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Strip search of woman by Sheriff's Deputies, Outrageous

wkyc.com — Hope Steffey's night began with a call to police for help. It ended with her face down, completely naked and sobbing on a jail cell floor. Steffey says Stark County (Ohio) sheriff's deputies used excessive force and assaulted her during a strip search 15 months ago, according to a federal lawsuit. Link to video of news story.

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  • magnoliasltd, on 02/02/2008, -34/+458She going to be traumatized for years to come. I hope she sue them for millions,strip them cops of there jobs, and hope those officers get raped.can't run away from karma.
    • AverageCadaver, on 02/02/2008, -19/+234This is one of thousands of stories being repeated daily in what is quickly becoming a police state. No, that's not paranoid: we are seeing the militarization of local police forces, allegedly devoted to "protect and serve". Mind you, many or most police officers do their job courageously and selflessly, and even with compassion. But a growing number of lunkheads are being trained and hired to stiff arm and physically dominate "perps", when clearly their judgment is questionable.
      Look at the tsunami of Taser abuses nationwide. Fifty-thousand volts if you don't "comply" or "cooperate". Three-hundred deaths associated with Tasers. Yet folks everywhere just think "Oh, well, these are crazy times".

      But imagine that woman is your wife, sister, mother. Or you.
      • Ajajadude, on 02/02/2008, -56/+15How is the police force being militarized? I keep hearing people say it, but they have yet to show any proof. Unless, of course, your proof is that an increasingly number of cops are idiots. Well, there's a reason for that: hardly anyone wants to be a cop due to the fact that all cops are lumped together as being pigs, abusive, etc. Why would any decent person put their life on the line everyday just to hear people constantly bash them?
        • nospinhere, on 02/02/2008, -43/+8lol, look how quick the anti-police tin foil hat wackos flood this thread with their same old tired stories and inaccuracies.
          • scroobyrooberoo, on 02/04/2008, -0/+1Videos like this are why no one cares when someone kills a cop.
        • thrin, on 02/02/2008, -2/+18I'm not sure our police force is being militarized, but I am worried by Operation Falcon (Several federally organized arrests of thousands of suspects by local law enforcement). Check out the wikipedia article: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Operation_Falcon_%28F ... and especially this criticism of it: http://www.informationclearinghouse.info/article17 ...
          Make your your own decisions, but I am at least a little disturbed.
          • TunaFisu, on 02/03/2008, -1/+2The second link godwins itself in the first paragraph.
          • Randrayla, on 02/04/2008, -1/+1So they went and arrested a bunch of CRIMINALS and seized a bunch of drugs. Why the ***** are you concerned about that? This is the kind of ***** I am talking about. People complain no matter what the police do. "Oh all they do is write tickets" suddenly changes to "Oh they arrest to many people"
          • dkern, on 02/04/2008, -0/+1Great post and link. Every once in a while I learn something on here that I don't already know. Sadly most of the verbal fascists on here are not even aware of what they are screaming about or are intentional disinfo agents. At least you back up your statements. I think the average age in this thread is about 14, so I am moving on. See ya soon!
        • ReadItAndWeep, on 02/02/2008, -1/+17Here is an article explaining it. Be sure to check out the map of botched raids, where you can click on each incident.

          http://www.reason.com/news/show/121169.html

          The increasing militarization of our police forces is a very real and disturbing phenomenon, but I'm not sure if this incident qualifies as an example of it. Like you said, this looks like an example of another disturbing phenomenon, the increasing aggression and lack of judgment shown by many police departments across the nation.
          • ChuyMatt, on 02/02/2008, -7/+8Are you sure that it is just not that we have a more citizen reporter state? I think that the police have been doing this kind of stuff for years but never being called on it. or at least, not so publicly.
        • Ajajadude, on 02/02/2008, -18/+5If there's such a huge problem with militarization of police, then why do cops only carry a pistol and a taser device (possibly a shotgun in their cruiser)? The "militarization" you speak of specifically refers to the use of SWAT teams which are necessary in situations such as that bank robbery in California a number of years back where cops were just as helpless as the rest of the civilians (and, in fact, police officers were going to local gun shops to find weapons that might be effective against heavily armed and armored bank robbers).
          The reason why raids are necessary is due to the fact that neighborhoods are overrun by the "bad guys" and the people in those neighborhoods are too afraid, or just unwilling, to do anything about it. This Balko person's evidence he gives while addressing that particular committee is what he reads in the newspaper. The newspaper tends to go after sensational stories, which is what people want to read, and that's why we always see the bad in the news, and on Digg, because that's what sells papers and generates ad revenue.
        • aywwts4, on 02/02/2008, -1/+20The number of no-knock swat team raids in the middle of the night on houses with a full team of police, guns ready in full body armor perhaps?

          That is a paramilitary style raid and it gets a lot of people killed. Neither protecting nor serving.
          • Kerrigore, on 02/02/2008, -17/+3You'd rather they just go up and knock on the door and ask politely for the nice criminal to come out and surrender themselves and any illegal possessions?
          • aywwts4, on 02/02/2008, -1/+12Even if you want to argue its completely justified, Lets talk about all the completely justified times they break down some apartment number 9, not 6, and kill a father or and old lady in a bad neighborhood trying to defend their home against a bunch of thugs who just Kicked the door in in the middle of the night.
          • Randrayla, on 02/03/2008, -11/+1Yes because this happens so often! Not.
        • tech42er, on 02/02/2008, -1/+9How about when militarized local police forces, in conjunction with the SWAT teams that even the smallest towns now have, conduct night time raids on nonviolent drug offenders based on the word of sketchy informants?

          http://www.cato.org/pub_display.php?pub_id=6476 (the entire paper is a free PDF)
          http://www.cato.org/raidmap/ (that's the interactive map of botched raids)
      • mancat, on 02/02/2008, -26/+51I would urge you to think about what you just said. The very fact that this video footage exists, is in the hands of the media, and that you are hearing this story at all - these are all proof that there is no police state. What you are seeing is a modern phenomenon: more widespread coverage of police abuse on an individual basis that has existed for centuries.

        Instead of fearing the police state, be glad that you're seeing these stories. It means that THEY are being watched by US.
        • Ajajadude, on 02/02/2008, -16/+9That's exactly what everyone here always seems to miss. If we truly lived in a police state, there wouldn't be news stories about these sorts of terrible incidents. Those stories wouldn't run and all we as citizens would have to go on is what we heard through word-of-mouth. The fact that we have an unprecedented level of access to information from across the world through the wonders of technology means we hear about the things people never used to hear about.
        • sk11, on 02/02/2008, -3/+20What does secrecy have to do with a police state? Most governments harbour secrets. Do you think that people in Saddam's Iraq didn't realise that bad things were happening? Why should people be glad it's being watched if nothing changes? Plenty of people watched genocide in Darfur for several years now and still nothing has been done (note that I'm not comparing the situation in the US with that in Darfur).
          Your police force are grooming your people to be petrified of them and the US government, so that they become docile and obedient, that's why you should be worried.
          • GliTCH82, on 02/02/2008, -4/+1They realized bad things are happening, but they didn't realize that from their local news channels which I'm sure were run by Saddam. Unless, of course, Saddam wanted them to see this to keep them in a constant state of fear, and if that were true then conspiracy theorists could argue that we're seeing more of this now because the government and media, working together, gradually want to see the general public become more submissive to their control.

            I don't necessarily believe that argument but I like to explore all possible viewpoints to any issue.
        • sinrtb, on 02/02/2008, -1/+18The sad part is these stories come out every day but nothing happens. The cops don't even lose their jobs half the time.

          You are right this is not a police state what we have is much much worse. In a police state no one knows how bad it is, there is no coverage of these kinds of atrocities however that is absolutely not the case in the states. Whether it be torture "It couldn't have been torture because the US does not torture. Therefore it was not torture." Or "The sheriff denies this was a strip search.
          The sheriff's policy requires officers conducting any strip search to be of the same sex."

          We know how bad it is we know that a cop or military person can walk up to anyone and literally do anything they wish for what ever demented reason they can dream up and absolutely nothing will happen to them.
          • Randrayla, on 02/04/2008, -2/+1Yes except for all the officers who DO get fired for misconduct. They get even less media coverage then things like this do so you rarely even know it happened. Just do a search for "officer fired" you will find plenty of examples. Your a ***** moron if you think the police and military can do whatever they please.
        • letitbleed62, on 02/03/2008, -7/+2"You are right this is not a police state what we have is much much worse."

          maybe the dumbest thing ive ever read
        • dkern, on 02/03/2008, -1/+9They lie right in front of our face everyday- like weapons of mass destruction. They blatantly disregard the constitution of the United States of America. You people are ***** fools. Hitler did the same thing on the radio every night were reports of the tyranny, violence and yes a "police state". You think that because we are seeing this, that somehow, because of videos and photographs hitting the press this somehow excludes the actions to be seen as a police state:

          Do you think the U.S. soldiers lining up captured Iraqi's and photographing them in sexual poses somehow made the entire atrocity something other than what it was and is because a picture was allowed to be taken and posted in the media?

          You idiots just showed the entire digg community just how lame, retarded and brainwashed your thinking really is.

          I am grateful today that I am not one of you people or that any one of you is in my circle- YOU DUMB ***** ASSHOLES ARE THE REASON OUR COUNTRY IS FALLING APART.

          Thanks a lot *****!
        • roodammy44, on 02/03/2008, -1/+5You're the same sort of person who would say "but if there was a police state, we would have video evidence of it"
          Here's your evidence.
        • jeffiek, on 02/03/2008, -1/+1"...these are all proof that there is no police state."

          Or it could simply be an example of "the best place to hide something is out in the open"
        • bustergonad, on 02/03/2008, -1/+1What Media?!?!?! in fact the lack of real media coverage is the real disgrace here! 3000+ diggs and yet its only been aired on the NBC affiliate in Cleveland. No Drudgereport, no breitbart, nothing on the newswires,.. its as if this story is being killed, in order to not upset the masses before "Super Tuesday". If you do a search on Google News for "Hope Steffey" all you get is a ridiculously low result of 8.
          Instead of all these diggers getting outraged and calling and venting to the Sheriff and his office in the postings below, perhaps they could ask all the media outlets why this story is being buried? oh right "Super Tuesday",..so until then we'll have to suffer through puff pieces of distraction,.."britney committed again" "sarkozy marries girlfriend" "Oprah back on the campain trail"...the only thing missing is the video of the waterskiing squirrel!
      • WermerSkoch, on 02/02/2008, -8/+14Just curious: where are you getting the "three-hundred deaths associated with Tasers" statement?
      • chronusmcgee, on 02/03/2008, -1/+3The police in this the US have every anti-personnel weapon, short of nukes. This pretty much classifies it as a military force.
        • Randrayla, on 02/04/2008, -0/+2Oh so the police have crew served weapons, mines, and cluster bombs?
      • aduzik, on 02/04/2008, -0/+1It seems to me that some of the people who most want to be cops are precisely the kind of people who should never be allowed to be cops.
    • lordmetroid, on 02/02/2008, -3/+22At worst some of them will get paid vacation while the investigation that will state that they did nothing wrong is finished.
    • LucasVB, on 02/02/2008, -20/+10I agree, except for the "there" instead of "their".
    • GambitL, on 02/02/2008, -2/+37What sickens me is that the sheriff still denies it...
      • dkern, on 02/03/2008, -1/+8Yeah, he's a real piece of *****. I called him and told him so. Then I told his secretary, Carrie if she was smart she would get the hell out of there and go to work for someone with integrity.
      • glinsvad, on 02/03/2008, -0/+8Weaseling out of things is important to learn. It's what separates us from the animals ... except the weasel.
    • lex0nyc, on 02/02/2008, -2/+14***** the something something PD
    • PabloMac, on 02/02/2008, -3/+32All media stories are spun, but I can't imagine how this woman deserved this treatment.

      Even in the way far-off chance she committed some action(s) not covered in the news story and somehow needed to be placed in a cell and stripped searched, the only time a member of the opposite gender should even be in the same cellblock during a strip search is in a time of imminent danger and staff shortages. It's clear that neither issue was present during this incident.

      I rule in favor of the plaintiff, and order the county Sheriff to pay damages in the amount of $1.25M. Court adjourned."
      • Chompy, on 02/02/2008, -21/+6"All media stories are spun, but I can't imagine how this woman deserved this treatment."
        You can't image what exactly, that certain people commit crime? Do you know this woman personally? No, she's a total stranger. You yourself admit that the story could be total spin and yet you also describe the chance that she committed a more serious crime as "far-off". Why?
        • PabloMac, on 02/02/2008, -3/+2I made my comment based on the content of the video, and leaving open the potential that whatever might be have been edited out could have possibly shown at least a partial reason for the lady's confinement. Of course, once an individual is place behind bars, the first thing you do is to strip search them for contraband. Don't ask me how I know this.
        • a1532b, on 02/02/2008, -1/+6Chompy you are a moron. Knowing someone is not a requirement to feel sympathy. She is a PERSON! She was in need of help and betrayed by the ones that could do so. Honestly, how can you watch that video and not feel your blood boil???
        • GliTCH82, on 02/02/2008, -1/+6Because until she's proven guilty she's only a suspect, and under no circumstances should she have been stripped naked and left in a jail cell for 6 hours with only toilet paper to keep herself warm. Did you RTFA or do you just like to argue for the sake of arguing?
      • stradf, on 02/03/2008, -0/+1I hope she gets far more than 1.25M$. Hell if some morons can make hundreds of thousands out of the most trivial lawsuits, I hope she can at least hit it in the 10,000,000++ range.
        • misterjangles, on 02/03/2008, -1/+2Why not make it 10 billion? It's only your mommy and daddy's tax money! You think the cops will actually be paying any of that money (besides their own taxes, that is)?
    • Juntistik, on 02/02/2008, -4/+52Sorry to comment hi-jack but I think its important to call them to express your feelings

      Stark County Sheriff's Office:
      4500 Atlantic BLVD NE
      Canton, Ohio 44705-4374
      (330)/430-3800

      I'm calling right now to give them a piece of my mind
      • noahhoward, on 02/02/2008, -43/+5Have fun being arrested once you verbally abuse the receptionist who has nothing to do with the story you know nothing about.
        • Juntistik, on 02/02/2008, -2/+38You think I verbally abused them? Don't kid yourself. I was professional and didn't say anything foolish and childish. I just told them how disgusted I was to see police officers do this to a woman. Don't be so quick to jump the gun on something you know nothing about. Thanks.
        • haloguy628, on 02/03/2008, -0/+3 noahhoward
          No Juntistik is not one of a million, however you sound like one of those cops in the video. Like every "peace" officer you quick to judge everybody criminal and therefore without rights. That's where the problem lies with today "peace" officers.
          • noahhoward, on 02/03/2008, -3/+1You haven't been on Digg long have you? You don't need to be here too long and read peoples perception of ALL police and the reactions to all similar articles to guess how the majority of people are going to act with the contact information.
      • dkern, on 02/03/2008, -4/+8Ignore that assbag Noahhoward. He/she is a ***** fool and coward who can only throw barbs from the computer in his/her gilded cage because he/she is too weak to take action against oppression. I called myself and actually got him on the phone and let him have it and then let his secretary have it for working for such an *****!
        • noahhoward, on 02/03/2008, -13/+1Wow... it's like you're some anonymous ***** who's never even met me and tried to act tough from your computer. Bravo. When I'm oppressed I'll get back to you about taking action. For now you can go ahead and revel in your internet vigilante after-glow.
        • j2diz, on 02/03/2008, -1/+2ya i've been vilified on here too for nothing.

          just remember everyone here supported ron paul and kucinich too... lol
      • mCanada, on 02/03/2008, -0/+4She has a bulging disc because of this???. That could mean nerve damage (could mean nothing), but it's also very permanent. Not cool, not cool
      • bryceman111, on 02/03/2008, -1/+3"Hello Officer?"
        "Yes, how can I help you?"
        "Now this is a story all about how my life got flipped, turned upside down..."
    • lyrica42, on 02/02/2008, -3/+33This happens everyday in county jails across the country. Most people have no idea how ***** up people are treated. From what it sounds like they stripped her to put her on suicide watch. That's how they will try to get away with leaving her naked in a cell for 6 hours.

      Try Mohave County, AZ (the jail is in Kingman). They pull stunts like this. They are also immensely overcrowded, which makes the environment ripe for fights. In an area that commonly gets 115 degree heat, their few actual "cells", which normally may hold 6 women, can get locked down so that the thirty or more women that are being housed on black molded mats on the floor of the common room are herded into these tiny cells. Then they turn off the air conditioner. This can last for hours, sometimes days. Also, the men are housed upstairs from the women, and if they have riots there (also caused by same overcrowding most of the time) they will spray pepper spray not only up there, but in the vents which are connected to the women's cells. So no vented air and now pepper spray in 115 degree heat. Throughout all of this (which like I said can last for days) the women have no access to telephones so then they can't let anyone on the outside know about it until after, and even then if anyone on the outside complains, they don't care.

      But I digress. I hope this lady sues for millions and wins. They got caught. Whether she was guilty or not of disorderly conduct is moot. I also wonder if she had been drinking.
      • Randrayla, on 02/03/2008, -23/+1Wow maybe they should obey the law then? Cry babies like you should visit a Mexican jail or perhaps a jail in the middle east. Our jails are perfectly fine. Oh no a bunch of people in a room. STOP BREAKING THE LAW!
        • probablyhigh, on 02/03/2008, -1/+10so this is what happens when stupid people breed
        • StarlessKnight, on 02/03/2008, -0/+4So if you break the law, you can be treated like an animal. I'm glad you feel your Humanity is worth so little; the rest of us, however, feel that the punishment should fit the crime.
          • Randrayla, on 02/03/2008, -4/+1So what are you suggesting. We treat them like ***** royalty? They broke the law and are going to jail to be punished not to go on an island getaway.
    • cbuddha42, on 02/02/2008, -2/+12Obviously what happened to this woman is horrible, and I agree everyone involved should lose their job. Those officers clearly can not be put in a possition of power without succumbing to the temptation to abusing their power. On the otherhand I don't understand why everyone is so up in arms about a woman being stripped and "feeling" raped yet joke around about rape in other threads. I think rape in jail is a bigger issue than strip searches in jail.
      • jgzman, on 02/02/2008, -2/+13Because jokes are jokes, and this is reality.
    • KLowD9x, on 02/02/2008, -8/+1where jobs?
    • pimpzilla, on 02/02/2008, -0/+27If this video was of a known terrorist at Abu Ghraib this would be all over the national news with congressional hearings lasting for months or years. This woman is an American citizen charged with disorderly conduct. Heads should roll from the top down.
      • dkern, on 02/03/2008, -2/+3You are right, but they won't because we are living in a fascists police state and this is just the beginning of it, which is why it doesn't seem so bad right now- imagine when it gets worse- maybe then some of these ***** cowardly down-diggers will get a clue and do something other than run their asinine mouths.
      • theskyisblue, on 02/03/2008, -1/+1yes, but you are living in america, where the citizens that pay for the government to be in power are the last on their list of people/priorities to care for
    • JAVandiver, on 02/02/2008, -2/+8Most of the time I think that most diggers overreact to supposed police maleficence, however in this case I do believe that these particular officers deserve to suffer serious consequences. As that they are peace officers I do believe that they must be held to a higher standard and their breach of duty should be a capital offense.
      • misterjangles, on 02/03/2008, -1/+1I agree that the police need to be held to a higher standard. I don't think that anybody deserves to be stripped and left in a cold cell for any amount of time. But, like a lot of these strories, there are some major details missing. The article says she calls for help, but then later it says her cousin called the police. Then she handed them an ID that isn't hers. Then yada, yada, yada, she's naked in a cell for six hours. I'm not saying anybody deserves inhumane treatment, but I have a feeling we're missing major parts of this story.

        This is just a complete random guess at filling in the blanks, but I can imagine this... she was loaded, got in a fight, was majorly physically violent and resisted arrest. That doesn't excuse police brutality at all. It just makes it sad as hell because what was probably somebody who should have gone to jail is now gonna sue the crap out of the state and get a massive amount of money compliments of all the taxpayers. Due to some stupid cops who didn't handle the situation correctly.
    • AdamHenry, on 02/02/2008, -12/+2Don't go to jail then. They had female deputies/ CA's in the cell while i was happening. The one video taping was obviously personnel from the jail and those aren't just carried around normally. She was obviously resisting enough for the cam to be brought out to document her behavior.

      How can you pass judgments without seeing the entirety of the tape?
      • Randrayla, on 02/03/2008, -10/+2Because everyone hates law enforcement no matter what they do. We either got there to slow, or we drove to fast and get complained on for example.
        • buckrogers1965, on 02/03/2008, -1/+8Try treating everyone with respect, no matter what. That woman should have been treated exactly like the police chief's or Mayor's, or a senator's mother or daughter would have been treated.
        • akamurph, on 02/03/2008, -3/+1Yo buck, go on a ride-along some night with a cop... see how "everyone" treats cops.
      • ShaunO, on 02/03/2008, -0/+1Of course, it doesn't help that the rest of the tape has since gone missing.
    • iainc, on 02/02/2008, -1/+5I'm absolutely disgusted! Those officers are nothing more than fascist scum. I hope the couple sue and I hope the sheriff and the arresting officers loose their jobs and do time. I'm British, but if I was American then I'd hang my head in shame.
      • misterjangles, on 02/03/2008, -0/+1We're supposed to hang our head in shame because some cops that live 2,000 miles away committed a crime - and, our free speech is now kicking in and delivering some massive national attention to the matter?

        What do you think we're all buddies over here or something? Try traveling around a bit.
    • sjl127, on 02/02/2008, -1/+4Why aren't we, as "a people," aren't doing anything about this?
      • jkmerr, on 02/03/2008, -0/+0Let's do something about it. Petition the Stark County Prosecutor to put the bastards in jail. http://www.petitiononline.com/StkCoJus/
      • sjl127, on 02/03/2008, -1/+1I'm talking about something "a little more" than an online petition.
        • Alexandru25, on 02/03/2008, -0/+1Get right on it toughguy, show us the way.
      • akamurph, on 02/03/2008, -1/+0Because you don't know the facts... you're just jumping to conclusions.
      • theskyisblue, on 02/03/2008, -1/+1because we live in america, where questioning police/military/government could be labeled a "terrorist act," under the patriot act, and we can get thrown in jail indefinitely and tortured for it.
        • ShaunO, on 02/03/2008, -0/+1Even though questioning the King is how your country was founded.
          America's too scared to be American anymore.
          Remember, the government is there to serve the people, as employees of the people .. and they can be fired. Preferably in the streets, but that's another story ..
      • emfb, on 02/03/2008, -0/+1But we are, aren't doing anything about this. How much more can't we do?
    • BradMajors, on 02/03/2008, -1/+3The officers knew they were being taped and they did not think they were doing anything wrong and they knew they would not be punished (and they weren't).
    • sl9sl9, on 02/03/2008, -2/+2http://www.encyclopediadramatica.com/Almost_raped
    • wush, on 02/03/2008, -0/+1I propose that you can run away from karma
      • magnoliasltd, on 02/12/2008, -0/+1You can never run away from karma, you will eventually feels it's effects maybe not in this life, but the quality of your next life will be based on previous choices, and if you did evil acts,it's power would have to be faces.
    • borez, on 02/03/2008, -0/+1Tossers
    • deadmann, on 02/03/2008, -1/+1And these are the only people we want to have the guns?
    • Biohazard6601, on 02/03/2008, -1/+1that should be a possessive "there" as in 'their'
    • chyya, on 02/03/2008, -0/+1must have been a slow night
    • murkapig, on 02/12/2008, -0/+0I CALLED THAT ***** IN OHIO ,,,AND WISHED VIOLENT DEATH TO ALL OF THE FILTH INVOLVED. I WAS TOLD TO GOTO HELL :) IM READY FOR WAR WITH THIS THWARTED SYSTEM. U BEST BELIEVE MYSELF AND A GRIP OF FURIOUS RAGING ASSOCIATES OF MINE ARE MORE THEN PREPARED TO BRING THE RUCKAS. I AINT GONNA GO OUT LIKE A CHUMP FACE DOWN GETTIN PENETRATED EITHER......LOG THAT
  • Cryptocracy, on 08/17/2008, -31/+185fukking cops think its funny, the pervs probably got turned on. POLICE STATE?
    What is wrong with this country?
    • crazydiode, on 02/02/2008, -15/+8mother ***** bastards. I hope they rot right here.. ***** ***** bastards. mother *****.
      • sonnybobiche, on 02/02/2008, -8/+13DURR DURR DURR I AM AN ANGRY DIGGER INCAPABLE OF FORMING RATIONAL THOUGHTS.
        • adooga, on 02/02/2008, -2/+3It's one of the many symptoms of anger.
        • pintomp3, on 02/02/2008, -2/+3he sounds like a perfect recruit for the nypd.
        • someidiotinnj, on 02/03/2008, -0/+4RABBLE! RABBLE! RABBLE!
    • jetcopter, on 02/02/2008, -3/+15I would not say what is wrong with this country. I would say what the hell is wrong with Stark County. They are trying to cover it up now. Those involved should go to jail.
    • IAmLegend24, on 02/02/2008, -11/+12If this was a police state this story and video would not exist.
      • adooga, on 02/02/2008, -4/+6Oh well, it's ok then. Everyone go about your business, it's not a police state just yet. Don't complain until you're definitely sure that it IS a police state. Oh hang on....
      • buckrogers1965, on 02/03/2008, -1/+2Sure did take a long time to be seen.
    • x1ang, on 02/03/2008, -5/+4what is being described here is not a police state. the story is describing some *****-up cops who ***** up. a story that would describe a police state would be: a Bush-administration critic being detained for a random reason and mysteriously disappearing forever.
      • theskyisblue, on 02/03/2008, -1/+1"a Bush-administration critic being detained for a random reason and mysteriously disappearing forever."

        isn't that what you would call the prisoners in GITMO and other secret prisons we have?
    • 4d669, on 02/03/2008, -0/+0It's probably legal according to the Patriot Act.
  • DroogInPhoenix, on 02/02/2008, -10/+335That is ***** disturbing.. I hope everyone involved is FIRED!
    • EvilOtto, on 02/02/2008, -2/+58They're cops they don't get fired. They get paid vacations.
    • sgtpppr, on 02/02/2008, -0/+22I've seen a lot of border-line police action in videos here, but this isn't even close to border-line. There is no reason to victimize someone who you are paid to protect and serve. For them to think this is 'protecting' her from herself is so deluded on so many levels. Some people will do anything to justify their sociopathic tendencies. There is especially no excuse for male officers to forcibly tear the clothes off a woman while she's restrained like this. This should be considered sexual assault.
    • redstorm986, on 02/02/2008, -0/+22I love how the only reaction is I hope they get fired. They should face criminal assault and battery charges. It shouldn't matter what position you hold, if you go outside the realm of what is legally protected you should get the same treatment as anyone else.
      • buckrogers1965, on 02/03/2008, -0/+6We know that no prosecutor is going to go after the police, their union is too strong. We just hope that someone can get them fired, as a minimum still possible punishment. But we are aware that even that weak ass lame response will probably fail, and those officers will be harassing "citizens" again in no time.
        • theskyisblue, on 02/03/2008, -1/+1or be hired by blackwater to kill innocent iraqis
    • makkaveli19, on 02/02/2008, -1/+12This is the reason i hate cops. they do something wrong and bam paid vacation. i think they should have punishments harsher than civilians. they are the ones enforcing these rules so they should have way harsher punishments if they break these laws.
      • theskyisblue, on 02/03/2008, -1/+2it's the government... you're part of the family now
    • adooga, on 02/02/2008, -0/+6I hope they get fired on.
    • yuutokun, on 02/03/2008, -5/+2Pics or it didnt happen.:D
    • bearsandbulls, on 02/03/2008, -0/+5I agree fire at least the males, I am pretty sure it is a federal law that strip searches must be done by soemone of the same sex, if so they should also get federal charges.

      I say also fire the females for not stopping the males, they are after all the police, it was their place to step in.
      • keeganspeck, on 02/03/2008, -1/+1It was also not a strip search, as the Sheriff claims.
    • FutureGuy, on 02/03/2008, -0/+6Just Fired?? They deserve JAIL time, how could anyone do such a thing?? I generally have respect for cops, but things like this and those in the department who defend such acts severely tarnishes that image.
      • meells, on 02/03/2008, -0/+4This is why the people that are accused of hating police on knee-jerk reactions feel as they do. How many times does the entire image of officers need to be tarnished before it is safe to assume that police in general are not trustworthy or up to the job. Every officer that lets this slide without demanding justice is EVERY bit as guilty as the perpetrators. Cop hate isnt inborn, it is learned.
    • fixedcoma, on 02/04/2008, -0/+1sheot! They get two weeks paid vacation beotch!
  • sbader, on 02/02/2008, -9/+137That's f*ed up
    • Chicken, on 02/02/2008, -6/+8Why censor yourself?

      But yes its ***** up.
    • r3negadeX, on 08/11/2008, -3/+3Don't strip me bro!
      There. Someone had to say it.
  • zandernat, on 02/02/2008, -30/+69Scratch an Ohioan, find a fascist, and/or a football enamored moron. This is the same county from whence the National Guard hailed who killed and paralyzed students at Kent State. Oh, but the funny part is that Ohioans believe they are the most civilized and enlightened and delight in making fun of their Appalachian neighbours, Southerners and anyone else who is not so viciously inclined as they.
    • InActionJackson, on 02/02/2008, -15/+13thats a pretty ignorant and general statement. I'm an Ohioan and I hate football.
    • vervalsing, on 02/02/2008, -4/+13I grew up in Ohio and I'd say that's actually a pretty fair assessment.
      • grimeygutter, on 02/02/2008, -1/+3Ohio has an equal proportion of douchebags as any other state. Its just that in Ohio there are more douchebags in positions of power (examples being police brutality, election rigging and intimidation) than most states. But don't act like this is exclusive to Ohio.
      • buckrogers1965, on 02/03/2008, -0/+2I agree completely. Ohioan from birth, moved to the coast before they could star as Florida in the 2004 election. I have never seen so many racists ***** in my life and I lived in South Carolina for a couple of years.
    • Bluemandrew, on 02/02/2008, -4/+12Pretty much everyone has the right to make fun of Southerners....don't hold that against them
    • cornelje, on 02/02/2008, -1/+14I went to jail in Ohio a few years ago, and was denied a phone call, called a pussy, and wasn't served food for an entire day. I hope they rot in hell.
    • Sinai, on 02/02/2008, -4/+12What a bizarre obsession with Ohioans. What kind of freakish tribal environment did you grow up in?
    • pstroll, on 02/02/2008, -3/+11It truly is a terrible place and rife with corruption from the small villages all the way up to the governor's mansion. Best to avoid the state entirely along with Indiana and Western Pennsylvania.
    • grimeygutter, on 02/02/2008, -7/+15Thats THE most pompous and arrogant statement I've read on Digg (which is saying a lot, by the way) today. I haven't signed on in weeks and did so today just to ask what part of Ohio you originate from? I mean you obviously must be from Ohio right because of how civilized and enlightened you sound.
      Seriously ***** you you delusional hypocrite.
    • johnn11238, on 02/02/2008, -5/+1"ohioan"?
      you think ohio is what, a foreign country???
      • opiniastrous, on 02/02/2008, -0/+5Natives from Ohio are known as Ohioans in the same way that people from Sydney are known as Sydneysiders, people from Paris are Parisians, people from London are Londoners, and people from Ontario are Ontarians.
      • JasonCox, on 02/03/2008, -0/+4Um, John, people from Ohio are called Ohioans.

        How do I know? Well, I'm an Ohioan.

        And you know what else? People from California are Californians!
    • spoonyinc, on 02/03/2008, -1/+3There is no end to violent and immoral people like you see in this video, but that does not mean that Ohio is the exclusive breeding ground for them. There are bad segments of population everywhere, even in Ohio. Your ignorant comments show only how bigoted and fascist you are.
    • JasonCox, on 02/03/2008, -2/+2Listen here asshat, I'm from Ohio and we're nothing like you're describing so why dont you go crawl back into the inbred hole from whence you came.
    • LoganMonte87, on 02/03/2008, -2/+1So does this mean everyone from w/e state your from is an ignorant moron?? ***** You I like random weather and almost awesome sports teams...
    • jer2eydevil88, on 02/03/2008, -0/+2Ohio is kind of a lost cause when you view the vast majority but there are those of us who still deserve to be treated with respect. Not all of us are conservative asswipes who live in the Village of Indian Hill.

      http://www.city-data.com/city/The-Village-of-India ...
      Check out the average income there, and housing cost.
    • unpolloloco, on 02/03/2008, -0/+3Kill all those Communists...er wait.............scientologists...........no thats not it...............ohioans..........lets just go ahead and kill all of those stupid Americans while we're at it..................maybe just all of those pesky humans......................genocide is always a great option
  • bustergonad, on 02/02/2008, -7/+38Maybe it was a coincidence, or maybe it just states prisoner policy, but this poor woman was
    strip searched and forcibly kept naked in the ironically named "Stark" County Jail.

    "This is Ohio. If you don't have a brewski in your hand you might as well be wearing a dress."
    • accessviolation, on 02/02/2008, -0/+8"***** me gently with a chainsaw"
    • britishrob, on 02/02/2008, -3/+4i·ro·ny
      1. the use of words to convey a meaning that is the opposite of its literal meaning
      • bustergonad, on 02/03/2008, -1/+1or while you're cutting and pasting you could check the American Heritage Dictionary
        "The use of words to express something different from and often opposite to their literal meaning"
        So the name of the county "Stark" vs the British slang for naked "Starkers" (from stark naked)
        • bwdd, on 02/03/2008, -1/+3Either you agree with britishrob or you horribly misunderstood what he said.

          He KNOWS stark means naked. Der. That means it's not ironic that that's the name of the town, but it is strange.
    • Rivetgeek, on 02/03/2008, -0/+3That's coincidence, not irony. Irony would be if they forced a nudist to don clothes in the stark county jail.
  • Look4Truth, on 02/02/2008, -8/+86Tyranny...coming to a town near you soon.
  • DrPaul2008, on 02/02/2008, -6/+59I'm so sick of this. Those ***** cops deserve whatever they catch from this, and probably much more.
    • TheRascalKing, on 02/02/2008, -2/+6Like a good tasing.
      • crazydiode, on 02/02/2008, -0/+12that's not enough for these *****.
        • grimeygutter, on 02/02/2008, -0/+4oh there is I believe they used to call it 'old Sparky.
          Extra crispy bacon anyone?
        • jftitan, on 02/02/2008, -0/+8tasing works..... but I wouldn't do it the normal way.. I'd strip search each damn cop, and then attach the electrodes to the genitals while the officer is being hosed down. plug in the electrodes, and you get a lightbulb.
  • seandulac, on 02/02/2008, -14/+32Particular evil lies in the hands of those in power. Power goes to the head of the sadist. To those that enjoy the suffering and pain of others, especially the innocent or hysterical. They grin from ear to ear having the ability to witness firsthand the hysterical pain in the behavior of the victims of violent crime. Sometimes they just can’t help themselves and take the situation to the next level by claiming the hysteria is somehow misconduct. Then they get their evil sick hands on the subject of their sadistic pleasure and they feed that pleasure.

    I see now a system where the disgusting corruption at the top allows the ranks to be filled with power seeking sadists which in a fair system would likely not be allowed to walk free. Look at BTK killer in Kansas; he was very successful in his jobs and bleedings with and within the systems of power.

    Today the ‘police’ are filled with people that have no problem with a guy that on the side likes to Bind, Torture, and Kill. We have no psyche testing or evaluations of our police. In fact we have a system that will blindly protect the most obvious sadomasochistic rituals. We have drooling goons taking a victim of a violent crime into a dark cell and stripping and brutally assaulting a house wife of a high school teacher. The action of the police ‘officials’? They flat out deny and defend the actions of the psychos.

    The fact that the police responsible for this type of ritual are walking free on our streets is bad. The fact that these social deviants hold positions of power is totally unimaginable.

    I really don’t care if the king has no clothes; we have given the positions of power of force over to the element of our society which belongs under special care. I mean locked up in white rooms. We need to get the sadists out of our police forces. We need to fire any government servant that would take sides with psychopaths. Sadomasochistic behavior is indicative of psychopaths, and it is very poor practice to allow those individuals to hold jobs as police.
    • Ajajadude, on 02/02/2008, -25/+1No, the reason we have ***** cops is because people treat cops like *****, especially uneducated morons who hate cops because they were busted once for doing something stupid, without prejudice. We admonish the entire country's police force for the bad, wrong, terrible, etc. actions of a few and completely ignore the ones who do the right thing on a regular basis by showing compassion, understanding, and put their lives on the line for those who hate them.
      I'm not saying all cops are good. There are plenty of scumbag cops to go around. But I've had a few run-ins with cops where I could have been in a serious amount of trouble but the cop chose to think outside the box. You think cops are bad? Try dealing with security guards at apartments for college students off-campus. I've never run into people who take their job way too seriously as they do.
      • mrjit, on 02/02/2008, -1/+8Ah, yes, all of the corrupt, mob-related Police force was created due to Sgt. John Doe getting called a donut eating pig through his Police Academy days. Gotcha.
      • ElAssoWipo, on 02/02/2008, -3/+2I don't know why you're dugg down, it's a great argument. The profession has been greatly tarnished and people just don't want to become cops anymore, there's no incentive for it so you only get cops who become cops by default.

        It's like teachers, they are so poorly paid and deprived of any means to teach by laws and education bodies that smart people don't want to teach anymore. They choose something else and we're stuck with idiots who got a B.A. in English teaching biology.
        • Ajajadude, on 02/02/2008, -2/+2That's my point exactly. Who wants to become a cop or a teacher or join the army when you get paid next to the nothing all while being treated like dirt. We live in a society where people get paid millions of dollars after their failure as CEO of some company and where the people teaching our children are paid nothing and get thrown to the wolves when they dare to fail a child who, well, failed.
          People rail on the cops, but when their house is robbed or their laptop is stolen or they're attacked, they still call them. The fact is, we need police officers. Treat them like that and maybe we'll get good people to become cops rather than the inbred, power-mongering morons that make the headlines everyday.
      • staxx202, on 02/03/2008, -1/+1So you're saying they deserve a pat on the back? Keep your sympathy and defense of cops to the ones that aren't involved in ***** like this
    • johnn11238, on 02/02/2008, -8/+4Ok, that was WAAAAAAAAAAY too long...
      It's supposed to be a comment, not a manifesto.
      • seandulac, on 02/03/2008, -0/+1The story was so powerful it required many words to comment on it.
    • NewGTGuy, on 02/02/2008, -2/+6Power corrupts and absolute power corrupts absolutely.
    • Biohazard6601, on 02/03/2008, -1/+1is this digg or my english class?
    • keeganspeck, on 02/03/2008, -0/+1I didn't digg you down, but seriously. tl;dr.
  • amy31415, on 02/02/2008, -30/+3Here's a direct link to the YouTube, we can't let them get away with this. Ohio cops are particularly bad, don't let them get away with this.
  • anthonywr, on 02/02/2008, -5/+69Normally I support police in their use for very strong force for people that deserve it, but this is just disgusting. I'd feel raped too. I hope the law sticks it to every officer in that room. This action is just wrong.
    • ronaldinho, on 02/03/2008, -0/+1The fact, I have read the article and can't find one single reason why this woman deserved such treatment, even after accounting for perhaps she was drunk and *****. I don't want to make all cops look bad (and some are very responsible and do their job quite capably), but it seems there are more and more bad apples
  • SwordOfShannara, on 02/02/2008, -6/+135youtube: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=a1yUsYIk2EM
    • lyrica42, on 02/02/2008, -0/+19How about part two, which is really what I was looking for after watching this Digg piece. Here is the follow-up they promised at the end of this Digg submission. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iQ6Lsqmf9yM&feature ...
      • lovedunks, on 02/02/2008, -0/+6Thanks for the youtube link. I went to that site in the digg post and it said "wait 10 seconds." I waited like 20 and nothing. Ugh...
    • DefaultGen, on 02/02/2008, -0/+6Holy ***** *****...
    • thecatcantalk, on 02/05/2008, -0/+1Watched them both. Holy *****! And cops wonder why people shoot at them? If District Attorneys actually prosecuted uniformed lawbreakers, then injuries in the line of duty would go way, way down. Violent, criminal policemen get their colleagues killed, by turning the public against cops in general. You can't lie and perjure to protect scumbags, and still expect the public to respect you!
  • thechr0nic, on 02/02/2008, -5/+104My wife and I watched this video, and there are really no words to describe how angry we both are.

    This could have been anyone's wife, or mother or sister.
    • sougly, on 02/02/2008, -16/+3This could have been anyone's wife, or mother or sister.
    • scojerroc, on 02/02/2008, -1/+11What if she wasn't anyone's wife, mother, or sister? Would that make it less horrifying? She is a person, isn't that enough?
      • atdigg, on 02/02/2008, -0/+5She's somebody's daughter.
      • pintomp3, on 02/03/2008, -0/+2they idea is to personalize it, like "this could happen to someone you love". too often, people don't react unless it hits close to home.
      • buckrogers1965, on 02/03/2008, -0/+1The point is that if it had been any of _those_ cops family, that the woman would have been treated much differently.
  • ru486, on 02/02/2008, -11/+80Here a link to the inbred PIG that runs the jail. I bet he's been beating off to the video hourly. http://www.sheriff.co.stark.oh.us/
    • bustergonad, on 02/02/2008, -2/+23well,.. he does have the uncensored copy!
      which begs me to ask,.."How many other videos of how many other women does he have in his collection?"
    • Kanidia, on 02/02/2008, -0/+26Contact Information

      Telephone
      (330) 430-3800
      FAX
      Postal address
      4500 Atlantic Blvd., N.E., Canton, Ohio 44705
      Electronic mail
      General Information: strkshrf@raex.com
    • iainc, on 02/02/2008, -1/+4Snottogram duly despatched.
    • joebonk, on 02/03/2008, -1/+13email sent
      "i dont care what they say about you guys, that was a hell of a good rape your boys performed on Hope Steffey. thatll teach her to call the cops after a car accident.
      god bless you"
    • alexidigg, on 02/03/2008, -0/+2that website belongs here
      http://digg.com/design/The_Internet_Was_a_Real_Pil ...
    • bustergonad, on 02/05/2008, -0/+1Apparently there is another lawsuit involving a strip search and 3 teenage girls
      http://www.americanchronicle.com/articles/51315
      (the other lawsuit is in the 7th paragraph)
  • bustergonad, on 02/02/2008, -56/+4Victimization and humiliation aside,.. that blond woman in the picture is hot!! I wish she was my High School teacher, I would never be absent or tardy ever again!
    • PabloMac, on 02/02/2008, -4/+6"Hey Buster-Boy! Your macaroni and cheese is ready. I made your favorite flavor of Kool-Aid, too. Come on up for dinner!"
      • bustergonad, on 02/02/2008, -4/+2perhaps you should read my reply to ENGLASSE 's post
  • quakerorts, on 02/02/2008, -18/+17A local couple called the sheriff's dept. because their teenage daughter was distraught and wielding a kitchen knife. The deputy went in alone and shot and killed the daughter. He was cleared of all charges. This was 20-30 years ago before tasers, but still if you're not trained how to disarm someone with a knife, bring in some backup. Surely, 4 large men can disarm a small girl. And why did he have to shoot to kill?!
    • Ajajadude, on 02/02/2008, -15/+3Why would they train a police officer how to disarm someone with a knife 20-30 years ago? Something tells me back then most members of our armed forces weren't trained to do that.
      • ElAssoWipo, on 02/02/2008, -8/+7They did train the police to disarm someone with a knife 20-30 years ago.

        "point and shoot". Disarmed.
      • twinklyJesus, on 02/02/2008, -5/+8Think about what you just wrote and how ignorant it really was.
        • Ajajadude, on 02/02/2008, -3/+5Funny you tell me to do that and not the people posting the obviously insightful "***** PIGS" comments all around here.
  • chopenik, on 02/02/2008, -13/+29Welcome. You've just been introduced to Freedom 2.0. Enjoy it.
    • joebonk, on 02/03/2008, -0/+2i think im gonna stay with XP
    • kss42, on 02/03/2008, -0/+1I'd like to file a bug report.
      • chopenik, on 02/04/2008, -0/+1Gladly. You can report it at any of our websites cia.gov, fbi.gov etc.... Good luck. Been nice seeing you.
  • Falldog, on 02/02/2008, -34/+70First off, all you 'police state' ***** shut up. Abuses like this have been around for as long as an organized police force has existed.

    Secondly thanks to this video and the news coverage more information will come out and the perpetrators who did this will get their comeuppance. With any luck the outcome will also result in increased video taping of police activities to help fight abuses of power and ill devised policies.
    • bruce86, on 02/02/2008, -12/+2Wouldn't video's like these reduce the amount of video taping done by the police?
      • ElAssoWipo, on 02/02/2008, -1/+14No, videos like these is why they make videos now. It actually protects the cops in the vast majority of cases. People always accuse cops of abuse. It's very rare that they don't, in fact. So by filming everything they save themselves a lot of trouble and tax payer money. Instead of making trials based on hearsay and circumstancial evidence, they just say "here's the video" and the case is over.
        • adooga, on 02/02/2008, -0/+6Or they say "we can't find the video" and the case is usually over then too.
    • stealthrocket, on 02/02/2008, -10/+26"First off, all you 'police state' ***** shut up."

      Do you realize you only strengthened their views with a comment like that?
      • XXXXXXXXXXXXXX, on 02/03/2008, -3/+1Do you realize they're ***** morons anyway? A county policeman decides to break the law and diggers emerge from under their rocks and blame it on the police state and Bush.
        • salomejones, on 02/06/2008, -0/+1I think you mean "country ***** pig who should be orally raped for at least six months in prison".
    • salomejones, on 02/02/2008, -5/+10Oh they'll get their comuppance, eh? And what makes you think that?
      These are pigs, and thats Ohio. I wouldn't be surprised if they're still on payroll *right now*. Oh wait, they are.
    • tgc1, on 02/02/2008, -7/+4I think you need to pull your head out of your behind.
  • BBoombastic, on 02/02/2008, -31/+14I'm not going to be so quick to judge their actions until I know the full story. The only solid evidence available is the video of the search (though I admit that it is unacceptable for two men to be involved in the search). We don't know what happened before the video took place.
    • ENGLASSE, on 02/02/2008, -9/+18You are sick. There were seven officers present, one tied her down, others looked on as this woman was humiliated. It's illegal for men to be involved in strip search of a woman, so clearly this is an atrocious act on an innocent citizen. You are dememted. One 120 pound woman against seven vicious, vile insult to humanity scumbags. I believe you are a cop, you and 'Bustergonads" have expressed verbal abuse against her.
      • Ajajadude, on 02/02/2008, -13/+3Some of the fiercest people I know happen to be lightweights less 120 pounds and I would hesitate to mess with them. The reason why cops use overwhelming force when holding people down is to prevent suspects from having the chance to effectively fight back. It's a safety issue not only for the cops but for the suspect as well. It's quite easy to resist one or even two cops, especially if your adrenaline is pumping, leaving them with little choice but to bludgeon you, tase you, or just shoot you.
        But, in this case, there was no reason whatsoever that male officers should have been involved. It's against policy (I don't know about it being against the law...the article never said that and I've never heard of such a thing) and it was insanely stupid for them to even be present.
        You need to pop a valium and calm down.
      • xTRUMANx, on 02/02/2008, -8/+8Chill the ***** out ENGLASSE. As BBoombastic said, the full story isn't out yet. The sheriff didn't give out his side of the story. Although I doubt he'll come up with anything (backed by solid evidence) to justify what happened to that woman, but nevertheless, he's innocent till proven guilty.
      • bustergonad, on 02/02/2008, -3/+2Hold on there ENGLASSE, first of all I'm on her side,.. in fact my digg was digg number 33 or something,..
        when I tried to submit this story myself,.. as for my earlier comments being misunderstood or misconstrued
        I deeply regret that,..what I meant was that in the video footage when she was showed in a headshot with her husband, you have to admit she is strikingly good looking, thats all I meant.
      • BBoombastic, on 02/02/2008, -4/+3I'm sorry, ENGLASSE, but I'm not as quick to label these people as demons just because of half a minute of film and the word of a women I've never met and know nothing about. Maybe I should start doing that. Here, I'll start right now: ENGLASSE, you are a sub-human piece of garbage who rapes, tortures, murders, and eats little children. And it's true because I said so.
    • sonnybobiche, on 02/02/2008, -10/+5I don't really understand the concept of strip searches being same-sex only by policy. If we are trying to prevent sexually-motivated strip searches, isn't this a half-assed way of doing it? What prevents lesbian officers from strip searching a woman, or gay officers from strip searching a male? Yes, my tone is accusatory, but so is the belief that male police officers are incapable of putting aside their sexuality in the name of professionalism.
      • buckrogers1965, on 02/03/2008, -2/+1And this lesbian and gay cop molesting people is a big problem where? Straw man, meet argument.
      • KizardLing, on 02/03/2008, -0/+2It doesn't ***** matter if they can "put aside their sexuality in the name of professionalism." She has no way of knowing that. It's a stressful enough situation as it is, she shouldn't have to worry about the motives of the several male officers present.
      • JoeVet, on 02/03/2008, -1/+2There clearly wasn't any professionalism portrayed in that video.
  • bustergonad, on 02/02/2008, -3/+43Part 2 of the story is here
    http://www.wkyc.com/video/player.aspx?aid=53820&bw ...

    "as if I needed another reason to wear clean underwear everyday!"
  • sasharouge, on 02/02/2008, -6/+15What in the hell is this world coming to?
  • JSKYs, on 02/02/2008, -14/+12Time for us people to start taking the lawlessness into our own hands and turn into vigilantes.
    If the police state can do that and just smile. Then it's time to wipe those smiles off a few faces.
    • twinklyJesus, on 02/02/2008, -6/+6Introducing, in this corner, the terror of the Math Club at River City Middle School .... JSKY!!!!! JAFKTG, more like it. Just Another ***** Keyboard Tough Guy.
  • DiggityDugged, on 02/02/2008, -4/+77WTF?! That video is insane. And their reason for stripping her is because she wouldn't strip herself? I hope she makes millions in the lawsuit.
    • Quakee, on 02/02/2008, -2/+3They stripped her because when they asked her if she had ever considered suicide or harming herself she answered "now or ever?" To them that shows a risk that she MAY harm herself. Now obviously I'm not defending their actions, which are unforgivable, I'm just trying to give you a glimpse into their point of view. Now as to why she was arrested in the first place I have no idea.
      • buckrogers1965, on 02/03/2008, -0/+2Many people have "ever" considered suicide. The correct answer to the question is "now."
    • akreon, on 02/03/2008, -1/+0Maybe she will, but really we, the taxpayers will pay for it.
  • superPipo, on 02/02/2008, -7/+17Welcome to the land of the free...
    • dylio, on 02/03/2008, -0/+1Welcome to the United Snakes, Land of the Thief, Home of the Slave.
      Grand Imperial Guard where the dollar is sacred and power is God.

      ~Brother Ali - Uncle Sam Goddamn
  • num3thod, on 02/02/2008, -3/+15That's ***** up.
  • ENGLASSE, on 02/02/2008, -5/+52If you're incensed over this, your comments here are good but read only by members. You can do better by voicing your outrage by email: Sheriff Tim Swanson- strkshrf@raex.com; Gov. Ted Strickland- governor.ohio.gov; Criminal Justice of Ohio - ocjs.ohio.gov. These people are vermin, a disgrace to humanity.
    • Kanidia, on 02/02/2008, -1/+15Contact Information

      Telephone
      (330) 430-3800
      FAX
      Postal address
      4500 Atlantic Blvd., N.E., Canton, Ohio 44705
      Electronic mail
      General Information: strkshrf@raex.com

      From website
    • sonnybobiche, on 02/02/2008, -10/+2The same ***** happened on digg a few months ago. Idiots got only one side of the story and started calling and threatening the staff at a high school. YOU DON'T KNOW WHAT HAPPENED HERE. DON'T PASS JUDGMENT WITHOUT BOTH SIDES OF THE STORY.
      • FF939606, on 02/02/2008, -4/+1your an ***** !
      • spoonyinc, on 02/03/2008, -4/+3This one is pretty cut and dry, sonnbobiche. We know what happened.
      • purzzzell, on 02/03/2008, -1/+11: source, please, regarding the high school - calling and expressing yourself is one thing - threatening a staff is effed up and I'm truly sorry some would take it to that extreme.
        2: it is a free country, and a supposedly representative government - part of the point of that is that we express our opinions - if we only have one side, we have to base our opinion on what's available. We can hope those that do this express that "this is what I heard, and we need a thorough investigation into this b/c if these facts are correct...." acknowledging that we don't have both sides.

        *****, the LA riots started b/c everyone didn't have the WHOLE STORY of why the officers were let off for beating Rodney King
    • spoonyinc, on 02/03/2008, -0/+5It is important for everyone who is outraged by this to contact Ohio governer Ted Strickland. Governers tend to have a little bit authority to get things done, AND you can generally vent certain feelings to them that you can't to law enforcement- because that'll probably wind you in jail.
  • tault, on 02/02/2008, -38/+24Well i was curious about this so i asked my friend that used to work for the local police in the area. This is what i was told. When you go to prison you must be searched for weapons in one way or another and when you get violent or make statements that means you can kill yourself the cops have to take actions. He said that people all the time used to start spitting at officers or saying they are going to kill them and the officers will have to 100% restrain them. The only reason to be stripped like that and for no clothes to be given back is for suicide watch.

    When she said the now or in the past part about attempting to harm herself by policy they have to put her on suicide watch. Suicide watch then will entail you have to be naked because any sort of clothing will result in the ability to hang yourself. As for the sheriff policy when the person is search in crevices for potential weapons or harmful items it has to be females which in the video.

    I mean i guess the big part that they will have to have on tape is if they asked her to take of her clothes or not. That would be the big thing. Also keep in mind they will look at your mental records to see if you are suicidal now or in the past. The key thing is they never showed that part of the video only the after part when then already made a decision on the action. So if they threw her to the ground without asking her to take off her clothing for a search and keep in mind the context she said it in was in sound mind then yes they have a lawsuit. However everything they did there was by the book apparently.


    He did say personally what they would of done here is something called a belly lock or whatever it was called. Where you have them basically hog tied to keep from harming themselves.

    It just seems whenever someone is stripped search on here people freak out how the cops are bad people but its their job. However im still not sure what she went to jail for in the first place. They never told you that either. Was it for using a license falsely or something else?
    • bruce86, on 02/02/2008, -2/+23As some with quite a bit of knowledge about suicide watch, know Resident Adivsor training and how the medical policies work. Even if she said "now or ever?" That does not constitute suicide watch. Evening saying you have thoughts about suicide do not constitute that. Only if she said she had a plan to kill her self would this would be necessary.

      If you even think about it, if she asked that questions. Wouldn't that suggest that she isn't a suicide risk as she was not presently think about thoughts of harming herself?
      • tault, on 02/02/2008, -3/+5 I was going off of what my friend told me im not an expert just saying someones opinion from first hand advice. I mean the tone in which she said stuff could be taken into account because without it being yet seen its somewhat unknown the full situation. Im not in anyway saying she was wrong just yet.

        I just think with the small amount of tape shown and the video shown that lead up to this situation the full side cant be known. I mean for people that speak about democracy isnt the rule innocent till proven guilty. By default everyone is pulling a mob mentality and not even taking the time to see it from the other sides perspective which is sad.

        Good example go online and find the shinning the love story. With some simple editing anything can look one sided.
      • sonnybobiche, on 02/02/2008, -2/+1What if that's not the only thing she said? This video was released by her LAWYER. I think they may have left some bits out that would paint the situation in a different light.
      • felidaeus, on 02/02/2008, -2/+1Given your grammar and spelling I highly doubt your claims to "knowledge about suicide watch, know Resident Adivsor training and how the medical policies work"
        • adooga, on 02/02/2008, -0/+3Given your reasoning, I reason that you don't know much about what other people know about.
      • NewGTGuy, on 02/03/2008, -0/+1Intent is indicated by all of the following:

        1. Does the victim know how they will kill themselves
        2. Does the victim know when they plan to kill themselves
        3. Does the victim know where they will kill themselves.
    • tehstyles, on 02/02/2008, -11/+10Did you even watch the video? I was about to logically take your argument apart, but then I realized that if you're this stupid, you can't be helped.
      • tault, on 02/02/2008, -4/+6I watched it. I wasnt saying that it was right or wrong. I was stating that i want to see their side. Because as it stands for all we know she could be some coke head that was biting people saying she is going to kill herself but they only showed a few scenes where she was screaming stop. For you to say you are stupid just shows your ignorance in the situation.
    • maceelk, on 02/02/2008, -1/+17You're completely leaving out that there were several males in the room helping strip her down. My father was an officer and im sympathetic to their plite, but you don't treat people like this.
      • tault, on 02/02/2008, -5/+3The males can be in the room was the rule. Its just when they are physically touching her the females are suppose to do it.
    • PxCxG, on 02/02/2008, -5/+3You're right. The video looks bad but it clearly doesn't have all the information. People here just want to jump to conclusions.
    • MalumProhibitum, on 02/02/2008, -0/+8It is never, NEVER appropriate to strip someone of their dignity in the name of safety. NEVER!
      • elipabst, on 02/02/2008, -3/+1What if they are on fire or unknowingly drenched in sulfuric acid?
    • elipabst, on 02/02/2008, -2/+2I'm not sure why you are getting modded down. If the cops had reason to believe someone was at risk of killing themselves and they did nothing about it and the person ended up hanging themselves with their pants, you'd better believe they'd be getting sued.
    • EthylAdded, on 02/02/2008, -3/+3tault: you'll get dugg down, but your points are valid. The procedure looks emotionless and methodical which suggests the officers are following a standard protocol believing the woman to be a danger to herself. In fact, the video taping itself is undoubtedly part of the protocol, and it seems quite unlikely officers would take illegal actions knowing they were being taped.
      • amrheinj, on 02/07/2008, -0/+0Regardless of whether it's illegal, it's immoral!
    • TwineHornet, on 02/03/2008, -0/+1If there were just females in the room, maybe I'd feel better about protocol, but I'd be traumatized by that situation, and I don't think she needed that much precaution. She was asking a question "Now or ever?" She didn't want to lie, she might've been suicidal in the past. She obviously wasn't then---even after this happened to her. They were using too much force, too much precaution, and should've at least calmed her down or been decent with her. She was constantly asking "why are you doing this" while they ignored her and used force.
    • flyhunnie7, on 02/04/2008, -0/+1yes, when one goes to PRISON. She was taken into police custody, but it doesn't seem that she was actually arrested. Prison is for people who are arrested and convicted.
  • sonnybobiche, on 02/02/2008, -42/+13I heard only one side of this story. I think I'll do the reasonable thing and reserve judgment until both sides can make their case.
    OR LETS JUST GO ***** CRAZY, DIGG-STYLE, AND JUMP TO UNINFORMED CONCLUSIONS!!!!1
    • bowens44, on 02/02/2008, -6/+15You have got to be kidding. There is NO possible excuse for this. I don't care if she was amurderer or a terrorist this is unacceptable. Anyone who thinks that the other side , no matter what it is , justifys this is a fascist.
      • grimward, on 02/02/2008, -9/+3Yeah, you keep telling yourself that the next time you as a police officer have to deal with a raging high-as-a-kite addict, I promise you that you'll see videos like this in a whole new light.
        People on digg need to think more with their brains and stop following the herd mentality of mass media, who says this channel is telling the truth? who says SHE is telling the truth? This video only shows part of what happend, the beginning might be completely different from what you *think* happend.
        • Moghadidliam, on 02/02/2008, -2/+4Ok, a 125 lb blonde chick getting body slammed in a cell ... soon after she is stripped searched by MEN as well as women, violating their own policy, finally leaving her naked in a cell . Seven officers man... Sure, she could be lying but there is no excuse for what happened on that video. I bet you love Bill O'reilly, huh? :p
          • sonnybobiche, on 02/02/2008, -2/+2I didn't see anyone get body slammed. You're exaggerating for effect. Men can be professional too. They're not necessarily slaves to their hormones as most people seem to imply. As for the bit about there being seven officers: how many would you recommend? One, two? That way she might actually be able to resist and do some damage. When you're in this situation, the last thing you want is for the person who's under arrest to be able to fight you, for your safety and theirs.
            Finally, what if she was lying? What if she said "I am going to hang myself with my shirt if you put me in that cell."? Should you let her keep her clothes?
            I'm just saying, don't pretend to understand what took place here before you've heard both sides of the story.
    • sn0wmis3r, on 02/02/2008, -4/+16Um, no, actually you did heard the sheriff's response to all their allegations, they "denied them". Those police officers obviously don't give a ***** about human decency/respect and neither do you apparently.
      • sonnybobiche, on 02/02/2008, -5/+1I thought everyone was innocent until proven guilty? I guess this isn't the case when we're under mob rule. ***** diggers...
    • grimward, on 02/02/2008, -8/+3Exactly my point too, my initial though when I saw this video was "why wasn't the whole thing filmed from start to finish?" there should be sufficient evidence to back up any claims that would validify this strip of her clothes and the two men present. If there isn't, I sure hope they hang the people responsible for this by the balls, (and ***** too) if this is just a ***** story on her part , I hope they sue her royally. Chances are that she might be a psycho and that she's made the whole thing up from start to finish. But until I know, I wouldn't make a fool out of myself by mailing the sheriff :P
      • birdly, on 02/02/2008, -0/+2I was wondering why it was filmed at all......
        She might be a psycho, but I would hope the people in power would be much more level-headed.
        • tault, on 02/02/2008, -0/+3I was told that most anyone they have to forcefully strip someone it is video tapped for situations where they will claim abuse.
    • ShnowDoggie, on 02/02/2008, -3/+9Did you watch the video? This is only one side of the story. But I can see NO reason to for what happened the way it did.
  • chall85, on 02/02/2008, -27/+29Iraq or Ohio, ***** pigs everywhere. Fascist USA.
  • topapito, on 02/02/2008, -5/+101Here is an informed conclusion. I saw the video. Human beings should not be treated that way by any government. When they are, it is called repression. If Americans cannot get insulted from seeing something like this, then you are in much bigger trouble than anyone thinks. I saw the video, and was scarred, I seriously grieve for this woman, who I am sure will never, ever trust authorities again. I seriously cannot believe what I saw. Two men holding down a woman to strip her naked! This is one step short of rape! This is so outrageous it borders on lunacy. I have seen things get more attention on DIGG than this for less reason. Shocking, utterly shocking.
    • stradf, on 02/02/2008, -2/+20AGREED. What makes it worse is that it was POLICE OFFICERS conducting the "rape". That makes it 1000 worse BECAUSE YOU TEND TO EXPECT BETTER FROM THESE PEOPLE. This makes this video even moer shocking. IF we can't even count on police officers, what happens next!
      • Rizzen, on 02/02/2008, -4/+1CAPITAL LETTERS
        • iainc, on 02/02/2008, -2/+4Looks like appropriate use for emphasis to me. Get back in your box.
    • twinklyJesus, on 02/02/2008, -17/+3Yeah, we should be able to provide false ID to people who don't know us, and be able to expect no suspicion or consequences.
      We should be able to refuse to follow commands by police after being taken into custody without consequences.
      We should really go to jail and find out what its really like to be held for 72 hours, and learn that even though you are innocent, you aren't treated that way.

      When you have been taken into custody, you do what you are told and keep your mouth shut. they don't have to be nice to you or bring you pillows and little soaps and shampoos like in a hotel. if you think its "fascist" here, go to jail in China or Mexico, then come cry about it on Digg.
      • isaactwito, on 02/02/2008, -2/+11Hey ***** you you stupid piece of *****. Americans used to pride themselves over being civil and just. We're also not talking about something happening on foreign soil, but in our own country. This pisses people off and scares them. Humans should NEVER ***** be treated like that. Cops are given too much credit and responsibility by our government. It's disgusting what they did and if you don't think so then go ***** burn in hell you dick. This is outrageous, these cops should be in prison for what they did. Also how the ***** are we going to rehabilitate prisoners in our jail system? We need to seriously change how it works, because all it does now is make people angrier and gives them time to brood.
        • sonnybobiche, on 02/02/2008, -9/+2First, calm down. Second, you really don't know what motivated the police's action. There were six or seven of them. They all came to the same conclusion, which was to subdue this woman. Did seven different people decide randomly to strip search this woman, or did she do something that put her in that position? Methinks the latter.
        • twinklyJesus, on 02/02/2008, -4/+2"Hey ***** you you stupid piece of *****."
          Nice, which one of us is arguing from logic and experience and which one is using emotion and idealism?

          Here's a dose of reality for you. Once you are in custody, you no longer have the right to argue, resist, refuse, lobby, debate or fight. Whether you think its right or not, if they tell you to go stand in the corner, you do it. if they tell you to strip, you do it, or they will bring a swell of force down on your dumb ass so fast, you, like this lady, won't know what hit you. Once in custody, you lose certain rights. You have the right to an attorney, and the right to remain silent. Anything else, you will need to wait for arbitration with an attorney and a judge. You do not have the right to refuse.

          having been there twice for something I did not do, I can tell you cooperation and resolution after you've been released is the only course.
        • Bologner, on 02/02/2008, -2/+37 PEOPLE SEARCHING A 120 POUND WOMAN WHO WAS ALREADY HANDCUFFED?!?!?!
          Did you hear the part about the policy? How ONLY females search females?
          Dugg down into oblivion.
      • BayonetStrumpet, on 02/02/2008, -1/+4Honestly dude -- if you can watch that and still entertain the idea that these cops should still be working, seek help. There is no reason why a citizen should be treated like that by cops, period. That was probably the most disturbing thing I've ever watched -- these are supposed to be the good guys. When your local cops revel in sexual violence and people continue to blame the (female, of course) victim, there are serious problems with your country.
      • iainc, on 02/03/2008, -1/+2So the cops did nothing regarding the reason for the original call. They saw the memento, refused to listed and homed-in on the licence issue because it was less trouble to deal with. They are FASCIST PIGS and I assure you that they will get what's due to them.
        • twinklyJesus, on 02/03/2008, -2/+3No, from their perspective, she handed them a fake ID. People don't carry other people's Drivers Licenses around unless they use them for illicit purposes, in their eyes. Regardless of why she kept the license, she shouldn't been carrying it around, it's illegal to present it especially to the police.

          As I said earlier, if you are in custody and they want to strip search you, they can. If you refuse or resist, they won't risk the female officers safety in order to preserve your dignity. They will bring big men into the room to hold the woman down so the female officers can search her.
        • JasonCox, on 02/03/2008, -0/+1Iainc, if a guy is pulled over for speed and the cops find a dead hooker in his trunk... you're saying they shouldnt be allowed to go on that?
    • mike17032, on 02/02/2008, -13/+2When you are arrested and put in jail, you get strip searched. End of story, get over it.

      Its pretty damn convienent that none of the video shows what she did to end up in hand cuffs isnt it? I know diggtards dont care about the whole story, but you arnt hearing it here.
      • MalumProhibitum, on 02/02/2008, -0/+7Then its time to change that ***** policy. If you wanna take the risk of being a cop, then you deal with the risks. Stripping people of their dignity to make the badges more comfortable is *****.
      • NewGTGuy, on 02/03/2008, -1/+3Men CANNOT strip search women! Period!!!

        This was a violation.
        • JasonCox, on 02/03/2008, -0/+1And what are you suposed to do if there arent enough women in the department to strip her OR if they try to strip her and she gets agressive and they need help to restrain her? She's got the same junk on her as 55% of the planet, she's not special. She presented a danger to herself and others, the officers took required steps to remove that danger. Did they maybe use to much force? Yeah, a little. But there job isnt to powder her face and put her makeup on, they're job is to protect her, even if that means roughing her up a bit.
          • NewGTGuy, on 02/03/2008, -0/+1"She presented a danger to herself"

            Suicidal intent is indicated by all of the following:
            1. Does the victim know how they will kill themselves
            2. Does the victim know when they plan to kill themselves
            3. Does the victim know where they will kill themselves.

            "they're job is to protect her, even if that means roughing her up a bit."

            Sounds like an abusive husband saying "This is for your own good."

            If we truly have inalienable rights, they shouldn't have arrested her in the first place.
      • belovedkid, on 02/03/2008, -0/+3actually, youre a ***** idiot, you do not get strip searched when you are arrested and put in jail. Maybe when you are taken to prison, but not just a county jail or holding cell. How do I know? I was arrested for a felony charge this summer and nobody even watched me while I changed into my jumpsuit....heres to you getting pulled over and tased for nothing.
        • artisresistance, on 02/03/2008, -0/+1All county jails are not the same. I was taken in for an unpaid ticket and they did a ***** underwear check on everyone when we changed into our scrubs. Not a strip search, but I definitely felt violated having pigs look at my ass. I'm sure they enjoyed it though.
    • bieber, on 02/03/2008, -1/+1Are you seriously suggesting that this is somehow US government policy? We're talking about _one_ group of police officers in _one_ county in _one_ state out of the fifty perpetrating a terrible act: I like to think that you'd know better than to try and classify us all by that...
    • d3k4y, on 02/03/2008, -0/+1Nope. I've heard tails of decent police, but I've never met any. I learned that santa claus isn't real a long time ago, and I expect police officers that aren't dick heads are just as real.
    • spod111, on 02/03/2008, -0/+1If only I could digg your comment up more than once - you're so right, and what happened to this woman is so wrong!
  • ardeay, on 02/02/2008, -32/+4theres gotta be more to it than that, only shady cats carry around license of dead people
    • bowens44, on 02/02/2008, -4/+16wow. what a stupid comment
    • JasonCox, on 02/03/2008, -3/+1Agreed. I mean I understand why she was doing it, but let say if you're shot and dumped in the woods, the only ID the cops will find on you is your sister who susposedly died 10 years ago- plus if something happened to my sister I can think of alot better ways to remember her then carrying her drivers licesne around.
    • xDynaBlade, on 02/03/2008, -3/+0How insightful. Anyway, I'm pretty sure it's illegal to carry someone else's driver's license with you. You all seem to be missing the part where they took her clothes after asked "Have you ever had thoughts of harming yourself?" to which she responded, "Now or ever?" A normal person would simply respond, "No." even if they had some time in the past.
  • Ninnux, on 02/02/2008, -22/+11I'm a little skeptical of the objectivity when the video is sponsored by a law firm.
    • meanrabbit, on 02/02/2008, -4/+6Did you watch it... wtf?
      • JasonCox, on 02/03/2008, -1/+1It doesnt matter if he watched it or not. The video was cut and put out by the woman accusing the police. I'm sure if the cops had cut and released the film you'd see an entirely different story- neither story probably bring the truth.
  • tehstyles, on 02/02/2008, -7/+23You know that these types of incidents happen all the time, but are not reported. This was when the officers admitted to strip search and there was a video obtained of the incident. What if the officers denied it and kept the video for themselves to watch only? If would be her words against theirs.

    I would say most of the time the police are smart enough not to release the video, and that the victim was very lucky in this case that the video was released. I would say that 99.9% of the time, these types of incidents are not reported.

    I'm hoping that the residents of Ohio wake up to this incident and fight back, and that all of the other victim's of Ohio's police step forward.
    • alpha94, on 02/02/2008, -6/+2That's a whole lot of opinions and guessing at facts.
    • sonnybobiche, on 02/02/2008, -4/+1I would say that 76.2% of statistics are pulled out of your ass.
      • tehstyles, on 02/02/2008, -3/+1No ***** sherlock
        "I would say that 99.9% of the time"
        • sonnybobiche, on 02/02/2008, -3/+1So we agree that your post was completely full of your opinion and absolutely not grounded in any kind of verifiable fact? Great.
        • tehstyles, on 02/03/2008, -2/+1Wow, your reading comprehension is awesome. I bet you're the only one who figured out that I was stating my opinions /sarcasm.

          Yes, it was my own opinion. Just like almost every comment on digg.
  • mega22, on 02/02/2008, -19/+1))))))
  • stradf, on 02/02/2008, -23/+11Here's what I believe happened: the woman has mental problems. She showed signs of someone confused so the cops thought about arresting her. T