Unbelievable and Assaultive Strip Search on an Innocent Woman
By Nicole Belle Saturday Feb 02, 2008 12:15pm
Click here to see the Video (Updated)
Raw Story: (h/t Existentialist Cowboy)
Hope Steffey's night started with a call to police for help. It ended with her face down, naked, and sobbing on a jail cell floor. Now, the sheriff's deputies from Stark County, Ohio who allegedly used excessive force during a strip search 15 months ago face a federal lawsuit, and recently released video won’t help their case.
Steffey's ordeal with the Stark County sheriff's deputies began after her cousin called 9-1-1 claiming Steffey had been assaulted by another one of their cousins. When a Stark County police officer arrived, he asked to see Steffey's driver's license. But instead of handing over her own ID, she mistakenly turned over her dead sister's license, which she contends she keeps in her wallet as a memento. That's when the situation became complicated. Read on...
take a look at this video and say something: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SsF9V0Ql17I
We can only hope justice is obtained for this woman and that these officers are punished to the fullest extent of the law.........simply overwhelming brutality...
The police have the supeiority mentality that causes them to act as if they are always right and you are wrong. The police state mentality is what the recruiters are looking for in their profiles. It;s not so much the police, but how they are trained. Who trains them? The government. Therefore we end up with a police state. Sieg Heil.
Welcome to Iraq.
This is so disgusting to watch - I felt like I was watching a Third World countries jail house rape. I hope to hell she sues the PANTS off everyone of the officers involved and they are fired without compensation. What the hell is wrong with people? How could you as a woman sit there and allow that to happen to another woman and not feel that there is something wrong with this picture. I would own that fat fuck police chiefs world after that fiasco.
The tape says it all. no comments needed.
One billion dollars sounds about right.
"Your papers please."
What is happening to America? I wonder what treatment one of the Bush daughters would have received if this had happened to them? America is going downhill—fast!
Americans do not care when this happens in Iraq - Abu Gahrab and elsewhere as we have a way of blaming the victim. But, if she only had blond hair, it would get picked up on the MSM for the next month. As LKern says, One billion would be a good start.
anybody want to venture why they filmed it??? they thought it was ok to perform the"Search", and they thought it was ok to film it???
abu graib
reminds me of a song where the one phrase goes..
"Obie, did you think I was to hang my self for litterin?"
I have for many years have believed that one should never call the police. They will always make a bad situation worse. What you see is an off shoot from the war on drugs. Do not call the police unless you absolutely have too....Want to bet the police will get a pass?
I'm going to hold myself back from an angry rant here. Consider me in agreement with all other angry rants.
Unbelievable, simply unbelievable. Sad part? A majority of police officers act this way now. With experience comes this "I am the law and can do what I want" mentality. Truly disgusting.
Welcome to G.W.'s Police State.
Welcome to the New World Order. They're coming for you and yours too. A boot stomping on the face of humanity forever.
I can see a lot of charges being filed and if I was Mrs. Steffey's husband I would be going full force after that Sheriff's Department. I can see cruel and unusual punishment, excessive force, police brutality along with numerous others. By airing this video there will be a lot of public pressure put on that Department.
Payback and humiliation. That is how some police officers work, and when so often with the full compliance of the city. It doesn't matter if you are a law-abiding citizen. Some police have taken upon themselves the right to treat anyone as though they were in imminent danger of being shot, and some think that a verbal questioning of what the officer is doing gives the officer the right, even duty, to physically assault the person.
Law and order is great, but I can't understand why cities are so hesitant to punish bad police.
I'll be GPSing myself around Stark-raving-mad-County the next time I'm forced to go to Ohio, which will probably be never.
The US is a police state - the worse thing you can do is challenge the authority of the police.
"Respect mah authoritay!"
That's business as usual in Stark County. I know: I lived near there.
This is not suprising. Just a natural outcome of the War on Some Drugs.
Why be suprised?
Think about this incident the next time one of your favorite politicians wants to put "more cops on the streets"... They can't even properly train the ones they already have!
Look at those dumbass deputies, shaved heads, over-fed on McDonald's and angry that their high school football dreams were crushed when the knocked up cheerleader Mary Jane Rottencrotch during the prom. The "heartland"...what a place. Police state, indeed.
I'm never ever going to Ohio again, or any part of the Midwest, except maybe Chicago... people are fucking Bush bots now. Let's hire a bunch of good for nothing goons with little tolerance and blind loyalty to all this nonsense repubs have thrown at them for years, and this is what you get. A couple of minutes of LISTENING to the women explain herself to the cops would have cleared all of this up, but no, she could be a "threat", because hey, even old ladies could work for Al Qaeda now. And she was blond and pretty, imagine if she were of Middle Eastern heritage - oh wait, we don't have to imagine...
Concerned American @ 8:
My thinking exactly. What the Fuck is wrong with this country?
If this went to the current SCOTUS they would rule 5-4 that an individual would have no rights of personal privacy including strip searches while in Police Custody.
This is one of many reasons why the next President MUST be a Democrat!
.........from an Independent Voter...................
This is obviously a sexual assault, the officers involved need to be prosecuted, not just sued.
Welcome to Fascist Umerika. This shit will become more and more common. Fortunately for her, she's blonde and attractive, so she'll get attention in the media and the courts. Unfortunately, this is routine for many blacks and routinely goes unnoticed. It should never ever happen to anyone, anywhere, ever.
But we're safe from terrorists, right?
Right?
Jesus. Fucking. Christ. Why did they film it? They've got to be fucking insane. Let alone the federal lawsuit, how about criminal sexual assault? Attempted gang rape? What the fuck was going on here? It didn't even look like they were searching for anything. It looked as if she was being punished, or humiliated, ON CAMERA.
It's about the kind of treatment you could axpect in a dictatorship.
So I can't say I am suprised that this ould happen in America.
This is a vital tool in the war on terror.
Radically Moderate @ 27:
You've got that right. Far right ideologues appointed to the judiciary have transformed our justice system into a Kafkaesque nightmare. The Federalist Society needs to be banned as a criminal organization more dangerous to the public than the Mafia.
that is RAPE.
if she were any color other than white, you probably wouldn't be hearing about this.
i believe this is routine behavior from the police state.
when you encounter law enforcement. be very submissive. they are like attack dogs and will attack you
at the slightest hint of being uncooperative. they are trained to be this way by the police state.
using the drug war as a pretext, you lost all your civil liberties.
just watch the show COPS, it's considered entertainment watching people being abused (this too has been cultivated).
look at Abu Ghraib, that was not a fluke, that was institutional!
the police state is a science and technology.
unless you stop the war on our own citizens(drug war) the brutality will not end.
the science of policing will only adapt around these instances when they are caught
and develop ways to maintain secrecy. and the higher the level of secrecy and lack of transparency the
more brutal the police state will become.
if the characters in that disturbing event looked different, how am i not
to mistake that for one of saddam hussein's "RAPE ROOMS".
I picture a jury seeing this film...
If that was my wife there would be 4 dead stark county officers.What other recourse would you have? If they were not police officers they would be charged with aggravated sexual assault and mob action both class X felonies.They might lose their jobs(doubtful) and more than likely won't face even a misdemeanor charge.I am not a violent person and don't promote violence, but I fear the only way this will ever be stopped is when officers start dying or police stations get burned down by angry mobs.
This is the end-result of right-wing thinking.
cant wait till the wingnut talkers get their hands on this and tell us how we dont see the whole story
since 9/11 this country has gone to shit
Remember Bush wouldn't let Scooter Libby suffer even a minute in jail.
The oligarchs take care of themselves quite well.
-GSD
Just another example of what we can expect should ANY Republican asshole become president....complete loss of all civil liberties, and the another example of the GOP's philosophy that cops are always right and courts of justice are pussies.
36 wisedup Says:
I picture a jury seeing this film…
So do I and with it even the dumbest attorney out there will nail those deputies to the wall and I certainly that happens. That video is the case and no excuses can or will justify the deputies actions.
All this emphasis on ID's make me wonder
When did the goose-steppers take over?
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QwIe5tLGnPg
Ron @ 3:
The qualifications for becoming a police officer are very low. Educational attainment necessary - practically none.
The fault lies in a society that lowers the bar so far that almost anyone can become a member of the law enforcement community.
Let almost anyone in and you are going to get the ethics we see on this tape.
It happens. Too much.
Botched Paramilitary Police Raids:
An Epidemic of "Isolated Incidents"
http://www.cato.org/raidmap/
Joe O. @ 42:
erotism for authoritarian republicans.
it's not the deputies, it's the institution.
Jan 21st 2000
I'm surprised they didn't masturbate her with tasers.
It is a gradual change - one that started about 9/11 - the rules (ie constitution) don't matter so much. The boundaries placed on behavior (Torture, Tasers, are symptomes) are less important than our safety. Let us pretend that the whole thing - the whole Homeland Security thing is illusion - gave money and power to small and untrained police forces. Perhaps someone can tell me the difference between this and say - The Wizard of Oz - behind his giant mask and lights. Or the difference between our current need for safety from a vague and mythic enemy from say - The Berlin Wall being placed in the early 60's. The gradual change is what happened in Germany - the government is pretty scary and they have those camps but if I put my head up my lederhosen and just keep ignoring it - I won't be touched. Reality shows about prison, SWAT teams etc have helped socialize both us and the police in a direction that says - those who are the police have all the rules on their side. And those who are not - had better be careful. Coming from a law and order kind of family - I respect the job the police and law enforcement have to do. But, unless they begin to govern themselves a bit better, we will have a police state run by the not so bright for the not so good. The issues are huge and must start with a truthful look at the dangers we face instead of a script seemingly written by the writers of "24" and cast by central casting in the form of Dick Cheney. Truthfulness might be a good place to start. We know that the administration has routinely lied, exaggerated and misled the American people. Whoever gets this mess next January - will have so much to clean up it will take years. There is no hitler here - just people who imagine the worst and project those fears in such a manner we lose our courage, our hearts and our brains. The mythology of our country can be found in L.Frank Baum's book, but the solutions in the musical "Wicked". We see in the musical that the culture seems to need enemies to gather - perhaps we had better stop that kind of thinking and begin to gather out of our common humanity. It isn't terrorists, or Bush, or Clinton, or illegal aliens that are the problem - we meet the enemy and it is us.
nomolos @ 47:
Oh please, you're going to try and blame this local police department actions on the Bush admin? Really?
44 CalGeorge Says
The fault lies in a society that lowers the bar so far that almost anyone can become a member of the law enforcement community.
__________________________________________________________________
I considered it back in the early 80's, but at 5'3'' was considered too short.
ConcernedCanuck @ 45:
""If a widespread pattern of [knock-and-announce] violations were shown . . . there would be reason for grave concern."
—Supreme Court Justice Anthony Kennedy, in Hudson v. Michigan, June 15, 2006."
YEAH...just wait and see what happens if the "supreme" court becomes even more fascist.
50 Tim Says: nomolos @ 47:
When did the goose-steppers take over?
Jan 21st 2000
Oh please, you’re going to try and blame this local police department actions on the Bush admin? Really?
_____________________________________________________________
Yes, really.
This is what happens when the Constitution becomes considered just a gosh-durned piece of paper.
That's the way real Texans talk.
This is coming directly from the White House. When george bush believes he can abuse civil rights in any matter he chooses, that mentality is passed on down the chain. I might be skipped by some Governors, but not by, say the police, who have the same mentality and control as bush, but on a smaller scale. It will take 5 generations before this can be undone, but probably never.
Some years ago, I did criminal defense work in small (20,000) midwestern college town. Clients were college kids.
My experience was that the police routinely behaved improperly and lied about it.
Don't tase me bro!
It's very believable. "Hey, that's how the U.S. Army does it!"
Breakdown of order and civility on all levels... just imagine how wonderful it will be when the country is faced with a REAL national crisis like famine or disease.
that's just one of goerge bush's "RAPE ROOMS".
This is no doubt Clinton's fault.
What city? What state? What country? I'm getting older and more tired of what America has turned into. Whatever years I have left, I would like to live in peace. Where?
To be fair to the cops, there needs to be reform in the police assignments. They should spend so much time on the streets, and some much time in routine desk work and training. It's how we used to treat soldiers until the deserter took over.
Of course, sometimes hair-trigger responses will save their lives, but I prefer triggers on hair than guns.
36 wisedup Says: I picture a jury seeing this film…
________________________________________________
They will leave handprints on their clothes. That's what buttered popcorn does.
Tim @ 50:
Also what happens when federal prosecutors are turned into bushbots. No need to fear federal prosecution from prosecutors too busy putting innocent democrats in jail.
Same mentality of asshole cops just graduated here in Idaho and the class motto was " DON'T SUFFER FROM PTSD GO OUT AND CAUSE IT " These criminals that are suppossed to be law enforcement , are a disgrace , I hope they all get fired and serve time .
Those deputies must be graduates of the Abu Ghraib police academy. Blowback?
This is the kind of "tough on crime" world Republicans think we should live in. Innocent? So sorry! Better than to abuse and traumatize a few innocent victims than to let murderers and rapists walk the streets!
ysbaddaden @ 61:
Fuck the police. They have always been in place to protect to wealthy, now their job has expanded into furthering the fascist American dream as put forth by BushCo and the terrified 50% or America who need a strong daddy figure as well as a strong invisible sky daddy to protect them at all costs.
We get what we deserve.
If you have a police state, you will have arrogant, brutal cops.
Of course we have to get rid of the arrogant, brutal cops.
But to solve the problem, we should rid ourselves of the police state.
Hopefully, that will commence this November.
Wonder if she voted for chimpy and his police state mentality?
Isn't this just becoming increasingly par for the course these days, as our rights are gradually chipped away? I'm convinced there has to be a climate of acceptance for this to occur, an understanding there will be no consequences for blatant abuse of power. It's exactly what we've seen in the military at both Gitmo and Abu Grahb (?sp). It's the new United States baby, where citizen's rights don't matter and the courts will always rule on behalf of the powerful, brought to you by George Bush and company.
Since my mother passed away, I keep her ID in MY wallet. And if I had been assulted and was so shook up by it, what would happen if I pulled out the wrong one.
I think the police officers should have let the woman correct her mistake. AND no mistake about it, I think they should ALL BE FIRED.
Just imagine the fake outrage from the reich-wing if it this were New York City cops doing this to Betty Sue visiting from Alabama.
Zog, I might add, hold a congressional, senate or WH position.
I'm guessing the police figure it's ok to be brutal, since the Armed Forces are torturing, then why can't they use these tactics.
How come it took 15 months to get this story out?
I hope now that it is out and being watched all over the world, that perhaps this young lady will get her day of justice, although justice seems to be in short supply these days in the "U.S. of A."
I couldn't even finish watching the video. I feel like vomiting right now.
What can we do to stop this kind of thing?
I don't know how she'll ever recover from this. The anger I feel right now is overwhelming me...how doe she handle HER anger?
This is frightening. I laugh when I see "protect and serve" on the side of police cars.
Who are they protecting and serving?
I hope these cops get sued and punished and I hope that they suffer in some way til the day they die.
Society had a crime problem and so it hired cops. Now society has a cop problem.
The "War or Terra" told us that we needed more brutal cops and procedures (see: increase of acquisition and usage of tasers nationwide).
In the absence of actual threats, the citizenry become the enemy.
I am becoming fearful of my government.
secularhumanizinevoluter @ 69:
I'm willing to bet she did...she seems probably a member of the high prole class, and she is from Ohio, two markers for Limpbaughism.
This is also the kind of behavior alluded to in Naomi Wolfe's book, The End of America, when countries move from being open democracies to closed states. There's a lack of respect for the rule of law, both by law enforcement and at the highest levels of government. Citizens are abused without consequence or accountability. They lose their right to even press charges or appeal.
Going to see a lot more of this, now that we live in a police state.
There is probably another side to this story, like what happened when she asked for her sister's license back and the officer refused.
She was arrested on a disorderly conduct charge. The nature of the disorderly conduct was glossed over in this clip.
Not to excuse the disgusting strip search and the callous treatment the woman received. I hope the sheriff and cops are fired and prosecuted. I'm just saying.
Holy shit.
If you've lived in Ohio, you know that it has a strong undercurrent of authoritarianism. None of this surprises me. Granted, it's an isolated incident, but this state is, historically, a law and order state, infested with the goofiest Bible-thumping clods, criminal behavior in high offices, and a healthy respect for all things republican. Stark County is adjacent to some of the reddest counties in the state. I'm not turning this into a political statement: I'm saying that there is a pattern of behavior that sticks like snot to all things republican.
This infuriating video tape is an indictment against all of the people who participated. Isn't it telling to see skinhead men doing the stripping, acting in their business-like manner, so professional in their demeanor, and so totally oblivious to the wrongness of what they're doing. So Ohio.
My patience with Ohio wore out when it rigged the last presidential election. THIS isolated incident, I'm afraid, is representative of unspoken values that TOO many Ohioans embrace.
Some have asked, you're not going to blame this, too, on the Bush administration, are you? To which I say, absolutely YES, BushCo has broken laws without consequences.
BushCo has shifted the national psyche to a dark place, where dog-eats-dog and it's okay to screw your neighbor...as long as you hide the evidence.
The police can do whatever the fuck they want, right? Huh? Shuddup buddy, or I'll haul you in....
Come on people, cops have been doing this shit to poor people for years. Why the outrage, all of the sudden? Is it because she's white and middle-class?
Top Ten Signs Your Country May Be Going Fascist
Funny thing is even if the crimes of these terrorist thugs are prosecuted and they're sentenced, how many of us will say it's only because their vicitim is a blondie?
This is not surprising, its been going on for as long as I can remember. This is just like the dumbasses who like cops til they actually have to deal with them. Then they realize how stupid they have been. Kinda like people who have health insurance, its great until you actually need it and then get denied coverage. Of course we need less goverment oversight says republicans, so they can screw us easier without getting caught.
Chuck @ 83:
not all of a sudden
but when the cops video tape something because they feel what they are doing is legal...you are gonna get outrage
whether the victim is white, black, brown, green or purple
In years past, I used to believe that law enforcement was, by and large, the "good guys" and that they would act in good faith. However, in looking at not only this video, but many others, and checking out the Cato Institute site that was posted at #52, my belief in the "good faith" position has gradually changed over the past 10 years or so. What this poor woman was subjected to at the hands of law enforcement is unconscionable. There are simply too many times when law enforcement conducts these "no-knock" raids when mistakes are made because they went to the wrong address.
Say what? The wrong address? It seems to me that they should make double and triple sure that they have the correct address (is it really that difficult), and make sure that any tips that are provided by CIs are, indeed, accurate and not being provided by someone who has an ax to grind, or is trying to cut a deal for their own benefit.
I have always been cycnical about the way our government operates and does things -- particularly since I served in the US Army and since some of this first hand -- but I downright "hate" our government now.
#83 Chuck
You are right about it going on for years. Way back then we didn't have the internet to help us be as aware of it. It doesn't matter whether you are white, black, female or male. The police state has been around for a long time.
Chuck @ 83:
What an asinine question to ask.