Man claims innocent plea led to police stalking

Could a seat belt violation make a stalker out of a policeman? An eastern Iowa man says it can.A Princeton man says an attorney representing either the city or county told him he was liable to face retribution from Princeton Police officers if he pleaded innocent to a seatbelt charge. But Elliott Farro, who was eventually found guilty by a judge, says he pleaded innocent anyway because he wasn’t guilty. Farro, who made his comments to Princeton Mayor Daniel Dawson and the city council, says the attorney was right. He says Officer Rocco Marrari later sat in front of his house alongside a highway with his lights off for four or five nights. Police Chief Chris Bryant did not respond to the allegation and Marrari was unavailable for comment. Princeton residents have been complaining for months that part-time officers are overzealous and harassing people. The mayor says an investigation is underway. But he says controlling the police is the council’s job, and the council has taken no action.