Woman holds sign to apologize for crime

[The Straight Story]

Woman holds sign to apologize for crime


ORLANDO, Fla., Jan. 13 (UPI) -- A woman stood outside a Florida police station holding a sign explaining her battery of a police officer as part of her punishment.

Alexandra Espinosa-Amaya, 24, stood for four hours Tuesday outside the Orlando Police Department apologizing for her actions as part of her no-contest plea to misdemeanor charges of simple battery and resisting an officer without violence, the Orlando Sentinel reported Wednesday.

The sentence also includes two years of probation, 50 hours of community service, anger management classes and a written apology letter to Sgt. Andrew Brennan.

Espinosa-Amaya was arrested for shoving Brennan in the face with her palm when he attempted to help a club bouncer who was removing her and her sister, Natalia Espinosa-Amaya, 22, from an establishment in November 2008.

http://www.upi.com/Odd_News/2010/01/13/Woman-holds-sign-to-apologize-for-crime/UPI-58881263409135/

[LisaM]

1. I do not agree with this type of punishment

It's like putting someone in the stocks - smacks of Puritan America.

[sui generis]

3. that was funny

same bat time, same bat place.

[madmax]

4. I agree

Back to the good old days. What next a scarlet letter? :mad:

[Ignis]

21. Why not? We're right around the corner from debtor's prisons.

Bring back the Good Ol' Days! :puke:

[proud2BlibKansan]

25. I agree

It accomplishes nothing.

[Skittles]

34. I agree

I don't think humiliation is ever justified

[MercutioATC]

36. You're right. They should have tossed her ass in jail.

Sentences like this are always voluntary.

The convicted can always choose a more-traditional punishment.

[sui generis]

2. I so disagree with discretionary sentencing. . . . oh my god.

also, with "community service" - where slavery is legal and even defended by some people on DU.

Shaming is so . . . judeo-christian. Why not just put her in the town square stocks and throw feces at her.

It is the deepest shame of our judicial system.

[Fleshdancer]

5. Humiliate her and then force her into anger management class?

Maybe she wouldn't need anger management as much if she weren't humiliated?

Also, what does "simple battery and resisting an officer without violence" mean exactly? How does one commit simple battery without violence?

[earth mom]

6. Why didn't they just make her kiss every cops ass at the police station?

Because that's in essence how they are punishing her.

[Skidmore]

7. There is something to be said for

a role for shame of wrongdoing in society. We live in a shameless society right now as is demonstrated by the impunity with which exploitation, greed, and dishonesty is allowed to flourish, excused, and treated as entertainment.

[Skidmore]

8. dupe

`

[Skidmore]

9. dupe

[Lance_Boyle]

10. more people need more shame

Bankers need more shame. Politicians need more shame. Cops need more shame. And certainly people who resists arrest when removed from nightclubs need more shame. I see this as a good thing. But I probably would have given her jail time, too.

[Berry Cool]

19. I agree. Shame can be a useful emotion.

When people do something that is genuinely wrong, shame is what they SHOULD feel. And not enough of them do. If they really felt shameful about something truly wrong that they did, they'd be motivated to make amends.

The problem with our society is that there have always been people trying to shame us over things of which we should not be ashamed, and their actions have caused too many other people to be permanently damaged by shame, which has caused some of us to label shame as ALWAYS being a negative thing that NO one should EVER be meant to feel over ANYTHING. Well, being ashamed of nothing is just as bad as being ashamed of things that shouldn't be considered shameful.

What we really need is a return of shame in our society via developing consciences in people such that they will either avoid shaming themselves by not doing shameful things, or they will feel proper shame when they do shameful things and the shame will motivate them in a constructive way to make amends, rather than in self-hating or in hating and hurting those who shame them.

The trick is to realize, and remember, which actions in our lives should truly be shame-inducing and which are just being sold to us as such, but should not be.

[BlancheSplanchnik]

33. thing is, this kind of punishment would probably be reserved for very small time offenders.

And only the most disenfranchised.

[ddeclue]

11. Florida becomes the penis of America again...

:blush:

So much for that Amendment prohibiting "cruel and unusual punishment"..

:blush:

Doug D.
Orlando, FL

[Fleshdancer]

13. As a Texan, I'm very grateful for Florida

In the race for who can be the most batshitcrazy, FL seems to win 6 times out of 10. :rofl:

[fl_dem]

16. As a Floridian

I'm embarrassed, whats next, public stoning?

on a lighter note, have you looked at poepleofwalmart.com, its was great entertainment till I discovered the majority of people are from TX (born), OK (raised)& FL (reside) WTF?...:shrug:

[Rebubula]

15. OK...

...How does standing in front of a police station and apologizing rise to Cruel and Unusual?

She could have been sentenced to jail...this was part of a plea. Jail or apology??? Suck it up and apologize.

[ddeclue]

23. It is public humiliation why not bring back the stocks and clap her in stocks in the public square?

:eyes:

[Xicano]

30. Geneva Convention relative to the Treatment of Prisoners of War.

So you're saying its ok to treat citizens what is considered unacceptable and a war crime against captured enemy? Wow! Just wow!

Article 3

In the case of armed conflict not of an international character occurring in the territory of one of the High Contracting Parties, each party to the conflict shall be bound to apply, as a minimum, the following provisions:

-snip-

To this end the following acts are and shall remain prohibited at any time and in any place whatsoever with respect to the above-mentioned persons:

1(c) Outrages upon personal dignity, in particular, humiliating and degrading treatment;

Article 13

Prisoners of war must at all times be humanely treated. Any unlawful act or omission by the Detaining Power causing death or seriously endangering the health of a prisoner of war in its custody is prohibited, and will be regarded as a serious breach of the present Convention. In particular, no prisoner of war may be subjected to physical mutilation or to medical or scientific experiments of any kind which are not justified by the medical, dental or hospital treatment of the prisoner concerned and carried out in his interest.

Likewise, prisoners of war must at all times be protected, particularly against acts of violence or intimidation and against insults and public curiosity

Measures of reprisal against prisoners of war are prohibited.


http://www1.umn.edu/humanrts/instree/y3gctpw.htm

[OneTenthofOnePercent]

12. I wonder if she'll assault a police officer in the future...

[Raineyb]

18. How the hell do you assault without violence?

Sounds like a bullshit charge to me.

Nice lesson to learn, submit to power or be humiliated until you submit.

[wolfgangmo]

24. In some states the distinction was made to allow lesser charges.

For example if a person pushes or nudges with their shoulder, or just attempts to push their way past someone, that would be considered battery (use of physical force) but without violence. This would be distinguishes from battery with violence, usually defined as striking with a closed hand, scratching, etc with intent to HARM.

Both physical force but as a former officer I appreciated the fact that I could give someone who used physical force a lesser charge rather than the more harsh battery charge. It's a good distinction. Having said that there are cops everywhere who abuse the law to get their way.

I do think that given a choice between a few hours standing with a sign thinking about what I had done and SERVING TIME, I would choose the sign. Shame can be a good thing as long as it is related to something you have chosen to do - when it is connected to your actions and decisions. It is only a problem when it is used to put another down without warrant or cause. .

[Raineyb]

42. It's still bullshit.

You put your hands on me and I'm inclined to nudge with a shoulder to get your hands off of me. I damn sure don't expect to have to hold up a stupid sign nor serve time for doing so.

The charge, as charges go sounds like some catch all bullshit with the no contest plea given to get it over with. It's a vague catch all and I don't find this situation remotely appropriate for such action.

[tblue]

14. Bernie Madoff, Jack Abramoff, John Yoo, Erik Prince

I would not mind seeing them and their ilk holding signs.

But this poor woman, no.

[Odin2005]

17. This is a good idea.

Shame is a very effective behavior modifier and reduces the need to put people that do petty crimes in jail, taking up space.

[Mari333]

20. and no sign for George Bush to hold? or Cheney?

no sign for the bankers, CEOs, or corporate warmongers? Blackwater?
no, they all skate.
people with money always skate.

[Berry Cool]

22. And that's part of the problem.

No rich people ever have to feel shame. But that doesn't make shame inherently bad. It just means the world is way overdue for a redistribution of shame.

Swindled people in business? Be ashamed.
Ran company into the ground? Be ashamed.
Did crappy job as president? Be ashamed.
Broke promises? Be ashamed.
Lied, stole, betrayed, hurt others? Be ashamed.
Said something ignorant and stupid? Be ashamed.

But...

Trusted someone you shouldn't have? No shame.
In love with someone of the same sex? No shame.
Can't always be perfect all the time? No shame.
Want something different in life from your parents? No shame.
Not as attractive, smart, clever as other people? No shame.
Lost your job in a layoff? No shame.
People making fun of you for reasons you can't help? No shame.

[wolfgangmo]

26. They have no shame.

But then again they are not in a community that will shame them. Among the uber rich, finding a way to screw the middle class and poor is considered a quality to emulate.

Were they in a community that would shame /shun them for being baldfaced crooks, then shame would be effective.

[lpbk2713]

27. Public humiliation.

It's not about justice. It's about making those in power feel even more powerful.

[derby378]

28. Lew Rockwell's take on this

http://www.lewrockwell.com/blog/lewrw/archives/47244.html

[sui generis]

43. Agreed right down the line

The only shame here is that some people think there's nothing wrong with "unusual punishment", even if it's not technically cruel.

Some days instead of wondering when we jumped the track, I wonder if we were ever on it.

[Xicano]

29. If she were a POW this would constitute as a war crime.

So our government now thinks of us with less respect than captured enemy soldiers? What next?

[Danger Mouse]

31. She probably would've gone to jail otherwise.

And she might actually learn something from this.
While I'm not a huge fan of public humiliation, this might not be the worst thing...
EDIT: Since this was part of a plea deal, it's likely she agreed to this sentence...again, to avoid jail time, and to avoid having a conviction on her record. It's a net win for her.

[GreenMetalFlake]

32. ?

:wtf:

[Xicano]

35. I don't know how others feel, but, I find it disgusting that some people agree with....

What is considered a Human Rights violation. WTF is wrong with those few of you who agree with this Nazi crap?

:puke:

[MercutioATC]

37. It's not in the article, but I'll almost guarantee the sentence was voluntary.

She had the option between what she got and a more traditional punishment. She CHOSE this.

Every other similar sentence I have heard of has been agreed to by the convicted in lieu of jail time or fines.

[Xicano]

38. Totally irrelevant! Because a human rights violation is a human rights violation!

So I guess the abuses you saw in the Iraq POW photos would be ok if those Iraqis "volunteered" for those human rights violations because they thought the "traditional" treatment/punishment was something they'd prefer less?

Or how about offering a woman the choice to fuck all the police to avoid "traditional punishment"? Getting the picture now how irrelevant you point is against human rights violations?

I am sorry, but, I am shocked to see ANYBODY on the DU agree with this sort of Nazi BS!


:puke:

[MercutioATC]

39. I don't see the logic in your comparisons.

Nor do I believe there's harm in offering this option.

[Xicano]

40. The logic is in the premise of your point.

You made the point that based on the fact she "volunteered" to choose this option there is no harm, no foul. And I call BS and gave two examples better illustrating why giving human rights violations as a choice one can make doesn't make it not a human rights violation nonetheless. Period.

[MercutioATC]

41. How is a public admission of guilt a human rights violation?

...especially if it's voluntary?