Rape Victim Arrested, Denied Emergency Contraceptives

[Nikijad4210]

http://abcnews.go.com/US/wireStory?id=2835475&CMP=OTC-RSSFeeds0312

Woman Jailed After Reporting Rape

College Student Jailed for 2 Days After Reporting Rape; Police Found Old Warrant

By PHIL DAVIS

TAMPA, Fla. Jan 30, 2007 (AP)— A woman who told police she had been raped was jailed for two days after officers found an old warrant accusing her of failing to pay restitution for a 2003 theft arrest.

While she was behind bars, according to the college student's attorney, a jail worker refused to give her a second dose of the morning-after contraceptive pill because of the worker's religious convictions.

The 21-year-old woman was released Monday only after attorney Vic Moore reported her plight to the local media.

"Shocked. Stunned. Outraged. I don't have words to describe it," Moore said. "She is not a victim of any one person. She is a victim of the system. There's just got to be some humanity involved when it's a victim of rape."

Moore said the woman was not allowed to take the second emergency contraceptive pill until Monday afternoon, a day late, after reporters called police and jail officials.

Tampa Police Chief Steve Hogue said the arrest led to a new policy Tuesday that tells officers not to arrest a crime victim who has suffered injury or mental trauma whenever "reasonably possible." The agency also apologized to the student.

"Obviously, any policy that allows a sexual battery victim to spend a night in jail is a flawed policy," police spokeswoman Laura McElroy said.

The woman is not being identified by The Associated Press because she reported being the victim of a sex crime.

Tampa attorney Jennifer D'Angelo, who represents the jail worker, said Tuesday that her client is prohibited from giving inmates any medication without specific orders. The worker insists she never discussed religion with the woman who reported being raped.

"She was mortified at what was being reported in the press," said D'Angelo, who declined to identify the worker. "She's frightened for her job and she's frightened about community backlash about these allegations."

The employee, who has worked for a jail health care contractor for about six months, was placed on administrative leave, D'Angelo said.

Moore said it was too soon to say if his client would sue. Her first priority was making sure detectives find her attacker.

"She is brave," Moore said. "We are going to work with police to catch this monster."

She was in Tampa on Saturday for Gasparilla, an annual pirate-themed parade that draws thousands of people. She said she was walking alone to her car when a man pulled her behind a building and raped her, McElroy said.

She reported the rape Saturday afternoon, and officers took her to a rape crisis center where she was given the first of two doses of the morning-after pill, McElroy said. The second dose is supposed to be taken within 24 hours.

Later, as she was riding in a patrol car trying to locate the crime scene in the dark, police found the warrant stemming from a 2003 juvenile arrest for grand theft and burglary. It said she owed $4,585.

"They stopped the investigation right there," and put her in handcuffs, Moore said.

Authorities arranged a special bond hearing Monday. "When the chief's office learned we had a rape victim in jail, we began working very aggressively to get her out," McElroy said.

Jennifer Dritt, executive director of the Florida Council Against Sexual Violence, wanted more explanation from the jail, saying the woman's arrest "makes people think law enforcement doesn't have a victim-centered approach."

Moore said his client believes she paid the fine for what he described as a childish mistake. He didn't have details of that arrest, but the woman has no criminal history as an adult, according to the Florida Department of Law Enforcement.

The sheriff's office, which runs the jail, said in a statement Tuesday that it is investigating the complaint and declined to comment further.

What the fuck is wrong with people? I said it in the cabbie thread, and I'll fucking say it again here---you CAN NOT let your religious beliefs dictate your damn job. This poor woman was raped, and the motherfucker refuses her second dose of ECs? Because of their god damn religious beliefs? Oh heeeellllll no honey, that's forcing your own beliefs on someone else, a victim of a violent crime, no less. Intolerable, absolutely intolerable, fire the bitch. If she's frightened about the backlash, she damn well better be.

Second, I can't wait to hear why this woman, already know to be a rape victim, was tossed in the fucking clink for a non-violent warrant in the first place when she damned well shouldn't have been at all.



I hate this state, I fucking hate Florida. They don't give a rat's ass about you if you don't have a fat fucking bank account down here, and all of us average joes & josefinas know it.

 

[o.gkushowns]

Ye pretty fucked up right there. The cabbie thing is more debateable but this one's defintitly clear. fucked up shit
peace

 

[genkisan]

On seeing the thread title, I figgerd it was about the Taliban or some such.....but in fuckin' Florida???


People who have strong religious convictions about such things should not be working anywhere where they might be asked to violate them.....period. At that point, they are not capable of doingthe job required, and should be let go.....their religious convictions restrict their job performance.

An observant Jew should not work in a restaurant that serves pork and then refuse to handle it, and the same goes for anyone else who will restrict their actions at ork for religious reasons.

As far as the fascist state of Florida, and the ass-backwards legal insanity that goes on there......


That's what you get with privatized prisons.

When putting people in jail becomes good business...the rich will get richer and the poor will be incarcerated.

I would go into detail about the punishments deserved by all the fuckmonkeys involved in the above case, but it is early in the AM and I am not awake enough to be sufficiently inventive.

 

[Jam Master Jaco]

I just hope that kharma does what it does best.

 

[Guest]

Amazing...

Seriously... if someone has deep religious beliefs.. they should find a job that doesn't conflict with their beliefs .... instead of everyone else conforming to theirs...


That's just whacked beyond belief...

I believe in karma... and they will get theirs for sure...

Peace~

Hippie Chic

 

[Guest]

I was down on my stairstepper... working it lol and thinking about this article..

You know another thing that sickens me about this situation is how they stopped the investigation and put her in cuffs... the woman was raped! I understand a warrant out on her but she was already with them... not like she'd flee!

She should have gotten medical attention before taken into custody.....

 

[genkisan]

I was down on my stairstepper... working it lol and thinking about this article..

You know another thing that sickens me about this situation is how they stopped the investigation and put her in cuffs... the woman was raped! I understand a warrant out on her but she was already with them... not like she'd flee!

She should have gotten medical attention before taken into custody.....

She should sue the fucking county, the cops, the jail worker and everyone else involved......


This story makes me puke, and just reinforces my opinion that the US is becoming a fascist Corpo-Nazi run state faster than you can imagine....already has actually.

When shit like this can happen, and the people responsible are not immediately fired and sued, it's time to leave....or revolt.

 

[Guest]

Heinous

Absolutely unforgiveable - just one more example of overzealous cops treading on some poor womans rights, because a computer sez she owes some $.

I hope she sues their asses off

ws

 

[HotCha]

Fucking scumbag christians. I spit on every one of them and their hateful book of lies. I don't know of any other institution that has deliberately done so much damage to the worlds population.

I wish there was a saw big enough to cut Florida off and sink it in the ocean.

 

[Nikijad4210]

I wish there was a saw big enough to cut Florida off and sink it in the ocean.

Remember, Florida's a notorious finanicial Black Hole, most folks grew up/moved here & can't afford to leave----So please wait til I can afford to leave first

 

[HotCha]

Remember, Florida's a notorious finanicial Black Hole, most folks grew up/moved here & can't afford to leave----So please wait til I can afford to leave first

LOL, sorry Nikijad4210, nothing personal obviously.

 

[Guest]

Jackasses

Jackasses

I think I know someone who won't be buying tickets to the PBA circus! Just one more sign of how far down into the crapper we've wedged ourselves. Let "policies" make decisions for you, don't be human, whatever you do! Grr.

Suing them won't have any effect- they're obviously too fucking stupid to think for themselves. Times like this make me sincerely hope the Mayan calendar is right! I wouldn't wish anyone ill, but these cops and judges need to be taken down about 4 pegs- but it won't happen- the sheeple in this country will continue to elect people like King George "The Decider" W-fuckin' Bush to tell them what to do.

 

[Nikijad4210]

I know, that's why I way playful about it

I'd like nothing more than to see this state wiped off the face of the planet myself, but I really don't want to be still stuck here when that happens----I've been trying to save & get out for years, but that just doesn't work out when the gap between soaring rents & stagnant wages grows bigger......

 

[Nikijad4210]

Flip, as skeptical as I am about the Mayan prophesy, part of me hopes something drastic does happen in '12.....The entire world, let alone the US, needs a massive kick in the ass from something other than ourselves.

 

[Pops]

Florida is indeed an interesting state. During harvest season, there are 3 million illegals who work there. In Miami, it is possible to live your whole life without ever speaking the language of our country, and ,in fact, you had better learn spanish. Do not ever piss off the religious people or social service people or you will lose your family. Florida social services have taken more children from their parents than the Hitler youth corp did, and they have a bad tendency to lose track of those same children and not be able to find where they put them. Prison sentences are determined by race, political and religious affiliation.Cops love to fuck with people there. They hate pot smokers. Why would anyone want to leave a heaven like this?

Maybe, I'm stupid, but I left.

 

[Gardenstated]

I just hope that kharma does what it does best.

hell ya

 

[Guest]

...The entire world, let alone the US, needs a massive kick in the ass from something other than ourselves.

Amen, Sister!

I can't wait to tell my best friend that tomorrow! People are no longer afraid of anything outside themselves, as long as they think they're happy- suv's, mortgages, every kid in college, retire to some crappy concentration camp for the elderly like florida or arizona, the whole schmeer. TV and the 'gubment tell them they're the GREATEST NATION ON EARTH and if you don't agree, we'll toss yer kid a cluster bomb, or send him/her off to die in some craphole for no particular reason other than our stock prices....

Sorry, I was ranting, wasn't I? I'm gonna smoke another one!

 

[genkisan]

Flip, as skeptical as I am about the Mayan prophesy, part of me hopes something drastic does happen in '12.....The entire world, let alone the US, needs a massive kick in the ass from something other than ourselves.

I disagree...on where that kick in the ass needs to come from.



In order for the present paradigm of profit, greed, selfishness and resource-hoarding to be unlearned by the human race, the ass-kicking has to come soon....and it has to be ALL OUR FAULT.


That way we won't be able just blame some outside force and continue with the way we live.......if it is irrefutably our own fault...we (or the survivors) will have to look seriously at the reasons for the major ass-kicking, and change their paradigms accordingly.

 

[Guest]

..we (or the survivors) will have to look seriously at the reasons for the major ass-kicking, and change their paradigms accordingly.

Good point. Depressing to think about how unlikely it is anytime soon, though.

 

[genkisan]

Good point. Depressing to think about how unlikely it is anytime soon, though.

I actually see it coming sooner rather than later....most probably in the form of pandemics of ever-increasingly deadly diseases and major food shortages caused by climate change and the collapse of the hydrocarbon economy.


Hopefully it will come before we create a run-away heat problem here in this loverly planet we call home, and it is too late.