Girl Ambushed By 7 Cops For Carrying Water Wins $212k From Va. Taxpayers

[dmcowen674]

8-1-2014

http://news.yahoo.com/girl-ambushed-7-cops-carrying-water-wins-212k-133046581.html

Girl Ambushed By 7 Cops For Carrying Water Wins $212k From Va. Taxpayers



The state of Virginia will spend $212,500 in taxpayer funds to settle a $40 million lawsuit filed by Elizabeth Daly, the University of Virginia student who spent a night and much of the next day in jail after seven cunningly plain-clothed agents from the Alcoholic Beverage Control division ambushed her for the crime of purchasing bottled water.


The incident happened last June, after Daly (then 20, now 21) and two of her friends purchased a sky-blue carton of LaCroix sparkling water, cookie dough and ice cream at a local supermarket.

The seven agents sprung aggressively into action, suspecting that the student was carrying a 12-pack of beer. Police admitted that a high-strung agent vaulted onto the hood of Daly’s Chevrolet TrailBlazer. She contends that one of them also drew a gun.

Daly, along with two roommates who were in the car, did what reasonable, unarmed people usually do when violently pounced upon by seven people.



They tried to get away.


“They were showing unidentifiable badges after they approached us, but we became frightened, as they were not in anything close to a uniform,” Daly wrote in an account of the incident.

Daly was charged Daly with three felonies. After a public outcry and embarrassing national ridicule, all charges were dropped and Daly’s record was completely expunged.

The civil lawsuit against the state and its overzealous alcohol control agents followed.

In the 47-page civil suit, Daly’s attorneys claimed that the alcohol control agents who have now cost taxpayers $212,500 mocked Daly at least a month after the incident and made her “sound dumb and silly for being confused.”

 

[dmcowen674]

Police all across the country are costing taxpayers a ton of money in bogus arrests and civil suits when they do these egregious activities and killing people and pets.

When will the people have enough?

 

[Londo_Jowo]

Title is wrong, no cops involved.

Alcoholic Beverage Control agents

 

[waggy]

GOOD. that story was fucked up.

 

[Theb]

I wonder how much it costs taxpayers to have 7 Alcoholic Beverage Control agents hanging out at a grocery store just in case a 20 year old buys beer.

 

[werepossum]

Title is wrong, no cops involved.

I tend to take the view that if they have guns and badges and they are arresting people, then they are cops.

I wonder how much it costs taxpayers to have 7 Alcoholic Beverage Control agents hanging out at a grocery store just in case a 20 year old buys beer.

Well, at least $212,500 more than someone thought it was going to cost.

I wonder if the Alcoholic Beverage Control agents have an armored car yet.

 

[waggy]

I wonder how much it costs taxpayers to have 7 Alcoholic Beverage Control agents hanging out at a grocery store just in case a 20 year old buys beer.

that is a good question. seems they would have better things to do.

 

[positivedoppler]

Why does it always seem when the officers f-up and do something wrong they at the worst get suspended with pay and the tax payers flips the bill. Doesn't that send a message that if a police offer abuses the position the only consequence is a paid vacation

 

[BoberFett]

Clearly the problem is small government. If we had bigger government, this wouldn't happen.

 

[lagokc]

Why does it always seem when the officers f-up and do something wrong they at the worst get suspended with pay and the tax payers flips the bill. Doesn't that send a message that if a police offer abuses the position the only consequence is a paid vacation

That's sort of what happens when you have:

1) A police culture of looking out for your fellow cops even if they are in the wrong (Thin Blue Line)

2) Only hire Internal Affairs Officers who have law enforcement experience and are thus already part of the conspiracy in point 1

3) The only thing civilian oversight boards are allowed to do is make recommendations to an officer's superior

If we had real internal affairs bureaus composed entirely of non-cops (possibly ex-military police) who would hold cops to a higher standard and are rewarded handsomely for every cop they get convicted then the situation might improve.

 

[-slash-]

Clearly the problem is small government. If we had bigger government, this wouldn't happen.

 

[Hayabusa Rider]

Why does this never happen to me?

 

[SandEagle]

Why does this never happen to me?

same here. im waiting for my big payout. i even have my car retrofitted with several cameras to capture tbe action. *sigh*

 

[werepossum]

Why does it always seem when the officers f-up and do something wrong they at the worst get suspended with pay and the tax payers flips the bill. Doesn't that send a message that if a police offer abuses the position the only consequence is a paid vacation

Suspended with pay is indeed a paid vacation everywhere but in government.

Clearly the problem is small government. If we had bigger government, this wouldn't happen.

lol +1

same here. im waiting for my big payout. i even have my car retrofitted with several cameras to capture tbe action. *sigh*

Hah, that's a clear provocation. If you have any black or Arab blood they'll likely hustle you off to Club Gitmo as filming a cop beating the crap out of you for no particular reason is clearly a heinous act of terrorism from which they must protect the people.

"Can I see your license and - camera! Officer down!"

 

[rudder]

If we had real internal affairs bureaus composed entirely of non-cops (possibly ex-military police) who would hold cops to a higher standard and are rewarded handsomely for every cop they get convicted then the situation might improve.

The best solution is for the police department to come up with the $212,000 and not the taxpayers. Surrender pensions, layoffs, make the department purchase insurance, whatever it takes. As long as the taxpayers are on the hook these behaviors will not change.

 

[rudder]

same here. im waiting for my big payout. i even have my car retrofitted with several cameras to capture tbe action. *sigh*

Money Doesn't do you any good if you are dead... Just ask the guy who was accused of selling cigarettes in NYC.

 

[Matt1970]

Why does this never happen to me?

Me either. For that kind of money they can lock me up for a lot longer.

 

[Mai72]

Why does this never happen to me?

Come to Thailand. it might happen to you. Well everything except the large payout.

 

[master_shake_]

The best solution is for the police department to come up with the $212,000 and not the taxpayers. Surrender pensions, layoffs, make the department purchase insurance, whatever it takes. As long as the taxpayers are on the hook these behaviors will not change.

 

[MtnMan]

I wonder if the Alcoholic Beverage Control agents have an armored car yet.

Years ago (early 90's) my wife's office was in the same building as the NC ALE guys. This was pre-MRAP, but they had a military hand me down armored vehicle in the parking lot.

 

[lagokc]

The best solution is for the police department to come up with the $212,000 and not the taxpayers. Surrender pensions, layoffs, make the department purchase insurance, whatever it takes. As long as the taxpayers are on the hook these behaviors will not change.

I like it, make sure the payouts come out of the police pension fund FIRST so the old cops nearing retirement make sure to train the young cops to behave. :thumbsup:

 

[Darwin333]

The best solution is for the police department to come up with the $212,000 and not the taxpayers. Surrender pensions, layoffs, make the department purchase insurance, whatever it takes. As long as the taxpayers are on the hook these behaviors will not change.

No.

The best solution is to make cops criminally liable for the crimes they commit, kind of like the rest of us. I agree with an earlier post on making a stronger IA but at the end of the day there has to be a serious "or else" to deter the actual offenders. As it is now, unless they do something wildly and absurdly illegal charges are almost never brought against them.

 

[Meghan54]

Clearly the problem is small government. If we had bigger government, this wouldn't happen.

Then elect more Republicans, given how much Repub. admins. over the years have expanded the gov't employment roles.

 

[lagokc]

No.

The best solution is to make cops criminally liable for the crimes they commit, kind of like the rest of us. I agree with an earlier post on making a stronger IA but at the end of the day there has to be a serious "or else" to deter the actual offenders. As it is now, unless they do something wildly and absurdly illegal charges are almost never brought against them.

You'd have to find cops willing to go after cops which means either hiring a special police force that's isolated enough to be resistant to the police fraternity or find a way to disrupt the fraternal trust police have for each other (may have other consequences).

 

[Spungo]

You'd have to find cops willing to go after cops which means either hiring a special police force that's isolated enough to be resistant to the police fraternity or find a way to disrupt the fraternal trust police have for each other (may have other consequences).

Isn't that what state and federal police are for? When local police are corrupt, the FBI can build a case against police. When the FBI is corrupt, the CIA outs them. When the CIA is corrupt, the media says anyone questioning the CIA is a conspiracy theorist. Checks and balances.