A New York police officer, Eduardo Delacruz, is on trial for refusing an order to arrest a homeless person for sleeping in a parking garage. Yes, when you are homeless it is illegal to sleep. Newsday reports:
An attorney for Delacruz, Norman Siegel, accused officials of punishing his client for following his conscience.Delacruz "saw the homeless as people and showed them dignity and respect," Siegel said.
Police lawyer David Green argued that Delacruz's personal beliefs are "completely irrelevant."
When serving on the board of the National Coalition for the Homeless, I visited most major American cities and saw that people who are homeless are routinely harassed by police officers. Delacruz is a true hero for standing up and refusing to treat people who are homeless as less than human.
