Georgia Cops Nab 16 Bottles of Bubbly, and a City Councilwoman's Scalp
We must have respect for the law. We must! An undercover cop enters a bridal shop run by City Councilwoman Judy Wilkinson in West Point, Georgia, and nabs her in the act of serving gratis mimosas to her customers, in violation of both city and state law. She is cuffed and taken away in front of her customers, and ultimately gets away with a mere 30-days probation. (The cops also confiscated 16 bottles of the contraband champagne, current whereabouts unknown.)
Crimestoppers textbook: The law-abiding might not know of this controlled substance, "mimosas," often linked to violence, inappropriate toasting, and the street custom of "brunch." It is a mixture of champagne--frequently the cheapest variety available, to pump up the pushers profits--tainted with orange juice, often called "OJ" on the street. (This is the juice of a fruit that might be growing, unbeknownst to you, in your own back yard; check a horticulture guide for how to recognize it.) Parents, please listen to your children and keep a keen ear for this street slang that often signals trouble--"OJ" and "the bubbly" are both danger signs--such as the intent to go into business selling bridal accoutrements. Remember: Wilkinson was only stopped because of a tip from a concerned citizen, a concerned citizen just like you.
Hat tip on this story to PublicCEO.
Editor's Note: As of February 29, 2024, commenting privileges on reason.com posts are limited to Reason Plus subscribers. Past commenters are grandfathered in for a temporary period. Subscribe here to preserve your ability to comment. Your Reason Plus subscription also gives you an ad-free version of reason.com, along with full access to the digital edition and archives of Reason magazine. We request that comments be civil and on-topic. We do not moderate or assume any responsibility for comments, which are owned by the readers who post them. Comments do not represent the views of reason.com or Reason Foundation. We reserve the right to delete any comment and ban commenters for any reason at any time. Comments may only be edited within 5 minutes of posting. Report abuses.
Please
to post comments
That reminds me: Who the hell is regulating those bowls of candies in stores and restaurants?
*slow clap*
There is sarcasm and then there is sarcasm. Unfortunately, the people to whom this is aimed would totally NOT appreciate either the tone or the message.
Doesn't this cop know that he's only supposed to bust little people? Oh, he'll learn.
Double-u. Tee. Eff.
How far do we have to get in society where somebody giving away a beverage to their shoppers is a dangerous act and should therefore be outlawed. Let alone the rest of the details where she asked more than once whether she could serve the alcohol for free without a liquor license and on her own volition assured that she wasn't serving drinks to those under-age. Clearly there are some effed up people in this situation, but it ain't the one serving the drinks.
No he won't Episiarch. I have said this before. Cops used to be assholes to poor people and minorities. Then came PC and instead of stopping being assholes, they just decided to be assholes to everyone in the name of fairness. More and more middle and upper class people are being subjected to law enforcement. It is destroying any respect people have for cops in this country. Something is going to give and it is not going to be pretty when it does.
I agree completely. Two frieds of mine have been arrested in bogus DUI cases in the last year, and in both cases the arresting officers out-and-out lied through their teeth. When I was a kid we were told that police officers were our friends and we should look for one if we needed help. No one I know tells their kids that anymore.
A simple and commonsense law prohibiting mimosas within 1000 feet of schools, churches, playgrounds and bridal shops would go far in mitigating this terrible threat.
It is a mixture of champagne--frequently the cheapest variety available, to pump up the pushers profits--tainted stepped on with orange juice, often called "OJ" on the street.
Get your drug slang straight. Geez, you call yourself a libertarian.
RC is in the hizzle, fo shizzle...
Regarding the "OJ", anybody else remember that article a while back about the oranges cross-polinated (or whatever) with MJ so that they ended up with some THC? Now *that* would be a good mimosa!
Georgia Cops Nap
If only.
How much you want to be that the city councilwoman voted to cut the police dept. budget, or at least something that honked them off?
Or maybe, when a client asked her if her gown made her look fat, she replied No, your face does.
Wilkinson was only stopped because of a tip from a concerned citizen...
AKA, Wilkinson's competitor down the street who either used her contacts at city hall to make this a law in the first place, or failed to realize offering something people want to customers would help her business. Cunt.
"often called "OJ" on the street"
...if the glove fits.
According to my reading of these laws, it's illegal to bring alcohol to any workplace without a license. So much for getting booze for Christmas in Columbus!
Washington, DC Stimulus Funds 99th Congressional District, La Raza, AARP
http://watchdog.org/2009/11/17.....raza-aarp/
"The street custom known as 'brunch'" is full of win.
How fucking big a dick do you have to be to rat out someone to the cops over a shitty beverage? Jesus. People ask why I have no faith in humanity.
It's all worth it if it prevents a Bridezilla attack.
Think of the caterers, people!
As a one-time wedding videographer, I can agree with this.
How much you want to be that the city councilwoman voted to cut the police dept. budget
An actual news story about this would involve some kind of investigatory deduction of whose graft she voted against to get the cops sent after her. And I'd bet it wasn't about a police budget.
But journalists don't do news. They're human bullhorns with the government yelling up their ass. So we'll never know.
She does, though.
I'm just glad there are brave cops out there keeping us safe from women like this. It's real easy to be snarky, Mr. Doherty, but if you had to face a dangerous criminal like this, would you have been so brave to go in undercover, Mr. Doherty?
I think that depends on whether or not he had to pose as the bride...
NTTAWWT
Oranges are also hidden by prisoners in their cells and allowed to ferment creating an alcoholic drink. We really need to start banning these "oranges", for the children. I've even seen some irresponsible parents send their kids to school with oranges in their lunchboxes! Make sure to call DCFS if you see this. If we only save one child, it will be worth it.
Reputedly Bing Crosby used to beat his children with an orange in a sock! My God, when will Florida and California crack down on this menace? They even have Orange Counties!
I don't even get how this was illegal. I thought liquor laws applied if you're SELLING alcohol. And even if she's guilty because she was giving it only to customers (which would sort of act as selling it, or at least advertising), couldn't she just claim she was just giving it to anybody - people nearby, friends, whatever?
IANAL, but in most jurisdictions businesses which *serve* alcohol have to be licensed. In Virginia it's illegal for businesses to give away alcohol, and this may well be the case in GA as well.
I bet the local health department could also cite her for "preparing" beverages in a facility that wasn't licensed and inspected.
hmmm... indeed....
think there's any chance she could say SHE was serving alcohol, not "her business"? How is it specified? by "establishment" or "store" - - or any company/corporation?
I think that if it occurs on the premises of a business establishment that it's assumed to be being served by the business. You'd have to look that up in the Georgia code, though...
She is cuffed and taken away
When as dangerous a substance as champagne is concerned, I'm surprised no weapons were drawn or dogs shot.
It's a bridal shop. There are no dogs. However, fifteen dangerously poofy bridesmaids' dresses were blown away.
Some bridal shops and salons do have dogs like little toy dogs. I'm sure they'd have to shoot it, have you ever seen an angry Bichon Frise?
Obviously, the cop was in mortal fear of being fatally struck by a champagne cork.
-jcr
I'm guessing it's less to do with the danger of alcohol than it is the politics and $$$ of obtaining a beer/wine license.
Concerned citizens made me a libertarian. Especially whiny yuppie parent types.
In a civilized society, there is no such thing as "respect for the law" as an end onto itself.
In a civilized society, there is no such thing as "respect for the law" as an end onto itself.
Always remember: the law is an ass.
WTA. Sometimes I hate this country. I can think of few countries I don't hate, but I happen to live in this one.
You'd learn to hate those countries too if you had Radley Balko doing investigative reporting there.
I wish I could move to Costa Rica.
I spent a few weeks investigating immigration, real estate and schooling options in Costa Rica. Then I started looking at photos of the wildlife, and reading about how there's not escaping them.
I decided the freedom may not be worth the ginormous cockroaches and snakes in my house.
I'm thinking about Alaska. I suspect the cops are just as big dicks there as elsewhere, but there's probably a lot fewer of them.
That may not be your best choice- I think polar bears eat penguins...
Then move!!!
Can anyone explain the official rationale behind having a set number of liquor licenses in a city/county/whatever? Is it like our retarded Indiana blue laws where they really think they're curtailing drinking behavior?
When I was in Bloomington there was always a mad-rush to the liquor stores around 11:45 on Saturday. A Sunday without Sunday Liquor is not a Sunday at all. It made closing at Big Red Liquors hell, I'll tell you that much.
The scarcity of liquor licenses benefits those who already have them, at the expense of the public and any potential competitors. It's just like any other business licensing. The owners of those licenses will of course make sure they grease the politicians to maintain their position.
-jcr
Not to mention mimosas are a gateway drug to white wine spritzers.
Can anyone explain the official rationale behind having a set number of liquor licenses in a city/county/whatever?
The publicly stated rationale is to control the number of outlets. Neighborhood associations tend to like this because they feel that stores selling alcohol bring in noise and crime, and bring property values down.
However, if you have one of those few, precious licenses, you tend to support limited licenses as a way of controlling competition.
Given that Wilkinson is attractive, did you guys omit her picture because:
1) You were too lazy to find it;
2) You are concerned for her privacy; or
3) You are still punishing us for not donating enough to the Reason Foundation?
http://www.cityofwestpointga.c.....y-council4
If the answer is #2, at least some of us will have some of our faith restored in some portions of humanity.
correct answer: crustacean absence.
Whoa, that page loads slow. They took 2 megapixel photos and just applied HTML size values to shrink them. Incredible.
"The Devil went down to Georgia,
Looking for a soul some booze to steal."
He took some souls with him, alright. They are the ones who became cops.
Wilkinson was only stopped because of a tip from a concerned citizen, a concerned citizen just like you.
Anyone care to speculate on that "concerned citizen's" line of work?
I heard Vera Wang is sending in a few button men for payback...
"The Street Custom Of Brunch" would make a great song title.
It's incredible that five police have to bust the store and cause such a ruckus. It's incredible that they actually had to handcuff Judy Wilkinson, put her in a squad car and book her into the jail. I understand a law was broken (how stupid it maybe), what I don't understand is why a citation was not issued simply for her to appear in court? Why the show of force, and why publicly humiliate this woman and possibly ruin her business? Perhaps the Columbus media should investigate how much it costs tax payers for police to harass innocent citizens. This is the case of municipal police all across the nation creating newly defined crimes to justify all their 9/11 and drug war monies from the U.S. Govt. "Look at the number of prosecutions, give us more money." Mean while good citizens get a bad rap. Even if it is 30-day probation, that would still show up in a back ground check which could be detrimental if she were to apply to a corporate job etc.
http://www.ledger-enquirer.com.....12603.html
Wilkinson was only stopped because of a tip from a concerned citizen
I for one am glad to hear that Baptists still live in Georgia.