Texas Trooper Shoves 74-Year-Old Then Arrests Her For Felony Assault When She Hits Him With Her Purse

from the entitled-children-in-grown-ups-clothes dept

Wed, Jul 3rd 2013 3:51am — Tim Cushing

On what was presumably a hot, sweltering night in ~~the nation's~~ Texas' capital, a senator's epic filibuster temporarily derailed an abortion bill. This all went far from smoothly as time stamps were changed post-vote, Lt. Gov. David Dewhurst (whose pet legislation was being talked over) briefly threatened to have media members arrested for "inciting a riot" and a 74-year-old woman was arrested for assaulting an officer.

According to the Probable Cause Affidavit, the Lt. Governor order that the gallery be cleared and the Troopers were enforcing that order. When they got to Martha Northington and told her to leave, there was a problem.

What kind of "problem?" Well, the kind of problem posed by 74-year-old women who just don't move as fast as the trooper thought she should. Here's video of the incident.

According to the arrest affidavit, Northington resisted by grabbing her seat. Unfortunately for the Trooper, the scene was being videotaped. At 0:02 in the video, you can clearly see Northington reach down to pick up her purse and newspaper. Almost immediately after this the Trooper on her right grabs her arm and you hear Northington protest that he’s hurting her. You can see that the black Trooper is not concerned by her picking up the purse, but the white officer has a death grip on her right wrist.

The arrest affidavit carries its own narrative, which is at odds with what was captured on video.

She attempted to resist by grabbing the chair, not standing, and pulling back from me. We broke her hold of the chair and got her up and as I escorted her up the gallery steps Trooper Hall released her. I was escorting her by the arm up the steps by myself and she continued to try and pull away from me. At the top of the stairs, she spun and slapped my face with her open hand and told me to let her go. The intentional slap to the face by Northington was offensive and I was currently wearing a State Trooper uniform...At this point i spun her around and proceeded to handcuff her for the assault. While trying to handcuff her she continued to resist by pulling her arms and attempted to twist away from me...Ms. Northington was transported to Travis County SO without further incident...

As was already pointed out, Northington was gathering her belongings rather than holding on to her chair. In fact, it looks as if she's voluntarily leaving, right up to the point that the trooper ups his aggression level.

At the 11-second mark, she does hit the trooper in the face, but with her purse (and that from an angle where she didn't have much of a wind-up). But the officer refers to it as an "open hand slap," something that sounds undeniably more threatening (and "offensive") than "At the top of the stairs, the 74-year-old woman hit me with her purse..."

After hustling an obviously dangerous elderly woman out of the building, the trooper attempted to book her on a felony charge.

Northington was apparently originally charged with Assault on a Public Servant, a third degree felony, but the arraigning magistrate reduced the charges to Resisting Arrest and Assault by Contact, Class A and Class C misdemeanors, respectively.

Because Contempt of Cop has yet to be codified into our criminal statutes, the trooper allegedly drew a blank at first when filling out his report. But even the final reduced charges are ridiculous, especially the resisting arrest charge. If you're going to charge someone with resisting arrest, it should logically follow that an arrest was already in progress.

OK, even if we give the trooper the benefit of the doubt, if she is resisting arrest, there has to be an underlying charge. What was she being arrested for in the first place?

Second, any assault on a peace officer is a felony, even if that is just by contact (i.e., an offensive touch)... Here, Northington supposedly slapped the trooper with an open hand. Yet the black trooper does not make a move to help the trooper who was just “assaulted” by Northington.

An assault charge should only cover actual threats to officer safety, rather than just be used to add additional charges to the arrest, one for every unapproved bit of contact between the arrestee and the officer. Even if it was technically assault, shouldn't a trained officer be willing and able to "walk off" being hit by a woman's swung purse, especially if the person swinging it is elderly?

Apparently not. Once you've overreacted, the only way to save face in the law enforcement world is to push forward, trumping up charges and rewriting the narrative. And if you think that might be problematic, don't worry. The cleanup crew will be right behind you, ready to condemn the public for thinking bad thoughts about law enforcement.

In response to criticism, [DPS spokesperson Katherine] Cesinger wrote in a statement that troopers only took “actions they deemed appropriate” when responding to protesters that night.

“Our DPS troopers work every day to ensure that all visitors and staff at the Texas Capitol remain safe and that order is maintained,” Cesinger wrote. “It’s unfortunate that some find it is easy to pass judgment on the officers who are risking their lives every day to protect and serve Texas.”

The lesson is: because law enforcement members perform a dangerous but necessary job, they are never to be questioned or criticized for their tactics, actions or words.

That's very simply a complete load of self-serving crap. The badges these officers wear aren't a shield against criticism or permission slips to perform their jobs however they see fit. There are oaths to uphold, rights to protect and policies to follow, all of which seem to be ignored once someone triggers the very low threshold to unofficial "contempt of cop" charges. The statement from the DPS is profoundly wrongheaded and only serves to widen the gulf between law enforcement and the people they serve.

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Filed Under: assault, police, texas

168 Comments

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That One Guy (profile), 3 Jul 2013 @ 3:36am

One of these days...
I would love it if someone involved was willing to just flat out call them on their lying to their faces.

'Okay, that statement was nice, and carefully addresses the concerns that people may have about what happened as reported by the police. Now, regarding what actually happened, which was quite different as the following video demonstrates, your statement addresses none of the problems and concerns, and appears to be nothing more than a cheap attempt to ignore them.'
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- EDWARD DEGONIA, 3 Jul 2013 @ 5:38pm
  
  Re: One of these days...
  What this trooper did is elderly abuse. Criminal charges should be filed against him by an attorney.
  [ link to this | view in chronology ]
- Vox, 4 Jul 2013 @ 4:51am
  
  Re: One of these days...
  What would be better is to see a hulked up white man run up and drop kick the pig right in the center of his back!
  [ link to this | view in chronology ]
- Vox, 4 Jul 2013 @ 4:51am
  
  Re: One of these days...
  What would be better is to see a hulked up white man run up and drop kick the pig right in the center of his back!
  [ link to this | view in chronology ]
Anonymous Coward, 3 Jul 2013 @ 3:54am

Risking their lives! For certain, 74-year-old grandmothers are dangerous and fatal if encountered.

I've heard that the RIAA had to sue them for downloading music from beyond the grave! Disgraceful. Grandmothers should be banned!
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- FormerAC (profile), 3 Jul 2013 @ 7:10am
  
  Re:
  Well, this is Texas, she might have had a gun. Or worse yet, a phone! We all know how dangerous those are!
  [ link to this | view in chronology ]
  - Anonymous Coward, 3 Jul 2013 @ 8:51am
    
    Re: Re:
    Or worst of all, she might have been a friend of his mommies and told on him!
    [ link to this | view in chronology ]
- btr1701 (profile), 3 Jul 2013 @ 1:33pm
  
  Re: Grandmother
  > For certain, 74-year-old grandmothers
  > are dangerous and fatal if encountered.
  
  Whenever something like this happens, in addition to the person's age, there's this bizarre focus on their status as a "grandmother".
  
  What possible bearing does the fact that she bore children at some point in her life (and that those children in turn reproduced) have on the events in question?
  
  Age I can understand, as it speaks to her ability to effectively resist and/or pose a threat, but grandmother? Who cares? What does that have to do with anything?
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- robert fuller, 3 Jul 2013 @ 7:39pm
  
  Re: 74 old arrested
  This kind of thing is happening far too often in our country. I feel bad for the thousands of fine state troopers in Texas who will have their reputation tarnished by this big strapping tough guy pushing around a 74 year old woman. HE'S SO MANCHO NOT!!!!
  [ link to this | view in chronology ]
Anonymous Coward, 3 Jul 2013 @ 4:33am

My handycapt mother was once charged with assault during a traffic stop where she was the passenger. It was around 1 Am and I was driving her home when I was pulled over for no reason, refused a car search, and then she got out and was highly disoriented. At one point she moved her cane in an erratic way due to her lack of balance and it managed to hit the cop on the leg.

The charge was dropped only after meeting with a lawyer and pointing out the fact that a woman who can't move unassisted on uneven ground is no threat to anyone, and we would demand a jury. Not to mention our willingness to go public.
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Anonymous Coward, 3 Jul 2013 @ 4:35am

Some elderly people deserve a slap in the face now and then, this lady however did nothing that deserved that kind of treatment.
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Anonymous Coward, 3 Jul 2013 @ 4:36am

Merely FYI, an "assault" is distinguished from a "battery" by the former involving a possible physical contact and the latter involving an actual physical contact.
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Anonymous Coward, 3 Jul 2013 @ 4:52am

My dad used to be a cop in the RCMP for close to 30 years. Every time I told him "cops have more rights" he would get angry and correct me every time, saying that's not true...

Not anymore.
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- This comment has been flagged by the community. Click here to show it
  
  ChrisB (profile), 3 Jul 2013 @ 6:44am
  
  Re:
  Then you know the sh!t cops have to put up with day-in and day-out. Cops have to control situations with idiots buzzing around them. It is reasonable to be aggressive to get control of a situation.
  
  This article is beyond ridiculous.
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  - Anonymous Coward, 3 Jul 2013 @ 6:52am
    
    Re: Re:
    Always reasonable to be aggressive just because there are a lot of "idiots", even when those "idiots" aren't being aggressive or threatening themselves? Really?
    [ link to this | view in chronology ]
  - Joe Dirt, 3 Jul 2013 @ 6:56am
    
    Re: Re:
    So what you're saying is... It's OK to beat your kids because you had a bad day at work.
    
    The freakin woman is 74years old... what if that was your relative he was man-handling because she was too slow in grabbing her purse?
    [ link to this | view in chronology ]
    - ChrisB (profile), 4 Jul 2013 @ 7:47am
      
      Re: Re: Re:
      If you think this is "beating" you are crazy. It is reasonable to calmly grab your kids if they are out of control. I have done it many times. No one would mistake it for "beating".
      [ link to this | view in chronology ]
      - Joe Dirt, 5 Jul 2013 @ 11:41am
        
        Re: Re: Re: Re:
        Chris,
        
        Obviously you didn't get the analogy. You must be a cop to take what I said literally. It was a comment on taking out your own frustrations on another. Every single adult profession I know of has stress, and a lot of it.
        
        Is it any less stressful when you work a minimum wage job and have 3 kids at home to feed? Their lives depend on the money you make.
        
        Is it any less stressful to serve a tour in the military over seas, only to come home a find your wife has taken the kids and cleaned out the house with no idea of where they have gone?
        
        What about Firemen? Are they aloud to treat people like shit because they had a bad day too?
        
        How about admitting when you over-react to a situation and apologize for losing your cool?
        
        How about not lying on a report to cover you ass?
        
        How about treating others as you would have them treat you?
        
        How about quit whining like cops are the only ones who have a tough and dangerous job.
        
        How about do the job right or don't do it at all?
        [ link to this | view in chronology ]
  - raindog469 (profile), 3 Jul 2013 @ 8:22am
    
    Re: Re:
    OK to lie on their own police reports too, then, and not get so much as a day of suspension when video evidence to the contrary shows up? Having to "put up" with "sh!t" is justification for making shit up?
    
    If Texas should be executing anyone, it's cops who give false testimony. That's the very definition of "bad cop".
    
    Two members of LE in my immediate family too, btw, one of them a state trooper.
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  - AB, 3 Jul 2013 @ 9:02am
    
    It is reasonable to be aggressive to get control of a situation.
    Gosh, I never looked at it like that before Truck drivers (especially in-city) put up with even more sh!t then cops. That means it's even more reasonable for truck drivers to 'get aggressive' by ramming idiots and pushing them out of the way.
    
    Darn, if I had known that was reasonable I could have avoided a mental breakdown! Oh wait, no, it's your reply that's ridiculous.
    [ link to this | view in chronology ]
  - Anonymous Coward, 3 Jul 2013 @ 9:03am
    
    Re: Re:
    Firm and assertive is one thing. Being aggressive rude and purposely humiliating their victims only escalates the situation into a one sided confrontation which seems to be what these armed bullies want as it gives their thug behaviour that flimsiest cover that we continue to accept as a fair price for what we are informed is our safety.
    [ link to this | view in chronology ]
  - fred, 3 Jul 2013 @ 10:19am
    
    Re: Re:
    What dept do you work for ?
    
    The dead giveaway was your use of the word idiot. Cops like that along with POS.
    [ link to this | view in chronology ]
    - ChrisB (profile), 4 Jul 2013 @ 7:49am
      
      Re: Re: Re:
      Many cops and soldiers in my family. There are good cops and bad cops. But most have the patience of saint based on the crap they have to put up with.
      [ link to this | view in chronology ]
  - Dirkmaster (profile), 3 Jul 2013 @ 11:44am
    
    Re: Re:
    You know, many of us have jobs that are dangerous AND are surrounded by idiots. However, we don't get to shove old ladies around, or make criminal cases against people we don't like. That is a pathetic excuse.
    
    Get a clue, ChrisB!
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  - Eponymous Coward, 3 Jul 2013 @ 11:46am
    
    Re: Re:
    If there were an UNinsightful button I would click it for this...
    
    Dealing with "shit" is their job, and they need to do it humanely and with honor. If they can't handle these "idiots buzzing around them" then get the fuck off the force for they have no place being their. Your attempt to defend such bad behavior is weak, step up your troll game.
    [ link to this | view in chronology ]
  - Anonymous Coward, 3 Jul 2013 @ 1:18pm
    
    Re: Re:
    Cry me a river about how their job is "so difficult."
    
    If they can't handle it, then they should find another line of work. I don't call them up to complain when I've had a bad day. When they're no longer being PAID to work their jobs, THEN we can talk about it.
    
    Despite what you may think personally, being "aggressive" to a 74-year old lady is about the most douchebag-like behavior I've heard of in a long, long time.
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  - That One Guy (profile), 3 Jul 2013 @ 7:11pm
    
    Re: Re:
    Man, it's a good thing police work is apparently the only stressful job in existence then, I mean, think of how many horrible things people would get a free pass on if everyone had to deal with unpleasant things/people in their job every day, and they got to just excuse their actions with 'Hey, my job sucks'.
    [ link to this | view in chronology ]
    - ChrisB (profile), 4 Jul 2013 @ 7:55am
      
      Re: Re: Re:
      You have no idea what it is like to deal with people who harass you and argue and fight and lie and scam every second. Go for a ride-along to a domestic, or break up a bar fight that has spilled on the street. They have a ridiculously hard job that tests their patience dozens of times a day. Most deal with it in a responsible manner. That this video shows an example of police brutality is a joke.
      [ link to this | view in chronology ]
      - That One Guy (profile), 4 Jul 2013 @ 10:25pm
        
        Re: Re: Re: Re:
        No see, I get that cops can have a stressful job, I really do, but whereas when someone else has a stressful job and they let it get to them, odds are someone is going to get yelled at, or in the likely worse case, hit, when a cop lets the stress get to them, and say, files a felony assault charge against someone who barely tapped them... that's a whole other thing altogether, and blows clean past any rational definition of 'reasonable response to stress'.
        [ link to this | view in chronology ]
      - Joe Dirt, 5 Jul 2013 @ 11:53am
        
        Re: Re: Re: Re:
        "...deal with people who harass you and argue and fight and lie and scam every second"
        You ever worked in retail or food service? It sounds like that's what you are describing.
        
        How was your meal sir?
        Would you like some fries with that?
        I'll be happy to refund your meal for you.
        [ link to this | view in chronology ]
      - bryan smith, 13 May 2014 @ 1:50am
        
        Re: ChrisB are you stupid and blind
        thats ridiculous what you just said, dont make any sense. They make there job harder than it should be, but let me tell you something not everyone should be treated the same, cops dont think that.....if they dont like you they will treat you like sht period...../.fuck the police faggots all of them especially cheif poretto of galveston police dept. he said it was ok for his officer to kick a man 3 times in the face while he was being held on the ground by 6 other cops for trying to flea a scence....././I dont care what anyone does to get in trouble but never should a pig abuse his power like that and then nothing happens to that officer for there misconduct........your an idoit just like every fuckin PIG in the united states
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  - dennis deems (profile), 3 Jul 2013 @ 10:37pm
    
    Re: Re:
    ChrisB, it's obvious you didn't even watch the video.
    [ link to this | view in chronology ]
    - bryan smith, 13 May 2014 @ 1:57am
      
      Re: ChrisB are you stupid and blind
      no hes an idoit and probably a PIG himself
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  - pg, 5 Jul 2013 @ 4:42am
    
    Re: Re:
    Do you realize what a felony conviction does to somebody's life? Do you think this elderly lady deserved that? Your comment is ridiculous and shows the self entitled mentality that law enforcement has.
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  - Yeahright, 24 Jul 2013 @ 6:40pm
    
    Re: Re: Cops should be held to a higher standard
    We place guns in the hands of these peopl and give them authority over the general public. In return for that trust, we expect them to exercise extremely good judgement and restraint - well above that expected of the average citizen - they are supposed to be trained professionals. When they abuse that authority, the response should be equally harsh. If they don't like that arrangement, they should get another job. We already have way too many cops, because we have way too many laws. Both need to be scaled back drastically so this country can recede from it's current police state status.
    [ link to this | view in chronology ]
Rekrul, 3 Jul 2013 @ 5:08am

I wonder what most DAs would say if you tried to get another private citizen charged with felony assault for something as minor as shoving you or bumping you with a purse.
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Anonymous Coward, 3 Jul 2013 @ 5:10am

Texas DPS
Troopers are some of the worst about some of these sorts of things. If you want piss one off, all you need to do is refer to one of them as "Officer". To them officers are lowly local policemen that work for a city or town, not the superior protectors of the entire state. This elitist attitude is something that is built into their training. Incidents like this and the resulting response from the DPS surprises no one who actually lives in Texas.
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- Anonymous Coward, 3 Jul 2013 @ 6:44am
  
  Re: Texas DPS
  As a fellow Texas resident... this ^
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  - smh, 3 Jul 2013 @ 1:50pm
    
    Re: Re: Texas DPS
    as a fellow Texas resident...
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- Bengie, 3 Jul 2013 @ 8:28am
  
  Re: Texas DPS
  Officer: An officer is a member of an armed force or uniformed service who holds a position of authority.
  
  Are they not this?
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  - Anonymous Coward, 3 Jul 2013 @ 9:14am
    
    Re: Re: Texas DPS
    I didn't say it wasn't appropriate to refer to them as officers. I said that IN THEIR MINDS what a citizen is referring to when they call them "Officer" is a lowly local police officer granted authority by some small local government as opposed to the entire state of Texas. They take offense to the connotation that they are on the same level as local law enforcement. They are taught that they are above and better than that.
    [ link to this | view in chronology ]
    - btr1701 (profile), 3 Jul 2013 @ 1:39pm
      
      Re: Re: Re: Texas DPS
      > I said that IN THEIR MINDS what a citizen
      > is referring to when they call them "Officer"
      > is a lowly local police officer granted authority
      > by some small local government as opposed to
      > the entire state of Texas.
      
      I wonder if that elitist attitude results in a reciprocal feeling of inadequacy when dealing with federal agents?
      
      I mean, if they get all pumped up by the notion that the entire state is their jurisdiction, how must they feel in the presence of an FBI or Secret Service agent whose jurisdiction is all *50* states, plus outlying territories and possessions?
      [ link to this | view in chronology ]
      - Anonymous Coward, 4 Jul 2013 @ 6:00am
        
        Re: Re: Re: Re: Texas DPS
        Two things in this regard:
        
        1. Federal agents except in special place like Border Patrol don't generally patrol the streets the way state and local law enforcement does and when they do it is generally a specifically targeted area for a specifically targeted purpose instead of a general patrol looking for any kind of crime that is being committed. Instead federal agents generally step in to take over investigations of relative federal crimes where the initial ground work was laid by state or local law enforcement so there isn't so much of the Feds "encroaching on their turf" for them to get upset about.
        
        2. Texas, because of it's unique history of being a sovereign republic prior to voluntarily choosing to give up that sovereignty to enter the union (and certain concessions that were made by the federal government as conditions of the deal) there is a commonly held view among many residents of the states (that isn't completely unfounded) that "We CHOSE to join this party and at any time we can CHOOSE to leave." This may contribute to the perspective of state law enforcement officers holding the view that they are effectively law enforcement for the Republic of Texas instead of just the State of Texas.
        [ link to this | view in chronology ]
        
        btr1701 (profile), 9 Jul 2013 @ 11:18am
        
        Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Texas DPS
        > Instead federal agents generally step in
        > to take over investigations of relative
        > federal crimes where the initial ground
        > work was laid by state or local law enforcement
        
        Speaking for myself, I initiate the vast majority of my own investigations, and when state or local law enforcement has already started an investigation, I've never taken it over. I provide investigative support and testify in the state trial, if need be, as well as provide an avenue for federal prosecution if the case detective wants to go that route.
        [ link to this | view in chronology ]
Anonymous Coward, 3 Jul 2013 @ 5:13am

"Respect my authorti!"
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Anonymous Coward, 3 Jul 2013 @ 5:23am

I almost missed the "assault". Wow, she is lightening quick.
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- Anonymous Coward, 3 Jul 2013 @ 6:01am
  
  Re:
  But they'll never make it stick, she'll slip through the nets because her weapon is more subtle than his:
  
  Und der Haifisch, der hat Z�hne
  Und die tr�gt er im Gesicht
  Und Macheath, der hat ein Messer
  Doch das Messer sieht man nicht.
  [ link to this | view in chronology ]
TheLoot (profile), 3 Jul 2013 @ 5:50am

Careful when attempting to redefine "assault" only because it's a police officer. You may be "assaulted" one day and look like an idiot when YOU want to press charges.
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- Anonymous Coward, 3 Jul 2013 @ 5:54am
  
  Re:
  If you press charges over being tapped with a purse, you'll look like an idiot no matter what your comment history is.
  [ link to this | view in chronology ]
  - dennis deems (profile), 3 Jul 2013 @ 7:29am
    
    Re: Re:
    What do you keep in your purse? Buckles??
    [ link to this | view in chronology ]
    - Anonymous Coward, 3 Jul 2013 @ 7:57am
      
      Re: Re: Re:
      Hopefully she had $50 or more in rolled quarters in there.
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Haywood (profile), 3 Jul 2013 @ 6:07am

No surprises
Just cops being cops.
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- Anonymous Coward, 3 Jul 2013 @ 7:33am
  
  Re: No surprises
  Don't call them cops either. That's asking for trouble. They are TROOPERS. They get their authority from the state directly not some piss ant city government.
  
  That's also one of the reasons they always wear those big cowboy hats. It's the only way to contain the huge ego that otherwise would cause their heads to swell to the size of a watermelon.
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  - AB, 3 Jul 2013 @ 9:18am
    
    Re: Re: No surprises
    They are asshats. Cops are police I at least try to respect, and troopers/officers are police I _do_ respect.
    
    If there are any good police still out there they need to stop defending these asshats. Bad cops like this are making it a lot harder to respect the rest of them. And dealing harshly with proven bad cops is the only way they are going to gain back that respect.
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    - Anonymous Coward, 3 Jul 2013 @ 9:32am
      
      Re: Re: Re: No surprises
      THAT would go over big. Try driving through Texas and get pulled over by one of them in their famous black and whites, then refer to him as Mr. Asshat.
      
      TROOPER: "Do you know why I pulled you over?"
      DRIVER: "So sir, Mr Asshat, sir."
      [ link to this | view in chronology ]
      - Anonymous Coward, 3 Jul 2013 @ 9:33am
        
        Re: Re: Re: Re: No surprises
        Crap. Should have been...
        
        "No sir, Mr. Asshat, sir."
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PopeRatzo (profile), 3 Jul 2013 @ 6:09am

Founding Mothers
Thank god there are still some people in this country who remember how important it is to occasionally remind law enforcement that THEY work for US, not the other way 'round.

I hope at the very least that this thug Texan trooper is catching a lot of hell from his fellow officers for getting embarrassed on the internet by a '74 year old lady who was trying to exercise her constitutional rights.

Texans are big on the Constitution when it comes to guns, but not so much when it comes to speech, apparently, or women's rights.
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- Rey, 3 Jul 2013 @ 7:29am
  
  Re: Founding Mothers
  In Texas, women are property and only have rights that men give them.
  [ link to this | view in chronology ]
  - Anonymous Coward, 3 Jul 2013 @ 7:37am
    
    Re: Re: Founding Mothers
    Hold on there a minute. How then do you explain Ann Richards becoming one of the strongest governors the state has ever had. She even had the gall to directly take on the corrupt insurance industry in Texas.
    [ link to this | view in chronology ]
    - Anonymouse, 3 Jul 2013 @ 10:40am
      
      Re: Re: Re: Founding Mothers
      He said women.
      
      Maybe he meant non-rich women?
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      - Anonymous Coward, 3 Jul 2013 @ 11:27am
        
        Re: Re: Re: Re: Founding Mothers
        No he meant to imply that the population of Texas consists solely of backward thinking, redneck, Bible thumpers that still embrace early 19th century ideologies concerning the roles of men and women in society. And while there certainly are plenty of those people here, the general population is far more evolved than he believes.
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    - Wil, 3 Jul 2013 @ 5:13pm
      
      Re: Re: Re: Founding Mothers
      I liked Anne. She was one of the last of the real Democrats
      [ link to this | view in chronology ]
- Anonymous Coward, 3 Jul 2013 @ 7:44am
  
  Re: Founding Mothers
  Dude, how can make such a bold assumption or come up with that ridiculous conclusion about women's rights in Texas after seeing 20 seconds of footage from one isolated incident? Not even from the state of Texas and a comment like this makes me cringe because it so ignorant.
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  - Anonymous Coward, 3 Jul 2013 @ 7:54am
    
    Re: Re: Founding Mothers
    Did you accidentally reply to the wrong comment? If your comment was meant for the idiot who claimed Texas women are property then, ok I understand, otherwise WTF?!
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ChurchHatesTucker (profile), 3 Jul 2013 @ 6:25am

Unsubstantiated
The badges these officers wear aren't a shield against criticism or permission slips to perform their jobs however they see fit.

Evidence suggests otherwise.
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- Anonymous Coward, 3 Jul 2013 @ 7:40am
  
  Re: Unsubstantiated
  She's right. The badges aren't the shield against criticism. She is.
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lisa, 3 Jul 2013 @ 6:27am

wowza
What a joke that cop is. His mother should bend him over her knee.
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Anonymous Coward, 3 Jul 2013 @ 6:29am

Cesinger wrote. �It�s unfortunate that some find it is easy to pass judgment on the officers who are risking their lives every day to protect and serve Texas.�

I fell timber in Oregon for 25 years and I risked my life...these Texas cop pricks just ask for getting their asses kicked as far as I can see!
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- poor richrads anger, 3 Jul 2013 @ 3:35pm
  
  Response to: Anonymous Coward on Jul 3rd, 2013 @ 6:29am
  As a climber of 25 years, I thoroughly agree. They are militarized, pumped on steroids and in contempt of us daily. I would love to tear that jerk a new one.
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Anonymous Coward, 3 Jul 2013 @ 6:33am

I said something similar before and I'll say it again. If cops want to claim that something happened they should hold the burden of proof. We shouldn't hold the burden of proving them wrong by having our own cameras. They should be filming everything themselves and any instances where footage is either not present, not released, any cuts in footage, or the camera is not filming the right location should be suspect.
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- Anonymous Coward, 3 Jul 2013 @ 3:48pm
  
  Response to: Anonymous Coward on Jul 3rd, 2013 @ 6:33am
  Wonderful idea!
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- Anonymous Coward, 3 Jul 2013 @ 3:48pm
  
  Response to: Anonymous Coward on Jul 3rd, 2013 @ 6:33am
  Wonderful idea!
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Anonymous Coward, 3 Jul 2013 @ 6:40am

In response to criticism, [DPS spokesperson Katherine] Cesinger wrote in a statement that troopers only took �actions they deemed appropriate� when responding to protesters that night.

�Our DPS troopers work every day to ensure that all visitors and staff at the Texas Capitol remain safe and that order is maintained,� Cesinger wrote. �It�s unfortunate that some find it is easy to pass judgment on the officers who are risking their lives every day to protect and serve Texas.�

Dear Katherine,

I understand that sometimes in the heat of tense, conflicted situations tempers may flare. Happens to the best of us at some time or another.

However, upon calmer head prevailing, anyone who feels an instance of overreacting (and the video shows clearly this WAS an incident of the officer overreacting) in any way, shape, or form, justifies the charges that were leveled against here (charges that would otherwise have been nearly impossible to refute without such independent evidence - and don't think those of us who pay attention haven't noticed the zeal with which the police in general try to prevent such independent evidence collecting) simply should NOT be working in law enforcement, period.
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Jasmine Charter, 3 Jul 2013 @ 6:49am

Oh great...
So... because the trooper works hard and has a dangerous job, he can trample my rights?

The trooper should be beat by his MOTHER with HER PURSE for treating an elderly lady with such blatant disrespect.

The fact is, they do a dangerous job and some people DO actually REALLY fight... so they overreact to EVERYTHING.

OMG! OMG! This tiny elderly woman slapped me... could it be because I was being a jerk? NO!

IDIOT!
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Sam Young, 3 Jul 2013 @ 7:02am

Katherine Cesinger is a windbag
Of course their PR director will back them up, she was Rick Perry's crony for years.

Rick Perry needs to leave and take all of his shitty friends and family he has cursed Texas with, starting with Katherine Cesinger.

Rick Perry is seriously the worst governor ever, so its no surprise people working under him aren't very good at what they do.
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weneedhelp (profile), 3 Jul 2013 @ 7:10am

For once
I would like to see the crowd rush the cops and dog pile on them then beat them senseless. I hope someone treats his mother/grandmother the same.
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- Anonymous Coward, 4 Jul 2013 @ 3:56pm
  
  Re: For once
  I hope somebody treats HIM the same way, not his grandmother, mother, sister or any other relative. As THEY haven't done anything to deserve such a treatment, HE did.
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Anonymous Coward, 3 Jul 2013 @ 7:17am

I had to watch that several times to catch the "assault" and I can't see that it was anything other than a random swing of the purse as she tries to free her arm to stop him hurting her. It doesn't even look intentional.
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Mr. Applegate, 3 Jul 2013 @ 7:20am

so is it 72 or 74?
That is a big difference. At 72 My grandma could kill by looking at you, but by 74 she could only lame you if you got too close.
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John Henry (profile), 3 Jul 2013 @ 7:21am

"She spun around, and then I spun around, and then I spun her around. I spun to the left, then spun back to the right, then we spun out to the squad car where I spun her into the backseat."
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- Anonymous Coward, 3 Jul 2013 @ 7:41am
  
  Re:
  Sounds like he was trying to dance with her to me.
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  - John Fenderson (profile), 3 Jul 2013 @ 9:07am
    
    Re: Re:
    You spin me right 'round, baby, right 'round.
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Anonymous Coward, 3 Jul 2013 @ 7:23am

there isn't one action taken by the officer that is justified and there isn't one comment made by Cesinger that is true when applied to this instance (funny how the usual bit of 'putting lives on the line in defence of the public' always comes out, isn't it!). the thing that i find more insulting than anything else is that the judge still sentenced her! what an absolute kangaroo court! all those involved in this shameful incident, except the elderly woman, should be ashamed of themselves and reprimanded accordingly! what a shame no one is in a position to get a retrial and defend her properly!
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Anonymous Coward, 3 Jul 2013 @ 7:27am

I don't understand why with that evidence the charges shouldn't be against the officer who had no defensible reason to put hands on the victim in the 1st place and so rather than it being an arrest it was just a common assault.
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Bob, 3 Jul 2013 @ 7:33am

Piggy
No pigs life is worth more than the ants I crush outside. Yes, lets ruin somebody's life for touching a cop by giving them a felony. Merikka F Yeah!!! This country is whacked and is spiraling downward fast due to the high amount of idiots in this country.
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- Anonymous Coward, 3 Jul 2013 @ 12:24pm
  
  Re: Piggy
  the world is spiraling due to the idiots of the world
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Anonymous Coward, 3 Jul 2013 @ 7:40am

First off, the officer deserved to be slapped. He was out of line and she was merely letting him know when words didn't work.

Second,

"Cesinger wrote in a statement that troopers only took 'actions they deemed appropriate'"

If that's deemed appropriate, maybe we need to train officers better in common sense? If someone isn't moving fast enough, ask them if they could move faster. If you get a legitimate excuse, fine, if not, then start doing something about it...
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- Anonymous Coward, 3 Jul 2013 @ 7:49am
  
  Re:
  That sentence is meaningless. No one takes actions that THEY don't deem appropriate otherwise they wouldn't take them. Timothy McVeigh deemed it appropriate to blow up a building in Oklahoma City. Hitler deemed it appropriate to kill millions of innocent jews. The 9-11 hijackers deemed it appropriate to crash passenger airliners into civilian buildings. So what? That doesn't mean the rest of society deems those actions appropriate by any stretch of the imagination.
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  - Anonymous Coward, 3 Jul 2013 @ 10:07am
    
    Re: Re:
    That doesn't mean the rest of society deems those actions appropriate by any stretch of the imagination.
    
    Which is exactly why this officer is not fit to police...
    
    If someone who is supposed to police society can't deem the appropriate actions correctly (at least to a reasonable level), they shouldn't be in a position where the job is to assess and diffuse situations.
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    - Anonymous Coward, 3 Jul 2013 @ 10:39am
      
      Re: Re: Re:
      I agree with you but that is not exactly the point. The point is that the spokesperson is trying to use a meaningless statement as justification for the trooper's actions. Sure, law enforcement officers have to make judgement calls and sometimes they will make errors in those judgement calls. She is pretending like holding them accountable when they do make errors in judgement would undermine their ability to make them at all which is beyond silly.
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- Hey, 4 Jul 2013 @ 12:38am
  
  Re:
  Are you stupid? "ask them if they could move faster" just like how the staff asked her? Just like how the officer asked her? Do you think this event started when the camera turned on? Are you that stupid really?
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Shon Gale, 3 Jul 2013 @ 7:49am

Awwwww. The poor boy. Can't even handle a grandma. His mama needed to teach him more respect. If I was a woman I would have done the same thing. Lucky for him he didn't go after an old man with a cane, he would be in the hospital.
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- Anonymous Coward, 3 Jul 2013 @ 8:00am
  
  Re:
  Maybe she should have aimed a little lower.
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Anonymous Coward, 3 Jul 2013 @ 7:59am

http://hotair.com/archives/2013/07/01/great-news-being-a-pro-choice-grassroots-protester-pays-a-dece nt-wage/
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anonymous coward, 3 Jul 2013 @ 8:02am

police brutality
This is why we should just shoot the cops right in the face. There are more of us than them. Abuse the public and cover it up.
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Anonymous Coward, 3 Jul 2013 @ 8:03am

When the cop puts a hand on you you are under arrest, or when a cop stops you too are then under arrest.
This is when you assert your basic 5th amendment right to be silent.
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- Anonymous Coward, 3 Jul 2013 @ 8:45am
  
  Re: ... [5th Amendment]
  No, this is when you state you are remaining silent as "afforded you" by the fifth amendment according to the current Justices. What I would like to know is, when did it happen that our 'inalienable rights' became "afforded" to us, and by whom, rather than "endowed by their creator"?
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  - Anonymous Coward, 3 Jul 2013 @ 9:59am
    
    Re: Re: ... [5th Amendment]
    You don't have to inform them at all that you are asserting your 5th amendment rights. You can just simply STFU and not say a damned thing. You don't have to answer any questions whatsoever. There is nothing legally requiring you to say a word. However, if they are asking you about YOUR involvement in some sort of crime, they are required to advise you of your Miranda rights if they want to later use anything you said against you in court otherwise your lawyer can object and have it thrown out.
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- John Fenderson (profile), 3 Jul 2013 @ 9:11am
  
  Re:
  When the cop puts a hand on you you are under arrest, or when a cop stops you too are then under arrest.
  
  Not so. You are being detained. There's a world of difference between that and being arrested.
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  - Anonymous Coward, 3 Jul 2013 @ 9:24am
    
    Re: Re:
    Technically detained IS under arrest. Unless you are under arrest, you are free to leave. Now there IS a difference between under arrest and in custody. When you are being questioned by an officer, you can ask if you are under arrest or not and if not, you have every right to walk away. There is no charge for resisting or evading detainment.
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  - Anonymous Coward, 3 Jul 2013 @ 9:47am
    
    Re: Re:
    "The use of legal authority to deprive someone of his or her freedom of movement."
    
    http://www.law.cornell.edu/wex/arrest
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  - Anonymous Coward, 3 Jul 2013 @ 1:53pm
    
    Re: Re:
    when a cop puts a hand on you to walk you out, you are not being detained. shutup
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- poor richrads anger, 3 Jul 2013 @ 3:41pm
  
  Response to: Anonymous Coward on Jul 3rd, 2013 @ 8:03am
  The right to remain silent can now be used against you per last week Supreme Court decision. The one that did not get a lot of press.
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- btrussell (profile), 4 Jul 2013 @ 6:19pm
  
  Re:
  You need to learn your rights.
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Tim McDermott, 3 Jul 2013 @ 8:30am

Trooper Arrests 74 Yr old Woman
Trooper Northington's mama must be soooooo proud of him. A sad day for Law Enforcement and serving and protecting the people.
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Anonymous Coward, 3 Jul 2013 @ 8:40am

I would bet every penny I have that he thinks he is a real man. He certainly did not grow up it the Texas I have grown up in and taught to respect the ladies and to never put your hands on one. Especially those sweet little mature ladies. This video will haunt his career till he retires.
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- Pips, 3 Jul 2013 @ 8:48am
  
  Re:
  The irony of the abortion bill and being taught to respect women in Texas.
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nico78, 3 Jul 2013 @ 8:49am

land of the brave, home of the free.
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Anzablazer, 3 Jul 2013 @ 8:56am

Picking on old ladies.
Some one should shove around that's Texas Trooper Mother and see how he like it.
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Kenneth, 3 Jul 2013 @ 8:56am

They say Texas is full of steers and QUEERS, and that is a TIPPY-TOE-FLAMER wearing a uniform and pretending to be a MAN.
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- dennis deems (profile), 3 Jul 2013 @ 10:38am
  
  Re:
  I think what you're getting at is the suggestion that this guy's unnecessarily aggressive attitude is a posture adopted to conceal his own insecurity. Next time can you do it without the massively offensive homophobic slurs?
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  - Anonymous Coward, 3 Jul 2013 @ 10:40am
    
    Re: Re:
    Well said.
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Sara-Patricia, 3 Jul 2013 @ 9:09am

Inept Trooper in the heart of Texas
Trooper Northington is a disgrace, and I hope this does follow his career throughout its entirety. What an absolute
jerk, and to be filmed while doing it. Way to go Trooper!
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- Anonymous Coward, 4 Jul 2013 @ 4:37am
  
  Re: Inept Trooper in the heart of Texas / Trooper Arrests 74 Yr old Woman
  >
  
  Just to clarify that Ms Northington was the VICTIM. The trooper's name does not appear in the article and sadly I could not find his name in any of the linked-to documentation.
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Sara-Patricia, 3 Jul 2013 @ 9:11am

Inept Trooper in the heart of Texas
Trooper Northington is a disgrace, and I hope this does follow his career throughout its entirety. What an absolute
jerk, and to be filmed while doing it. Way to go Trooper!
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polistan, 3 Jul 2013 @ 9:21am

Dont worry theyll still get to kill babies in texas and that dyke looking broad wont see a day of jail.
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- Anonymous Coward, 3 Jul 2013 @ 10:40am
  
  Re:
  Nice. You must be the most popular kid in your 7th grade class.
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Harlan Gahner, 3 Jul 2013 @ 9:26am

74 year old woman wrongly charged for assult
Come on a woman 74 a threat to officers. At times you put a badge on a person and they turn into a power hungry tyrant. Then tis is happening all over the USA. Officers are hired to protect the public not abuse them.
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A Texas Citizen, 3 Jul 2013 @ 10:01am

No doubt our illustrious Governor Rick Perry and Lt. Governor David Dewhurst will side with the cop. That 72 year old was a serious threat in their eyes.

Why do we keep electing these morons?
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Chris Taylor, 3 Jul 2013 @ 10:02am

When will people wake up
When are people going to wake up. STOP CHANTING LET HER GO

go up their GRAB THOSE OFFICERS AND GIVE THEM NO ALTERNATIVE but to let her go. PLACE THEM UNDER ARREST and force them to release her.

this is the ONLY way people will get justice.

Don't hit them.
Don't punch them.
Don't fight them except equal to any force they use

Just COMPEL THEM with sheer number. PUT them gently on the ground against the wall take them into custody and COMPEL THEM to do your biding.

people need to wake up and realize "WE" are in charge here.

that these people need to do as they are told.

YOU CAN NOT devolve into riot or mob mentality. you must remain organizes with a single unmovable front that you will do as your told because we the people demand it. without negotiation.
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- Anonymous Coward, 3 Jul 2013 @ 10:26am
  
  Re: When will people wake up
  That would be a truly dumb thing for them to do. Their whole purpose of being there was to be a PEACEFUL LEGAL voice in opposition to the proposed legislation. ANY physical aggression would completely undermine that purpose by demonstrating to the world watching that they were not intent on being peaceful. They did EXACTLY what they should have done. PEACEFULLY VOICE opposition to the act of physical aggression against someone who was no physical threat, exercising their legal right to participate, record the incident and release it for public consumption. This only serves to make them stronger politically in the long run.
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ratan, 3 Jul 2013 @ 10:16am

Which is exactly why this officer is not fit to police...
You don't have to inform them at all that you are asserting your 5th amendment rights. You can just simply STFU and not say a damned thing. You don't have to answer any questions whatsoever. There is nothing legally requiring you to say a word. However, if they are asking you about YOUR involvement in some sort of crime, they are required to advise you of your Miranda rights if they want to later use anything you said against you in court otherwise your lawyer can object and have it thrown out.http://computersbds.blogspot.com/
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Anonymous Coward, 3 Jul 2013 @ 10:31am

Haha. Punked by an ole woman. Has to suck to be him on the force about now. I wonder who said "stop, you're hurting me" more, the lady or the dainty-ham? That's a pretty tortured sense of self-worth to press charges on an elderly lady for beating your ass like that though. HAAA ha.
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Guest, 3 Jul 2013 @ 11:06am

You can clearly see that she was the only one sitting down, obviously she would have had plenty of time to obey the order prior to the officials asking her to leave. Some old people act like little children.
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- Anonymous Coward, 3 Jul 2013 @ 11:42am
  
  Re:
  In the video you can clearly see she that when first addressed she clearly starts to gather her things so that she can comply but stops and looks at him to acknowledge him as if she didn't hear him clearly when he addresses her again. It is at that point that he grabs her. That isn't resisting on her part. That is miscommunication and bullying on his part.
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Anonymous Coward, 3 Jul 2013 @ 11:08am

So, basically what this article suggests is that it's fine and dandy for old women to swing their purses at peoples' faces; it's only assault, 'technically speaking'... but let's make exceptions for elderly women and simply allow those who swing purses at your face to do so without consequence... to just 'walk it out' and allow your attacker to potentially continue to swing bags at other peoples' faces because... well because it's perfectly acceptable behaviour, apparently.

Well, I beg to differ.
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- Franklin G Ryzzo (profile), 3 Jul 2013 @ 2:41pm
  
  Re:
  I think you missed the assault of the elderly woman by the officer. He had no right to place his hands on her. Her swinging her purse was a response to being assaulted. He is the one who should have been arrested and charged with a felony.
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- Anonymous Coward, 3 Jul 2013 @ 10:43pm
  
  Re:
  Too lazy to watch a fifteen second video?
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John, 3 Jul 2013 @ 11:10am

I am not a lawyer... but I have read a bit, and to me... with her informing him that he was hurting her, and with her offering no resistance at first -- she was not under arrest, she was not being detained, and she was not being searched, the officer had no right to put his hands on her.

Texas Penal Code - Section 9.31. Self-Defense

(c) The use of force to resist an arrest or search is
justified:
(1) if, before the actor offers any resistance, the
peace officer (or person acting at his direction) uses or attempts
to use greater force than necessary to make the arrest or search;
and
(2) when and to the degree the actor reasonably
believes the force is immediately necessary to protect himself
against the peace officer's (or other person's) use or attempted use
of greater force than necessary.

If, in defense of herself, she was attempting to disorient the officer to release his grip on her that was obviously causing bodily harm (74 years old? I bet she has a bruise where his hand was.), then she used force to attempt to protect herself from his use of unnecessary force.

Welcome to Texas, I hope they give grandma a medal.
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- Anonymous Coward, 3 Jul 2013 @ 11:32am
  
  Re:
  If you follow the link to the original blog post about this, they have pictures of the bruises on her arms.
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- Cowards Anonymous, 3 Jul 2013 @ 11:55am
  
  Re:
  Further relevant parts of the Texas Penal Code that would apply against the officer here:
  
  � 37.02. PERJURY. (a) A person commits an offense if,
  with intent to deceive and with knowledge of the statement's
  meaning:
  (1) he makes a false statement under oath or swears to
  the truth of a false statement previously made and the statement is
  required or authorized by law to be made under oath; or
  (2) he makes a false unsworn declaration under Chapter
  132, Civil Practice and Remedies Code.
  (b) An offense under this section is a Class A misdemeanor.
  
  Sec. 12.21. CLASS A MISDEMEANOR. An individual adjudged guilty of a Class A misdemeanor shall be punished by:
  (1) a fine not to exceed $4,000;
  (2) confinement in jail for a term not to exceed one year; or
  (3) both such fine and confinement.
  
  Unfortunately, it's damn near impossible for civilians to get a DA to press charges against a police officer.
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Dan, 3 Jul 2013 @ 11:34am

They wouldn't have to lie about things like this if we'd just wise up and make "Contempt of Cop" a felony.
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yarg93, 3 Jul 2013 @ 11:48am

This is insane, what a fat pig. How was this elderly woman charged, she did nothing wrong, she just looked confused as to why the were being so inappropriately rough. this cop probably just gets off on this stuff, will go into his want bank for later.
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death to the traitors, 3 Jul 2013 @ 12:15pm

criminal cops need some justice, street or otherwise...
plain and simple; it is once again time for revolution
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norm, 3 Jul 2013 @ 12:19pm

so much for arms to protect from your tyranny
Hey Americans... you are the worst police state in the Western world.. yet you have these idiots called Republicans who claim their weapons would protect you from this :) LOL

Here's the truth.. YOU DESERVE THIS TREATMENT!!!! As for Texans.. they deserve a lot worse.. the cop should have picked up the old lady and just thrown her down the bleacher, and then may her husband or son thank the cop for being a strong American law enforcer. Texas is just a bunch of faaaaaaaaaagolas in stupid hats.
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- Anonymous Coward, 4 Jul 2013 @ 4:14pm
  
  Re: so much for arms to protect from your tyranny
  Why does any deserve this treatment? Seriously, are you sick in the head? Forget your medication?
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Anonymous Coward, 3 Jul 2013 @ 12:26pm

Wow! What a brave guy! Wish we had cops all over the country like that. That'll teach those ol' ladies to disrespect the law.

Seriously, is anyone surprised that this happened in Texas?
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nubwaxer (profile), 3 Jul 2013 @ 12:26pm

"civil" war
i get a distinct feeling that everything going on in this country is based on a divide between confederate and federal ideals which were not settled even at the loss of 660,000 military deaths during the first civil war.
many people are too ignorant or to unwilling to accept the concept of a federal, constitutional, presidential republic.
what kind of fascist police state is the texas republic that wants to charge a 74 year old woman with felony assault on some pansy cop?
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Dissenter, 3 Jul 2013 @ 12:53pm

I'm not seeing it
If we're comparing the woman's statement with the trooper's statement to the video, I still don't see that the trooper was wrong in his actions. The gallery was cleared except for this woman; she was obviously waiting for some reason. You can't see her other hand, so no one that watches that video can tell whether she was holding on to the seat or not (the other trooper blocks that view). Both troopers put hands on her to get her up and get her moving, and the the second trooper steps away. The woman obviously swings at him, and from the the angle of the video, you can't tell if her hand impacted his face or not -- obviously the purse does. As he proceeds to arrest her, she is obviously resistant (not fighting, but definitely not being cooperative).

I think this is another overreaction by the "innernet." From the visual evidence, I don't see anything that the trooper did wrong. He was ordered to remove people from the gallery, this woman obviously was resistant to move. When the troopers forced the issue, she purposefully hit a trooper (purse...hand...doesn't matter), and she was arrested. She was clearly making it more difficult my moving her hands around and twisting her body. If that trooper wanted to, he could have body slammed her, twisted her hands behind her and cuffed her. However, he didn't. He calmly cuffed her, as his job and training dictate.

I'm not a conservative, but I'm also not a knee-jerk police hater. They have a tough job. If they take half-measures with just one person, and that person (elderly or not) pulls a gun, knife, etc., then they are DEAD. End of story. From the video, his actions looked appropriate to me. Obviously it looks (and sounds) bad because the woman was elderly, but I think this is an overreaction by the public. If you're given a lawful order by a police officer, you have the choice whether to comply or resist. She clearly chose to resist and he did his job, in my opinion.
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- Anonymous Coward, 4 Jul 2013 @ 1:55am
  
  Re: I'm not seeing it
  Many old people have a fear of falling and breaking bones, so they will often wait for a crowd to leave a public area before moving themselves. Somebody accidentally bumping them could knock them off their feet.
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robertsgt40 (profile), 3 Jul 2013 @ 1:51pm

Great Investment
This is how my tax dollar will be spent in Texas. Hammering grannies chichis to the wall cuz Bubba couldn't wait 5secs for her to get up. And they wonder why people lose respect for authority. It's because the law abuses it.
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Anonymous Coward, 3 Jul 2013 @ 2:13pm

it should be recognized as with tradition in Texas law, that it is customary that any lowlife or cretin forcibly handling an elderly ladies arm gets forcibly whacked with her purse
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Whatever, 3 Jul 2013 @ 2:45pm

A. I wonder how he would feel if that video was of his mother and a trooper with bad judgment issues.

B. The women should have punched him in the throat.

C. This is why most of the public do not like or trust the law.

D. Don't you think he could have found some traffic offender to harass instead?

E. Wives of law enforcement, Please put out more often to help prevent these kind of issues.
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Anonymous Coward, 3 Jul 2013 @ 2:50pm

Cops are scum.
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Eponymous Coward, 3 Jul 2013 @ 3:09pm

A view into this that may ruffle some feathers...
I'm reminded of some famous character's quote that goes on about what they do to the least amongst them they do unto me. The reason I see that as relevant is that I thinks it's safe to assume this shit has been going on for decades amongst minorities. Now though, that it's happening also on a growing basis to white people we begin to hear these shouts of "Police State, ohh noes!!!!" Not that Im excusing these startling situations with this. As a white male I'm just detecting a hypocritical subtext to this: this shouldn't be happening to "us!" When it happened to "them", minorities, we remained mostly mute about it. And we're starting to see that doing so was to our detriment in that under a slightly more colorblind police presence these officers hadn't ceased their bad tactics, they just broadened the pool they apply them to! I think this illustrates why we need to advocate for the rights of the weakest in our society -children, prisoners, and the extremely poor- if for no other reason but to do right by ourselves. These groups are typically test subjects for authoritarian programs that will eventually be exported to the larger populace, and stopping them there will be an easier battle to fight. Saddly I feel we made our bed here on this one by enabling bad police behavior in the past and we'll have a hell of a struggle to clean it up going forward as it looks to be engrained deep in LEO culture.
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- Anonymous Coward, 4 Jul 2013 @ 6:50am
  
  Re: A view into this that may ruffle some feathers...
  They aren't broadening the pool. They have always treated anyone they were opposed to this way. It's just earlier that the minorities standing up for their rights were such a large and very visible part of that opposition that it grabbed most of the attention.
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Mary Carroll, 3 Jul 2013 @ 3:22pm

Idiots
Speaking as a 66 year old with bad knees and an arthritic hip, I can't always get up as quickly as I'd like, especially after sitting for a prolonged period. This trooper was way, way out of line and I hope he is severely reprimanded for it and made to publicly apologize to this woman.
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Anonymous Coward, 3 Jul 2013 @ 3:24pm

Maybe someone should find out who the "Trooper" is and send the videos (there is another which shows the woman actually hit him in the face with her purse, clear and up close, but only after his is stupidly aggressive) to his family, disguised as a video of his excellent behaviour.

I'd love to see the reaction of his parents, siblings, wife, and children and maybe even friends, to his man-handling of an elderly lady.
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Kerry, 3 Jul 2013 @ 4:20pm

While brutally thuggish, these roid-raged, squirrel spraying, pet killing, granny pushing, cavity search for a speeding infraction, [insert negative press adjective here] cop types are the biggest red spine, yellow-bellied cowards in world history.
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Wil, 3 Jul 2013 @ 5:06pm

Wow, good thing it didn't happen in L.A. or Chicago, she probably would not, at her age, have survived the beating or shooting. In New York, a lot of bystanders probably would have been shot in the process. Point is, this is happening everywhere, not just in the south,as the bigoted media would have us believe.
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Anonymous Coward, 3 Jul 2013 @ 5:36pm

74 and that lady is giving you a problem?//////////what about 15,000,000 mexicans...are they giving you a problem?
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hp, 3 Jul 2013 @ 6:14pm

phony baloney heroics
Everyone is sick of the nonsense "putting our lives on the line" crappolla pulled out like a pistol when the sacred police are dare criticized.

Truth is their job isn't even top ten most dangerous and half their "died in the line of duty" casualties come from driving around like maniacs and crashing their cars.

I suppose they want a medal for that too.
Yep, as a matter of fact, they do.
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Fred Snyder, 3 Jul 2013 @ 7:07pm

Texas Trooper
anyone worried about the Facist bent seen in our law enforcement and political process yet. is it all starting too look historically familiar ?
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eyeroll, 3 Jul 2013 @ 7:43pm

Anyone with an iota of experience can clearly see that this woman is a willing plant, meant to incite, and she is quite successful.

If you disagree, figure it out.
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Daikon, 3 Jul 2013 @ 7:53pm

Thank god I dont live in America.
Land of the free? Whatever happened to that shit.
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- eyeroll, 3 Jul 2013 @ 8:06pm
  
  Re:
  It still is. There are people that want other people to think differently, is all.
  
  Keeps the masses separated and confused.
  
  If you listen to what is happening around the woman, there are others who yell "he's hurting me!" which is heard all around the rotunda - hell, the woman holding the camera yells a "Screeeee!"
  
  Every instance that people are claiming happened, occurred with someone else standing between cop, woman, and camera.
  
  She came out of that chair ready for a fight.
  
  It stirs the nasties toward Texas, so everyone is looking at it - unfortunately, they aren' t paying attention as to WHY so many were drawn there (also note the place is almost cleared out of spectators - further evidence that at least some remaining were there just to make things difficult.
  
  If you don't believe me, go out and spend some real time protesting.
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  - eyeroll, 3 Jul 2013 @ 8:16pm
    
    Re: Re:
    YES! Even an "elderly" woman. As a Dem, I can attest that Seasoned True Blues will go the lengths, even the appearance of Police Brutality, to get eyes onto the issue of abortion.
    
    Unfortunately, as in this case, it didn't work (based on this comment thread, anyway).
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Fred Johnson, 3 Jul 2013 @ 8:37pm

Arrest on elderly woman
From what I have viewed, though I was not there. This appears to be an abuse of power. I have worked with inmates and the public, in a correctional facility for many years. I see no reason why he needed to place his hands on her, let alone cuff her.
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bishopeve, 4 Jul 2013 @ 4:42am

Stupidity of today's cops
Increasingly cowardly actions aside, you would think in today's era of technology, telephones, and video cameras. even a stupid cop would realize that 1) if he bullies and pushes around a 74 y.o. woman, he's going to be caught on tape somewhere and 2) realizing #1 to be the case, it would be futile to try to rewrite the whole scene on his report. Where do you people come from that you have to hire the scrapings from the bottom of the barrel as "law enforcement"? This is just typical of the corruption and unlawful behaviors running rampant in our legal system - from the lowest paid rural cop clear up through the lawyers, judges, straight to the White House Oval Office. America's days are numbered as a free country if this type of Nazi behavior is not stopped NOW - AT ALL LEVELS! Fire them. Vote them out. Replace them. Whatever "lawful" means it takes (otherwise, some stupid cop like this one might arrest you!).
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- Vox, 4 Jul 2013 @ 5:02am
  
  Re: Stupidity of today's cops
  Nazis? You mean jewish nazis don't you? Because they're the real reason AmeriKwa has all these problems. Them and their GD Talmud!
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Vox, 4 Jul 2013 @ 4:59am

the lawgivers
You people empower these state sanctioned thugs by referring to them as "law enforcement" or "lawmakers" or "Law Givers"

Police are witnesses for the state in a possible crime. They are NOT under any circumstances "law enforcement". They are NOT there to enforce laws! Their purpose is as "witnesses" to a crime. Stop calling them "law enforcement" and stop referring to legislature and "lawmakers". They are not gods, they take a shit just like everyone else does.
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- hp, 4 Jul 2013 @ 5:54am
  
  Re: the lawgivers
  Kinda hard to be a witness when 95% of the time they show up after the fact. This is not derision, just obvious fact.
  
  To be accurate, all the cops need most of the time is a pencil and paper to take down the data AFTER THE FACT, after the crime has been committed and the perp(s) are long gone.
  
  Now if this is your idea of "witnessing" perhaps you need to expand your definitions a tad.
  
  Also, the cops are trained liars, as per job requirements.
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Anonymous Coward, 4 Jul 2013 @ 5:05am

Clapper Award for using words in the opposite sense to their common meanings
"I was escorting her by the arm up the steps by myself..."

I wonder if his wife shouts out in pain when he escorts her by the arm.
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James Smith, 4 Jul 2013 @ 12:00pm

Not free any more
Yes, the USA has become a police state. This type of LEO abuse takes place daily all over America. It's getting worse and will not improve any time soon.

It isn't as if any rational person still believes the USA is a free country. Think about it. No-warrant wire taps, indefinite detention of citizens without charges, approval of rendition of prisoners and torture, stop and frisk without probable cause, search and seizure without a warrant, no-knock entry, confiscation and destruction of cameras that might have been used to film police acting illegally, police brutality, police shootings that go without investigation, managed news, and the civil-rights destroying "Patriot" Act.

Acts of police behaving illegally, with shootings, Tasers, and unwarranted violence now appear almost daily. Rarely are these offenses punished. Most often "an investigation" is claimed, but soon forgotten.

  In addition, the USA, with 5% of the world population, has 25% of all of the prisoners in the world. That means the USA has the most people in prison of any nation in history. Even by percentage of residents incarcerated, not just sheer numbers. USA is # 1!   Does any of that sound like a free country?

As Dwight D. Eisenhower said about communism, "It's like slicing sausage. First they out off a small slice. That isn't worth fighting over. Then they take another small slice that isn't worth fighting over. Then another and another. Finally, all you have left is the string and that isn't worth fighting over, either.
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AB, 5 Jul 2013 @ 1:44pm

When they came for me, there was nobody left...
The day you accepted what happened to Jose Padilla, and the prisoners held without trial at Guantanamo, is the day you invited this sort of abuse upon yourselves. America is nothing but a fascist state now. One that you've invited upon yourselves.
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John Galt, 5 Jul 2013 @ 8:07pm

What needs to start happening...
at events like these where obvious injustices like this start happening is that the crowd, of whom there are FAR MORE than there are authorities EXCEEDING THEIR AUTHORITY, needs to start edging in, surrounding, pressing in. WE THE PEOPLE are the ULTIMATE AUTHORITY and when we see injustice WE need to Stand in the Gap or lose what few shadows of former freedoms still remain. We NEED TO PUSH BACK, and if more of "them" come, more and more and MORE of us need to form to surround them as well. Instead of everyone just standing back and safely shouting "Let here go!" we need to not give them the CHOICE! Keep it Peaceful, just overwhelm them with Passive resistance. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1hAx5G0I9mU And Vets need to Stand in the Gap too! Watch and Learn http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WmEHcOc0Sys
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bryan smith, 13 May 2014 @ 1:34am

cops are losers with guns
fuck those police especially TEXAS pigs are some of the worst
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Anonymous Coward, 13 May 2014 @ 1:38am

speak for yourself
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