Homeless man on probation arrested for urinating on City Hall building, stealing shopping cart
Staff report
GAINESVILLE, Fla. – Maurice Marsalis Terry, 40, was arrested early this morning after a security guard reported seeing him urinating on the side of the Gainesville City Hall building; he was also charged with trespassing after a warning, illegal possession of a shopping cart, and resisting an officer without violence.
At about 3:35 a.m. on August 31, a security guard called law enforcement to report that Terry, who had been trespassed from City Hall (200 E. University Avenue) earlier in the evening, was urinating on the side of the City Hall building.
The responding Gainesville Police Department officer reported that when he arrived, Terry was sleeping underneath the ingress/egress port of the City Hall building; when the officer attempted to place him in handcuffs, Terry allegedly resisted by stiffening his arms and tucking them into his body.
Officers also reported that Terry had his belongings in a Harbor Freight shopping cart, and the officer noted that he had seen Terry with the same shopping cart “on multiple previous encounters.” The officer reportedly verified that Terry does not work at Harbor Freight.
Terry, who is described as homeless on the arrest report, has been charged with illegally possessing a shopping cart, resisting an officer without violence, trespassing after a warning, and disturbing the peace (public urination). He has three felony convictions (one violent) and three misdemeanor convictions (non-violent), and he is currently on probation for burglary of an unoccupied structure. Judge Joy Danne set bail at $40,000.
Articles about arrests are based on reports from law enforcement agencies. The charges listed are taken from the arrest report and/or court records and are only accusations. All suspects are innocent until proven guilty in a court of law.
Mayor Ward should give our poor urinal-deprived houseless neighbor a pardon. After all, this is the funniest article I’ve read in ages.
Damn! I wish every homeless person in the county would do that. That would be like the recent tragedy in Nepal only it wouldn’t be a tragedy here.🤣😂🤣
No harm is intended but the thought of City Hall floating down University Avenue in a river of urine would be hilarious and well deserved.
YVFIYGI. Using this human tragedy to construct this pathetic attempt at humor is typical. But, there will be no repercussions because you cower behind a keyboard anonymously.
The real tragedy is what the progressive $0ci@li$ts are doing to the community—especially with regard to the crime, homeless, and potholes.
If you condone and vote for that just because you’re their mouthpiece, you’re part of the problem.
If you continue to support and vote for progressive $0ci@li$t policies you’re part of the problem and none of the solution.
If you support the city and county progressive ideologies, you’re more of the problem than a solution.
Let’s put it to the test. I’m guessing you’re all for equitable policies. If that’s the case, shouldn’t county and city employees who are afforded the luxury of working from home get less of a raise than those who have to commute to and from work every day? What are the costs associated with the wear and tear, fuel costs, as well as time costs of the commute?
Put your money where your mouth is and tell us it’s an equitable boost in wages when presented with those costs.
Terry reportedly stated “I wanted to thank the city of gainesville in a special way for giving me multiple opportunites to better myself”.
Despite all that construction on the plaza, they still have fountains. They just spray yellow.🙃🙃
“Officers also reported that Terry had his belongings in a Harbor Freight shopping cart, and the officer noted that he had seen Terry with the same shopping cart “on multiple previous encounters.” The officer reportedly verified that Terry does not work at Harbor Freight.”
Why didn’t the cop arrest him the first time he saw him with the stolen shopping cart?
Whatever happened to see something, do something?
Cops should be fined and reprimanded if they see panhandlers in intersections and do nothing…it’s a public safety issue… and the trash & litter! The bums just toss it and piss and crap everywhere like this bum did at city hall..nasty, filthy, dirty..
Wasn’t Grace supposed to stop this?
No…it’s a bum magnet and big business..💸
Harvey….give you the downtrodden the keys to the city and what do they do?
Pi$$ on YOU!
Take that!!! Harvey
And really, who among us hasn’t wanted, at least once, to piss on City Hall?