Just damn.
If you want on the list, FReepmail me. This IS a high-volume PING list...
Posted on 10/08/2004 9:39:18 AM PDT by skyman
WASHINGTON -- A woman from Bowie, Md., who was arrested for eating a candy bar at a Metro station, had her day in court Thursday, but it was a brief visit.
Stephanie Willett claims she was frisked under her shirt, handcuffed and held for three hours after a Metro transit officer confronted her for eating a candy bar on the escalator.
Transit police claim Willett was "belligerent."
In court Thursday, Willett tried to tell a judge what happened that day, but she was cut off after a few minutes. The judge told Willett her case is over and that it ended when she posted $10 to get out of jail last July.
Willett has a year to appeal the arrest.
The incident gained worldwide attention, and goes on a list of other Metro Transit Police actions that have raised both eyebrows and questions.
In September, a transit officer reportedly forced a pregnant woman down on the floor and pushed his knee in her back, after he claimed she was talking too loud on a cell phone.
In 2002, an officer ticketed a wheelchair-bound cerebral palsy patient who the officer said cursed when he was unable to find a working elevator to exit the system.
And in 2000, an officer handcuffed a 12-year-old girl for eating a french fry on a subway platform.
(Excerpt) Read more at nbc4.com ...
With NY always a prime spot for more terror attacks I'm sure New Yorkers feel safer being protected from people eating candy bars, talking on cell phones, pregnant women, people in wheelchairs with CP and and 12 year olds eating french fries :-)
New Yorkers ?????
Just damn.
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I respect the uniform...but if a transit officer did this to my wife, he'd be taking the rest of his life's meals through a straw.
"I want candy" song is now playing in my head.
Gotta disagree with you. I take a LOT of public transportation and there's a small but loud percentage of people who have no idea how or no inclination to follow the rules of basic decorum. I don't want to slip on a dropped french fry, sit in a spilled soda or listen to a loud, stupid cellphone conversation.
If the public transit employee doesn't address it, that duty falls on me, and when people get belligerent with me, things can escalate real fast.
Well, I just got into town about an hour ago
Took a look around, see which way the wind blow
-John Kerry
This is D.C., not New York.
For those of you who haven't a f!@#ing clue:
1) Metro has its own police force, with juridiction on all Metro property regardless of state or district.
2) Metro operated on Rudy Guiliani's "broken window" policy long before RG was elected mayor of NYC.
Agreed. As a former LEO, had to deal with belligerent people of color. It's always about THEM. Sorry, just life experience.
Looks like a Kerry Voter?
She looks like she's snuck quite a few past the "candy police" prior to this incident.
Skyman, I may be wrong about this, but I recall hearing reports at the time that she shoved the candy bar into her mouth as ordered just as she headed down the stairs, and that the Metro officer followed her because she was angry about her attitude. Word at the time was she was "chewing" on the way down. I take metro daily, so I'm familiar with the system, though I've never had any trouble with the authories at all and have always found them pleasant enough. Have you heard differently on this? That the woman was actually ignoring the order and continued eating after ordered to stop? Thanks.
FYI: David Berkowitz was arrested after he got a parking ticket. As Mayor Guiliani has proven, when you take care of the little crimes, it often takes care of the larger crimes.
what is worse? preg woman floored with knee in back or someone sitting on a spilled soda? (note question asked).
Forgive my question, but since I'm not familiar with the Metro system what was the problem with her having a candy bar?
Having been twice on the receiving end of overzealous transit cops I can tell you that this woman is getting screwed.
The court should apologize to her and give her a month's supply of kit kat bars.
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