MissJacksonCA
08-Nov-2007, 12:27 AM
So I'm reading my AARP newsletter... annnnd here's a story that made me sad ...
When a police officer came to Betty Perry's door this past July, the 70-year-old Orem, Utah, resident says, she didn't have a clue why. As it turned out, the problem lay right before Perry's eyes: her brown lawn. The unsightly grass violated the city's zoning ordinance, so the officer began writing her a ticket. Perry started to go back into her house. None too pleased that she refused to give her name and was attempting to leave, the officer handcuffed Perry and hauled her to jail. When the officers superiors learned of their new inmate, Perry was released after about an hour and was assured no charges would be filed. Months later, however, she is facing charges for failing to maintain her landscaping and resisting arrest, both misdemeanors. High-profile LA attorney Gloria Allred appeared with her when she entered her not guilty pleas. "You cannot arrest somebody because their grass is brown," Perry says. "Thats the most unconstitutional thing." Orem City Attorney Paul Johnson says Perry had spoken with an officer about her lawn last year and was aware of the landscaping ordinance. Johnson also insists Perrys lawn had nothing to do with her arrest. "When she's fighting with a police officer and wanting to get away from him, she's not going to get away with that," he says. A trial is set for Feb. 11, 2008.
Frankly in a time where the cost of living is rising faster than the minimum wage and when it takes social security disability benefits 3 years to be denied to a person who can't work anymore due to obvious disabilities how the hell dare we ticket someone for having a lawn they dont water? Dont we have bigger fish to fry? Maybe she can't afford water to water her lawn ... perhaps the city should set aside funds for low income families so they dont get ticketed for such things. I MEAN REALLY WTF?
When a police officer came to Betty Perry's door this past July, the 70-year-old Orem, Utah, resident says, she didn't have a clue why. As it turned out, the problem lay right before Perry's eyes: her brown lawn. The unsightly grass violated the city's zoning ordinance, so the officer began writing her a ticket. Perry started to go back into her house. None too pleased that she refused to give her name and was attempting to leave, the officer handcuffed Perry and hauled her to jail. When the officers superiors learned of their new inmate, Perry was released after about an hour and was assured no charges would be filed. Months later, however, she is facing charges for failing to maintain her landscaping and resisting arrest, both misdemeanors. High-profile LA attorney Gloria Allred appeared with her when she entered her not guilty pleas. "You cannot arrest somebody because their grass is brown," Perry says. "Thats the most unconstitutional thing." Orem City Attorney Paul Johnson says Perry had spoken with an officer about her lawn last year and was aware of the landscaping ordinance. Johnson also insists Perrys lawn had nothing to do with her arrest. "When she's fighting with a police officer and wanting to get away from him, she's not going to get away with that," he says. A trial is set for Feb. 11, 2008.
Frankly in a time where the cost of living is rising faster than the minimum wage and when it takes social security disability benefits 3 years to be denied to a person who can't work anymore due to obvious disabilities how the hell dare we ticket someone for having a lawn they dont water? Dont we have bigger fish to fry? Maybe she can't afford water to water her lawn ... perhaps the city should set aside funds for low income families so they dont get ticketed for such things. I MEAN REALLY WTF?