Woman moves from Illinois to Texas and ends up dead in jail cell

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Can someone please tell me why the cop told her to put out her cigarette?

It's something that people ask each other while conversing. You can comply or refuse. But why refuse?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Can someone please tell me why the cop told her to put out her cigarette?

Maybe smoke was blowing in his face. Maybe he could tell she was agitated and he was getting concerned about what she might do with the cigarette. Maybe he wanted her totally focused on what he was about to tell her about the warning he was going to give her and why. I honestly don't think is was a totally unreasonable request.

+1. It's SOP. Anyone who doesn't get why can poke himself in the eye with a lit cigarette to gain better understanding.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Side question -- why was she still in jail three days later? Wouldn't someone have bailed her out right away?

The bail was set kind of high and her family lives in Illinois, so presumably it took them longer to get bail together.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Can someone please tell me why the cop told her to put out her cigarette?

It's something that people ask each other while conversing. You can comply or refuse. But why refuse?

Perhaps because she thought that she has a right to smoke a cigarette while sitting in her own car.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Can someone please tell me why the cop told her to put out her cigarette?

It's something that people ask each other while conversing. You can comply or refuse. But why refuse?

Actually I note he asked her "if she would mind". It was not an order. It was a request, which she declined.

Now, we have to comply with any lawful ORDER, whether the cop explains or not. Cops can't spend time explaining to you that there's a gas leak and your smoke could cause an explosion. So they can order you to put out a cigarette.

But he did not order. He asked. She refused. Either it should have ended there or, he should have reissued the request as an order.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Can someone please tell me why the cop told her to put out her cigarette?

It's something that people ask each other while conversing. You can comply or refuse. But why refuse?

Perhaps because she thought that she has a right to smoke a cigarette while sitting in her own car.

Oh come on. I'm from Texas, where more people smoke. When someone asks you to put out a cigarette and you refuse, it's because you're being a jerk. Certainly not illegal, but below the standard of polite conversation.

I haven't watched the video, just responding to the question about putting out a cigarette. It's a reasonable request, and the normal response is to do so.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Can someone please tell me why the cop told her to put out her cigarette?

It's something that people ask each other while conversing. You can comply or refuse. But why refuse?

Actually I note he asked her "if she would mind". It was not an order. It was a request, which she declined.

Now, we have to comply with any lawful ORDER, whether the cop explains or not. Cops can't spend time explaining to you that there's a gas leak and your smoke could cause an explosion. So they can order you to put out a cigarette.

But he did not order. He asked. She refused. Either it should have ended there or, he should have reissued the request as an order.

Good Lord, he asked nicely because he could tell she was irritated. He even said "please." Do you think if he had demanded or ordered that she put it out, that would have gone over better?

[Anonymous]

Pretty soon the whole incident is going to be all her fault because she didn't want to put out her cigarette.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:So this likely wouldn't have happened if the officer had said, I understand your frustration. I hear that you were caught behind that driver, but I have no choice but to give you a ticket. If you disagree with the ticket you can refute it in traffic court. I hope the rest of your day is better. If the smoking was really bothering him he could have said, I'd really appreciate it if you'd put out your cigarette. The smoke is bothering me and I'm required to stand next to your car when writing the ticket. (Which is probably not true and I do wonder why he told her to put out her cigarette except as a power play).
Bottom line, he could have pretty easily de-escalated this. Why wasn't he trained to? Why aren't police trained to acknowledge people's frustrations and not "co-tantrum."

What are you talking about? She wasn't "caught behind a driver" she moved out of the way because a cop car was tailgating her.

[Anonymous]

I support law enforcement. I've generally found city cops much more mellow than suburban and country. There I've had a handful.of encounters w jerks..as I infuriating as it is, you say yes sir no air three bags full sir and file your complaint after. The real question here is was she murdered, or is it did this awful encounter (I agree he is being an ass) that escalated lead to her committing suicide? Is did it push her over the edge?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Side question -- why was she still in jail three days later? Wouldn't someone have bailed her out right away?

Often if you are arrested on a Friday, during the weekend or just before a holiday you have to wait until the next regular week day before you can be bailed out.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I don't know how to say this without sounding like a real c*nt, but I'm saying it anyway. When he asked her to put out the cigarette, why was she so pissy and disrespectful? Did I miss part of the video, was he hateful to her first. We all know most cops are arrogant assholes. But we don't have to be belligerent back. Just do what they say and no one gets hurt.

I saw the clip this morning and this was my first question. WTH??!!????

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I support law enforcement. I've generally found city cops much more mellow than suburban and country. There I've had a handful.of encounters w jerks..as I infuriating as it is, you say yes sir no air three bags full sir and file your complaint after. The real question here is was she murdered, or is it did this awful encounter (I agree he is being an ass) that escalated lead to her committing suicide? Is did it push her over the edge?

It was three full days after the arrest. She was locked in a cell by herself. Occum's Razor says suicide. This whole murder thing is just stupid.

[Anonymous]

I can't believe that people are saying things like: "she had an attitude."

Is it usually best to be polite and cooperative with a police officer -- no matter what they say or do? Yes.

Was the officer extremely inappropriate in his behavior and manufacturing an assault charge out of thin air (I've watched the video, which includes a conversation with a person I presume is a supervisor) -- of course..

Was there a reason to incarcerate her? 100% no.

I just don't understand people who reason "well, he didn't pay his $5 tab at the fast food restaurant, so the off-duty officer had a right to kill him!" or: "She didn't put out her cigarette, so it was okay for him to scream at her, drag her out of the car and almost break her wrist, and she showed 'attitude' so it was okay that he slammed her head into the ground and invented an assault charge to haul her in on."

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I don't know how to say this without sounding like a real c*nt, but I'm saying it anyway. When he asked her to put out the cigarette, why was she so pissy and disrespectful? Did I miss part of the video, was he hateful to her first. We all know most cops are arrogant assholes. But we don't have to be belligerent back. Just do what they say and no one gets hurt.

I saw the clip this morning and this was my first question. WTH??!!????

Why are people questioning the victim and not the cop???

He's a paid by taxpayers to carry out the law. It's not his job to arrest innocent citizens because he's on an ego trip.