Op-ed views and opinions expressed are solely those of the author.
63-year-old Palm Beach County woman faces two years in prison for not wearing a mask
Residents throughout Florida are requesting that Governor DeSantis pardon me, Cindy Falco DiCorrado, in full for my guilty charges resulting from frivolous COVID-19 restrictions. State Representative Anthony Sabatini (R-District 32) also asked the Governor to exercise his power under Article IV, section 8 of the Florida Constitution to grant me a full and unconditional pardon.
I am facing up to two years in prison for “trespassing” and resisting arrest without violence for not wearing a mask in Einstein’s Bagel shop on January 14, 2021. I had a printed copy of the exemptions listed in the Palm Beach County Emergency Order 2020–12. I am also an ordained minister for which there is a religious exemption under the same order.
However, after being harassed by another patron, the business called on law enforcement, who turned this into an unlawful trespassing and a resisting arrest charge without violence instead of having cause… all over a mask.
Why didn’t law enforcement remove the person who was verbally assaulting me? You would think that the restaurant owners would call on the young man who was verbally assaulting a senior.
Einstein’s Bagel shop violated the 1964 Civil Act Rights by refusing to serve me. The restaurant employee initially stated that she would serve me only this one time. But when the unruly patron came in and started verbally assaulting me, the employee then changed her position and refused to serve me. Before this recording started, the man was screaming, “Get her out of here. Get here out of here.” I was stunned and shaken up, as I’m sure any person in my situation would have been.
Our local Palm Beach County Government not only failed to educate and encourage businesses to honor the exemptions listed in its order, most businesses I went to did not even know exemptions existed. This is a violation of our local officials’ oaths of office to uphold the United States Constitution, which is the Supreme Law of the land, as well as the Florida Constitution.
I was railroaded in court, case number 50-2021-MM-000372-AXXX-SB, with a jury trial against my objection. The verdict came back guilty on both counts.
Per the Florida Constitution, Article 1, Section 2, on Basic Rights, all natural persons, female and male alike, are equal before the law and have inalienable rights, among which are the right to enjoy and defend life and liberty, to pursue happiness, to be rewarded for industry, and to acquire, possess and protect property. No person shall be deprived of any right because of race, religion, national origin, or physical disability.
Therefore, attempting to deny a customer from acquiring property by shopping at your business or to deny their access to services that they have a right to enjoy is unlawful and a violation of Constitutional liberties.
Per the Florida Constitution, Article 1, Section 4, on Freedom of speech and press, every person may speak, write and publish sentiments on all subjects but shall be responsible for the abuse of that right. No law shall be passed to restrain or abridge the liberty of speech or of the press. In all criminal prosecutions and civil actions for defamation the truth may be given in evidence. If the matter charged as defamatory is true and was published with good motives, the party shall be acquitted or exonerated.
Covering one’s face with a muzzle does not allow for one to freely speak, and it abridges freedom of speech. Therefore, denying entry due to a person not wearing a mask is a violation of the Florida Constitution.
Why doesn’t the State of Florida drop the charges? Trespassing laws are intended to protect rights of property owners from property damage, not to cover up a political stand against one of the customers at the business. It is shameful anyone would treat a senior citizen like this.
Many residents are hoping Governor DeSantis will honor his Executive Order 21–132 and grant me a full pardon related to local government COVID-19 restrictions. He should certainly add language that prevents business owners, local governments, and school boards from misusing the trespass law to enforce their own policies about masks or vaccines.
It would be interesting to do a grand inquiry into law enforcement to see how many “trespass charges” were made pre- and post-covid. The number must be staggering. Many people have been “trespassed” over masks so it would not become public that the mask was the reason.
I have always stood for freedom and have done so peacefully.
We all know this is wrong. Palm Beach County residents are hoping that Governor Ron DeSantis will correct this injustice. We should not allow any Floridian to go to jail for two years or ever be confronted and shamed over a mask.
Please join me in a call for reform in the illegal use of trespass.
How can you help? Please send LETTERS OF SUPPORT to the following officials:
Florida Attorney General Ashley Moody
Judge Ashley Zuckerman regarding Case Number #50-2021-MM-000372-AXXX-SB
205 North Dixie Highway
West Palm Beach, FL 33401
Main Line: (561) 355-2431
Assistant: Audrie Leo (561) 355-1958
Attend a Rally Monday at 2:30 p.m. at the Main Palm Beach County Courthouse, 205 North Dixie Highway, West Palm Beach, FL 33401
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- Illegal use of the trespass law has become a political weapon - February 27, 2022