In Ozark, a routine traffic stop has turned into a legal battle for Reginald Burks, a 39-year-old resident of Dale County. Burks faces up to 30 days in jail for refusing to apologize to a police officer following a contentious traffic stop in December.
Burks was driving his children to school when he was pulled over for speeding. After receiving the ticket, Burks told the officer, “Get your a** out of the way so I can take my kids to school.”
When Burks appeared in court to pay his fine and plead guilty to the traffic offense, Ozark Municipal Judge Nicholas Bull ordered him to write an apology letter to the officer or face 10 to 30 days in jail. Burks refused, citing his right to free speech.
“I’ll just pay the ticket, but I’m not going to apologize,” Burks told NewsNation. “I didn’t do anything to this officer besides curse, and there’s no law saying that I can’t curse or speak my mind.” Burks’ attorney, David Harrison, said Burks was being punished for something that couldn’t be charged in court.
As the June 4 deadline for Burks’ apology approaches, the case continues to draw attention and debate. Burks remains steadfast in his refusal to apologize, prepared to face jail time to defend what he believes is a fundamental right.
“I think I deserve an apology, and my kids deserve an apology,” Burks said. “We got rights. So if we don’t stand up for them, we’ll never have them.”
Grayson Everett is the state and political editor for Yellowhammer News. You can follow him on Twitter @Grayson270
