Posted on 02/24/2005 7:06:18 PM PST by Mr. Mojo
Teen boy, mother with baby had been arrested after confrontation with shouting, 'crazy' officer
Not only have the charges against a South Carolina teenage boy and a homeschooling mother stemming from a confrontation with a plainclothes police officer been dropped, but the officer involved has been fired.
The two were arrested – the boy for carrying a concealed weapon and the mother for assaulting a police officer – after the cop confronted the boy in a picnic shelter where a homeschool support group had gathered for socializing and play.
As WorldNetDaily reported, the incident occurred at Simpsonville Park in Simpsonville, S.C. Feb. 16. A group of mothers and children from Upstate Homeschoolers Unlimited were meeting together when a plainclothes policeman rushed into the picnic shelter where some of the homeschoolers were gathered, reportedly after a call came in to police about someone in the park having a knife.
According to parents who witnessed the event, the policeman began shouting at two teenage boys, pushing at least one to the ground. When he went to grab one of the boys, a mother, who at the time was holding another woman's baby, stepped in to stop him, not realizing he was a police officer.
Priscilla Adams and Jan Blanchard were two of the other moms present.
"(The intervening mother) turned to Jan and said, 'Call the police.' That's when he told us that he was the police," Adams said.
The 16-year-old boy was arrested for carrying a concealed weapon, a small hunting knife on his belt, and the mother was arrested for assaulting a police officer, even though witnesses say the man's badge and gun were not in a place where they easily could be seen.
Continued Adams: "The plainclothes officer was incredibly belligerent and angry right from the moment he rushed under the shelter. He could so easily have stopped as soon as he came up to us, announced that he was a police officer and needed to talk to the boy with the knife, but he didn't do any of that. Instead he shouted, shoved, verbally abused, intimidated. He acted so horrible it never occurred to me, or to any of us, that he was a police officer. He just seemed like a crazy man."
Police Chief Charles Reece told WND today that charges have been dropped.
"I am in the process of dealing with it right now," he said.
A press release Reece issued also mentions that the plainclothes officer, identified in earlier press reports as Investigator Michael Snow, "has been terminated."
Adams, reflecting on the latest development, told WND: "This is great news!"
Was it reported that a school teacher call it in or are you speculating? (Just wondering)
That doesn't sound "concealed" to me.
Yeah, he probably had a number of other incidents, making his firing after this one an easy call.
I'm sure he can find a job with BATF or even DHS.
Hmmm.
The cop defenders are notably absent on this thread....
"Don't be too enthusiastic. I find that idiot cops that get fired from one police force invariably move to a small town to bully and harass people there. It could be your town."
You are so very correct. That is why I say he should be charged and convicted of assault and thus lose his state "peace officer" status. Otherwise he will just move.
I don't want to appear anti-police, because they do serve a necessary/important role when they are kept in control. It is difficult work. However, as a society we essentially surrender many "freedoms" by appointing a class of people to stand over us as enforcers of the law. Of course, this is necessary or we would have anarchy and vigilantes running amuck. However, I don't think it is too much to ask that persons selected to be these law enforcers come up to a VERY high level of conduct and standards of operation.
"In most towns I have lived in half the town could be arrested on any given day for carrying a hunting knife on their belt. Especially during hunting season."
Plus, if it is in plain sight it is not "concealed carry." Of course most places had laws against open carry of any "weapon." I think that in Arizona you can openingly carry a weapon. I bet folks are REALLY polite to each other in Arizona!
After reading the link in posting #42, one can't help but believe that animals like those aren't WORTH defending.
It's instinctive to hate the evil (in-uniform, or out-of-uniform) which takes advantage of honest citizens just because it thinks it can. Many have been on the receiving-end of an abusive cop and wish the roles could have been reversed. Who isn't glad to see an abusive cop make out badly.
His could have been two fatal mistakes in not identifying himself immediately and not comporting himself in a manner befitting his office.
It's a shame Sarah wasn't carrying a pigsticker too - she could've been close-enough to do the job.
The original call came from a public school teacher (i.e. homeschool-hating gestapo educrat).
If there had not been so much publicity on this, the mother would have been railroaded into prison and the DSS would already be putting all the children up for an adoption bounty from a state institution.
Nice little glimpse of Hillary's Village.
A video interview with the Chief here:
http://www.thecarolinachannel.com/news/4229947/detail.html
I hope that's not the case(for the sake of any possible victims), but I wouldn't be surprised if it were true.
Good!
I would try to explain what a cowboy is in this usage but it is better you remain ignorant.
UT, A&M and possibly Baylor can kick the Vol's asses!
Of course, someone from Tenn with a NE elitist leaning might not appreciate this.
Cowboys were our heroes, and they kissed their horses, not girls! (little strange now, but when you are 6, it seemed the right thing to do).
For your edification:
http://www.washingtontimes.com/commentary/20050224-082213-2713r.htm
While disinterested in further discussion, you may find the lead article here very interesting. I am interested in your take on it.
Yup - and it wouldn't surprise me if she specifically called that (plainclothes) 'brownshirt' to go over there (and trash them as he did).
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