We petition the Putnam County Commission to enjoin Putnam County Sheriff Eddie Farris to drop all charges against Mr. Trenton Strode and Mr. Aaron Cofer, both citizens of Putnam County who we believe were unjustly arrested and improperly charged with serious infractions of the law by the Putnam County Sheriff following the June 30th County Commission meeting. 

Following meeting adjournment as Mr. Strode was approaching his county commissioners to talk with them, he was blocked, grabbed, roughly pulled out of the room, and placed under arrest.   Mr. Cofer, after being told by a sheriff's deputy that he could video Mr. Strode's arrest, was forced to stop by county commissioner Vinnie Faccinto who grabbed, pushed, and physically restrained Mr. Cofer.  Despite this, it was Mr. Cofer who had a warrant issued for his arrest the following day and turned himself in to the Sheriff. 

The County Commissioners could have stopped these unwarranted and unjust actions of the Sheriff from happening, and instead welcomed their constituents to speak with them.  They did not. The County Commissioners should be deeply concerned with the actions of the Sheriff's Department and the subsequent charges filed against these two young men who were there to peacefully attend a public meeting and talk with their commissioners.  The actions of the Sheriff on June 30th and the arrests will serve to intimidate people from becoming involved in the political life of their community, especially the young people and any person who is in a minority group or holds political opinions not held by the people in authority.   

WE, THE UNDERSIGNED, CALL ON OUR COUNTY COMMISSIONERS TO PUBLICLY ENJOIN SHERIFF FARRIS TO IMMEDIATELY DROP ALL CHARGES AGAINST TRENTON STRODE AND AARON COFER.