Posted on 08/04/2010 4:51:50 PM PDT by mdittmar
TAVARES, Fla. -- A Lake County mother was arrested at a childrens 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.
Lovetts 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
Seen two,ya seen ‘em all.
Law enforcement in Florida, what a bunch of boobs!
TTIWWP
When we upheld higher standards of behavior, there are fewer criminals as well. Giuliani has drastically reduced crime in the NYC by going after smaller wrongs.
Was the arresting officer male or female? Did they pat her down?
Coming to AZ. soon.
Can they arrest you for “failing to provide your name fast enough”?
Resisting arrest without violence???
What in the hell is that? Sounds like a failure to grovel fast enough.
Glad to see that law enforcement is all over a perfectly hamrless woman splashing in a pool with her child.
God forbid that they actually clamp down on the army of vicious, thieving, disease-ridden vermin streaming across our nation’s borders.
I’m still studying that idea. I’ll let you know my conclusions in a few years! ;-P
She should sue for "falsie arrest".
That used to be my outlook, but unfortunately the police have used up all of their "benefit of the doubt" chips with me.
Oh, yeah, that explains it. Just like the guys in the movie deliverance, eh? All "yankees," weren't they?
It's a sick place, Florida.
Remember, that's her attorney's characterization of the incident. But, Hiibel clearly held that the police can effect arrest of an individual if they refuse to identify themselves. I don't necessarily like the law, but that's the law.
The lawyer is also plainly wrong about the latitude the police have just to ask someone for ID - the Court has given LE wide birth in this regard. Again - I don't write the laws or always agree with them, but I understand them.
Are there any good cops left?
.
Jury is still out!!
I'd settle for just a bad smart cop. Everyday, it seems to get a little worse, and it doesn't help when we have conservative justices expanding their (the police) power.
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