Posted on 02/28/2009 6:34:06 AM PST by steve-b
Check out the video below, where WKYC investigative reporter Tom Meyer spoke with Greg Steffey, whose wife, Hope Steffey called 911 after she was assaulted by her cousin. Things took a turn for the worst when the police arrived and treated Hope as the perpetrator. She was arrested, taken to jail, and subjected to a humiliating full-body strip search by both male and female officers, violating the sheriff department's own policy that a strip search be conducted by an officer of the same sex. Hope was then left naked in a cell for six hours. Included in the news segment was video footage of the strip search....
(Excerpt) Read more at clevelandleader.com ...
Those entrusted with the powers and responsibilities of law enforcement officers must live and act as though they are in a fish bowl of scrutiny. I don't care how you try to spin this the video speaks for itself and I can't fathom there being any statements, film evidence or excuses these criminals with badges could put forth to mitigate their behavior.
Fair enough. I asked for evidence and you presented some.
Let’s see how the trial comes out.
Even if she isn’t innocent as driven snow, that does not releive the deputies from their abusive, disgraceful, humiliating, and unlawful actions.
So what’s your point? She deserved it?
My actual point is that it’s standard procedure to lock people up naked if there is the possibility that they may harm themselves because the Trial Lawyers Association makes it’s living suing cities, cops, jails and prisons and Judges (often with partnership interests in law firms earning money with these tort suits) and stupid juries keep rewarding the families of darwin award winners because they feel sorry for them and the “state” can afford it.
Stripping her naked is SANE response to an INsane tort system.
Crap like this doesn’t happen in a vacuum or because all cops are thugs (they’re not) but because this is the natural outcome of a deeply corrupted legal system. We can’t fix the problems at the bottom were the cops work and live until we fix the problems at the top.
We need to stop electing lawyers to political office and we need tort reform as well as a seperate educational and career track for judges. Judges should not be lawyers and lawyers should not become judges.
Make no mistake that the Obama thugocracy will be worse yet because the culture of victimhood is only too ready to give the state even more power and control in exchange for security.
The officers were responding to a medical order by the Dr. on duty to remove her clothing as a suicide prevention. The actions were not unlawful nor were they against policy.
A Grand Jury investigated and declined to indict the officers for any alledged criminal actions. No bill.
The conviction occurred AFTER the arrest and police misconduct. I don't give a damn what your counter argument is the asshat LEOs had no legal or moral justification to rip the panties off of a still innocent citizen. The "evidence" you cite as exculpatory is still only an allegation.
I’ve got no quarrel with you on the subject of trial lawyers.
But it’s a mistake to blame all of this on trial lawyers. Police attitudes in this country need cleanup. A LOT of cleanup. That isn’t happening. Instead, there is an ever-increasing chasm between the police and those they are supposed to serve.
It may indeed be SOP to lock up naked a person intent on self-harm.
But it is NOT SOP for male cops to participate in a sexually-oriented search of a woman. It is COUNTER to this department’s own stated policy. Yet the did it anyway! Screw the law — it doesn’t apply to them. And make no mistake - this is NOT the first time they have done this. Just the first time they were caught on film.
As well, I sure the hell hope it’s not SOP for some fat cow of a cop to FILM the whole thing on her personal video recorder! Video that, along with the security footage the TV station obtained, was never produced to the woman’s defense. Why not? That’s a clear violation of her rights.
I wonder what said police-cow DID with that tape she took. Don’t you wonder, Valpar1? Do those cops sit around in their break room and watch “america’s funniest videos” of the abuse they inflict on those in their charge? Sell it to some pornster on the ‘net? What?
I find this whole incident deeply disturbing.
Then I’m not really sure what your original point is or if it’s still worth responding to. Sir or Madam.
This video is not of a search, it’s of the medical order to remove her clothing as a suicide precaution. My understanding is that she was searched by female officers prior to this, interviewed by a nurse and then a Dr. gave a suicide precaution order. As for male officers being involved being against policy, no it’s not. A lot of misinformation has been put out by the tv station being sued which is why they are being sued.
You say it was a sexually oriented search, the record says otherwise. People view the tapes and get all upset because they lack experience in jails and psychiatric centers.
There was a time when this women would have been transported to the county mental hospital, oh wait, we don’t have those anymore, because the TLA sued them out of existence. But would it really make a difference if the men removing her clothes were wearing white coats instead of blue uniforms?
As to whether the defense is honest in it’s claims about the tapes being properly turned over, I have no way to judge if that happened or not. Lawyers lie. They could have received the tapes in the original discovery, disposed of them and then made a stink about not receiving them for strategic reasons. It’s also possible the DA didn’t turn them over properly for strategic reasons. Both things happen on a regular basis because according to our legal system it’s okay to lie to serve your client or the state. All in the name of truth and justic, mind you.
That’s why these things happen all the time at the cop level, because they are also occurring every day at the court level. And cops are doing what they see done above them.
I do know that mixing alcohol and psychotropic drugs can result in all kinds of crazy behavior, delusional thinking, super strength and ability to ignore pain (and they never remember any of it). People can be very dangerous to themselves and others.
She probably doesn’t remember much of this or her own behavior or thoughts at the time and seriously believes she’s been abused and mistreated, because she woke up naked, sore and no memory of how she got that way.
It will be interesting to see how the civil suits turn out. Personally I think she’ll take a settlement from the city’s liability insurer because she was convicted of criminal charges from the incident that led to her arrest and that same evidence will be used in the civil trial. The Grand Jury also refused to indict the officers, point in their favor. The various lawyers are all making their chess moves secure in the knowledge that they will all get paid and the taxpayer or is going to foot the bill.
Ah no. actually it's a part of the permanent evidentiary record of the criminal trial and can be used in any civil actions as well.
During that criminal trial, evidence was produced that at the time of her arrest Steffey was under the influence of alcohol and medication and was not the victim of an assault.
Evidence showed that on that day, Steffey had assaulted her niece, who was six months pregnant, and that she had also attacked and choked her teenage nephew.
Ah no. actually it's a part of the permanent evidentiary record of the criminal trial and can be used in any civil actions as well.
During that criminal trial, evidence was produced that at the time of her arrest Steffey was under the influence of alcohol and medication and was not the victim of an assault.
Evidence showed that on that day, Steffey had assaulted her niece, who was six months pregnant, and that she had also attacked and choked her teenage nephew.
Is it okay in your mind for men to be present while she is stripped?
Oh, that’s right, it’s not even okay in these perverted police officers policy manual. But then again, they are above the law so they don’t have to follow no stinking manuals.
All that means is that it is cited as having been introduced as evidence. It doesn't render it as fact, that is for any subsequent jury to decide for. There is probably conflicting evidence submitted by the defense. Bottom line is that none of that excuses or dismisses the criminal behavior of the sheriffs deputies involved. She doesn't have to be a saint for them to be sinners.
Happens every day in the medical and psychiatric environments.
And if you double check, it’s not against their policy to use male officers to execute a medical order of clothing removal for suicide prevention. In fact it’s sometimes absolutely necessary, depending on how violent/resistant they are.
Since we’ve closed down all the county mental hospitals, cops are now doing what orderlies used to do. Thank a lawyer.
(also, don’t take psycotropic medications and drink adult beverages, bad juju may result).
Except for the pesky problem that she has a conviction based on that evidence. The conviction is not an allegation, it’s a fact. The evidence it was based on is part of a permanent court record.
Once again the Stark County Grand Jury refused to indict the officers of any criminal charges. No Bill. That’s a fact, not an allegation.
So when you call their behavior criminal just remeber you are substituting your opinion for that of the Grand Jury’s, only yours doesn’t count.
The officers were responding to a medical order by the Dr. on duty to remove her clothing as a suicide prevention. The actions were not unlawful nor were they against policy.
A Grand Jury investigated and declined to indict the officers for any alledged criminal actions. No bill.
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Their jail has a Doctor stationed at the facility? Dang, they got some budget at that jail. Did the good Dr. also order the male officers to participate in her rape? Since what I saw on the video was criminal misconduct amounting to gang rape without penetration.
Did the Grand Jury see these videos?
I commend the TV station. The people of Ohio and especially Stark County need to see what's going on with these dirtbag cops. You, sir, are way off base.
And the answers to those questions would mitigate the abuse the woman took at the jail? You are really stooping low.
“They should call for anyone else who has been abused by the PD in the last 3 years to come forward and tell their stories.”
At least 4 others have already come forward. One was a mom arrested for some homeschooling issue. This same SD used the same excuse to violate her. ie she was suicidal.
And if you double check, it’s not against their policy to use male officers to execute a medical order of clothing removal for suicide prevention. In fact it’s sometimes absolutely necessary, depending on how violent/resistant they are.
I am so totally disgusted by this whole thing. I would bet 99% that woman was not going to commit suicide, it was an empty threat. She was horrified at the fact she was arrested and they made her pay for her empty threat. The whole thing is reprehensible. Now I blame the doctor as much as I do the horrible cops. And don't get me wrong, I don't lay any less blame on the cops.
Note to self, if you ever get arrested, no matter, how depressed I am at the fear and horror of getting arrested, don't threaten to commit suicide no matter how little you mean it.
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