Veteran Larry Murphfree from Jacksonville, FL was fined $8000 and had a foreclosure lien placed on his home for putting a small American flag in his flowerpot – even though he had a legal right to do so. If he doesn’t pay within 30 days he might lose his home.
“I want it to go away. It’s such a minor little thing and they keep coming after me,” he explained.
“They” is Murphree’s homeowner’s association. He’s lived in the Sweetwater community for years, and been at odds with the HOA for more than two. All over a flag. The veteran decided to put one in his flower pot, and has been fined as a result.
“They just sent me a letter that says I owe them around $8,000 and they put a foreclosure lien on my house,” he continued.
Action News wanted to know how that’s possible, so we took our questions to legal and safety expert Dale Carson.
“There’s an actual Florida statute that says he can display this flag,” Carson said.
Federal law from 2005 also backs that up. We reached out to the law office that reprsents the HOA and got attorney Michelle Haines. She tells me if payment is not made within 30 days, the law office can move forward with foreclosure on Murphree’s home. – See more at: http://www.actionnewsjax.com/news/news/local/veteran-may-lose-home-over-flag-fight/ngRCt/#sthash.OTe76VXL.dpuf
No way
This is pure bull–needs a jury trial before a fine and just see how many people out of 12 they could find who would not support him
This should not be allowed to happen.Wars were fought to give him that right.We must start standing our ground.
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this is just wrong, this is America, and we should fly our flag proudly
Wtf is wrong with these hoa’s ???
I hope they actually mailed the notices to him. If they just placed it in his mailbox that’s a federal offense tampering with mail. HOA are a cancer by yuppies in this society.
thats f@@ken bull$#%&!@*, go drive around your area to see how many others are flying there flags
If every single one of us put a flag on our houses, we would win. Only a coward would fail to put one out. I have at least 10, inmy home. In my car. I wear My red, white and blue to work every Friday in honor of my Military. I am a Marines Mom. If we act like cowards we will be treated like cowards I am 70. Im a old lady, im not a coward. Oh, did I say im A CHRISTIAN!
This is another stupid deal we live in America the land of the free and the brave.We work and save until we can buy a home, there is nothing wrong with a flag on our property. The illegals have no right to complain if they dont like it they can go back home. The judges and landlords that demand the removal of the American stars and stripes are wrong and should support the flag flying in their neighbor hood if they lived in some other countries they wound not own a home or live in a nice neighbor hood