A Sausage - Looted or Not - Lands Elderly Church Leader in Prison

[NNN0LHI]

http://ap.tbo.com/ap/breaking/MGB38KMBNDE.html

KENNER, La. (AP) - Merlene Maten undoubtedly stands out in the prison where she has been held since Hurricane Katrina. The 73-year-old church deaconess, never before in trouble with the law, now sleeps among hardened criminals. Her bail is a stiff $50,000.

Her offense?

Police say the grandmother from New Orleans took $63.50 in goods from a looted deli the day after Katrina struck.

Family and eyewitnesses have a different story. They say Maten is an innocent woman who had gone to her car to get some sausage to eat but was wrongly handcuffed by tired, frustrated officers who couldn't catch younger looters at a nearby store.

Not even the deli owner wants her charged.

[MichaelHarris]

1. they take their

boudan seriously I guess.

[marbuc]

2. A sausage got Clinton in trouble too

:+

[Bozita]

3. She wouldn't be black, would she?

[NNN0LHI]

5. Yes, but I am sure it has nothing to do with it [/cough]

In this undated photo provided by the Maten family, Merlene Maten, 73, is shown. Merlene Maten stands out in the prison where she has been held since Hurricane Katrina. The church deaconess now sleeps among hardened criminals. Her bail is $50,000. Police say the grandmother from New Orleans took $63.50 in goods from a looted deli the day after Katrina struck. Family and eyewitnesses say Maten is an innocent woman who had gone to her car to get some sausage to eat but was wrongly handcuffed by tired, frustrated officers who couldn't catch younger looters at a nearby store. Not even the deli owner wants her charged. (AP Photo/Maten Family)

http://seattlepi.nwsource.com/national/apus_story.asp?category=1110&slug=Katrina%20Costly%20Sausage

[faithnotgreed]

6. thank you for the photo - that does explain it

no end to the sad stories

[SmokingJacket]

4. Shameful.

George Soros, spring this lady!!

[shockra]

7. We can't have a church lady putting a sausage in her mouth.

:sarcasm: