Post by copperkid3 on Jan 27, 2016 15:00:53 GMT -5
When Ronald Jackson found a text he thought was rude and inappropriate on his then-12-year-old daughter’s phone in
September 2013, he took the cell away. But the child’s mother, Michelle Steppe, balked at his action — and she called the police.
Steppe and Jackson have not been a couple for years, and Steppe is now married to a Grand Prairie, Texas, police officer.
When the police showed up at Jackson’s door later that day and asked for the iPhone 4 back, Jackson refused.
“At that point I decided the police don’t interfere with my ability to parent my daughter,” he told KHOU 11 News on Wednesday.
www.yahoo.com/parenting/dad-arrested-for-taking-daughters-phone-as-171354368.html
But Steppe insisted that the phone belonged to her, and three months after Jackson refused to return it,
he got a citation in the mail for theft of property. He was offered a plea deal in January 2014 if he would
return the phone. Instead, Jackson hired an attorney and requested a jury trial.
The case moved to Dallas County and, unbeknownst to Jackson, a warrant was issued for his arrest.
The police showed up at his door around 2 a.m. in April 2015, and Jackson was handcuffed and taken to jail.
“It made no sense to me for them to show up and make a big deal out of something that was a small thing,” Jackson said.
“I couldn’t believe they would go to this extent for a cellphone. It didn’t seem right.” He posted $1,500 bail and was released after a night in jail.
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I see some things haven't changed much, since when I was a cop in Texas..... getting a bit too close to the situation & becoming 'personally' involved in a "civil matter"
is a sure way to bring discredit upon yourself, as well as your department, and the profession as a whole. Thank you very much Officer Steppe(?) of the Grand Prarie, P.D.
I'm actually kinda surprised that we didn't read about him pulling out his service weapon and mockingly state: "My gun is bigger than your gun!" Maybe next time?
Of course, there are 'others' in the legal system that should also come under disdain for abusing their power; not the least of which is the assinine excuse for the first
judge who dared signed off on the arrest warrant, without first ascertaining ALL the facts in this case - including the one where it was already scheduled to go to TRIAL!!!
Such actions taken by both the 'police' and the judiciary borders dangerously close to "Official Oppression" by violating anothers rights vis-a-vis under color of law.
www.statutes.legis.state.tx.us/Docs/PE/htm/PE.39.htm
I hope that the good people of Grand Prarie, Texas remember this judge come re-election time, and also ask their state prosecutor to investigate this to see what turns up.
September 2013, he took the cell away. But the child’s mother, Michelle Steppe, balked at his action — and she called the police.
Steppe and Jackson have not been a couple for years, and Steppe is now married to a Grand Prairie, Texas, police officer.
When the police showed up at Jackson’s door later that day and asked for the iPhone 4 back, Jackson refused.
“At that point I decided the police don’t interfere with my ability to parent my daughter,” he told KHOU 11 News on Wednesday.
www.yahoo.com/parenting/dad-arrested-for-taking-daughters-phone-as-171354368.html
But Steppe insisted that the phone belonged to her, and three months after Jackson refused to return it,
he got a citation in the mail for theft of property. He was offered a plea deal in January 2014 if he would
return the phone. Instead, Jackson hired an attorney and requested a jury trial.
The case moved to Dallas County and, unbeknownst to Jackson, a warrant was issued for his arrest.
The police showed up at his door around 2 a.m. in April 2015, and Jackson was handcuffed and taken to jail.
“It made no sense to me for them to show up and make a big deal out of something that was a small thing,” Jackson said.
“I couldn’t believe they would go to this extent for a cellphone. It didn’t seem right.” He posted $1,500 bail and was released after a night in jail.
***********************************************************************************************************
I see some things haven't changed much, since when I was a cop in Texas..... getting a bit too close to the situation & becoming 'personally' involved in a "civil matter"
is a sure way to bring discredit upon yourself, as well as your department, and the profession as a whole. Thank you very much Officer Steppe(?) of the Grand Prarie, P.D.
I'm actually kinda surprised that we didn't read about him pulling out his service weapon and mockingly state: "My gun is bigger than your gun!" Maybe next time?
Of course, there are 'others' in the legal system that should also come under disdain for abusing their power; not the least of which is the assinine excuse for the first
judge who dared signed off on the arrest warrant, without first ascertaining ALL the facts in this case - including the one where it was already scheduled to go to TRIAL!!!
Such actions taken by both the 'police' and the judiciary borders dangerously close to "Official Oppression" by violating anothers rights vis-a-vis under color of law.
www.statutes.legis.state.tx.us/Docs/PE/htm/PE.39.htm
I hope that the good people of Grand Prarie, Texas remember this judge come re-election time, and also ask their state prosecutor to investigate this to see what turns up.