Couple Arrested For Asking For Directions

Baltimore City police arrested a Virginia couple over the weekend after they asked an officer for directions.

WBAL-TV 11 News I-Team reporter David Collins said Joshua Kelly and Llara Brook, of Chantilly, Va., got lost leaving an Orioles game on Saturday. Collins reported a city officer arrested them for trespassing on a public street while they were asking for directions.

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Collins said somehow they ended up in the Cherry Hill section of south Baltimore. Hopelessly lost, relief melted away concerns after they spotted a police vehicle.

"I said, 'Thank goodness, could you please get us to 95?" Kelly said.

"The first thing that she said to us was no -- you just ran that stop sign, pull over," Brook said. "It wasn't a big deal. We'll pay the stop sign violation, but can we have directions?"

"What she said was 'You found your own way in here, you can find your own way out.'" Kelly said.

Collins said the couple spotted another police vehicle and flagged that officer down for directions. But Officer Natalie Preston, a six-year veteran of the force, intervened.

"That really threw us for a loop when she stepped in between our cars," Kelly said. "(She) said my partner is not going to step in front of me and tell you directions if I'm not."

Collins reported the circumstances got worse. Kelly pulled 40 feet forward parking next to a curb and put his flashers on while Brook was on the phone to her father hoping he could help her with directions. Both her parents are police officers in the Harrisburg, Pa., area.

"(Brook's father) was in the middle of giving us directions when the officer screeched up behind us and got out of the car and asked me to step out. I obeyed," Kelly said. "I obeyed everything -- stepped out of the car, put my hands behind my back, and the next thing I know, I was getting arrested for trespassing."

"By this time, I was completely in tears," Brook said. "I said, 'Ma'am, you know, we just need your help. We are not trying to cause you any trouble. I'm not leaving him here.' What she did was walk over to my side of the car and said, 'Ok, we are taking you downtown, too.'"

Couple Arrested For Asking For Directions
TheWBALChannel.com, May 17, 2006

If you have legal background feel free to comment on how you think "tresspassing on a public street" is defined. If you don't have legal background but still think you can define it please also feel free to do so - because I am clueless. I thought as a member of the public I can be on any public street any time I want to (unless it is is blocked off for construction and such). After all, that is why it is public, not private.

In general, between those Baltimore officers and the likes of Sergeant Schumanich it certainly does appear that some police officers believe they just rule their little fiefdoms any way they want. While it is not clear their actions constitute a crime it is abundantly clear that if allegations against these two Baltimore officers check out they have acted in a completely unprofessional manner and have an attitude incompatible with further public service. In short, if those allegations check out they must be fired immediately.

tags: police  abuse  law