Posted on 02/11/2006 9:05:58 PM PST by FreedomCalls
AN Australian tourist has been charged with assault after telling a Texas woman to stop talking on her mobile phone at the movies.
Pauline Clayton was enjoying a matinee screening of Brokeback Mountain in a Texas cinema when her day suddenly turned ugly.
The former Sunshine Coast councillor said about halfway through the movie, a mobile phone started ringing nearby, a woman answered it and started talking.
"I put one finger up to my mouth to shoosh her," Ms Clayton said.
"She ignored me - I then leaned across and touched her with three or four fingers on the top of her arm."
When the "very large" woman failed to end her call, Ms Clayton again touched her on the shoulder and that was when the woman exploded.
Ms Clayton said the woman stood up over her, started shouting expletives at her and then stormed out of the cinema, in the town of Webster, just outside Houston.
A short time later two Texas police officers walked into the cinema and escorted Ms Clayton out.
She said the police took her to the food bar and explained that the woman had accused Ms Clayton of "invading her private space". The woman had made a complaint of assault because Ms Clayton had touched her.
"They were very apologetic," Ms Clayton said.
"They were very uncomfortable."
Ms Clayton said the officers had tried to dissuade the woman from making a complaint and had even told the woman that if she did make the complaint, police would charge the woman with disorderly conduct and using a profanity for her outburst in the cinema.
The woman refused to back down and not only was Ms Clayton charged, but the woman is now also due in court after being charged over her behaviour.
Ms Clayton was issued a citation and will appear in a Texas court next week to answer the charge.
With the help of an off-duty police officer who saw the fracas, she is hoping to escape with only a fine.
In the meantime Ms Clayton said she was hoping to get back to see the second half of Brokeback Mountain.
If convicted, Ms Clayton who grew up in Victoria and once worked as a journalist for The Sun newspaper in Brisbane, faces a fine of up to $675.
She said she had been told a conviction would not affect her chances of re-entering the US. Police said it was a "little matter" and they would not be notifying US immigration authorities about any conviction.
"Pauline Clayton was enjoying a matinee screening of Brokeback Mountain in a Texas cinema when her day suddenly turned ugly."
hahahahah hahahahaha best line in an article in a long time
You are so fortunate.
The lady you described was a "civilized Texas Lady".
You would be pushing up daisies by now if she was just an ordinary Texan.
Brokeback Mtn playing to sold out theaters in texas. Color me surprised. Maybe Texas will be known in the next decade as the "gay state"?
Katrina refugee?
bump
Oh, where is the mini-EMP generator when you need it?
Either that, or a transmitter to squirt a good, loud pig squeal onto her ear.
No need to illegally block signals, if you are properly armed for the job.
This is why I watch movies at home.
(I will be sure to pick something better than brokeback mountain, too, by the way)
Not to give away too much of the movie but the guy gets it in the end
Don't mess with Texas (unless it's a loudmouth on a cellphone in a movie theater -- then you have my permission to go ahead and mess with them).
I HATE it when I 'copy' and the Clipboard doesn't.
The previews tell you a million times to turn off your cell phones or put it in "silent" mode. If you're going to sit in a theater for two hours can't you tell your friends ahead of time this?
Waiting for the "I have a right to carry a cell phone anywhere because I'm a doctor or nurse on call" crowd to chime in.
How so? Would ordinary Texans have insisted upon gabbing away in the middle of a crowded theater?
Go to hell....
lol, but really please please please for the love of god don't say that.
I'll bet that's what she was talking on the phone about.
Who knew that they were showing BBM in Webster? These two women must have been the only people in the theater.
Webster cops used to use their flashlights for "encouragement"...
Times change...
Friendswood, Clear Lake, Clear Creek, Pearland, Alvin - they wouldn't put up with a lot of foolishness...
Old days, I guess.
Me too. Actually I did go to the theaters for a matinee to see "Curious George" with my 5 year old daughter. Some family brought in a newborn baby that cried every now and then.
The movie was good though....great animation I'm glad it was done in traditional animation instead of computer generated or live-action with the monkey being CGI.
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