Posted on 08/04/2010 4:51:50 PM PDT by mdittmar
TAVARES, Fla. -- A Lake County mother was arrested at a children’s splash park after her white t-shirt got wet. Now, she's suing the city of Tavares over her arrest. She told WFTV police took an embarrassing situation and turned it into discrimination.
A hot day in April at the Tavares splash park turned into Janet Lovett's own personal nightmare. She took her 7-year-old son to cool off, but before the day was done she found herself behind bars, facing an arrest record for obstruction of justice and resisting arrest without violence.
“I started shaking. I feel nervous. My son was inside park with husband. I was alone,” she said.
A park employee asked Lovett to leave, because the white t-shirt she was wearing had become wet and her padded bra was showing. She says she left, but outside the park gate a police officer approached her and asked her for ID and her name.
“Very scared,” she said. “I've never been arrested before."
The police report indicates Lovett didn't give her name fast enough. The mom says she was scared and wanted to know why she was getting arrested.
Lovett’s attorney, Howard Marks, is demanding those same answers from the city. He says the police had no legal right to ask Lovett for ID, because no crime had been committed.
‘If they were wearing a bra, it's not illegal in the state of Florida. It's not indecent exposure. It's not a crime,” Marks said.
Marks intends to sue the city for violation of civil rights, false arrest and malicious prosecution. He thinks there was more to her arrest that day than the outfit that was deemed inappropriate.
“Either the police were so lacking in training and so incompetent to the law or trying to ID someone who was a potential illegal alien,” Marks said.
Lovett is a U.S. citizen.
The city of Tavares said it does not comment on pending litigation. The police chief told WFTV his officers operated within policy that day
“Alright, up against the wall and spread em!”
Well, is she guilty?
Looks like that 7 year old is going to be getting a “scholarship” to college.
This happens ALL the time at those water parks. the wet tshirt part, not the arrest.
Sounds like she might have the law on her side.
The system is rotten to the core.
What? No pics?
it's a sick place, Florida.
The law needs to be more "transparent". Please keep us "abreast".
Capital punishment.
Glad to see the cops are once again going after dangerous criminals. I guess all the parking meters had already been checked for violations.
WTFTV ?
Probably no college in her son's future; he's autistic (unless he's a high functioning autistic)
They acted stupidly, but they acted stupidly with the law on their side, unfortunately.
Guilty
One of those “there’s more to the story” stories IMO.
“it’s a sick place, Florida. “
Only because all the sickies from up north move down here.
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