GASTONIA, N.C. — A local veteran has filed a federal lawsuit against the City of Gastonia stemming from an arrest in 2021 where he says officers used a stun gun on his dog.
Once body camera video of the incident was released, he said police and a magistrate judge have been attacking him on social media. His complaint has also sparked a judicial investigation.
In an affidavit, Joshua Rohrer’s attorney presented samples of some of the Facebook posts. Many of those posts were from the Gastonia Police Department’s Facebook account.
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Rohrer said the posts were so troubling to him that he had to be medicated.
It all started in Oct. 2021, when Gastonia police arrested Rohrer for panhandling. He said during the arrest, officers tased his service dog. She later died.
“It’s like them taking away my oxygen, my ability to breathe,” Rohrer said.
Rohrer’s supporters began posting complaints on the Gastonia Police Department’s Facebook page. He said that’s when the department’s public information officer went too far, using the department’s account to criticize him. Rohrer said seeing the posts was troubling.
“Became obsessed with the comments,” he said.
One post apparently aimed at Rohrer’s supporters reads, “the people who run his page are also avoiding answering any legitimate questions people may have about Mr. Rohrer’s actions?”
“I put on a lot of weight and lost a lot of sleep. Got very depressed,” Rohrer said.
When the criminal case ended, a police department post read, “Joshua Rohrer you could have had your day in court but accepted the plea offer.” Another suggests why: “...To avoid having an actual court date where evidence and testimony would have been presented.”
But Rohrer pled to an unrelated driving charge. The panhandling charges were dismissed.
“I think it’s really beyond the pale that they went to Joshua’s personal Facebook page and made comments about Joshua,” said Rohrer’s attorney, Joseph Mead.
Channel asked the City of Gastonia about Rohrer’s lawsuit. It sent a statement saying, “We are reviewing the details of the filing. It is not City policy to comment on pending litigation.”
Rohrer has a separate complaint about posts made by Mark Oakes, the magistrate judge who set Rohrer’s bond. One post to Rohrer’s supporters reads, “low information loud mouth is what you are, you’re too young to understand the romper room comment obviously. Go change your diaper.”
“We believe that behavior was inappropriate and violates the magistrate’s code of conduct,” Mead said.
The chief resident district court judge just launched an investigation into the claim of judicial misconduct, but there’s no word on long it will take. He said it’s the first time he has had a complaint like this. The magistrate will stay on the job during that investigation.
(PREVIOUS: Gastonia officers accused of stunning dog during veteran’s arrest won’t face charges, DA says)
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