Woman, 70, Bloody nose for having a dry lawn

sltrib.com ^ | 07/07/07 | Julie Espinosa

[TornadoAlley3]

'He really abused me,' resident says after arrest by Orem police officer

OREM - Two days after Independence Day, 70-year-old Betty Perry experienced an ordeal she said shouldn't be happening in America.

The retired military and U.S. government employee answered the door at her home Friday morning to talk with a police officer about her bone-dry lawn and ended up getting arrested and suffering a bloody nose. "What have I done?" she asked. "I'm old now. I can't believe this."

The Orem police officer, as yet unnamed by city officials, cited Perry for violating a city ordinance with her "sadly neglected and dying landscape," which resembles dry hay.

When Perry refused to give her name and tried to walk inside to call her son, the officer tried to arrest her, police say. According to a police news release, while she was struggling, she tripped and fell on her doorstop, cutting open the bridge of her nose. But Perry maintains the officer split her nose when he hit her with the set of handcuffs he was trying to restrain her with.

"As far as I'm concerned, he really abused me - he brutally abused me," Perry said. "For what?" The officer called for backup, because he was driving a truck, and the now-handcuffed Perry was taken to a holding facility in Orem. She was not given water or allowed to wash her hands or call her son, she said.

"After being booked, supervisors became aware of the circumstances and immediately released the woman and returned her to her home on the basis that there were other options available to handle this situation besides making an arrest and holding the woman in jail," Orem police Lt. Doug Edwards wrote in the news release.

[rednesss]

That’s what I was thinking.

[Old Mountain man]

AMEN!

[shhrubbery!]

No, I agree the video isn't enough evidence to go on. I posted it only because I think it's pretty clear the police are in CYA mode.

I'm also basing my suspicions on the comments of witnesses, who were shown on local TV at the time of the incident (I live in NJ and saw more of the reportage than is now available online).

Yes, the police claim that the animal control guy gave the order to kill, and the reporter repeats that claim. But I'm skeptical. Never saw the animal control guy confirm that; and even if he did, well, if you knew NJ police like some of us who live here, you know he might be afraid to say otherwise.

[dragnet2]

Thanks. It’s been enjoyable batting this around with you.

I respect your responses.

[dragnet2]

I saw that officer be totally professional with her.

Are you a LEO? I ask as it was stated the officer called in backup for transport.

[dragnet2]

I watched as the woman dashed into her house. The officer was then obligated to keep her from doing so. She had no information to proceed with writing a citation and in that 1 chance in a million, she returns with a loaded shot gun.

Interesting. You watched her dash into her home, but she was kept from doing so?

[GATOR NAVY]

I'm surprised to find anyone who thinks that is acceptable for the state to be this involved in a citizen's landscaping to be found here on Free Republic.

Lots of folks find it unacceptable until the nut in question lives next door to them and starts affecting their property values. Then they're all for state intervention.

[Eaker]

Your tagline.

(Men should be well trained...start before marriage.)

Muslims think the same of their women.

You have no credibility for this alone.

[Ken H]

I think the use of the term "dash" is suspect as well. That makes it sound like she was running from the officer. Orem PD is apparently not claiming it either. From the article:

When Perry refused to give her name and tried to walk inside to call her son, the officer tried to arrest her, police say.

I see nothing at all to indicate an out of control or agitated state on the part of Perry before the officer grabbed her.

[LowOiL]

your a moron

Thanks newbie, I like to tick of a nutcase every so often...

Woe to you when all men speak well of you, for that is how their fathers treated the false prophets. Luke 6:26 NIV

and I hope I never have to live in a town where YOU write the rules

I didn't write the rules in that town now did I, but she knew the rules for several years and was numerous times told she was not in compliance... Warned by the city counsel members in person one time on her own door step... We now know from a neighbor on this thread that she was not hurting for lack of funds... I don't like the rule myself, I don't like anyone having the right to tell what to do with my own property, but not liking does not change the law now does it.

If you think that the home invasion, physical roughing up, cuffing and arrest of a 70 year old woman because her LAWN WASN’T PRETTY

First off, she wasn't arrested because her Lawn wasn't pretty, she was arrested because she pitched a hissy fit and ran back into her house which endangered the officer. She was getting a citation, a fine, a piece of paper that says she must pay because she broke the rules for years and the neighbors with property values hurt were tired of it. Victimless BS scream all you want, them the facts and she admitted most if it herself. As a personal neighbor said about her, she is a loon ... and she is playing you like the newbie you are.

If you are in favor of ignoring laws for special circirstances (age,health) let me know. Clinton could say he ignored OBL because of his health problems. Certainly didn't help it by ignoring the problem. How many more years were they gonna just ignore this lady? How many years and warnings was enough?

* Let grace be shown to the wicked, yet he will not learn righteousness... Isa. 26:10

Years later this lady is still flanting the law... see post 260 and 259 for first hand reports from neighbors. Oddly, they seem to back up what I surmised about her possible being subject to panic fits when things don't go their way. I have seen it dozens of times before in my wife's grandmother.

[LowOiL]

Source: http://www.policeone.com/news/1287501/ Perry, an avid cross-country RV-driver who recently got back from a trip to Florida, said she has never had a run-in with the law, not even a traffic ticket. Perry bought her home near 1500 South and 800 East 11 years ago to give to her son. She said she loved the view of the mountains from her property. She said she's spent $25,000 on indoor renovations but just hasn't had the time or money to fix the lawn.

Looks like the fellow neighbor that posted in post 259 and 260 was telling the truth about how money was NOT an issue here.

[LowOiL]

Yet she still sticks by her story of not having money...

Perry told KSL-TV. "I can't afford to turn my water on for $50 a month. ...

Source: http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,288642,00.html

Question, how much does it cost to drive to Florida a few times a year in an RV ?

[LowOiL]

Source: http://deseretnews.com/dn/view/0,1249,680197110,00.html

Perry said she's been requesting yard help from neighbors, church groups, Boy Scout groups and even the city, but has been ignored, she said. She said she tries to keep the weeds at bay but doesn't want to pay for water that will feed the weeds.

Three vacations in a RV this year to Florida, but she is too cheap to pay for an tiny yard weedeat a couple of times a year? Too cheap to pay for one watering this year? This going on for over 2 years?

[ReignOfError]

Thanks. It’s been enjoyable batting this around with you. BR>
I respect your responses.

Thanks. Same here.

[trisham]

Lots of folks find it unacceptable until the nut in question lives next door to them and starts affecting their property values. Then they're all for state intervention.

************

Yes, which is human nature, and yet another reason to cherish our constitution. If we needed one. :)

[trisham]

Heh. Good catch.

[Manic_Episode]

The old bag had it coming.

[NucSubs]

Oh for crying out loud your a lunatic. The energy you have expended twisting reality and logic in defense of these authority abusing thugs is mind boggling. Are you a lawyer? You should be. John Edwards would love you.

Nothing changes the fact that she was a harmless old woman who was abused because her lawn was not pretty and the thug's own superiors saw this (even though you cannot) when they let her go.

You really are not that bright if you insist on pushing such an untenable position.

I like to tick of a nutcase every so often...

So I assume lunacy runs in your family then? Or do you just rant your moonbattery to the mirror?

[Fawn]

My tagline was a response to someone elses tagline in a Rush Limbaugh thread the other day.....it was a joke.....I meant to change it back sooner....

[Fawn]

Meant to ask....are you saying you don’t believe the water restrictions and the corrolation to the increase in home construction? That’s been talked about for years.....