# Why does this guy have a bag over his head?

**URL:** <https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-does-this-guy-have-a-bag-over-his-head/719853>\
**Category:** Factual Questions\
**Created:** [May 12, 2015, 2:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-does-this-guy-have-a-bag-over-his-head/719853 "2015-05-12T14:14:16Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 6\
**Page:** 1

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**Author:** ![Johnny\_L.A](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/johnny_l.a/32/1084_2.png) [@Johnny\_L.A](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Johnny_L.A)\
**Post date:** [May 12, 2015, 2:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-does-this-guy-have-a-bag-over-his-head/719853/1 "2015-05-12T14:14:16Z")

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[Article with video](http://news.yahoo.com/video/hiv-positive-man-abducts-sexually-020110313.html) on a story from my old stomping grounds.

The video shows a man being put into an ambulance after having been ‘overpowered’ by police. He has a bag over his head. Why?

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**Author:** ![Slithy\_Tove](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/slithy_tove/32/18248_2.png) [@Slithy\_Tove](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Slithy_Tove)\
**Post date:** [May 12, 2015, 2:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-does-this-guy-have-a-bag-over-his-head/719853/2 "2015-05-12T14:29:11Z")

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spitting and biting prevention

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**Author:** ![WOOKINPANUB](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/wookinpanub/32/132_2.png) [@WOOKINPANUB](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/WOOKINPANUB)\
**Post date:** [May 12, 2015, 3:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-does-this-guy-have-a-bag-over-his-head/719853/3 "2015-05-12T15:19:47Z")

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> [@Johnny\_L.A](#):
>
> [Article with video](http://news.yahoo.com/video/hiv-positive-man-abducts-sexually-020110313.html) on a story from my old stomping grounds.
> 
> The video shows a man being put into an ambulance after having been ‘overpowered’ by police. He has a bag over his head. Why?

I think this is the first time you’ve started a thread that \*does not \*make me miss SoCal 😃

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**Author:** ![Johnny\_L.A](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/johnny_l.a/32/1084_2.png) [@Johnny\_L.A](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Johnny_L.A)\
**Post date:** [May 12, 2015, 4:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-does-this-guy-have-a-bag-over-his-head/719853/4 "2015-05-12T16:41:05Z")

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> [@WOOKINPANUB](#):
>
> I think this is the first time you’ve started a thread that \*does not \*make me miss SoCal 😃

Yeah, it looks a little different from the grounds I used to stomp. The desert looks the same, but the structures…

> [@Slithy\_Tove](#):
>
> spitting and biting prevention

Makes sense. Thanks.

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**Author:** ![Duckster](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/duckster/32/1244_2.png) [@Duckster](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Duckster)\
**Post date:** [May 12, 2015, 5:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-does-this-guy-have-a-bag-over-his-head/719853/5 "2015-05-12T17:25:28Z")

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> [@Slithy\_Tove](#):
>
> spitting and biting prevention

The accused is also known to be HIV positive.

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**Author:** ![grude](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/e47774/32.png) [@grude](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/grude)\
**Post date:** [May 12, 2015, 8:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-does-this-guy-have-a-bag-over-his-head/719853/6 "2015-05-12T20:21:33Z")

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It appears to be becoming standard practice with combative suspects, I just saw another mention in a story about a woman who died in police custody.