Brickbat: Rooting Around

San Antonio, Texas, officials have agreed to pay $205,000 to settle a lawsuit brought by Natalie Simms after a police officer conducted a cavity search of her on a public street. Simms was siting on a side street curb waiting on her boyfriend when officers approached and told her they thought she might have drugs and asked to search her car. She agreed to let them search the car. While Simms was being detained, a female officer arrived and began to frisk her. That officer pulled down Simms' pants and underwear and began to search her vagina, pulling out Simms' tampon and holding it up for other officers to see. The cops found no drugs. City officials did not apologize and have admitted no wrongdoing.

Comments

[CharlesWT]

I guess the locals weren't paying attention when a few years ago the Texas Highway Patrol got hit with a big settlement for essentially doing the same thing.

"DALLAS—Two Dallas-area women subjected to body cavity searches along a highway have settled their lawsuit against the Texas Department of Public Safety.

The Dallas Morning News reports the agreement was finalized Tuesday. DPS didn't immediately comment Wednesday on the $185,000 settlement in the federal civil rights lawsuit."
Women Receive Settlement for Roadside Body Cavity Search: The offending cops actually face criminal charges

[CharlesWT]

Texas DPS Sued Over Painful and Humiliating Cavity Searches

[Conchfritters]

I’m sure they were aware of it, and probably didn’t give a shit. If they get sued, it’s not like it’s they’re own personal money that’s on the line. What a job! You fuck up, someone else pays.

[Jerryskids]

What the hell is wrong with people? Why are they such sheep that they'll put up with this shit? Why isn't an armed mob storming the precinct and stringing people up by the balls?

[Still Curmudgeoned (Nunya)]

At some point people have to learn the answer is always no when asked to search.

[MatthewSlyfield]

Then they shoot you, or beat you up, arrest you, then search you anyway.

[Longtobefree]

Not all old white men should be ignored; I give you Pat Henry.

They tell us, sir, that we are weak; unable to cope with so formidable an adversary. But when shall we be stronger? Will it be the next week, or the next year? Will it be when we are totally disarmed, and when a British guard shall be stationed in every house? Shall we gather strength by irresolution and inaction? Shall we acquire the means of effectual resistance, by lying supinely on our backs, and hugging the delusive phantom of hope, until our enemies shall have bound us hand and foot?

[loveconstitution1789]

I am sure that Colonists working for the British as bureaucrats were also very surprised when they were told they would be treated as enemies if they continued to support the British.

The clues are abound that Americans are unhappy with unchecked police tactics of theft, murder, and tyranny.

Some bureaucrats are in such denial that even the sight of gallows does not phase them.

[Inigo Montoya]

Not only that, why aren’t more people questioning the continuing War on Drugs and marching to demand an end to it? Who f-ing cares if someone else wants to take drugs?!

For that matter, other than vampires, would anyone actually take drugs soaked in menstrual blood?

[Quo Usque Tandem]

"...would anyone actually take drugs soaked in menstrual blood?"

Yes they would. Trust me on this.

[DetroitDumbGuy]

The police/law enforcement lobby definitely play a huge part in keeping the War on Drugs alive and well. It's an excuse to keep their budgets higher than they should be, and it's nice little bullshit way to steal people's stuff via civil asset forfeiture. In a sane world these would be strong reasons to end it, but alas...

[Brandybuck]

It's San Antonio. They put up with is because their candidate won.

I spent a few weeks in San Antonio. Imagine your stereotypical rural hicksville with one gas station and a broken traffic light. Now take a bicycle pump and blow it up into a major city. That's San Antonio.

They put up with it because obviously the women was at fault. Sheesh.

[Fist of Etiquette]

"There's no amount of money that will satisfy Natalie..."

And yet...