# Kissing your husband while black? Not if the LAPD can help it. **URL:** \ **Category:** The BBQ Pit\ **Created:** [September 14, 2014, 7:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/kissing-your-husband-while-black-not-if-the-lapd-can-help-it/698492 "2014-09-14T19:21:20Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 29
**Author:** ![Smapti](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/smapti/32/17938_2.png) [@Smapti](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Smapti)\ **Post date:** [September 15, 2014, 7:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/kissing-your-husband-while-black-not-if-the-lapd-can-help-it/698492/561 "2014-09-15T19:50:54Z")
> [@iiandyiiii](#): > > Yes they did – they detained her unlawfully. That wasn’t the escalation. Yelling at the police, shoving a phone in their face, verbally assaulting them, obstructing their investigation, fleeing the scene, and whatever interaction she had with the _second_ officer involved - that was escalation. ---
**Author:** ![Smapti](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/smapti/32/17938_2.png) [@Smapti](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Smapti)\ **Post date:** [September 15, 2014, 7:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/kissing-your-husband-while-black-not-if-the-lapd-can-help-it/698492/562 "2014-09-15T19:52:36Z")
> [@Ethilrist](#): > > Actually, _all_ of which they could have determined without stopping them, if these things had happened… if they saw injuries or restraints, heard her scream, saw money or a box of chocolates changing hands… they saw and heard nothing. They saw and heard nothing that proved that she was of the age of consent. ---
**Author:** ![Marley23](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/45deac/32.png) [@Marley23](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Marley23)\ **Post date:** [September 15, 2014, 7:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/kissing-your-husband-while-black-not-if-the-lapd-can-help-it/698492/563 "2014-09-15T19:53:15Z")
> [@Smapti](#): > > verbally assaulting them, obstructing their investigation I get it now. She engaged in illegal hyperbole and aggravated making up stuffery. ---
**Author:** ![Smapti](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/smapti/32/17938_2.png) [@Smapti](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Smapti)\ **Post date:** [September 15, 2014, 7:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/kissing-your-husband-while-black-not-if-the-lapd-can-help-it/698492/564 "2014-09-15T19:54:16Z")
> [@Marley23](#): > > I get it now. She engaged in illegal hyperbole and aggravated making up stuffery. Well, _yes_. Did you listen to the tapes? ---
**Author:** ![monstro](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/ba9def/32.png) [@monstro](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/monstro)\ **Post date:** [September 15, 2014, 7:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/kissing-your-husband-while-black-not-if-the-lapd-can-help-it/698492/565 "2014-09-15T19:56:44Z")
> [@iiandyiiii](#): > > Yes they did – they detained her unlawfully. Your persistence is admirable, but you’re arguing with a bot. An evil bot the fascist overlords of the future have sent back in time to force us to rewrite the constitution. Or drive us insane. Whichever comes first. ---
**Author:** ![Marley23](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/45deac/32.png) [@Marley23](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Marley23)\ **Post date:** [September 15, 2014, 7:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/kissing-your-husband-while-black-not-if-the-lapd-can-help-it/698492/566 "2014-09-15T19:57:37Z")
> [@Smapti](#): > > Well, _yes_. Did you listen to the tapes? No, but I understand she yelled at them. From a legal perspective she didn’t do either of those things, but your impressions of the law don’t have much to with the law. ---
**Author:** ![Smapti](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/smapti/32/17938_2.png) [@Smapti](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Smapti)\ **Post date:** [September 15, 2014, 7:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/kissing-your-husband-while-black-not-if-the-lapd-can-help-it/698492/567 "2014-09-15T19:58:48Z")
> [@Marley23](#): > > No, but I understand she yelled at them. And she made knowingly false and defamatory accusations towards them, which is slander to boot. ---
**Author:** ![Smapti](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/smapti/32/17938_2.png) [@Smapti](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Smapti)\ **Post date:** [September 15, 2014, 7:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/kissing-your-husband-while-black-not-if-the-lapd-can-help-it/698492/568 "2014-09-15T19:59:58Z")
> [@monstro](#): > > Your persistence is admirable, but you’re arguing with a bot. An evil bot the fascist overlords of the future have sent back in time to force us to rewrite the constitution. Or drive us insane. Whichever comes first. No, just a patriotic American liberal. ---
**Author:** ![Hentor\_the\_Barbarian](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/8edcca/32.png) [@Hentor\_the\_Barbarian](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hentor_the_Barbarian)\ **Post date:** [September 15, 2014, 8:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/kissing-your-husband-while-black-not-if-the-lapd-can-help-it/698492/569 "2014-09-15T20:01:05Z")
> [@Smapti](#): > > And she made knowingly false and defamatory accusations towards them, which is slander to boot. Let’s try to fix your stupidity in one area of the law before jumping to a whole other issue. ---
**Author:** ![doorhinge](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/a5b964/32.png) [@doorhinge](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/doorhinge)\ **Post date:** [September 15, 2014, 8:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/kissing-your-husband-while-black-not-if-the-lapd-can-help-it/698492/570 "2014-09-15T20:01:26Z")
> [@Bricker](#): > > Yes. And I thought as much too, when I started posting in this thread. But **Hentor** set me right: a Terry stop cannot rest on a completed misdemeanor, unless the misdemeanor is a threat to public safety. That rule is set out in a Ninth Circuit case called _United States v. Grigg_, 498 F.3d 1070 (9th Cir. 2007). Thanks. United States v. Grigg, 498 F.3d 1070 (9th Cir. 2007) was much easier to locate than the US v Grigg. As I understand the Watts stop, the officer questioned the white male first (which also seems to have pissed off Watts) and then questioned Watts. I don’t know if his version of what was said has been released to the public. That might provide more information? One of the media outlets said that the officer had asked Watts if she wanted to go to the hospital. Since Watts wasn’t bleeding or bruised, I assumed it was because she was act-ing in a possibly erratic manner. Without having the benefit of having read the actual police report, is it possible for police to detain a person for acting irrationally? For their own good, of course? ---
**Author:** ![Marley23](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/45deac/32.png) [@Marley23](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Marley23)\ **Post date:** [September 15, 2014, 8:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/kissing-your-husband-while-black-not-if-the-lapd-can-help-it/698492/571 "2014-09-15T20:05:39Z")
> [@Smapti](#): > > And she made knowingly false and defamatory accusations towards them, which is slander to boot. It’s not, and slander isn’t illegal. It’s a civil tort, but I suspect this is yet another factual distinction that will be lost in the abyss between your ears. ---
**Author:** ![Hentor\_the\_Barbarian](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/8edcca/32.png) [@Hentor\_the\_Barbarian](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hentor_the_Barbarian)\ **Post date:** [September 15, 2014, 8:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/kissing-your-husband-while-black-not-if-the-lapd-can-help-it/698492/572 "2014-09-15T20:05:49Z")
> [@doorhinge](#): > > Thanks. United States v. Grigg, 498 F.3d 1070 (9th Cir. 2007) was much easier to locate than the US v Grigg. It is literally the very first thing that comes up when I google “US V Grigg.” It couldn’t be easier to locate. ---
**Author:** ![Smapti](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/smapti/32/17938_2.png) [@Smapti](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Smapti)\ **Post date:** [September 15, 2014, 8:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/kissing-your-husband-while-black-not-if-the-lapd-can-help-it/698492/573 "2014-09-15T20:07:19Z")
> [@doorhinge](#): > > Without having the benefit of having read the actual police report, is it possible for police to detain a person for acting irrationally? For their own good, of course? [It certainly is.](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/5150_(involuntary_psychiatric_hold)) ---
**Author:** ![Smapti](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/smapti/32/17938_2.png) [@Smapti](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Smapti)\ **Post date:** [September 15, 2014, 8:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/kissing-your-husband-while-black-not-if-the-lapd-can-help-it/698492/574 "2014-09-15T20:08:29Z")
> [@Marley23](#): > > It’s not, and slander isn’t illegal. It’s a civil tort, but I suspect this is yet another factual distinction that will be lost in the abyss between your ears. Well, that explains why she isn’t suing the department, then. ---
**Author:** ![Bricker](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/977dab/32.png) [@Bricker](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bricker)\ **Post date:** [September 15, 2014, 8:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/kissing-your-husband-while-black-not-if-the-lapd-can-help-it/698492/575 "2014-09-15T20:09:37Z")
> [@doorhinge](#): > > Thanks. United States v. Grigg, 498 F.3d 1070 (9th Cir. 2007) was much easier to locate than the US v Grigg. > > As I understand the Watts stop, the officer questioned the white male first (which also seems to have pissed off Watts) and then questioned Watts. I don’t know if his version of what was said has been released to the public. That might provide more information? One of the media outlets said that the officer had asked Watts if she wanted to go to the hospital. Since Watts wasn’t bleeding or bruised, I assumed it was because she was act-ing in a possibly erratic manner. Without having the benefit of having read the actual police report, is it possible for police to detain a person for acting irrationally? For their own good, of course? The standard is that the person must be: a danger to others, or to himself or herself, or gravely disabled. Such a person may be involuntarily committed for up to 72 hours. ---
**Author:** ![Bricker](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/977dab/32.png) [@Bricker](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bricker)\ **Post date:** [September 15, 2014, 8:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/kissing-your-husband-while-black-not-if-the-lapd-can-help-it/698492/576 "2014-09-15T20:11:05Z")
> [@Smapti](#): > > They saw and heard nothing that proved that she was of the age of consent. That’s not the test. The need to see or hear things that prove she’s below the age of consent. ---
**Author:** ![Smapti](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/smapti/32/17938_2.png) [@Smapti](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Smapti)\ **Post date:** [September 15, 2014, 8:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/kissing-your-husband-while-black-not-if-the-lapd-can-help-it/698492/577 "2014-09-15T20:11:08Z")
> [@Bricker](#): > > The standard is that the person must be: a danger to others, or to himself or herself, or gravely disabled. Such a person may be involuntarily committed for up to 72 hours. Which could definitely have been a concern given her behavior and mannerisms. Once they determined she was merely hyperbolic and not hepped up on goofballs (which coincided happily with the time it took them to verify her identity), they let her go. ---
**Author:** ![Marley23](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/45deac/32.png) [@Marley23](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Marley23)\ **Post date:** [September 15, 2014, 8:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/kissing-your-husband-while-black-not-if-the-lapd-can-help-it/698492/578 "2014-09-15T20:11:32Z")
The irony of it is that you are providing proof of why society needs to have laws that restrict the power of the police. You’ve now spent a bunch of posts accusing Watts of all sorts of criminal behavior in the hope that something will stick. (Oh, and you’re accusing her of libel to boot.) The police agree she didn’t break any laws, and it’s not good for anyone if the police arrest people and then try to figure out a way to charge them with a crime. ---
**Author:** ![Smapti](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/smapti/32/17938_2.png) [@Smapti](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Smapti)\ **Post date:** [September 15, 2014, 8:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/kissing-your-husband-while-black-not-if-the-lapd-can-help-it/698492/579 "2014-09-15T20:12:10Z")
> [@Bricker](#): > > That’s not the test. The need to see or hear things that prove she’s below the age of consent. In the pictures from the incident she barely looks like she’s old enough to drive. ---
**Author:** ![QuickSilver](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/quicksilver/32/7832_2.png) [@QuickSilver](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/QuickSilver)\ **Post date:** [September 15, 2014, 8:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/kissing-your-husband-while-black-not-if-the-lapd-can-help-it/698492/580 "2014-09-15T20:13:02Z")
> [@Smapti](#): > > No, just a patriotic American liberal. With liberals like you, who needs conservatives? [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/kissing-your-husband-while-black-not-if-the-lapd-can-help-it/698492.md?page=28) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/kissing-your-husband-while-black-not-if-the-lapd-can-help-it/698492.md?page=30)