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11 Days for Jaywalking in Dallas

By Jeralyn, Section Civil Liberties
Posted on Fri Dec 09, 2005 at 11:28:18 PM EST
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What a frightening story. A man and his 14 year old son disembark from public transit, the DART police arrest the father for jaywalking, rough him and his son up, take the father into custody, leave the kid alone to find his way wherever, and the father can't make bond and does 11 days in jail.

What's wrong with this picture? Everything it seems.

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    11 Days for Jaywalking in Dallas | 7 comments (7 topical)
    Re: 11 Days for Jaywalking in Dallas (none / 0) (#1)
    by Talkleft Visitor on Sat Dec 17, 2005 at 01:06:51 PM EST
    Dallas is the only TX city I know that enforces the jaywalking laws, and they do so like they mean it. I got a ticket for jaywalking once in downtown Dallas, and true to form was also threatened with arrest during the incident because, being from out of town, how could the officer be sure, he asked, if I would ever pay the ticket? I couldn't believe it, and at first just thought he was busting my balls. When I realized he wasn't joking, I convinced him I would pay the citation, but this is what Atwater v. Lago Vista has wrought -- they can arrest you for any little thing.

    Re: 11 Days for Jaywalking in Dallas (none / 0) (#2)
    by Talkleft Visitor on Sat Dec 17, 2005 at 01:06:51 PM EST
    Texas law is bizarre, as is the police. I've driven through the are many times and have been stopped numerous times for the most stupidest reasons one could imagine. I alawy thought it was because of the old pontiac I was driving and the homeless dude in the passenger seat. I also was from out of state and was given a ticket for nor wearing a seat belt. I don't wear helmets or drink bottled water either. The last thing I said to the cop was I going to pay the fine as soon as I got home to Maine, I was beyond poker faced when I said it. Texas I think is a strange place for law enforcement.

    Re: 11 Days for Jaywalking in Dallas (none / 0) (#3)
    by BigTex on Sat Dec 17, 2005 at 01:06:51 PM EST
    Houston has also started enforcing jaywalking. This is a very petty way for the cities to rake in $$ for technical violations. Then again with Bill White at the helm it is not a suprise Houston started enforcing jaywalking laws.

    Re: 11 Days for Jaywalking in Dallas (none / 0) (#4)
    by Wes on Sat Dec 17, 2005 at 01:06:51 PM EST
    A man who was ticketed for jaywalking after being struck by a car in Washington, D.C., has died. December 6, 2005 Police said 73-year-old Charles Atherton, a renowned urban designer and former secretary of the U.S. Commission on Fine Arts, died at a Washington hospital over the weekend. Witnesses said Atherton was badly injured and lying unresponsive at a busy intersection when an officer issued him the $5 ticket. A police spokesman told The Washington Post the ticket wouldn't have been written if the officer had known Atherton's injuries were life-threatening. (wtf?) Over 40 years on the presidentially-appointed commission, Atherton contributed to the designs of countless monuments and projects, including the FDR Memorial, the Vietnam Veterans Memorial and the National World War II Memorial.

    Re: 11 Days for Jaywalking in Dallas (none / 0) (#5)
    by jen on Sat Dec 17, 2005 at 01:06:51 PM EST
    A police spokesman told The Washington Post the ticket wouldn't have been written if the officer had known Atherton's injuries were life-threatening. (wtf?)
    I wondered that myself. He was unconscious at the scene, what did they do, toss it at him?

    Re: 11 Days for Jaywalking in Dallas (none / 0) (#6)
    by cpinva on Sat Dec 17, 2005 at 01:06:51 PM EST
    it is a great comfort for me to know that the police are getting those scofflaw jaywalkers off the streets, so decent folk needn't fear being confronted by them. now, if they'd only do something about those litterbugs............

    Re: 11 Days for Jaywalking in Dallas (none / 0) (#7)
    by Talkleft Visitor on Sat Dec 17, 2005 at 01:06:51 PM EST
    The key to understanding this seemingly bizare enforcement of jaywalking laws lies in the phrase "disembark from public transit". In downtown Dallas, the DART rails are at ground level, and it is FORBIDEN, not to mention dangerous, to disembark from a train and then cross the street in front of it against the light, even in a crosswalk. Yeah, from the article it does seem like the police were really out of line, I agree. But this was no ordinary "jaywalking" infraction.

    11 Days for Jaywalking in Dallas | 7 comments (7 topical)