A man says he was charged with disorderly conduct after using the word “crippled” to promote a disabled comedian with muscular dystrophy and claims Cincinnati police violated his free speech rights.  

Forest Thomer of Cold Spring, Kentucky, was charged in June in Cincinnati.He and comedian Ally Bruener of Alexandria, Kentucky, say he had asked people at a public park if they wanted to “laugh at the crippled girl.”

Bruener says she would tell a joke after Thomer asked the question.

He and Bruener say it was intended not to demean Bruener but to promote her next comedy performance and her website.

Bruener says she uses humor to try to remove any stigma from the word “crippled.”

A Cincinnati police spokesman declined to comment.