From State v. Andrade, decided Dec. 1, 2025 by Cumberland County (Maine) Superior Court Judge Darcie McElwee, but only recently posted on Westlaw:
Defendant is a Christian who feels it is his religious duty to share his beliefs with others. Defendant regularly prays, preaches, displays signs, plays religious music, and engages with members of the public at the corner of Elm and Congress Streets in Portland. Defendant's signs and prayers frequently convey messages against medical procedures involving abortion. From 2023 through 2025, Defendant has engaged in this conduct at the same location on a roughly weekly basis, typically for three or four hours at a time. Often, but not always, Defendant loudly plays music through a mobile speaker and/or uses a microphone and speakers to amplify his voice. He is sometimes accompanied by other individuals also seeking to share their personal beliefs….
Lindsey Stevens, the Clime's Health Center Manager, credibly testified that when Defendant uses amplifiers, his voice and/or music can be heard inside the examination and counseling rooms of the Clinic. On occasion, Stevens can hear Defendant's music from her office in the back right corner of the Clinic—one of the farthest locations within the Clinic from Defendant's typical location.
When amplification is used, Defendant's conduct disrupts the provision of patient care at the Clinic. His amplified voice and music make it difficult for patients and care providers, including Stevens, to hear and understand each other. Patients are often distracted by the noise and exhibit physical signs of distress. On occasions when Defendant uses amplifiers, the Clinic moves patients to other rooms when possible. This can cause delays in patients receiving counseling and/or treatment. [The court also recounted police officers' testimony that defendant used sound amplification, and was quite loud. -EV] …
