# I Pit The Stark County PD **URL:** \ **Category:** The BBQ Pit\ **Created:** [February 28, 2009, 7:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-pit-the-stark-county-pd/487816 "2009-02-28T19:48:50Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Steve\_MB](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/steve_mb/32/5339_2.png) [@Steve\_MB](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Steve_MB)\ **Post date:** [February 28, 2009, 7:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-pit-the-stark-county-pd/487816/1 "2009-02-28T19:48:50Z")
Caught abusing a prisoner on videotape? Sue the bastards for blowing the whistle! > [@](#): > > [Woman Who Called for Help Assaulted By Police; Police Suing TV Station that Exposed Them](http://www.clevelandleader.com/node/9049) > …WKYC investigative reporter Tom Meyer spoke with Greg Steffey, whose wife, Hope Steffey called 911 after she was assaulted by her cousin. Things took a turn for the worst when the police arrived and treated Hope as the perpetrator. She was arrested, taken to jail, and subjected to a humiliating full-body strip search by both male and female officers, violating the sheriff department’s own policy that a strip search be conducted by an officer of the same sex. Hope was then left naked in a cell for six hours. Included in the news segment was video footage of the strip search… > > The officers involved in Steffey’s case, who were caught on video roughly removing her clothing while she screamed, are now suing WKYC, claiming defamation and invasion of privacy. > > The Stark County sheriff’s deputies filed the lawsuit stating that they are victims of one-sided reporting… [Video of the incident](http://www.youtube.com/v/tRM4145ATq8) from the news report. ---
**Author:** ![Elza\_B](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/6a8cbe/32.png) [@Elza\_B](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Elza_B)\ **Post date:** [February 28, 2009, 7:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-pit-the-stark-county-pd/487816/2 "2009-02-28T19:53:09Z")
> [@Steve\_MB](#): > > Caught abusing a prisoner on videotape? Sue the bastards for blowing the whistle! > > [Video of the incident](http://www.youtube.com/v/tRM4145ATq8) from the news report. Hey, I have a house for sale in Stark County. Anyone interested? (I didn’t think this was MY Stark County until I read the article. But seriously, it’s a very lovely old house, and we live in a new state. And we never saw the county PD in our town. Any takers?) ---
**Author:** ![Lungfish](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/d78d45/32.png) [@Lungfish](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lungfish)\ **Post date:** [February 28, 2009, 8:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-pit-the-stark-county-pd/487816/3 "2009-02-28T20:35:14Z")
Why were the deputies filming Hope Steffey with an hand held camera in the first place? ---
**Author:** ![Boyo\_Jim](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/87869e/32.png) [@Boyo\_Jim](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Boyo_Jim)\ **Post date:** [February 28, 2009, 8:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-pit-the-stark-county-pd/487816/4 "2009-02-28T20:44:07Z")
The video in the news story is IMO more supportive of the deputies than of her. It shows her as out of control and being restrained. It is even arguable that the male officers were need to help restrin her, rather than strip her. But there are references to more videotape not released by the sheriff’s office. Perhaps that shows to police activity in a different light. ---
**Author:** ![Grumman](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/43a26b/32.png) [@Grumman](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Grumman)\ **Post date:** [March 1, 2009, 4:37am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-pit-the-stark-county-pd/487816/5 "2009-03-01T04:37:18Z")
> [@Boyo\_Jim](#): > > The video in the news story is IMO more supportive of the deputies than of her. It shows her as out of control and being restrained. It is even arguable that the male officers were need to help restrin her, rather than strip her. I haven’t watched the video, but are you surprised? Perhaps if they weren’t assaulting an innocent woman, they would not have needed to restrain her. ---
**Author:** ![arseNal](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/ecae2f/32.png) [@arseNal](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/arseNal)\ **Post date:** [March 1, 2009, 7:36am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-pit-the-stark-county-pd/487816/6 "2009-03-01T07:36:45Z")
> [@Boyo\_Jim](#): > > The video in the news story is IMO more supportive of the deputies than of her. It shows her as out of control and being restrained. It is even arguable that the male officers were need to help restrin her, rather than strip her. > > But there are references to more videotape not released by the sheriff’s office. Perhaps that shows to police activity in a different light. It seems to me like she was screaming and asking ‘why are you doing this to me?’ as her underwear and bra are being removed in front of male officers. I suppose if it were your wife, you’d have expected to just lay there quietly like a good citizen. ---
**Author:** ![Sublight](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/439d5e/32.png) [@Sublight](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sublight)\ **Post date:** [March 1, 2009, 2:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-pit-the-stark-county-pd/487816/7 "2009-03-01T14:36:29Z")
nevermind ---
**Author:** ![Moirai](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/96bed5/32.png) [@Moirai](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Moirai)\ **Post date:** [March 1, 2009, 4:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-pit-the-stark-county-pd/487816/8 "2009-03-01T16:33:06Z")
> [@Lungfish](#): > > Why were the deputies filming Hope Steffey with an hand held camera in the first place? They thought it was hot? They were planning to show it at the Christmas party? ---
**Author:** ![St.Urho](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/8e7dd6/32.png) [@St.Urho](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/St.Urho)\ **Post date:** [March 1, 2009, 8:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-pit-the-stark-county-pd/487816/9 "2009-03-01T20:48:54Z")
> [@Boyo\_Jim](#): > > The video in the news story is IMO more supportive of the deputies than of her. It shows her as out of control and being restrained. It is even arguable that the male officers were need to help restrin her, rather than strip her. > > But there are references to more videotape not released by the sheriff’s office. Perhaps that shows to police activity in a different light. I agree. She clearly is resisting the deputies. Unless there’s more tape that shows something very different, it doesn’t appear that the deputies did anything wrong. > [@arseNal](#): > > It seems to me like she was screaming and asking ‘why are you doing this to me?’ as her underwear and bra are being removed in front of male officers. I suppose if it were your wife, you’d have expected to just lay there quietly like a good citizen. I certainly would expect her to know better than to fight the cops in the jail. ---
**Author:** ![Really\_Not\_All\_That\_Bright](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/e8c25b/32.png) [@Really\_Not\_All\_That\_Bright](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Really_Not_All_That_Bright)\ **Post date:** [March 1, 2009, 9:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-pit-the-stark-county-pd/487816/10 "2009-03-01T21:23:01Z")
> [@St.Urho](#): > > I agree. She clearly is resisting the deputies. Unless there’s more tape that shows something very different, it doesn’t appear that the deputies did anything wrong. She is clearly resisting deputies who are _removing her clothing._ The video shows exactly what the alleged victim says it does! ---
**Author:** ![St.Urho](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/8e7dd6/32.png) [@St.Urho](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/St.Urho)\ **Post date:** [March 1, 2009, 9:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-pit-the-stark-county-pd/487816/11 "2009-03-01T21:26:07Z")
So? You don’t get to wear your own clothes in jail. If she wasn’t given the chance to change her clothes, then yes- the deputies were in the wrong. Otherwise, I still don’t see what they did wrong. ---
**Author:** ![Really\_Not\_All\_That\_Bright](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/e8c25b/32.png) [@Really\_Not\_All\_That\_Bright](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Really_Not_All_That_Bright)\ **Post date:** [March 1, 2009, 9:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-pit-the-stark-county-pd/487816/12 "2009-03-01T21:28:29Z")
> [@St.Urho](#): > > So? You don’t get to wear your own clothes in jail. If she wasn’t given the chance to change her clothes, then yes- the deputies were in the wrong. Otherwise, I still don’t see what they did wrong. Since neither party is suggesting that her clothes were removed because she refused to change them, that makes absolutely no sense. The Stark PD is saying she had to be strip searched because she made comments which suggested she might attempt suicide, not that she had to be undressed because she wouldn’t put on prison skivvies. > [@](#): > > I certainly would expect her to know better than to fight the cops in the jail. What an utterly nonsensical comment. If she was being raped, would you expect her to meekly submit? ---
**Author:** ![Guinastasia](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/guinastasia/32/5751_2.png) [@Guinastasia](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Guinastasia)\ **Post date:** [March 1, 2009, 9:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-pit-the-stark-county-pd/487816/13 "2009-03-01T21:36:00Z")
> [@St.Urho](#): > > So? You don’t get to wear your own clothes in jail. If she wasn’t given the chance to change her clothes, then yes- the deputies were in the wrong. Otherwise, I still don’t see what they did wrong. What the FUCK? Did you even read the article or watch the video? They didn’t give her ANY clothes-she was forced to stay in the cell, naked, for SIX HOURS, without even a blanket. Tell me that’s not excessive. At least give her prison johns or whatever they’re called. The woman wrapped herself in TOILET PAPER to keep warm. That and at the very LEAST, they’ve been accused for violating their policies regarding strip searches prior to this. (Although I suspect there’s more to the story, I still don’t think that lets the officers completely off the hook for what they did) ---
**Author:** ![John\_DiFool](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/john_difool/32/19543_2.png) [@John\_DiFool](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/John_DiFool)\ **Post date:** [March 1, 2009, 9:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-pit-the-stark-county-pd/487816/14 "2009-03-01T21:42:34Z")
How often do the cops in these kinds of brutal fiascos end up swinging? My own very limited tally seems to indicate that they get off more often than not, as the juries give them tons of reasonable doubt. ---
**Author:** ![St.Urho](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/8e7dd6/32.png) [@St.Urho](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/St.Urho)\ **Post date:** [March 1, 2009, 10:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-pit-the-stark-county-pd/487816/15 "2009-03-01T22:49:16Z")
> [@Really\_Not\_All\_That\_Bright](#): > > What an utterly nonsensical comment. If she was being raped, would you expect her to meekly submit? That’s certainly exactly the same as this scenario. :rolleyes: ---
**Author:** ![St.Urho](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/8e7dd6/32.png) [@St.Urho](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/St.Urho)\ **Post date:** [March 1, 2009, 10:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-pit-the-stark-county-pd/487816/16 "2009-03-01T22:50:41Z")
> [@Guinastasia](#): > > What the FUCK? Did you even read the article or watch the video? Yes, I did. > [@](#): > > They didn’t give her ANY clothes-she was forced to stay in the cell, naked, for SIX HOURS, without even a blanket. Tell me that’s not excessive. At least give her prison johns or whatever they’re called. The woman wrapped herself in TOILET PAPER to keep warm. If that’s what happened, then that’s definitely wrong. ---
**Author:** ![samclem](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/a9a28c/32.png) [@samclem](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/samclem)\ **Post date:** [March 1, 2009, 11:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-pit-the-stark-county-pd/487816/17 "2009-03-01T23:22:28Z")
Background on the story: This incident happened in October 2006. There’s almost no doubt that Ms. Steffey was drunk/and or on drugs. The officer who responded to the 911 call may or may not have overreacted. [http://74.125.47.132/search?q=cache:BTI1GxI2ZuQJ:www.sleuthingforjustice.com/phpBB3/viewtopic.php%3Ff%3D49%26t%3D1471%26view%3Dnext+alliance+"hope+steffey"+october+2006&hl=en&ct=clnk&cd=26&gl=us](http://74.125.47.132/search?q=cache:BTI1GxI2ZuQJ:www.sleuthingforjustice.com/phpBB3/viewtopic.php%3Ff%3D49%26t%3D1471%26view%3Dnext+alliance+%22hope+steffey%22+october+2006&hl=en&ct=clnk&cd=26&gl=us) Scroll down to where it says “New Details” It’s somewhat of a he said/she said kinda thing. After she sued the Sheriff’s Office the following year, the Sheriff’s Office asked the Ohio Attorney General to investigate the charges. The Grand Jury refused to indict the Sheriff’s Office. Of course, that doesn’t mean that there wasn’t some malfeasance on the part of the Sheriff’s office. But, this lady had a serious problem before she ever got arrested. I"m not defending the Sheriff’s Office. Just trying to play devil’s advocate. ---
**Author:** ![Moirai](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/96bed5/32.png) [@Moirai](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Moirai)\ **Post date:** [March 2, 2009, 2:42am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-pit-the-stark-county-pd/487816/18 "2009-03-02T02:42:31Z")
> [@St.Urho](#): > > So? You don’t get to wear your own clothes in jail. Sure you do. I wore a cute pink silk blouse and a black leather skirt to jail. I even spent the night. I was barefoot and my pantyhose were gone, but I was dressed. ---
**Author:** ![tumbleddown](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/e9bcb4/32.png) [@tumbleddown](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/tumbleddown)\ **Post date:** [March 2, 2009, 5:52am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-pit-the-stark-county-pd/487816/19 "2009-03-02T05:52:08Z")
> [@St.Urho](#): > > That’s certainly exactly the same as this scenario. :rolleyes: Hope Steffey isn’t alleging that she was raped, but _how was she to know at the time that she wasn’t about to be sexually assaulted_? She had several people on top of her, _videotaping her_ and trying to take _all_ of her clothes off, while she screamed and protested and begged them to stop. They say she was a suicide risk so she had to be strip-searched. If that were the case, then why not handcuff her, sit her down and get the men out of the room, get her calmed her down and do the procedure properly. Who’s more likely to be a risk to themselves, the out of control person who feels like they’ve been violated or the person who is dealt with calmly and rationally? In fact, forget “about to be sexually assaulted” she **was** sexually assaulted. Except it was cops and she was under arrest (and maybe high) so that just makes it okay to hold her down and strip her completely naked while she screams and thrashes. :rolleyes: ---
**Author:** ![control-z](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/eada6e/32.png) [@control-z](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/control-z)\ **Post date:** [March 3, 2009, 8:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-pit-the-stark-county-pd/487816/20 "2009-03-03T20:52:10Z")
There is no justice in this case unless every officer involved in the strip search (especially the males) is fired. Of course that won’t happen. There’s a fraternity among officers, that works for the good and the bad. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-pit-the-stark-county-pd/487816.md?page=2)