Bonner Co. Sheriff 2024 deposition in 1st Amendment case Leighty vs. Sheriff Wheeler. 1/2

Описание: The case was settled in the civilian's favor for $125,000.00 and a permanent injunction against the sheriff.

2nd half of this deposition can be found here:    • Bonner Co. Sheriff 2024 deposition in 1st ...  

Some timestamps of note:

12:17 - Wheeler claims he didn't know comments were being hidden. He claims he never asked for comments to be hidden.

14:20 - Wheeler says he asked VanGesen to block JD Leighty and no one else.

19:18 - Wheeler is being shown his text messages, which ask for comments to be hidden but he keeps claiming he doesn't remember. This prompts attorney Pence to ask Wheeler if there is anything inhibiting Wheeler from recalling events or answering truthfully.

20:48 - Wheeler says he unblocked JD Leighty because his attorney requested him to do so. Wheeler claims he was not aware that there was a court order forcing Wheeler to unblock Leighty.

26:01 - Wheeler's attorney tells Wheeler to not answer why he turned off commenting. Wheeler's attorney put attorney // client privilege in jeopardy.

28:00 Wheeler says the BCSO FB page doesn't belong to the count, only to the Sheriff's Office and that he has autonomy from the county. He says he made the decision to turn off the comments. He is unable to say why he decided to turn off comments.

32:50 - Wheeler says Leighty is the only one he ordered to be blocked.

37:30 - Wheeler is asked what the First Amendment is. He is unable to recall exactly except freedom of speech and free to associate.

40:00 Wheeler is asked if a comment by Leighty contains personal attacks. He says no and admits comment should not have been hidden.

45: 25 - Wheeler claimed he was getting death threats. He says people said he should die from covid. He can't name any names. Then he admits no one actually threatened him his physical harm, as that would be a crime.

50:25 - Wheeler admits another of Leighty's comments should not have been hidden.

58:45 - Wheeler claims that a comment calling BCSO deputies for killing Craig Johnson is a personal attack because it is a comment that relates to a history of personal attacks.

1:05:25 - Wheeler says that only Van Gesen, Lakewold and himself can decide if comments on Facebook are factual or not.