By Linda Sutter
On April 16, 2014 an isolated physical altercation occurred between two American Natives. A total of nine emergency vehicles responded:
1. One Ambulance,
2. Two first responders’ by the fire department; and,
3-9. The rest were Sheriff vehicles.
The 911 call was a male subject who said he was a reaper and he attacked a subject with a weight.
Everything appeared ok until Detective Richard “Grif” Griffin asked a bystander to the incident if he could search her house. She said, “Not without a warrant.” That’s when the trouble began. Detective Griffin used his body weight, while pointing his fingers at her chest, to back her up and threatened her with arrest. This young lady complied with all orders given. That is when I grabbed my phone and begin to video tape the remainder of this incident.
Then comes the dog and pony show.
Deputy Schneck, who yells loudly, “I think you are lying,” cuffs this young woman up, escorts her to his patrol car, and as he is placing her in the patrol car says, “You’re not under arrest, you are being detained for questioning.”
Once she is placed in the car, Deputy Schneck decides to stroll up my driveway because he sees I am video taping. The video is a conversation between Deputy Schneck and Linda Sutter.
An interesting fact to point out in this video, Deputy Schneck states “It is unlawful to talk to anyone under our care and custody”.
Ok…so let me get this straight. You just told the young lady you cuffed up and placed in the patrol car she was not under arrest, but you are telling me she is under arrest and it is unlawful to talk to her under the “care and custody” of the department.
The officers abused their color of authority because they could. They were mad because this American Native Woman would not let them conduct a search of her home without a search warrant. The Officers then tried to intimidate her by cuffing her as a second level of detention, (as the assailant and victim were gone), and kept her under prolong detention when she refused to answer their questions and when she requested an attorney. I guess when you inform the officer’s that you wish to speak to an attorney, it gives them more reason to keep you detained.
This American Native Woman demonstrated a true woman warrior for standing up for her civil rights when she would continually ask if she was free to go and was kept in the patrol car for nothing more than harassment.
Another interesting fact. The only people who were questioned were the Native Americans. One other person who was Caucasian who was on the scene was let go free and clear without even so much as asking for her name.
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