Public Prostitution
Here’s a trivia question for you.
In 1982, Norma Jean Almodovar grew tired of the “corruption” and “immorality” of her job and quit to become a prostitute. Later, she became the chapter president of COYOTE, a prostitute’s rights group. What job did she find so immoral that she chose to become a prostitute instead?
The answer…
(Los Angeles) Police Officer, ten years.
Corruption, thy name is forfeiture. From Radley Balko, Good Samaritan Sex Offender:
The Chicago Sun-Times tells the story of Erasmo Palacios, who, after dropping off his six-year-old daughter at school, was with his wife Rocio and their 22-year-old daughter, all on their way to breakfast when they saw a woman waving her arms. Thinking she was in distress, they approached her in the car, at which point…
“…the woman approached their car, parked outside Manolo’s restaurant, leaned in to the passenger side where Rocio was sitting and asked Erasmo if he wanted oral sex for $20 or sex for $25.”
“The couple laughed, realizing this wasn’t a woman in distress after all.”
“But within seconds, Chicago police swarmed the family car, hauling Erasmo Palacios out in handcuffs. He was charged with solicitation of a prostitute.”
“Eight hours later, Palacios, who has no criminal record, was released from custody. And weeks later, charges against him were dropped.”
The punchline: Though the charges were dropped, the city seized the family’s car under laws allowing the forfeiture of automobiles used in the solicitation of prostitutes. The city won’t return the car until the Palacios pay $4,700 in towing and storage fees.
When police are allowed to take money and property without a trial they’ll make up whatever they can to get that booty. Afterwards they don’t have to prove that you committed a crime: you have to prove that your property was not involved in the commission of a crime. And when you do, you still have to pay them for the storage of your property, if it even still exists.
Balko adds that it “makes you wonder how many men have been wrongfully arrested for solicitation who didn’t have their wives and daughters nearby to vouch for them”.
- COYOTE at Wikipedia
- “COYOTE, or Call Off Your Old Tired Ethics, is a sex worker activist organization. COYOTE’s goals include the decriminalization of prostitution, pimping and pandering, as well as the elimination of social stigma concerning sex work as an occupation.”
- Good Samaritan Sex Offender
- “Erasmo Palacios was with his wife Rocio and their 22-year-old daughter when they saw a woman waving her arms. Thinking she was in distress, they approached her in the car, at which point the woman approached their car, leaned in to the passenger side where Rocio was sitting and asked Erasmo if he wanted oral sex for $20 or sex for $25. The couple laughed, realizing this wasn’t a woman in distress after all. But within seconds, Chicago police swarmed the family car, hauling Erasmo Palacios out in handcuffs. He was charged with solicitation of a prostitute.”
- Presumed Guilty: The Law’s Victims in the War on Drugs
- ”It’s a strange twist of justice in the land of freedom. A law designed to give cops the right to confiscate and keep the luxurious possessions of major drug dealers mostly ensnares the modest homes, cars and cash of ordinary, law-abiding people. They step off a plane or answer their front door and suddenly lose everything they've worked for. They are not arrested or tried for any crime.”
More police corruption
- White privilege is not the nail
- Attributing George Floyd’s death to white privilege when it was caused by left-run city policy means that we will continue to have more George Floyds.
- America, your restrooms are safe
- No, you don’t have to worry about touching toes with a homosexual—unless he’s also a police officer, of course.
- Project Safe Neighborhoods
- A typical drug war euphemism kills Kathryn Johnston, 92.
- Targeting critics of the law
- When Canadian journalist Kerry Diotte criticized red light cameras in Edmonton, Edmonton police started looking for a reason to arrest him.
- Massachusetts State Police encourage speeding
- Massachusetts State Police have made it clear that speeding laws are not about safety, but only revenue.