Posted on Mar 29, 2018
SSG Jeffrey Leake
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CJ Grisham, President of Open Carry Texas, Army veteran and recent candidate for State Representative in District 55, along with a couple of other people was arrested yesterday in Olmos Park, TX (Bexar County). He was tazed and subsequently injured in that arrest with a head injury and was hospitalized. I was told that the head injury was a large gash on the back of the head. He also suffered numerous scrapes on his wrists and arms.

Grisham and crew were legally opening carrying pistols and long guns in response to an event last week when an Olmos Park police officer drew guns on and detained someone with a protest sign solely for the reason of open carrying a pistol (which turned out to be a training fake).

Grisham had a phone conversation with the Olmos Park Police Chief, Rene Valenciano about their policies, etc. in which the chief seemed entirely unconcerned with his officers illegally detaining people for a perfectly legal activity. (The conversation will be linked in the comments below).

Grisham and crew went to Olmos Park yesterday and were legally and peacefully open carrying and got arrested for it. There is a video of the arrest. There was no articulated probable cause for the arrest. The police showed up, including Chief Valenciano and ordered Grisham and his crew to the ground. Grisham at least refused. It was Valenciano that personally tazed and arrested Grisham.

Between the phone call and video from the site, it's very clear this was an illegal arrest by an oath breaking police officer and they will be held accountable.
Posted in these groups: Open carry logo Open Carry7c2cc64 Bexar County
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SPC Donn Sinclair
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This subject's a minefield, not just Texas but pretty much everywhere. Let me say this up front, should you choose to OC, that's on you, I'm OK with it. That said, I've never met an OC advocate that didn't have an attitude, as evidenced by the leader of this demonstration refusing to comply with police orders. Second, OC'ing a handgun is one thing, and AR/AK or a tactical shotgun is something else. I don't know your experience, level of training, or mental health. Are you proficient, or a mall ninja who gets off dressing up like Rambo. While I don't endorse the police response the OP lays out, were they responding to calls from the community, or acting on their own. Had the group complied, then taken their case to court, there might've been a better outcome, certainly would've saved some bumps & bruises.
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PO1 Jeffrey Pennala
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I followed this situation closely, one of the factors that heavily influenced the police in Olmos Park were a the large segment of the local community are newly arrived residents from California and New York. All the failed policies they are fleeing they are trying to impose on their new community. The police chief being being a politician first and foremost pandered to them creating the situation they have now. In the next few years Texas is really going to be challenged by the influx of the liberally minded quasi-socialist which are flocking there in great numbers escaping states like CA, IL and NY. I have the same fears for FL and TN along with any other low tax freedom loving states that they will be flooded with national socialist minded folks (dare I say true NAZI's) as the states and cities they are fleeing crumble around them and they are taxed out of their homes and property and watching the moral decay destroy what is left in the wake of their progressive agenda.
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SGT Jim Sharon
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The courts will decide who was at fault in this incident. I may be an anomaly since I grew up dirt poor from the country and we had firearms around us all the time. During my military time including a tour of Vietnam being around firearms was second nature to me and didn't cause any alarm except when the enemy had them and sent rounds my way intending harm. This caused some undue stress especially when the rounds were 81MM and got too darn close. I also made my life career as a police officer and have been around firearms my entire life. I kept my issued firearm in a closet and raised two sons who never touched or bothered it. Gun safety and explaining to them the do's and don't of guy safety were very important. My sons are now in their 30's and safe and familiar with guys. I'm not familiar with Texas law but know There are federal, state laws and local ordinances. Local agencies can enact laws such as making it illegal to open carry firearms say in a city building or school. While being very PRO gun my advise would be to get the local law repealed and THEN open carry. I've seen so many people, police officers included over reacting to an incident and it almost always leads to problems. I may not agree with your rule of not drinking or carrying a cigar in your house but I'll respect your decision and honor it. If I can't talk you out of your rule I'll either respect it or not visit. Protest those city officials, sign petitions, go door to door and respectfully let the voters know the good and bad and get the law changed and THEN open carry. Of course as the old saying goes, opinions are like butt holes everybody's got one.
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CPL Richard Henry
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I hope the corrupt police get their do but being I'm from Maryland I really have lost faith that justice will go to the people who deserve it ,seems in Maryland the police are never held accountable even when caught dont get the sentence that citizens get maybe I'm jaded
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SSG Lon Watson
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First I hate open carry. I love the anonymity of concealed carry. But this sounds like an illegal arrest.
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SSG Jeffrey Leake
SSG Jeffrey Leake
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I feel the same way about open and concealed carry.
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SFC Wade W.
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Edited >1 y ago
I read through many of the responses so if I missed someone addressing this I apologize. 1SG Cj Grisham did nothing wrong in not complying to the Chief's directions. Would it have made things easier? Sure. The fact is every citizen of our nation has the right to resist an illegal/unlawful arrest. Some would say that you have an obligation to do so. I won't go that far but some would. The law is in place for situations where someone would be concerned about their safety if arrested by an officer or agency that has shown an intent to do harm. I believe that the 1SG had reason to be concerned for his safety as this particular Chief showed that he had no regard for the law or people's rights.
As a retired MP and someone who has taught LE in my community, I would not normally advise people to disregard a police officer's orders. In this situation, I would have done just as 1SG Grisham did. I am a very strong and vocal advocate for our God-given rights as laid out in our Bill of Rights so I believe that a public display as was executed here was needed and correct.
May God bless you, CJ and the Great State of Texas and our Great Nation, The United States of America.
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PO1 Kevin Dougherty
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From the info here this is a big, fat fail for the Chief. I suspect they will be advertising for a new chief in a very short order.
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MSG Jay Jackson
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I am not a lawyer but what crime was CJ committing? So if no crime was being committed and the officer took action based on no violation of a law, then did he violate the persons basic rights. Was CJ flashing the weapon or minding his business walking with a weapons visible on his person as the law allows? The city ordinance was illegal by the fact that the state has passed laws stating it is legal to open carry a weapon. Sounds like a lawsuit is in order. The voters of this city should clean house next election. I wonder what is next. Maybe they will start just walking into homes and searching them without warrants. After all you can take it up with the judge when we’re done. This is not what we should be hearing from a LEO in my opinion.
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1SG Cj Grisham
1SG Cj Grisham
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No law was violated. The prosecutors wouldn't even take the cases. Yes, we are suing. We tried getting the city to come to the table outside of a lawsuit, but they think this will just go away if they ignore us. They're sorely mistaken.
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PO2 Donald Schortmann Sr
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Is the Police Chief related to Adolf Hitler? The cops that took orders from him happily, must be SS Brown shirts in training.
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SSG Jeffrey Leake
SSG Jeffrey Leake
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Lol. Wow
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SFC Joseph McCausland
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Well as the saying goes.... there's always two sides to every coin. On one side is the officer who set everything in motion by detaining the protester. On the other side of the coin is Mr. Grisham and company who appeared to be looking for a confrontation. They should have known in today's society and especially in Texas given the numerous shooting incidents that have occurred in recent years, that a group of men carrying guns and rifles in a public park would quickly get back to local law enforcement who would have to act on such information. Unfortunately, as far as the sheriff and his deputies are concerned, I think it goes back to the old west mentality. "I'm the law around here and you will do as I say"...... regardless of the right or wrong of the situation. I hope Mr. Grisham gets a good lawyer because the way I see it.... the sheriff over stepped his authority and definitely infringed on Grisham's and his friends rights under the 2nd Amendment and Texas law; however being a veteran and someone seeking public office, you would think 1SG Grisham would have know better.
As far as any injury claim ( if any) caused by the tazing, and any subsequent injuries, one could say they were a result of him refusing to follow a lawful order given by the sheriff.
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SSG Jeffrey Leake
SSG Jeffrey Leake
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Very good perspective on the situation.
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