Donovan suspends “Ferry Preacher’s” First Amendment for 3 years

D.A. Donovan should be ashamed of himself for intimidating Pastor Michael Ihedioha dubbed the “Ferry Preacher” into pleading guilty and taking a deal.  "Seeking to ban him from preaching on the boats could constitute a violation of his First Amendment rights, but we are asking that the defendant use the ferry terminal only for traveling and not engage in behavior seen as harassing other patrons, the defendant could be re-sentenced if he violates those conditions.”  said William J. Smith, spokesman for District Attorney Daniel Donovan as reported by the Staten Island Advance.

So Mr. Smith openly admits they cannot force Pastor Ihedioha to stop preaching aboard the Ferry, and that it would be a violation of his rights, but they can “ASK” him to willingly give up his rights. A source told me that Pastor Ihedioha is afraid of going to trial for allegedly assaulting the police officer because he would face 5 – 15 years in prison so he took the deal. “Michael is a gentle soul, he wouldn’t swat a fly on the wall!” said Rev. Fran Mangano a friend of Pastor Ihedioha and fellow minister.

I have a question for Daniel Donovan, If Pastor Ihedioha assaulted a cop, why are you letting him off with just probationary conditions that he isn't allowed to preach on the ferry? Could it be that this “assault” charge is trumped up to intimidate the Pastor? Conveniently this “attack” happened behind closed doors away from all of the witnesses on the ferry boat. If this man violently assaulted a cop he should be taken to trial.

Donovan should be ashamed of himself, either for allowing a violent offender who assaulted a cop to go free without bringing him to trial, or for using a false allegation to intimidate a man into surrendering his constitutional liberty!

Just remember when the system takes away natural or civil rights, they always find a spin to garner popular support. In this case they use the fact that ferry preachers can be annoying to some people hence there was very little public outcry about this case.  Free speech and peaceful assembly EVEN ON THE FERRY is a protected right that government does not have the authority to take away. (So they must convince, coerce, or intimidate you into surrendering that right.) When you cheer the government taking someone else rights, you give them precedent and allow them to take that authority. Guess what, your speech will be next, and you can guarantee that there will be some group of citizens that will be in support of silencing you. It is a divide and conquer game of using one group of citizens to justify silencing another.

And the Christian community on Staten Island should also be ashamed for not speaking out in support of the Constitutional right to religious expression.

Danny Panzella

Read the original Advance article here: http://www.silive.com/northshore/index.ssf/2010/06/staten_island_ferry_preacher_s.html