GaryP

This guy's been arrested for hit and run. I saw pictures on the news last night. What struck me is the fact that the cops did not cuff this guy in any of the pictures that I saw. Isn't it common practice to handcuff people even those accused of petty crimes?


PHOENIX (Reuters) - The bishop of Phoenix, who was granted immunity this month from prosecution in the Roman Catholic Church sex abuse scandal, was arrested on Monday, charged with leaving the scene of a fatal hit-and-run accident over the weekend, police said.

Bishop Thomas O'Brien, 67, was arrested after several hours questioning. But he became ill and was taken to a hospital for medical checks before he could be booked into jail.


http://story.news.yahoo.com/news?tmp...rime_obrien_dc

Opera Nut

He was practicing drive-up extreme unction.

hezekiah jones

Originally posted by Opera Nut
He was practicing drive-up extreme unction.

*rimshot*

Toto

Bishop has lost moral authority (no kidding) {NY Times requires free registration}

Check out the photograph in this story. The man looks guilty as sin.

Ronin

In my department, an adult arrested on any charge ~ especially a felony ~ gets handcuffed.

Additionally, as a personal policy, I never make it a practice to cuff up front in spite of any appearance of passive cooperation on the part of the suspect.

The fact that this agency did not handcuff this man only speaks volumes toward the persistent power of superstition upon those even sworn to facts and circumstances.

ImGod

I heard this morning he had his secretary schedule an appointment to get the window fixed. They are putting a timeline together and may bring additional charges if he was trying to cover up.

If he would have stopped they probably wouldn't have charged him anything (unless he was impared) because the pedestrian was jaywalking.

I suppose if he had run over a young boy he would have stopped to give him CPR.

simian

That's not what I hear he would have done.

Yes, poor taste, but somebody had to write it.

Simian

Jewel

I'm concerned about the preferential treatment these folks are getting in our legal system. Any regular citizen would not get so much leeway -- with sexual abuse or a hit and run -- nor should they.

simian

Agreed. Now what to do about it? I was raised Roman Catholic. About 3 or 4 years ago (don't remember exactly how long ago) I brought up the abuse of children in a public discussion. The response of the Catholics was that is was isolated incidents, if they even occurred. And this was AFTER the abuse of nuns in Africa became public news (not that many americans paid any attention).

It will be an uphill battle to convince the general public that clergy can do evil. About a year ago here in Fargo was a case where a minister was counciling a couple, and had an affair with the woman. The couple sued - the public view of the affair was that it was the woman's fault.

So, where to start? Perhaps letter (letters to the editor) writing campaigns?

I would suggest pointing out that priest got away with rape because the church protected them. Pointing out that if anybody else had killed a person and just drove away, they would not get such gentle treatment.

I suspect this is the work of decades, not days - it took centuries to reach this point, it will take a long time to reverse.

Simian

Jewel

I think you're right, simian, this will take time. People are conditioned to not criticize religion or those who are religious leaders. However, it will take longer if no one speaks out.

Letters to the editor would probably be a good start. We should try to get them published in nationally distributed newspapers as well as local papers.