Preacher taunter to jail

The student forcibly detained by campus officers after a confrontation with a preacher in the park blocks Oct. 28 has been identified as John E. Timberman, 42.

According to the current police blotter, Timberman was lodged at the Multnomah County Detention Center under a charge of disorderly conduct.

Normally, a first trip to the detention center in this type of offense results in being “mugged and printed,” or photographed and fingerprinted.

The Vanguard, on Oct. 29, printed a half-page layout of photos of the incident with a story by Katie Leonard. The blotter reported that officers were first called to the Park Blocks at 12:30 p.m. on a complaint that the preachers were occupying a reserved stage in front of Smith Memorial Student Union. The blotter also reported that officers responded to the confrontation just before 2:30 p.m.

Leonard reported that student eyewitnesses said a confrontation between Timberman and Preacher Jim escalated from yelling to gesturing to “forceful, full-contact pointing.” Onlookers also told Leonard that once the accused began yelling, Preacher Jim’s companions grabbed the man and began wrestling him away.

Michael Soto, chief of Campus Public Safety, was at the scene and said it was up to Preacher Jim whether further charges would be filed. Preacher Jim told officers he did not intend to press charges, saying, “I know what I do causes problems.”

Officers experienced a struggle in subduing Timberman, finally forcing him to the ground to handcuff him. As they lifted him to his feet and escorted him away, other campus officers faced the crowd and said they would welcome any statement about the incident.

Timberman is scheduled to appear at the Westside Community Court in the Multnomah County Courthouse at 1 p.m. Tuesday, Nov. 25.