JP-3 candidate cited for trespassing after leaving pamphlet

" Politically motivated, you bet. Typical Benson politics. Win or suffer payback. See the story in this newspaper “ Kendrick’s case against city on to superior court” It is how the game is played here. City Council and voters we need to see this changed. Does it all start with the City manager? "

" OK....if "no trespassing means no access"...why are there "No Trespassing" signs on the walls of some convenience stores, restaurants, etc....and even posted on some apartment complexes, RV parks, and other locations in the Benson/St. David area????? I've spoken with other neighbors that have a "no trespassing" sign posted...and their intent is only to keep out anyone with intent TO DO DAMAGE (illegals, hunters, ATV's, etc....) The man was campaigning....meeting his neighbors....finding out what they want in their Justice of Peace!!!! "

" maybe the Behr's should put a gate up then there wont be any confussion about the tresspassing sign??? "

" its pathetic to think that Bruce Staggs was intentionally tresspassing on the Behr's property. He's just campaigning, leave him alone. "

" WOW!!!

What nobody failed to notice is that Sherry Behr is Joe Knoblock's hair stylist and Tim Behr is a personal friend of his. Sounds like this may have been planned.

Mr. Staggs is an honest man, and needs to be apologized to by the Behr's for mud slinging. "

" It sems to me that if one wants to be a
judge, that person should be aware of the law he/she may be sworn to uphold!
However, there isn't much law taught in Chiropractor school, is there?
However, he is innocent until proven guilty! "

" Definately politically motivated. Sherrie Behr should be ashamed of herself. Seems like Chicago Politics have found its way to Benson. Moncada should watch him and his officers very carefully, they have already been investigated once and should probably be again. Benson PD officers think they are Wyatt Earp and this is still the wild west. "

" No trespassing means just that. Its their land and they apparently didnt want him on it for any reason, which is their choice. It doesn't matter what your neighbors' reasoning for posting signs are. They didnt lure him onto their lane for political sabatoge purposes, he made the choice to ignore the signs of his own accord. Much like he walked into other people's homes without them being there to leave his brochures. Just because he's running for office doesn't give him the right to ignore the law or violate residents' right to privacy. He is not above the law just because he's campaigning. Further,your definition of campaigning I'm sure is different than his I would submit. The guy came to my door and told me what I wanted to hear, pretending to listen intently. Several days later, not recognizing me, he told me something completely different. He wants a paycheck like everyone else and that's all there is to it. And nobody "failed to notice" anything. If your theory is that the hairstylist got together with Knoblock and somehow caused Staggs to stumble unknowingly onto her property in some scandalous scheme to cause Staggs political termoil, then that's rediculous. He's a grown man and if he's that gullable and irresponsible, we don't need him. Your opinion of his integrity and honesty is yours and not shared by many who know him better then you obviously do. The bottom line is he ignored a number of posted signs to keep off of some one's privately owned property who had every right to an expectation of privacy and whose children were home alone at the time. No matter what the reason, that's the fact of the matter. Staggs needs to be the one to apologize instead of making excuses for his lack of integrity and irresponsibility and for causing the county tax payers money for court costs when he is wrong. "

" We need honest people in the judges seats and in other parts of the government who will listen to the people they work for, US! This man was just doing what any decent canindate should be doing, getting out and meeting the people who he will represent. I do not see the others or our current JP doing it. It is time for a change and time for the good old boy system of justice to be done away with. It is time for honesty and moral sense to prevail in our courtrooms and in our government. "

" There is a gate where the sign is posted and Bruce Staggs opened their gate it access their property and ignored their sign. I have "no trespassing" signs posted on my property and it means exactly that. The issue is whether he ignored their sign and entered their property or not. It is my understanding that he did ignore their sign and enter their property. One would hope that someone running for the office of JP would know that something so simple as the meaning of "NO TRESPASSING". "

" Mr. Staggs committed the same offense on my property, but it never occurred to me to file a complaint. I'm glad someone else did. Now, if we can only get the sheriff's department to do something about all the missionaries and solicitors who ignore "no trespassing" signs.... "

" you have to file a complaint if you want the sheriff's department to go after the missionairies or whoever you don't like knocking on your door Mr. CDG...I dont think too many other places in the country a tresspassing case would be such a big deal. it really shows how small town this place is. this all makes me laugh, there's a lot more that we could be worrying about instead of what Bruce Staggs is doing. "

" CDG - it never occurred to you? Then you also want something done about the solicitors? I think instead of blaming law enforcement, you need to "do" something about it - like, I don't know, call law enforcement and FILE a complaint. While I disagree with the Behrs because I know they are only doing this for political reasons, it still required them calling the police not just expect officers to know when someone is trespassing. "

" What Thelma missed was that the sign said "No Trespassing" & "No Soliciting". I'm thinkin' he was soliciting votes. If he thinks cops write bad tickets & he needs to ride with every cop to see if they are lying or not-he's an idiot. The cops around here write a ton of warnings. Glad to see Knoblock stayed out of it. That was appropriate. "

" Stupid...period! "

" Hey Genious! Get a life. I know Bruse Staggs personally. Being a sucessful business man, he doesn't need to run for office to collect a pay check as you accuse him of doing. Second. Nobody (including Behr's) is accusing Staggs of going into people's homes while they are gone to leave his political brochures. Staggs is accused of trespassing onto Behr's property-NOT breaking and entry.

As for you Putz, you are assuming Moncado- police chief and friend of Joe Knoblock- is telling the truth that Staggs asked if he could "assess the performance of Benson police officers". I frankly don't believe it because I know Bruce Staggs-he's not an idiot as you called him. This is nothing more than dirty politics. And Knoblock's fingerprints are all over this. "

" Hey, JRM. What is a cosmopolitan person like you doing reading this small-town rag? Personally, I really don't care what Bruce Staggs is doing right up until he enters my property without permission and opens my door and enters my home to leave his crap. "

" sensitive sally why don't you lock your door, thats what I do. "

" Wait a second. Who is Bruce's hair dresser? "

" Poor Bruce. Wah! He should be able to go wherever he wants, whenever he wants, because he's Bruce Staggs, and he wants your vote for JP3!! Have a better idea, Tom Jones: What if I lock my doors and put a gate on my property if I feel like it, and he follow the law, act like a decent human being with the slightest shred of self-awareness, and stop bothering people? Good plan. "

" JRM and alice,

The reason "it never occurred to me to file a complaint" is because, in my experience, the local sheriff's department does NOT do anything when ordinary citizens file such complaints. Obviously I don't expect them to magically know when someone is trespassing.

When a candidate for "justice of the peace" ignores a "no trespassing" or "no soliciting" notice, he displays his complete disrespect for the law, and lack of consideration for those whose vote he seeks. That is (or should be) "a big deal" in any size town.

When Mr. Scaggs illegally entered my property, he also refused to leave until I asked him to do so four times. My neighbor reports that Mr. Scaggs did the same thing at his residence. Does Mr. Scaggs really think that such behavior will garner votes? "

" CDG - how do we know you are being truthful? You obviously are a knoblock and behr supporter or perhaps your behr or knoblock? Bruce Staggs would never have stayed on anyones property once they asked him to leave, so nice try. "

" You all can sit there and tack smack about Tim Behr and his officers but as soon as you need them you expect them to be there. You all need to grow up and get over it. "

" alice, alice, alice. I have no idea who cdg is, or the behrs, and barely know Knoblock by name. But I have heard dozens of accounts from various people that this is exactly what Bruce does. And having been one of them, trust me. It is not endearing. "

" Dear Friends and Neighbors,

There is no question that the Behr's had their property posted and that Mr. Staggs did not adhere to the notice.

Mr. Staggs showed poor judgement but I don't think it rises to disrespect for the law.

The Behr's have every right to persue this issue any way they wish, it is their property.

The question that we must ask as friends and neighbors, if we intend to form an opinion concerning Mr. Staggs, is, have the Behr's ever reacted the same way to anyone else in the past and would the Behr's have reacted the some way to anyone else that had come on their property for any other reason?

If not then it appears that this was simply a GOT YA moment against Mr. Staggs. I don't dispute that the Behr's
have the right to have a Got YA moment if they wish but perhaps they need to look at what it tells this community about them.

As for Mr. Staggs, he owes the Behr's a profound appology.

The political decision of whether Mr. Staggs is fit for the office of JP should be decided at the poles and at debates between the candidates where they each have an opprtunity to respond to any question publicly not on the front page of this or any NEWS PAPER. "

" TO WHAT THE - BRUCE STAGGS REFUSED TO LEAVE YOUR PROPERTY AFTER YOU REQUESTED HE DO SO? I HARDLY THINK SO. "

" Alice, indeed. Easy on the caps lock. "