Saturday, August 03, 2019

Anti-gay message on receipt at Milagro On 12 Latin Kitchen leads to confrontation, arrest. (SAR, WHIO, Action News Jax)


Defendant is reportedly a minister and great-grandson of Henry Flagler's business associate. In St. Johns County Courthouse, someone named "Matt" has prevented website viewing of any files until a county court judge rules on a "confidentially" (sic) order. Meanwhile, FREDERIC STERRY SMITH's photo is deleted from St. Johns County Jail website.

This is now a national story.  Defendant FREDERIC STERRY SMITH  is a local business owner, reportedly a minister and great-grandson of Henry Flagler's business associate.   Someone named "Matt" has apparently put the kibosh on our reading the file on the Internet until the county court judge rules on a "confidentially" (sic) order.  

His photo has been deleted from the St. Johns County Jail log website. 

Is defendant FREDERIC STERRY SMITH a law enforcement officer of some sort, past or present?  

And who is "Matt" and why does Matt have plenipotentiary powers to intervene in SAPD hate crimes prosecutions on behalf of the defendant? 
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Police: Florida minister writes anti-gay message on receipt, shoves it down female manager’s shirt

Published: Saturday, August 03, 2019 @ 12:04 PM
Frederic Smith, 62, is out on bond after being arrested and charged with battery, investigators said.
ActionNewJax.com
Frederic Smith, 62, is out on bond after being arrested and charged with battery, investigators said.(ActionNewJax.com)
— A Florida minister has been accused of writing an anti-gay message on a receipt at a St. Augustine restaurant, then ripping open the manager's shirt and stuffing the receipt down it during a confrontation.


Jail records show Frederic Smith, 62, is out on bond after being arrested and charged with battery after allegedly touching the woman's breast.
Smith's name was redacted from the St. Augustine police report, but Action News Jax linked it to Smith by matching the report number with the court record online.
Staff at the Milagro on 12 Latin Kitchen where the incident occurred told police he left a receipt on his table with no tip Saturday -- on it, he allegedly wrote of the server, "If he wasn't gay."


Action News Jax reporter Russell Colburn spoke exclusively with an employee who saw the incident.
She did not want to give her name or show her face but said she saw her manager get involved. 
"He told her, like, 'Yeah I wrote it, and I will rip it up in front of your face,' and ripped it up. He just, like, opened her shirt and shoved it down her shirt. And she screamed, like, ‘This is assault!’'
Smith could not be reached for a comment Friday, but, his LinkedIn page, now deleted or made private, stated he went to seminary school and in the post of his charity's website, he refers to himself as a reverend. 



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Anti-gay message on receipt at Milagro On 12 Latin Kitchen leads to confrontation, arrest
Frederic Sterry Smith, 62, of St. Augustine [SJCSO]
By Travis Gibson tgibson@staugustine.com
Posted Aug 2, 2019 at 1:52 PM
Updated Aug 2, 2019 at 1:52 PM
St. Augustine Record

The owner of a local music business was arrested Saturday after he was accused of writing a homophobic message on his waiter’s receipt and then ripping it up and stuffing it down the restaurant manager’s shirt.

According to a report from the St. Augustine Police Department, Frederic Sterry Smith, 62, of St. Augustine was charged with simple battery after a confrontation outside Milagro On 12 Latin Kitchen downtown.

The issues began Saturday evening when Smith, who co-owns Sterry Piano Company, reportedly gave his server a zero-dollar tip and wrote “if he wasn’t gay,” on the receipt, according to the report.

The server then showed the receipt to the manager who then confronted Smith outside and asked if he really wrote the words on his check. Smith told the manager he did write the message, according to the police report, and then grabbed her by the collar, pulled it open and shoved the receipt down her shirt. As he did, his hand touched her breast, the manager and a witness told police. Smith then got into a car and drove off.

Using the receipt, officers were able to find Smith about an hour later and asked him about the incident. During questioning, according to the report, Smith said “I can say whatever I want, to whoever I want!” and denied touching the manager before the officer explained why they were interviewing him. He also became verbally abusive and angry, the report stated.

Smith, who is known as “Ric” according to a 2017 story from St. Augustine Social, was arrested and charged with simple battery, a first-degree misdemeanor. His bond was set at $500 and he was released Sunday from the St. Johns County Sheriff’s Office jail.


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St. Johns County Jail website shows that FREDERIC STERRY SMITH spent a night and jail and that his mugshot has been deleted:


Enlarge Photo
SMITH, FREDERIC STERRY   (W/ MALE )
Status:Released
Booking No:SJSO19JBN003490MniNo:SJSO13MNI033741
Booking Date:07/27/2019 07:52 PMReleased:07/28/2019 01:11 PM
Age On Booking Date:62
Bond Amount:$500.00
Address Given:4015 LEWIS SPEEDWAY ST. AUGUSTINE, FL 32084
CHARGES
STATUTECOURT CASE NUMBERCHARGEDEGREELEVELBOND
[+]784.03.1a1000-0000 (ST. AUGUSTINE POLICE DEPARTMENT)BATTERYFM$500.00






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FEATURED, PEOPLE

TRACING THEIR ROOTS AND EXTENDING THEIR REACH: STERRY PIANO’S ST. AUGUSTINE LEGACY

The legendary piano purveyors are extending their deep St. Augustine roots by passing music on to the next generation. 
frederic sterry poses in the sterry piano studio



MEET THE AUTHOR

    Carmen lives in St. Augustine with her husband Brad, son Gabriel, and German Shepherd Gabby. She also works full-time for the Florida National Guard Public Affairs Office. She holds a Bachelor of Arts in English from Florida State University.



    -------------

    -----Original Message-----
    From: Ed Slavin
    To: coc ; hconrad
    Cc: esqbarger ; sunshine ; pat.gleason ; tomcushman ; kjakab ; mary ; nadine ; bfox ; jregan ; tupchurch ; lfreeman ; nsikeskline ; rhorvath ; jvaldes ; stratton ; carlos ; wesley ; jon ; brittany ; joe ; ckelley ; sheldon.gardner ; bcc1jjohns ; bcc2jsmith ; bcc3pwaldron ; bcc4jblocker ; bcc5hdean ; pmccormack ; comugeorge ; commengland ; commkostka ; comdsamora ; comdrumrell ; pwilliamson ; kmayo ; larizzar ; shorsteinb ; waltbog
    Sent: Sat, Aug 3, 2019 2:15 pm
    Subject: Request No. 2019-316: Anti-Gay Battery in St. Augustine, Florida: Secrecy in State of Florida v. Frederic Sterry Smith, Case No. 19001283MMMA

    Dear Mr. Conrad:
    1. Please place all records on this anti-gay hate crime battery on. the Clerk's website by noon on August 5, 2019.
    2. In item 13, July 31, 2019:
    "PER MATT- ALL DOCUMENTS TO BE HIDDEN FROM THE WEB UNTIL THIS OFFICE RECEIVES ORDER FROM JUDGE REF THE CONFIDENTIALLY(sic) OF THIS CASE,"  
     who is "Matt?":
    19001283MMMA - STATE OF FLORIDA vs. SMITH, FREDERIC STERRY
    blank

    Judge:
    CHRISTINE, ALEXANDER R JR 
    Case Number:
    19001283MMMA 
    Clerk File Date:
    7/29/2019 
    Total Fees Due:
    0.00 
    Agency Report Number:
    19OFF001670 

    Court Type:
    Misdemeanor 
    Uniform Case Number:
    552019MM001283XXAXMX 
    Status Date:
    7/29/2019  
    Custody Location:
    CASH BOND POSTED 

    Case Type:
    Status:
    OPEN 
    Waive Speedy Trial:
    Agency:
    ST AUGUSTINE POLICE DEPT 
    TYPEPARTY NAMEATTORNEY
    DEFENDANT 
    Active BARGER, JILL STANTON (Main Attorney)
    PLAINTIFF 
    STATE OF FLORIDA
    COUNTDESCRIPTIONLEVELDEGREEPLEADISPOSITIONDISPOSITION DATE
    BATTERY (784.03 1a1)  
    DATEEVENTJUDGELOCATIONRESULT
    8/15/2019 1:30 PM CIT APP MISDEMEANOR CHRISTINE, ALEXANDER R JR Courtroom 255 
    DINDATEENTRY
     147/31/2019PRE-TRIAL RELEASE NO CONTACT ORDER 
     137/31/2019PER MATT- ALL DOCUMENTS TO BE HIDDEN FROM THE WEB UNTIL THIS OFFICE RECEIVES ORDER FROM JUDGE REF THE CONFIDENTIALLY OF THIS CASE 
     127/31/2019REQUEST FOR REDACTION OF CONFIDENTIAL PERSONAL INFORMATION FROM PUBLIC RECORDS (FS 119.071) 
     117/31/2019NOTICE EMAILED TO ATTORNEY (DEFENDANT) 
     107/31/2019FIRST APPEARANCE FORM 
     97/31/2019CIT APP MISDEMEANOR SET FOR 08/15/2019 AT 1:30 PM IN 255/ , JDG: CHRISTINE, ALEXANDER R JR 
     77/31/2019NOTICE OF APPEARANCE 
     67/31/2019NOTICE OF CONFIDENTIAL COURT FILE 
     57/31/2019DEFENSE ATTORNEY: BARGER, JILL STANTON ASSIGNED 
     47/29/2019ARREST REPORT 
     27/29/2019JUDGE CHRISTINE, ALEXANDER R JR: ASSIGNED 
     17/29/2019CASE FILED 07/29/2019 CASE NUMBER 19001283MMMA 
     87/28/2019CASH BOND 19029 POSTED $500.00 ISSUED - 07/28/2019 - BATTERY 
     37/27/2019ARREST COUNT: 1 - (784.03 1A1) BATTERY 
    blank


    With kindest regards, I am,
    Sincerely yours,
    Ed Slavin
    904-377-4998
    www.cleanupcityofstaugustine.blogspot.com
    www.edslavin.com














    2 comments:

    Anonymous said...

    Way to go Mr. Slavin. Expose the racists for what they are.

    Anonymous said...

    Way to go, Mr. Slavin. Expose the racists for what they are.