Amendment lawsuit
Click to see story on The Independent
He flipped off a trooper and got charged. Now Vermont is on the hook for $175,000
Click to see story on Associated Press News
He flipped off a trooper and got charged. Now Vermont is on the hook for $175,000
Click to see story on CNN
Vermont to pay $175,000 after man charged for raising middle finger at state trooper
Click to see story on The Washington Post
Driver arrested after giving trooper middle finger settles for $175K
Click to see story on NBC News
He flipped off a trooper and got charged. Now Vermont is on the hook for $175,000
Click to see story on The Seattle Times
He flipped off a trooper and got charged. Now Vermont is on the hook for $175,000
Click to see story on WCSH
St. Albans man settles for $175K after suing over right to give police the middle finger
Click to see story on VT Digger
Man flipped off a trooper and got arrested and charged. Now Vermont must pay $175,000
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He flipped off a trooper and got charged. Now Vermont is on the hook for US$175,000
Click to see story on CTV News
He flipped off a trooper and got charged. Now Vermont is on the hook for $175,000
Click to see story on WPLG
He flipped off a trooper and got charged. Now this state is on the hook for $175,000
Click to see story on WKMG
He flipped off a trooper and got charged. Now Vermont is on the hook for $175,000
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Vermont to pay $175,000 settlement in lawsuit over man who flipped off trooper and got charged
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Vermont police settle middle finger suit
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He flipped off a trooper and got charged. Now a New England state is on the hook for $175,000
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He flipped off a trooper and got charged. Now Vermont is on the hook for $175,000
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Vermont man awarded $175K in settlement over first amendment violation arrest, ACLU says
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He flipped off a trooper and got charged. Now what?
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He flipped off a trooper and got charged. Now Vermont is on the hook for $175,000
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He flipped off a trooper and got charged. Now Vermont is on the hook for $175,000
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Vermont pays $175,000 to man arrested for giving the middle finger to state trooper
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Vermont Pays $175,000 to Man Arrested for Giving the Middle Finger to State Trooper
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Vermont man arrested for flipping trooper the bird awarded $175,000 in settlement
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Vermont doles out sum to man who flipped off state trooper: ‘Retaliatory arrest’ – Washington Examiner
Click to see story on Washington Examiner
Vermont settles lawsuit for $175,000 after man flipped off a trooper and got charged
Click to see story on National Post
En Vermont: el estado deberá pagar US$100 mil a un hombre detenido y acusado de hacerle un gesto obsceno a un policía
Click to see story on la Nacion
Vermont to pay $175,000 after man charged for raising middle finger at state trooper
Click to see story on New Hampshire Union Leader
Vermont to pay $175,000 to man after he was arrested and charged for flipping off a trooper
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Vermont Man Arrested for Cursing at State Trooper Awarded $175,000 in Settlement
Click to see story on The Epoch Times
He flipped off a trooper and got charged. Now Vermont is on the hook for $175,000
Click to see story on Toronto Sun
Vermont man awarded $175,000 after wrongful arrest for flipping off state trooper
Click to see story on The Post Millennial
Vermont agrees to $175K payout over arrest of man who flipped off trooper
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He flipped off a trooper and got charged. Now Vermont is on the hook for $175,000
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He flipped off a trooper and got charged. Now Vermont is on the hook for $175,000 – The Morning Sun
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American police officer showed middle man, after arrest he was awarded compensation
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He flipped off a trooper and got charged. Now Vermont is on the hook for $175K
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Received high compensation after being arrested for sprained middle finger
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STA: High compensation for American after arrest for sprained middle finger
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39 other sources covering this story
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Center
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Leaning Right
9
Last Updated
2 days ago
During the incident in 2018, Bombard repeatedly denied giving the trooper the middle finger, which then led to his arrest after the officer accused him of cursing at him. The trooper claimed he was placing him in custody because of “disorderly conduct.”
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“Police need to respect everyone’s First Amendment rights — even for things they consider offensive or insulting,” said Hillary Rich, a staff attorney with the ACLU of Vermont.
The ACLU of Vermont and Foundation of Individual Rights and Expression or “FIRE,” filed the lawsuit on behalf of Bombard. They argued that the trooper had violated Bombard’s First Amendment rights of free speech and also his Fourth Amendment protections against unreasonable search and seizure.
In a statement on Wednesday, June 26, Bombard said that he was pleased with the settlement and hopes it will lead to better training for troopers to “avoid silencing criticism or make baseless car stops.”
The lawsuit was brought against the state of Vermont and the state trooper involved in the 2018 stop. However, as part of the settlement, the defendants did not admit guilt.
[TROOPER]
NO, IT LOOKED LIKE YOU FLIPPED ME OFF AS YOU WERE GOING BY THERE.
IT’S LOOKED LIKE YOU WERE DOING THIS TO ME AS I WAS DRIVING BY YOU.
DID YOU NOT DO THAT?
[GREG BOMBARD]
NO, YOU MIGHT’VE [INAUDIBLE] DOING THIS.
[LAUREN TAYLOR]
THAT’S THE MOMENT A MAN WAS PULLED OVER AFTER A STATE TROOPER ACCUSED HIM OF “FLIPPING HIM OFF” BACK IN 2018.
THAT ENCOUNTER LED TO THIS.
[GREG BOMBARD]
I DO NOT BELIEVE THIS. SIR.
I CAN NOT BELIEVE THIS.
[TROOPER]
THE FIRST ONE MAY HAVE BEEN AN ERROR AND THE SECOND ONE CERTAINLY WAS NOT.
[GREG BOMBARD]
HOW IS THAT DISORDERLY CONDUCT?
I’M NOT BEING DISORDERLY.
[LAUREN TAYLOR]
THE MAN, GREG BOMBARD—
ARRESTED AFTER AN ARGUMENT ENSUED WITH THE TROOPER– WHO THEN ACCUSED HIM OF DISORDERLY CONDUCT AFTER BOMBARD ALLEGEDLY YELLED OBSCENITIES AT HIM.
[TROOPER]
HE CALLED ME AN A******* AND SAID F**** YOU. FLIPPED THE BIRD. I’M GONNA ARREST HIM FOR DISORDERLY CONDUCT.
[LAUREN TAYLOR]
THIS WEEK, BOMBARD, WAS AWARDED 175-THOUSAND DOLLARS IN A SETTLEMENT WITH THE TROOPER AND THE STATE OF VERMONT.
BOMBARD DENIED GIVING THE TROOPER THE FINGER.
BUT THE ACLU OF VERMONT SAID IT’S NOT WHETHER HE DID OR DIDN’T USE THE GESTURE.
SAYING IN A STATEMENT:
“POLICE NEED TO RESPECT EVERYONE’S FIRST AMENDMENT RIGHTS – EVEN FOR THINGS THEY CONSIDER OFFENSIVE OR INSULTING.”
THE ACLU OF VERMONT AND FOUNDATION OF INDIVIDUAL RIGHTS AND EXPRESSION OR FIRE, FILED THE LAWSUIT, ARGUING BOMBARD’S FIRST AMENDMENT RIGHTS OF FREE SPEECH AND FOURTH AMENDMENT PROTECTIONS AGAINST UNREASONABLE SEARCH AND SEIZURE WERE VIOLATED.
BOMBARD SAID HE IS PLEASED WITH THE SETTLEMENT AND HOPES IT LEADS TO BETTER TRAINING FOR TROOPERS TO “AVOID SILENCING CRITICISM OR MAKE BASELESS CAR STOPS.”
AS PART OF THE SETTLEMENT, THE DEFENDANTS DID NOT ADMIT GUILT.
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Media Landscape
See who else is reporting on this story and which side of the political spectrum they lean. To read other sources, click on the plus signs below.
Learn more about this dataLeft 27%
Center 45%
Right 27%
Bias Distribution
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Man arrested for flipping off a trooper gets $175,000 after First Amendment lawsuit
Click to see story on The Independent
He flipped off a trooper and got charged. Now Vermont is on the hook for $175,000
Click to see story on Associated Press News
He flipped off a trooper and got charged. Now Vermont is on the hook for $175,000
Click to see story on CNN
Vermont to pay $175,000 after man charged for raising middle finger at state trooper
Click to see story on The Washington Post
Driver arrested after giving trooper middle finger settles for $175K
Click to see story on NBC News
He flipped off a trooper and got charged. Now Vermont is on the hook for $175,000
Click to see story on The Seattle Times
He flipped off a trooper and got charged. Now Vermont is on the hook for $175,000
Click to see story on WCSH
St. Albans man settles for $175K after suing over right to give police the middle finger
Click to see story on VT Digger
Man flipped off a trooper and got arrested and charged. Now Vermont must pay $175,000
Click to see story on Autoblog
Click to close
He flipped off a trooper and got charged. Now Vermont is on the hook for US$175,000
Click to see story on CTV News
He flipped off a trooper and got charged. Now Vermont is on the hook for $175,000
Click to see story on WPLG
He flipped off a trooper and got charged. Now this state is on the hook for $175,000
Click to see story on WKMG
He flipped off a trooper and got charged. Now Vermont is on the hook for $175,000
Click to see story on Click on Detroit
Vermont to pay $175,000 settlement in lawsuit over man who flipped off trooper and got charged
Click to see story on abc 7 LA
Vermont police settle middle finger suit
Click to see story on The Billings Gazette
He flipped off a trooper and got charged. Now a New England state is on the hook for $175,000
Click to see story on WMUR
He flipped off a trooper and got charged. Now Vermont is on the hook for $175,000
Click to see story on Wral News
Vermont man awarded $175K in settlement over first amendment violation arrest, ACLU says
Click to see story on WPTZ
He flipped off a trooper and got charged. Now what?
Click to see story on Fox8
He flipped off a trooper and got charged. Now Vermont is on the hook for $175,000
Click to see story on OPB
He flipped off a trooper and got charged. Now Vermont is on the hook for $175,000
Click to see story on WANE-TV
Vermont pays $175,000 to man arrested for giving the middle finger to state trooper
Click to see story on nhpr
Vermont Pays $175,000 to Man Arrested for Giving the Middle Finger to State Trooper
Click to see story on Seven Days
Vermont man arrested for flipping trooper the bird awarded $175,000 in settlement
Click to see story on Straight Arrow News
Click to close
Vermont doles out sum to man who flipped off state trooper: ‘Retaliatory arrest’ – Washington Examiner
Click to see story on Washington Examiner
Vermont settles lawsuit for $175,000 after man flipped off a trooper and got charged
Click to see story on National Post
En Vermont: el estado deberá pagar US$100 mil a un hombre detenido y acusado de hacerle un gesto obsceno a un policía
Click to see story on la Nacion
Vermont to pay $175,000 after man charged for raising middle finger at state trooper
Click to see story on New Hampshire Union Leader
Vermont to pay $175,000 to man after he was arrested and charged for flipping off a trooper
Click to see story on NECN
Click to close
Vermont Man Arrested for Cursing at State Trooper Awarded $175,000 in Settlement
Click to see story on The Epoch Times
He flipped off a trooper and got charged. Now Vermont is on the hook for $175,000
Click to see story on Toronto Sun
Vermont man awarded $175,000 after wrongful arrest for flipping off state trooper
Click to see story on The Post Millennial
Vermont agrees to $175K payout over arrest of man who flipped off trooper
Click to see story on Fox News
Click to close
Far
Right
+0
Click to close
Untracked Bias
He flipped off a trooper and got charged. Now Vermont is on the hook for $175,000
Click to see story on My Mother Lode
He flipped off a trooper and got charged. Now Vermont is on the hook for $175,000 – The Morning Sun
Click to see story on Morning Sun
American police officer showed middle man, after arrest he was awarded compensation
Click to see story on RTV Slovenija
He flipped off a trooper and got charged. Now Vermont is on the hook for $175K
Click to see story on NXST
Received high compensation after being arrested for sprained middle finger
Click to see story on slovenskenovice.si
STA: High compensation for American after arrest for sprained middle finger
Click to see story on sta.si
Click to close
39 other sources covering this story
Total News Sources
39
Leaning Left
9
Center
15
Leaning Right
9
Last Updated
2 days ago
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