Couple Pepper Sprayed After Cell Phone Call In Movie Theater

[Sequoia]

ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. -- A college student who took a cell phone call from her mother in a movie theater was pepper sprayed by an officer and charged with disorderly conduct, along with her boyfriend.
SURVEY
Have you ever been in a movie theater where another moviegoer answered their ringing cell phone?

Yes, but they kept the conversation really quick.
Yes, and they had a full conversation.
No.


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St. Petersburg, FL: Warronnica Harris, 23, was at a movie theater Saturday night, watching the opening credits to "Catwoman" when her cell phone rang.

"It was my mom calling me," Harris said. "It was a family emergency."

Harris said she spoke so quietly that her mother couldn't hear her. Then Officer John Douglas shone a flashlight in her eyes.

He asked Harris and her boyfriend, Terrell "KC" Tolson, 25, to leave. He pushed Harris in the hallway, then pepper sprayed both of them in the lobby, the couple said. Neither Harris nor Tolson has a criminal record.

Police denied their account, saying Harris refused to end her cell phone conversation, yelled at the Douglas and refused to leave the theater. Her boyfriend also refused to leave and threatened the officer, police said.

Witnesses said the pair did nothing wrong.

<snip>
http://www.ktvu.com/news/3583308/detail.html

[donco6]

1. Family emergency, huh?

Right.

[PROGRESSIVE1]

2. It's still wrong to assault them in this manner!

[Catch22Dem]

3. So it was OK to pepper spray them?

:shrug:

[ender]

4. yes, i can see how a cell phone conversation deserves ...

a pepper spraying.

who the hell cares what the reason is - this is *obviously* an abuse of police powers.

[Media_Lies_Daily]

25. What is wrong with you? What did they do wrong?

[aquart]

5. A cop did it?

I thought it was someone trying to watch the movie.

And my impulse was to cheer.

[thebigidea]

7. gotta admit, me too. Is it years of watching films in NYC?

[aquart]

14. Years of riding the LIRR. Thinking violent, vengeful thoughts.

Nothing like standing during rush hour, hungry and tired, surrounded by 13 people (I counted) all jabbering on their cells.

[Northwind]

6. geez, that's harsh, I just break their phones

I don't actually hurt the people.

If it is a family emergency, they can get right up and leave the theater.

Your phone goes off in a theater where I am watching a movie, you are effectively stealing my admission price from me, and I will see that you stop.

[donco6]

8. Yes.

I agree.

[rooboy]

13. Provoking a violent confrontation over a $10 admission price...

is ridiculous to me. If you did that to me I'd wait for you in an alley with a lump of wood.

[Northwind]

27. You do that

And you'll end with with that block of wood uncomfortably placed.

I have, to date, broken 7 cell phones during showings of movies. A fact I am proud of. I did not "provoke a violent conversation." I punished a bunch of rude assholes. Not one of them has even tried to protest.

[7th_Sephiroth]

48. break my cell phone

and get a .50 cal bullet in the gut, and if you survive, a lawsuit to replace the cell phone, i pack heat in movie theatres and i dont really care much about human life, to be honest

[aquart]

15. I like you. Be my friend. Come to restaurants with me.

And how about a pleasant journey on the LIRR? During rush hour.

[Media_Lies_Daily]

26. You would be one hurtin' puppy if you pulled that stunt with me or....

...anyone that I know.

You keep acting that way, and YOU might be the one getting "stopped".

[Northwind]

28. See above

You would sit your ass down and shut up and not say a damn thing.

[Media_Lies_Daily]

31. You're one of the few people that I know that can successfully type....

...a post with their head up their butt. You've learned to live with the smell, but I don't have to.

Mark my words...you're going to pick the wrong person someday and you're going to wake up in ICU...if you wake up at all.

Have a nice evening on DU, friend.

[Don Claybrook]

36. You talk tough

7 cell phones you've broken to date. Right. Someone would've shoved one of those broken cell phones down your throat by now. I know it's easy to act tough on the Internet and make all sorts of claims, but really, do you expect everyone to believe this? Furthermore, do you want anyone to believe this? Are you going for the Neanderthal with an out-of-control temper image?

[Northwind]

37. What you believe is your affair.

It is irrelevant to the facts.

[Media_Lies_Daily]

39. Facts? When are you going to use one?

[JSJ]

53. you've been mighty, mighty lucky, so far, mr violence

You don't want to break my phone in a theater or anywhere else for that matter- or even in your own house. Anyway, I think you're lying about- if not about the number you claim to have trashed- then about having trashed any at all. If true, you're going to break the wrong person's phone, someday- and that would be something I'd pay to see.

[minkyboodle]

56. wow

a tough guy on an anonymous internet message board...... well I never :eyes:

[flaminbats]

58. on the other hand...

when have cell phones in movie theaters been illegal? I've never dreamed of being arrested or screamed at for not breaking the law. If it is illegal, I would hate to see my tax-dollars wasted on prosecuting those who are hardly dangerous to others!

[TahitiNut]

9. She was on the phone long enough, IN the theater, ...

... for someone to leave, complain to a guard, come back with the guard, and then have a prolonged altercation?

:grr: :grr: :grr: :grr: :grr:

[Kenneth ken]

50. actually,

nothing in the story says that. It is purely imagined in your mind.

Here's another scenario, also not stated in the article - the cop was in the theater, at the back, off to the side, something for secuurity purposes; heard the cell phone, was able to see the light from it, and thereby went to the young woman and accosted her, all in less than thirty seconds. At that point he became belligerant, etc.

The story DOES say that none of the other people in the theater said the couple had done anything wrong.

Personally, I think the story lacks some pertinent facts, but overall, my inclination is to say out-of-control cop, given that no one other than the police are saying he acted appropriately. But that too is somewhat speculative on my part.

[Jack_DeLeon]

57. Do movie theaters usually have police hanging out there?

None of the ones I've been too have police or armed security guards.

I guess in larger cities with more crime that might be more likely, I've just never seen it though.

[bluestateguy]

10. You do not take a phone call IN the theater

You get up and leave the theater. I don't condone pepper spraying the kid, but had she not taken the call in the theater so rudely, this would not have happened.

"It was an emergency", yeah whatever.

[DrWeird]

11. She paid money to see "Catwoman."

I say use a taser.

[Northwind]

29. ha!

:yourock:

[Malikshah]

42. I'm surprised anyone could hear her over the laughing

Get a grip folks-- it was that putrid furball of celluloid kitty litter.

Pepper spraying is more than a bit harsh--

and why the hell is a police officer there???

[IA_Seth]

12. Bitter, party of 10

My lord. I don't care if the chic was yelling in the phone, there is no need to pepper spray her.

Sometimes the comments on this board surprise the hell out of me.

[aquart]

16. Why? The cop fulfilled the wishes of many.

Do you think if more cell phone users were pepper sprayed they'd get the fucking hint and turn those things OFF???

Because it ain't too high a price to pay.

[IA_Seth]

18. Aaargh

Alright, Alright, you are right.

Next time some asshole doesn't use his turn signal I am sprayin his ass.

[shanti]

20. jeebus

it's not that freakin serious....i'm REALLY having trouble with people's comments on this thread. they are frighteningly brownshirty!

[Lorien]

55. VERY brownshirty!

Being maced shouldn't be taken lightly; but some people honestly think that being mildly annoyed by a ring tone and a little talking in the threater warrents physical abuse? This is SICK!

By the couple's names, I'm guessing that they were most likely African American. If so, I wouldn't be surprised if their race played a part in this. There's no reason to doubt her claim that she had a family emergency, nor to doubt the witnesses. That so many are willing to take the word of one cop over a group of citizens is very disquieting.

Liberals have done away with so many of our core values in recent years. Does humanity, empathy and compassion need to be abandoned as well?

[Don Claybrook]

38. Are you barbaric?

Pepper spray in the eyes isn't too high of a price to pay for receiving a freaking phone call in a movie theater? What's wrong with you?

Do yourself a favor and read up on "rule of law". You may come to learn a thing or two about why the wishes of a mob aren't automatically granted.

[PSU84]

17. "Warronnica" ?? n/t

[Tyler Durden]

19. I'll buy the cop a ticket to the Detroit Symphony.

People, I have had it up to HERE with you and your cell phones.

The night I was there when a cell phone went off during Emmanuelle Boivert's violin solo (Schererzade) when she was playing a donated Strad that hadn't been out of its vault in 20 years, I would have grabbed the spray from the cop, and sprayed them MYSELF.

If your little life is so important, STAY HOME.

[psychopomp]

24. Your rage is misdirected

Or do you think that the assault was justified?

[Media_Lies_Daily]

30. Okay, let's pretend you've taken your mother to a concert while your....

...father is in ICU. All you want to do is take your mother's mind off what's she's dealing with. But, you keep your cellphone on, just in case your father takes a turn for the worse.

Question: If your father takes a turn for the worse while you're at the concert, would you rather that your mom finds out DURING the concert, or AFTER the concert? And who is she going to blame if your father dies without her being there?

I get the sense that you don't think much about life at all...just what gives you pleasure.

[psychopomp]

33. I'm curious

Do cell phones in the U.S. have a "manner mode?" This is a function that switches the phone into a silent vibration mode.

I have lived overseas for some time now so I don't know what is available.

[Media_Lies_Daily]

34. Yes, I'm quite sure they do. Your point?

[psychopomp]

40. Well, it would just mean that your example

does not help to demonstrate why it is wrong to become upset at people whose cellphones ring at inappropriate times and places. Like I said, I was just curious. I think we are in agreement that this is likely police brutality.

In this case, apparently, people complained because a customer was carrying on a conversation during a movie. While I agree that this is rude behavior it seems that the situation was rectified when the customer was asked to leave. What is not justifiable is the police action in this matter. According to the eyewitnesses the officer assaulted the customers though unprovoked.

[Media_Lies_Daily]

47. We don't know how long they were on the phone, either.

[Kelvin Mace]

21. Sorry, folks, I would understand

if someone in the audience got PO'ed. But this was a cop. Read the last bit from a witness:

Marcia Gray, a 49-year-old Tampa accountant, was in the lobby when the couple were pepper sprayed.

"The man turned and asked the officer why he was making them leave and the cop just maced him in the face," Gray said. "They weren't yelling or touching him. The man bent over and the girl asked why he maced her boyfriend. Then the cop maced her, and she dropped her soda."

Policeboy was out of control and should be prosecuted.

[psychopomp]

22. Question: Do you believe the police or the witnesses?

I do not think it is funny to say that people who are inconsiderate and rude in a movie theater deserve to be beaten, pepper sprayed or tasered in this thread because we are talking about a circumstance wherein it actually happened.

The officer used pepper spray on this couple when witnesses claim that the assault was on a couple who did nothing to instigate the police violence.

One poster ridicules the name of the victim. The victim is almost certainly African American. I suppose the poster doesn't have much experience with black folks because such inventive naming is not uncommon.

So, what we have is probably another case of unprovoked police violence against one or two AA citizens and DU'ers say, "give 'em another!" "What kind of name is Warronica anyway?"
Too bad for you people that you don't recognize what you are saying.:(

[Zhade]

41. I have to agree. This was unwarranted.

They were leaving without a fuss, according to eyewitnesses. There was no reason whatsoever for the guy to mace them. They weren't a threat, and he could have said "the phone" and been done with it.

I tend to believe the eyewitnesses for this reason: the theater-goers were likely annoyed when the phone call happened. But most people who saw the people leaving without making a big deal would realize that macing them was going way too far, and would have gotten over their annoyance at the shock of seeing these people maced (I'm assuming no one at the theater has grown accustomed to regular macings there).

I tend to think they'd be honest about what happened. And what happened was uncalled for.

[silverpatronus]

23. i can't believe some of the responses to this thread...

you think pepper spray is funny? cellphones may be annoying, but according to everybody except the cop, the kids didn't do anything wrong. we're advocating assault against innocent kids now?

i hope they sue. and win.

[progressivebydesign]

32. Okay.. what movie was it.. and why was a cop in the theatre??? N/T

[Media_Lies_Daily]

35. I thought there were cops or security personnel in every theater....

...these days. You know....watching out for Osama.

[arcos]

43. The replies to this thread are really disturbing... n/t

[Elginoid]

44. People who leave their phones "on" at the movies-

are inconsiderate, self-centered, self-important assholes who deserve whatever they get. NO exceptions.
I can understand, and even privately appreciate what the cop did...BUT- i cannot condone it.

[psychopomp]

51. Some people undoubtedly forget to switch off their phones

Your ideas are neither progressive nor liberal("NO exceptions"..."privately appreciate what the cop did"). Just thought you should know. You're not the only one on this thread, either.

[donco6]

45. It's fun to watch people's head explode on this thread.

And all with just a few well-placed vague insinuations. An entire evening of entertainment, and I didn't even have to pay $10.

[PartyPooper]

46. Rule Number One: "Turn off all cell phones in theatres"!

Rule NumberTwo: "If you have to use the toilet or make a private call...conduct your business in a way so as not to disturb others-i.e. in an appropriate, quiet, and private space."

:dunce:

[LiberalFighter]

49. First thought

Shove the pepper spray up the cop.

If witnesses say pair didn't do anything wrong then I have doubt about the cop story.

Nothing about how the cop came to be at the theater. Was there a call to the police?

Asking the boyfriend to leave the theater too? Why?

Why didn't they ask the woman to take the call out in the lobby?
If it was an emergency was the woman getting ready to leave?

There are just too many unanswered questions.

[vetwife]

52. Stupid..Act ..Good thing it didn't ring in a hospital or church

a cop would have beaten the crap out of them and then pepper sprayed..Get real. A fine would have beem sufficient. This falls under Abuse of power. Police brutality.....Probably a rent a cop ho just finished watching Dirty Harry.

[Algomas]

54. I am getting used to hearing this story....

But it still makes me sick at heart. Yes indeed, they hate us for our freedoms.

[Spentastic]

59. Bad policing

I hate mobile phones in cinemas. I don’t like people who use phones in cinemas, I believe it demonstrates a complete lack of respect for everyone else in the auditorium.

I wish that there were some form of jamming technology employed to ensure that phones are not used in cinemas. Failing that, empower ushers to throw people out. When I was a kid people got thrown out for all kinds of infractions. I was once escorted out for throwing a mint imperial at the screen whilst watching Baron Munchausen.

However, pepper spraying? That seems absolutely out of order. I would support a scheme by which people using phones (conversationally) in cinema auditoriums were asked to leave. If they refuse, ban them. I would also re-introduce the intermission so that those addicted to their electronic leashes could catch up with the outside world.

If you need to pass information whilst watching a film use the silent alert function and SMS. I don't think physical violence is the way to deal with infractions.

[phrenzy]

60. More to the story?

If the cop truly used his POLICE powers to remove these people from the theatre - that was APPROPRIATE. If these people were complying and he then maced them for NO REASON he should go to jail for it.

Personally, I have no idea who to believe. But, I do know this - people that are belligerent enough to ANSWER their phones in theaters are usually not the type to shy away from confrontation. I've witnessed it many times and witnessed subsequent violence result from telling the person to leave.

A person who answers the phone in a theatre is looking for trouble. Period. Think about it - if it truly was an emergency would you truly have to be ASKED to leave the theatre? Wouldn't you rather go somewhere quiet to hear about the supposed emergency?

In any case, in the story - I have not read one thing that warrants a fucking MACE attack. Forcibly remove them from the theatre? Ok. Mace? NOT ok.