I'm not convinced the several other hands were made aware of the facts of the case. Chances are the cop used the conventional language, which is designed to meet legal code standard and - possibly - to hide any deficiencies in the fact set.
Which only raises the bigger issue that cops are able to get warrants issued to stupid nonsense like this, without sharing the full fact set.
I have one nit to pick with the article: there's no way the cop could know that the husband was medically trained. Including that piece of information biases us in favor of the couple. And ya kno? There's plenty of facts that could be used honestly to bias us, no need to skew the article.
Glad to see cooler heads prevail. Including retroactive pay to Mr. Wright for the period of his suspension (one day).
I don't think I had a bias for the man because of that.
Here is what I saw.
Guy is going to ER, his wife is having a seizure.
He is using all *deliberate* speed. Not being reckless, only crossing empty streets after stopping, etc.
He is carrying her, somewhat insensible, form; and she is an amputee, so she looks a bit unable to start with
The cop bars the door, as he is trying to enter the ER.
That's where my WTF kicks in.
And the charges on the arrest sheet:
The charges included: traffic violations, evading arrest, assault on a police officer, reckless endangerment, disorderly conduct and registration violation.
He was told to stay by the hospital. The cop left. We've see (cf Peter Watts) that the statutory meaning of assaulting a police officer can be as little as asking what the deal is.
One of the things I was thinking about yesterday is how I have come, as a blanket rule, to mistrust cops. I used to be cautious about them; they have a great deal of discretionary power. These days, I am torn between wanting to be craven, and feeling the need to remind them they work for me, and aren't a power unto themselves.
The more I learn about law enforcement from the inside, the less I am inclined to cooperate voluntarily. My stock phrase is drifted closer and closer to "Am I under arrest or am I leaving?" If the former, then I should have had rights read and lawyer called. If the latter, I head for the door. If I'm stopped at the door then, well, why haven't I been read my rights, eh?
I took it that way, but wanted to further point out I am coming to the point I don't need any help in being a bit biased against the cop. In part this is a vague mistrust of authority figures, but in part it's too many stories like this.
I'm not sure that was the journalist's intent; I took it simply as emphasis. Yes, Mr. Wright has medical experience enough to know that seconds count with a stroke. But I didn't need to know that to react the way I did, which was that the cop was so busy being an officious bastard that he disengaged whatever intellect he might have.
What really horrified me is that after the Wrights were taken back into the treatment area and the officer was told that Mr. Wright would have to remain because his wife was unable to speak, he still didn't acknowledge that it was a genuine medical emergency and proceeded to file all those charges. I don't altogether blame the judge; the judge and the D.A. know only what the officer has told them, and a little selective editing would have been all that was necessary to make it sound like the Wrights were using the E.R. to evade the officer. But that kind of abuse of authority is exactly why most adults, despite what they may have been taught as kids, regard cops with wariness.
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no subject
Date: 2010-06-22 07:17 pm (UTC)Which only raises the bigger issue that cops are able to get warrants issued to stupid nonsense like this, without sharing the full fact set.
I have one nit to pick with the article: there's no way the cop could know that the husband was medically trained. Including that piece of information biases us in favor of the couple. And ya kno? There's plenty of facts that could be used honestly to bias us, no need to skew the article.
Glad to see cooler heads prevail. Including retroactive pay to Mr. Wright for the period of his suspension (one day).
no subject
Date: 2010-06-22 07:27 pm (UTC)Here is what I saw.
Guy is going to ER, his wife is having a seizure.
He is using all *deliberate* speed. Not being reckless, only crossing empty streets after stopping, etc.
He is carrying her, somewhat insensible, form; and she is an amputee, so she looks a bit unable to start with
The cop bars the door, as he is trying to enter the ER.
That's where my WTF kicks in.
And the charges on the arrest sheet:
The charges included: traffic violations, evading arrest, assault on a police officer, reckless endangerment, disorderly conduct and registration violation.
He was told to stay by the hospital. The cop left. We've see (cf Peter Watts) that the statutory meaning of assaulting a police officer can be as little as asking what the deal is.
One of the things I was thinking about yesterday is how I have come, as a blanket rule, to mistrust cops. I used to be cautious about them; they have a great deal of discretionary power. These days, I am torn between wanting to be craven, and feeling the need to remind them they work for me, and aren't a power unto themselves.
And that worries me.
no subject
Date: 2010-06-23 12:30 am (UTC)This makes me very sad.
no subject
Date: 2010-06-23 12:34 am (UTC)I would like to see the cop charged with reckless endangerment, of Mrs. Wright's life.
no subject
Date: 2010-06-23 12:38 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 2010-06-23 01:00 am (UTC)What really horrified me is that after the Wrights were taken back into the treatment area and the officer was told that Mr. Wright would have to remain because his wife was unable to speak, he still didn't acknowledge that it was a genuine medical emergency and proceeded to file all those charges. I don't altogether blame the judge; the judge and the D.A. know only what the officer has told them, and a little selective editing would have been all that was necessary to make it sound like the Wrights were using the E.R. to evade the officer. But that kind of abuse of authority is exactly why most adults, despite what they may have been taught as kids, regard cops with wariness.
Personally, I hope he loses his badge.