U S Woman Hits California Cop To Quit Smoking

[webfact]

US Woman Hits Cop to Quit Smoking

MOSCOW, May 11 (RIA Novosti) - A woman slapped a sheriff’s deputy in the US state of California to quit smoking, US media reported.

Deputy Matt Campoy said the woman, Etta Mae Lopez, 31, blocked his way as he left his shift at the Sacramento County Jail, CBS 13 reported this week.

“All of a sudden, she stepped into me and slapped me in the face,” he was quoted by the TV station as saying.

The incident occurred on Tuesday. Lopez was detained at once. She apparently wanted to use California’s ban on tobacco in prisons to kick the habit.

“She told us that she needed to quit smoking,” Campoy said.

Lopez allegedly admitted having waited in front of the county jail for hours to hit an officer, get arrested and be put in jail, where she would not be allowed to smoke cigarettes.

“She explained it with great detail as to why,” Campoy said.

“There’s easier ways to stop smoking than hitting a cop,” Lopez’s neighbor with whom they used to smoke together said.

According to the Sacramento Bee, Lopez pleaded no contest to misdemeanor battery on a peace officer. She was sentenced to 63 days in jail on Thursday, the newspaper quoted Shelly Orio, a spokeswoman for the Sacramento County District Attorney's Office, as saying.

Lopez has credit for the three days she served, and she was additionally sentenced to five days for violating her probation from a past drunken driving conviction.

Source: http://en.rian.ru/crime/20130511/181080420/US-Woman-Hits-Cop-to-Quit-Smoking.html

-- RIA NOVOSTI 2013-05-11

[technologybytes]

I don't recommend trying this in Thailand.

[Payboy]

Prison, she'll be smokin' alright, and it's not gonna be cigarettes.

[jambco984]

Prison, she'll be smokin' alright, and it's not gonna be cigarettes.

Nothing to smoke in a womans prison surely!!

[NBD]

What exactly is the penalty if you do smoke in prison?

[Payboy]

Prison, she'll be smokin' alright, and it's not gonna be cigarettes.

Nothing to smoke in a womans prison surely!!

The guards would totally disagree with you.

[webfact]

two posts removed

If you have nothing to post that contributes to a topic please don't waste this space with nonsensical 'comments'.

Thanks

/Admin

[Traveling Sailor]

Interesting! She may also find that she looses weight due to the food quality. Too bad she felt so desperate.

[NomadJoe]

What exactly is the penalty if you do smoke in prison?

Not all prisons and jails ban smoking in the states. In California, breaking rules means loss of yard time, loss of canteen, loss of visitation rights, loss of library access, and for multiple offenders may lose "good time" credit or be placed in a special housing unit, or "SHOE" often refered to as "The Hole" or "Isolation." Try to take cigarettes from Thai prosoners and it would result in a riot.

[NeverSure]

I don't know how the laws work in California. In any event it isn't a good idea to hit a cop.

I am a bit surprised that she didn't get a mental exam instead, and then get some other type of punishment if warranted. I doubt that she did much damage to the officer, and it seems to me more like she needs help. It isn't like she used a weapon or something.

I'm not liberal about law enforcement because I've seen places where it sucks in both extremes. But there is such a thing as locking someone up in a psych ward for 72 hours for observation and questioning, and then deciding what to do with the person including maybe some meds.

I dunno.

[NomadJoe]

I don't know how the laws work in California. In any event it isn't a good idea to hit a cop.

I am a bit surprised that she didn't get a mental exam instead, and then get some other type of punishment if warranted. I doubt that she did much damage to the officer, and it seems to me more like she needs help. It isn't like she used a weapon or something.

I'm not liberal about law enforcement because I've seen places where it sucks in both extremes. But there is such a thing as locking someone up in a psych ward for 72 hours for observation and questioning, and then deciding what to do with the person including maybe some meds.

I dunno.

There are enhancements for committing a battery on a law enforcement official, fire fighters etc. (Section 243c). The potential jail time goes from "up to 6 months in jail" to "up to 1 year in jail." but jail time is not mandatory. Usually they would get a fine, community service, counselling etc. She was on probation and probably asked the judge for more time.

For a person to be held for a 72 hour evaluation (Welfare and Institutions Code 5150) they must be a danger to themselves or others, or gravely disabled. She did not qualify. It's not illegal to be crazy, or stupid.

This approach the quit smoking would probably will work in Thailand, but a little differently, as it would be a while before she could hold a cigarette to her mouth after hitting a BIB.

Edited May 11, 2013 by NomadJoe

[bobl]

Lol!

There's a debate going on in the "smoking ban at the airport" thread, in which some of the more vocal anti-smokers take glee in goading the smokers with suggestions that smoking makes you stupid.

I'm beginning to wonder if there is merit to their argument.

[NomadJoe]

Lol!

There's a debate going on in the "smoking ban at the airport" thread, in which some of the more vocal anti-smokers take glee in goading the smokers with suggestions that smoking makes you stupid.

I'm beginning to wonder if there is merit to their argument.

Well it's certainly irrational, but humans are irrational so I guess that makes sense. It's such a disgusting habit. There is no doubt in my mind that smoking is more often a trait of a certain kind of person. These people generally don't care about others. I couldn't imagine smoking and having other people around me breath it, but for smokers that seems to not be a problem. Neither is throwing the butts on the ground, which really drives me batty. I know there are plenty of exceptions though. People that are aware of how their smoking affects others, and don't throw their butts on the ground. These people realize how irrational smoking is and feel ashamed of it, but are addicted and aren't able to quit.

[vijer]

Prison, she'll be smokin' alright, and it's not gonna be cigarettes.

Nothing to smoke in a womans prison surely!!

I heard they fashions strapons from tissue paper!

[vijer]

Why isn't there a picture of the woman reenacting the crime? She could have pointed to where she stood for hours waiting and then shown how she ran up and smacked the officer and then he could have shown how he cried like a little girl. Oh wait this didn't happen in Thailand. Never mind.

[NeverSure]

Lol!

There's a debate going on in the "smoking ban at the airport" thread, in which some of the more vocal anti-smokers take glee in goading the smokers with suggestions that smoking makes you stupid.

I'm beginning to wonder if there is merit to their argument.

Well it's certainly irrational, but humans are irrational so I guess that makes sense. It's such a disgusting habit. There is no doubt in my mind that smoking is more often a trait of a certain kind of person. These people generally don't care about others. I couldn't imagine smoking and having other people around me breath it, but for smokers that seems to not be a problem. Neither is throwing the butts on the ground, which really drives me batty. I know there are plenty of exceptions though. People that are aware of how their smoking affects others, and don't throw their butts on the ground. These people realize how irrational smoking is and feel ashamed of it, but are addicted and aren't able to quit.

With all due respect, you don't understand the dynamics of what happens to the smoker. I used to be one. I don't disagree with most of what you say including respecting others, throwing butts, etc.

But a smoker is deluded into thinking the cigarette is his friend. It is a drug, and it gives the smoker a mental lift. It is also addictive. But for a smoker, it isn't much different than food. Many see food as a friend and get very obese, although I'm no expert on obesity.

There is this lie the smoker continually tells himself, and that is that he needs his friend the cigarette ever so often when his nicotine level drops. It is a habit of something to do with the mouth and hands, and a habit of getting a mental lift, and other things.

But at the bottom of it always is believing the lie that the cigarette is his friend. Always.

This woman who hit the cop is proof of how strong the lie is. She apparently believed that someone had to force her to give up her friend. The problem is that she hasn't let go of the lie, and when she gets out of jail the first thing she will want is that friend. Her method won't work.

Edited May 11, 2013 by NeverSure

[Joe Mamma]

Another reason to flee the homeland madness.

[metisdead]

A nonsense post has been removed as well as the replies.

[Thaddeus]

This woman who hit the cop is proof of how strong the lie is. She apparently believed that someone had to force her to give up her friend. The problem is that she hasn't let go of the lie, and when she gets out of jail the first thing she will want is that friend. Her method won't work.

Absolutely, I was hospitalised a few years ago, spent just over a week in there. Of course, having a cigarette was not an option, what was the first thing I did when I got home? you betcha.

[bikerider21]

Prison, she'll be smokin' alright, and it's not gonna be cigarettes.

I never understand why rape, personal assault and drug abuse is a very serious criminal offense but once you enter an American Prison everything goes.

The whole world knows about this but the authorities do nothing and people like you just laugh it off.

[Payboy]

Prison, she'll be smokin' alright, and it's not gonna be cigarettes.

I never understand why rape, personal assault and drug abuse is a very serious criminal offense but once you enter an American Prison everything goes.

The whole world knows about this but the authorities do nothing and people like you just laugh it off.

People like me try to stay out of prison.