On the morning of February 16, 2025, John Choe, a traveling minister with the Religious Society of Friends (Quakers), was on his way to worship at Athens Friends Meeting in Arnoldsville, Georgia. As heavy rain began to fall, he pulled into a Murphy USA gas station in Clarke County to wait out the storm. Parking responsibly, far from the entrance, he remained in his car, reading Sky Full of Elephants by Cebo Campbell.
What happened next serves as a troubling example of law enforcement overreach, racial profiling, and a justice system that prioritizes revenue over rights.
A sudden knock on his car door startled Choe. A man with a weapon stood outside, failing to identify himself while demanding identification. Startled but composed, Choe raised his hands and exited the vehicle. Only then did he realize the man was a police officer—his name tag read “Lavalley.” The accusation? That Choe had been parked too long and was now trespassing.
Despite calmly explaining that he was waiting for the rain to subside before continuing to church, Officer Lavalley was uninterested in explanations. When Choe declined to hand over his ID—knowing his rights and recognizing that he had done nothing wrong—the officer escalated the situation, refusing to let him leave. Choe requested the presence of a supervisor, hoping reason would prevail. Instead, the supervisor arrived only to reinforce the threats of arrest if he did not comply.
Choe was subsequently handcuffed and taken to Clarke County Jail.
His belongings, including cash, were confiscated. He was placed in a filthy cell alongside individuals arrested for infractions as minor as jaywalking and tinted windows—people trapped by a system that demands payment for freedom. As he sat on the cold bench, the undeniable racial disparity was evident: nearly every other detainee was African-American.
Denied water and food for the many hours he remained incarcerated, Choe also observed the jail’s striking focus on money. Choe was informed that he had to pay a “Sheriff’s fee” and bond—reduced from an absurd $3,000 to $26 after confirming his clean record—to be released from jail. The final charge? No mention of “trespassing” or “loitering”—only “Obstruction” of a law enforcement officer.
A first time visitor to Athens, Georgia, and far from home, Choe was disoriented and was left to find his own way upon discharge from jail. The fear that his car had been impounded loomed, but using free wifi found along the highway, Choe was able to return to the gas station—a half-hour walk later—where his car remained untouched.
This arrest was a wrongful act. Officer Lavalley and his department will likely attempt to justify their actions with baseless claims. The truth is an upstanding citizen was unjustly targeted, harassed, and detained. The fact that the police could only come up with “Obstruction of LEO” as the sole remaining charge underscores that the entire arrest had no legitimate basis. Law enforcement officers knowingly abused their authority, and such behavior must not go unchallenged.
Choe’s experience is not an isolated incident but a reflection of a deeply flawed system, where the presumption of innocence is too often ignored.
This was not a lawful arrest. These officers must be held accountable. For more information or interviews, contact John Choe at john@interfaith.nyc.
