That was fast: it looks as if the first charge under Louisiana’s new “Blue Lives Matter” law was made to hang a felony rap on a man who shouted slurs at police as they escorted him to the station. Hours later, a spokesman for the New Orleans Police Department acknowledged that a sergeant at the scene had applied the hate crime law incorrectly and that the charge would be reviewed before proceeding with prosecution. [New Orleans Times-Picayune, and followup; Scott Shackford, Reason (“The release bond for Delatoba’s ‘hate crime’ charge of yelling bad words ($10,000) is actually higher than the amount for the vandalism ($5,000) that drew the police in the first place”); earlier and more]
3 Comments
Maybe this will shine a light to “hate speech” laws in general. It’s hard to imagine someone in America being charged with a felony for shouting anything (other than a specific credible threat) at anyone in a public place.
As Eric Cartman elegantly put in South Park: “Hate Crime laws: a savage hypocrisy”
Speaking for Raymond Robair (via an Ouija Board), let’s bring back the old school NOPD.
Under the new law, the NOPD officers will simply bring the potty mouth in, book him, take one of those photos that are made by people practicing to be DMV photographers, print him so he gets ink all over his shirt, put him in orange, and produce income for the Bail Bondsman. Then the DA can reduce the charge to misdemeanor Drunk and Disorderly, and everyone gets one with life.
But, in the old days, the NOPD officers would take the perp to the levee and use him as a Baton Practice Dummy, till something happened that looked like calling EMS was warranted, the New Orleans Parish Coroner would rule that it was accidental, and, after a federal investigation and trial, it could be then called Estate Planning Raymond Robair style. But, at least Robair wasn’t charged with a “hate crime.”