ID or Jail: John Choe’s Arrest podcast interview

Mokah speaks one-on-one with John Choe. On this episode, Mokah dives into the powerful and unsettling story of John Choe, a traveling minister who found himself in handcuffs on a rainy Sunday afternoon. Tune in to hear what really happened, why he stood his ground, and what his story reveals about policing, civil rights, and the cost of knowing—and exercising—your rights.

BACK STORY

On Sunday morning, February 16, 2025, John planned to worship at Athens Friends Meeting in Clarke County, Georgia. On his way to the Meeting, it began to rain heavily, and he stopped at a Murphy USA gas station to wait out the thunderstorm. After parking his car, John read a book, Sky Full of Elephants, by Cebo Campbell.

John was interrupted by a knock on his car door by armed men who demanded his ID. The men didn't identify themselves, but it soon became clear they were police officers. They accused John of parking too long and trespassing. The men continued to demand his ID and refused to allow him to drive away. John refused to give his ID because he had done nothing wrong and they had no probable cause he committed a crime. John was then handcuffed and driven to Clarke County Jail, where his belongings (including cash from his wallet) were confiscated. John was placed in a jail cell with people who had been arrested for jaywalking, driving a car with tinted windows, and drinking in the middle of a parking lot. Many couldn’t afford to pay their bond and were stuck in jail.

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