Stephen Strict ordered to stay away from homeless men

[Jaded]

A Fort Lauderdale man who says he is trying to rid his neighborhood of drug addicts and criminals has been ordered by a judge to stay away from five homeless men, who say he is a vigilante who chased them with a chain saw and threatened to kill them.

Broward Circuit Judge Julio Gonzalez Jr. on Monday ordered Stephen D. Sticht, 49, to have no further contact with the five men and to surrender any weapons to law enforcement until a formal hearing can be held on April 17.

Police said Monday they have had no recent complaints of criminal activity by Sticht and that some of the allegations against him come from known criminals suspected in area burglaries. But the homeless men said they have tried complaining to police, to no avail, and accuse Sticht in court records of posting "Wanted" posters of homeless people, one of which offered a $500 reward for a particular "crackhead."The homeless are being helped by members of Legal Aid and the Public Defender's Office, who are gathering with members of the American Civil Liberties Union and the National Coalition for the Homeless today to protest at a news conference.

Sticht, a building consultant and artist, says he has never threatened anyone or done anything illegal to prevent rampant crime near his business in Middle River Terrace. And he didn't make the wanted posters, he said

"This isn't a homeless problem, this is a crack-head problem," he said in an interview. "These people just aren't down there taking a nap. They are petty thieves, they break into cars, prostitute themselves."

In affidavits filed in court Monday, the five homeless men said Sticht patrolled the area at night with a spotlight, ran after them with a chain saw, threatened them with a knife, and fired a gun. Several of the men said they think Sticht made the wanted posters because, they said, he took their photographs and told one what he was going to do.

State records show several of the homeless men have extensive criminal records, including arrests for cocaine possession, shoplifting, trespass, prostitution and lewd and lascivious conduct. Brown, for example, was found guilty in 2005 of burglary and grand theft, records show.


http://www.sun-sentinel.com/news/loc...,1695069.story



While I can't advocate the use of a chainsaw, I can understand the guys frustration.

[Lizard]

Hey, isn't that Peter Frampton?

[Jaded]

Maybe 20 years ago.....

[Lizard]

Maybe 20 years ago.....

Ouch!

[Jaded]

Mr. Frampton now......

[Lizard]

Hey, I actually think Strict looks like Frampton MORE now that you posted that picture! (With the exception of the hair, of course.)

[Jaded]

I thought he looked more like Sammy Hagar. :)

[Lizard]

Actually, he DOES look like Sammy Hagar! For some reason, I've always associated that curly wild hair with Frampton. Now that we've got two musicians invoked, surely someone will come along and provide appropriate and relevant song titles and/or lyrics....

[Jaded]

The Lumberjack~Jackyl ;)

[Jaded]

And I just noticed I spelled his name wrong in the title...dammit.
I hate Monday's that drag into Tuesdays....

[Unamused Cat]

He looks like he is wearing a fright wig. :p

[CPL CHUD]

I can sympathize with this guy. I used to work as a bouncer down in the city and we'd get on average about 3 crackheads a night bothering people on the patio for some change. We'd have to ask them politely to leave and if they were on the street patio and refused to leave we'd have to escort them out. Needless to say sometimes things would get physical and suddenly you're thinking twice about what kind of diseases these crack fiends might be carrying. The cops didn't do much about them either. Most of these guys were very recognizable and have been hussling people for money for years, a lot of times aggressively if you were caught off of a main street.

On the street I live it's no different. I can't walk to the store without someone begging from me. I've had my truck's window smashed in for petty meter change and just last weekend I was attacked by a bum on my own porch with a stick when I refused to give him some bottles and told him to get the fuck out of there. Both times I've reported it to the police. Both times nothing was really done.

I wouldn't be surprised if all this guy did was threaten a few crackheads, and I think more people should. Nobody should be giving these people money. Nobody should be on their side. They don't pay taxes. All they contribute to society is a sense of unease. And before people start rallying under the flag of injustice about how not all homeless men are drug addicts I totally understand. I've been homeless. I have best friends who I've slept under bridges with in the middle of winter. Not once have I asked for an handout. Not once have I begged the government for aid. Fuck those guys. People should treat them as demeaning as possible.

[swivel]

and just last weekend I was attacked by a bum on my own porch with a stick when I refused to give him some bottles and told him to get the fuck out of there. Both times I've reported it to the police. Both times nothing was really done.

Hahahahaha!

Can you set up a camera and try to instigate him again? I really, really want to see you getting hit by a stick-wielding homeless man.


When I lived in Charleston, you couldn't walk 10 feet without getting hit up. And these were the roamers, not the stationary corner dudes. They ambled up and down King street, hitting the same people a dozen times a day. They were also the pleading sort. You say, "No", and they launch into a story. They need to catch a bus to see their dying grandmother who served in the war. One of the tactics I used was to yell, "NO" at the very top of my lungs. The kind of scream that makes you ball up your fists at your hips, rise up on your toes, stick your ass out and you chin forward, and scrunch up your entire face. The kind that makes your ears ring.

The result is fantastic.

[CPL CHUD]

Can you set up a camera and try to instigate him again? I really, really want to see you getting hit by a stick-wielding homeless man.

Nope. It was a pretty sizeable stick. I'm pretty sure it fractured something in my left hand, it's been throbbing all week, and it left a scratch on my neck. I'm not sure if he was aiming at me or the girl behind me, I didn't get a chance to ask him since he ran like the dickens after doing it, but if I'm going to instigate anything with the guy, on the off chance he bothers coming around again, I'm going to beat his ass with the same stick.

[swivel]

Nope. It was a pretty sizeable stick. I'm pretty sure it fractured something in my left hand, it's been throbbing all week, and it left a scratch on my neck. I'm not sure if he was aiming at me or the girl behind me, I didn't get a chance to ask him since he ran like the dickens after doing it, but if I'm going to instigate anything with the guy, on the off chance he bothers coming around again, I'm going to beat his ass with the same stick.

You almost made me choke.

[CPL CHUD]

You almost made me choke.

I'm also going to capitalize on the opportunity by dressing as a super hero.

[swivel]

I'm also going to capitalize on the opportunity by dressing as a super hero.

If you are referencing "Kick Ass", I am loving the first two issues so far.

[CPL CHUD]

If you are referencing "Kick Ass", I am loving the first two issues so far.

Glad you dig it, and yes, I had that in the back of my mind.

[swivel]

Glad you dig it, and yes, I had that in the back of my mind.

I wanted to reach into my comic and strangle the kid when he put the costume back on. And then, at the end, with that dude saying, "Thank You"... well, I really was impressed with how those first two issues went together. I can't wait to see what that crazy white kid does next.

[CPL CHUD]

I wanted to reach into my comic and strangle the kid when he put the costume back on. And then, at the end, with that dude saying, "Thank You"... well, I really was impressed with how those first two issues went together. I can't wait to see what that crazy white kid does next.

I think the whole point was that acting like a super hero is born out of desperation and boredom. They don't need some sort of tragic backstory to boost them into the role. It's an inherently crazy thing to do, the kid knew it, yet like some adrenaline junkie that goes surfing again after getting both legs chewed off by a great white, he craves the high, the thrill. Only at the end does he realize he might actually be helping people out. Kind of like me beating a hobo up with a stick while wearing spandex. ;)

[Unamused Cat]

A Broward judge lifted the restraining order Friday against a Fort Lauderdale businessman who was accused of terrorizing five homeless men with a chain saw.

http://www.miamiherald.com/846/story/577483.html

[Shadow]

I've been homeless, and I never had to accost someone to get money. I spent most of my time in a church, it was warm, quiet and sometimes there was food. I would clean up in the ladies' room and change clothes. I attended services, when there were some, and the minister would sometimes offer to bring me food. I actually got off the streets because of the generosity of one of the church members.



~ceisdsgil