Posted on 09/14/2014 3:34:06 PM PDT by Kaslin
At first glance, this story doesn’t look like the sort of thing which would normally catch our attention, but it really does tie in to broader issues currently under discussion nationally in terms of race relations and how the police interact with those they serve and protect. Out on the left coast, quite close to the liberal Ground Zero of Hollywood, actress Daniele Watts ran into some trouble this week. (You may remember Watts from her appearance in Django Unchained among other roles.) As Reason tells the tale, she was outdoors, hanging out with her husband and talking on the phone with her father, when she was approached by the police.
African-American actress Danièle Watts claims she was “handcuffed and detained” by police officers from the Studio City Police Department in Los Angeles on Thursday after allegedly being mistaken for a prostitute.
According to accounts by Watts and her husband Brian James Lucas, two police officers mistook the couple for a prostitute and client when they were seen showing affection in public. Watts refused to show her ID to the cops when questioned and was subsequently handcuffed and placed in the back of their car while police attempted to ascertain her identity. The two officers released Watts shortly afterwards.
There are two sides to this story and we shouldn’t ignore either of them. I will grant that there are questions to be answered as to how and why the officers determined that she might be a prostitute and approached her on that basis. Watts is black and her husband is white, so it would be disingenuous to ignore that aspect of the encounter with the cops entirely. If this was an area which was experiencing a lot of problems and complaints about such activity, they might approach anyone. But if this was some sort of selective targeting which was out of their normal enforcement priorities, it’s fair to ask questions about that.
But there’s a second part to this story as well. By her own account of the events, the cops began by asking questions, not throwing her to the ground, tazing her or any other such tactics. And the leading question – which I’m sure anyone of any race who has ever had to speak to the police has heard as well – was can we see your ID? This is pretty basic. If the cops think that there might be a crime to be investigated, ascertaining who they are speaking with is pretty much square one. Watts made the conscious decision to refuse to identify herself or show her ID.
What are the cops supposed to do in cases like this? If there was a burglary in the area and they saw someone who matched the description of a suspect, if that person refuses to show their ID should the police just say, Oh well, I guess that’s a dead end and walk away? Watts clearly knew where this was going and it’s difficult to believe she didn’t react that way as a provocative act to get a reaction from the police. Had she simply identified herself and revealed that the person with her was her husband – particularly given her high profile identity – this matter would have been over in moments. And in the end, she was not taken to the station, locked up, or anything else. The cops figured out who she was, that there was no crime in progress, and cut her loose.
Many years ago, Chris Rock put out a comedy video about how not to get in trouble with the police. (Language warning should go without saying.) Behind the humor there’s probably some pretty good advice to be found. (And before you set your hair on fire, yes… that was a joke. And I’ve always loved that video.)
Actress. Prostitute. easy mistake to make.
The photo shows a woman in handcuffs that certainly looks like a street ho... in shorts that only Michelle 0bama, or one oc the Huxtable daughters would wear.
If you dress like a prostitute, the police may suspect that you are a prostitute.
I saw the headline elsewhere. “Black Actress Arrested For Kissing White Husband”. I didn’t even click to see what the story was since I am pretty sure it was nonsense.
Huxtable daughters would wear.
No, I wouldn't go near a movie where the hero is proud to have killed all the white people in the film. Talk about racism!
” the police may suspect that you are a prostitute.”
Is that enough for Probable Cause and detention?
Doesn't seem that long ago we weren't required to carry ID unless driving or going into a secure area. When did we become Nazi Germany?
California is not a “stop and identify” state. She had every right not to provide ID, and the cops had no right to detain her. She’s probably going to get a small settlement from the taxpayers of LA for her troubles.
Yes, she does look homeless. Plus...the article says she sat on his lap in a car and started making out. It was a fair question by the police.
She’s dressed fine. That’s California casual, and in all fairness, you don’t know why she’s out and about.
You must be one of those progressives provocateurs.
She made it worse for herself by ignoring the officers request to see her I.D., then continuing to walk away. Common sense tells most urban dwellers to show the officer the damn license or I.D. and be done with it. Now she wants to play drama queen turned victim. Her husband showed his I.D. and was not arrested.
Studio City is a nicer part of the valley..especially on Ventura Blvd, nice shops, if the cops see anything suspicious I can’t say I blame them for going up to them and asking questions
If the cops had probable cause, then she is required to identify herself verbally, she does not have to "show papers", but she must be truthful.
If the cops have probable cause to believe that she is untruthful or is involved in the commission of a crime, they may hold her for a reasonable number of hours (determined by local courts) to ascertain her identity.
Assuming that she was with her husband and that he identified himself verbally, I think the taxpayers are gonna take it in the shorts this time.
Yep, that's pretty much the gist of it.
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