$15,000 settlement for man arrested outside of Whole Foods

Rather than spend time in court, the City of Philadelphia will pay Edward Coffin $15,000 for his wrongful arrest outside the South Street Whole Foods in December 2009.

Around the holidays of that year, Coffin stood outside the store handing out fliers about Whole Foods’ sale of animal products. Coffin was arrested under a commercial leafleting law that was later determined doesn’t apply to his case.
Coffin accepted the settlement, but Mary Catherine Roper of the ACLU says his case is proof officers don’t always get proper training about the law.

City Paper has more on the story and an interiew with Coffin.