Posted on 11/22/2013 12:29:43 PM PST by moonshinner_09
Mother of minivan of kids shot at by police speaks out against'terrifying individual' police officer
The mother who led New Mexico police on a dramatic chase that culminated in their shooting at the minivan she was driving with her children inside has spoken out about the incident. Calling one of police officers a 'terrifying individual,' Oriana Ferrell, 39, wrote in a letter penned from her prison cell last month and published in the Taos News yesterday that she drove away from police repeatedly to protect her children. 'A uniformed officer can shoot three bullets at my van and be considered to be doing his job, but my doing what I can to get my own children away from such a terrifying individual has been termed child abuse and endangerment, according to New Mexico law,' she wrote.
New Mexico State Police have opened an investigation into the conduct of the troopers - and driver Oriana Ferrell and her 14-year-old son are facing charges. Calling herself a 'peace officer,' Ferrell writes: 'As a single, African-American mother of five in this country, things are tough enough I should not have to endure harassment at the hands of someone who has been hired to protect the citizens of this land over an alleged speeding offense. No one should.'
The traffic stop took place south of Taos, New Mexico, on October 28 - but it sparked local outrage after the video from a state police dashboard camera went public. Footage shows the officer casually walk up to the vehicle and begin speaking with the driver. When the officer walks away, presumably to run the license and registration and decide whether to write a ticket, the van takes off.
(Excerpt) Read more at dailymail.co.uk ...
Yeah, but based on your profile location, the chance of you hitting an elk at speed is pretty low.
“New Mexico 518? Not straight and at a max elevation of 9700’ not desert either. There’s not much of it I’d drive at 70 in my Honda S2000, much less a minivan full of kids.”
Very true. And that area you can encounter tourists looking at the view instead of watching for a lunatic a minivan. Motorcycles out for an afternoon putt. The random agricultural implement.
That’s not a road for her BS. Not to mention, one of the most violent times in recent NM history was the Tennessee black gang who moved in with dope, murder, prostitution, and even human trafficking. They brought a small misery wave to Albuquerque.
No she was scared and felt isolated. I have felt the same way when an officier started yelling at me at a traffic stop.
The over reaction of these police was appalling. She wanted to get to a more populated area and one of the clowns started breaking in her window with the kids in the van.
These police are animals and there will be more to come.
Yeah, the Memphis Mafia, I remember that.
In New Mexico, if you get asked to pay cash right there on the road, you are literally being robbed, likely by someone who just bought a flashing red light. Either shoot it out with the criminal, or pay up and then call 911 when you can escape. Etc etc.
New Mexico corruption in the traffic zone tends to take the form of overzealous and unreasonable enforcement. With no quarter given. In fact, even in the anal probe case they followed the rules, except a few minor procedural points. Had the dog had its certification updated, and the search had of wound up in the same county, and had the judge certified it for night time, it would have all been legal.
Its insane, but true. The problem in NM is the rules themselves, its not really a New Orleans type of “give me your money” corruption. In NM that direct shakedown is only reserved for businessmen seeking state contracts or permits, and people seeking judge appointments from Bill Richardson, etc.
And yes,, the elk up there. Always a fun surprise.
Not to mention deer, elk and the potential steer or horse that has escaped its pasture. From one end to the other it's a mountain road.
But I have to dodge tourists and 80+ y.o. people that cross 3 lanes in 50 yards at half the speed limit when they finally spot the “Golden Corral” sign.
Good point I’ll stick with the elk and occasional bear.
Yes!! Answer of the day. I posted something similar on a previous thread about this incident.
That sounds like Oklahoma!
I got my first ticket in NM, right after the speed limits were dropped to 55 on I-40.
Paid by mail.
Because he wanted her to pay for the tkt right there
So the cops should have arrested her. Instead they failed to control her and allowed the situation to escalate. Then they used deadly force without cause.
did they suspect her of murder?..kidnapping?...mayhem?...bombing?....
they didn't suspect her of any thing really, so why the shooting?...
what has happened to common sense and proportionality and discretion?......gone down the toilet in the name of policing the peasants....
Bullsh*t......the officer had NO LEGALLY ACCEPTABLE REASON FOR
FIRING HIS WEAPON. Her conduct is irrelevant as it posed no reasonable threat to the safety of the officer or any one else proximate to the scene.
The badgemonkey fired hisngun at a vehicle moving AWAY from him....it was no threat to him ot others therefore bis actions do not meet the legal definition to justify the use of deadly force. He BELONGS IN PRISON.
What did this dumbass think would happen when she flees a traffic stop (twice!) and had drug paraphernalia in her car??
Delayed NM list *PING*!
Nothing like playing the RACE card.
Where did that part of the story start? I read the first articles and there was nothing about that. I have never heard of anyone being asked to pay a ticket to the officer on the side of the road in New Mexico. If she admitted guilt she would be required to mail in her fine and given 30 days to do it. If she wished to plead innocent she would have been required to appear before a judge, so likely would have been taken into custody to make her appearance, that is true here for people out of state- right or wrong it is the law as I understand it. Nothing that I know of requires or allows people to pay their ticket on the roadside in New Mexico.
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