Django film actress arrested for public sex asked to write less passive-aggressive apology to police
Source: National Post (Canada)
Django Unchained actress Daniele Watts was arrested last September after police said they spotted her and her boyfriend Brian James Lucas having sex in a parked car.
Watts and Lucas were ordered to write apology letters to the cops who arrested them in exchange for having the case dropped. Watts tweeted her apology last week, which she said was rejected by the courts, likely for omitting words like sorry and apology.
In the letter, Watts describes the encounter between she and Lucas, who is white, and the police officers as racial profiling which caused her fear, shame and anxiety. She says she felt provoked when one officer disregarded her many disheartening experiences related to being black by telling her Thank you for bringing up the race card, I never hear that.
Watts comes close to saying sorry when she writes Hopefully you can forgive the fact that my heightened emotions disturbed what might have been an otherwise carefree stop on your way to a nice cup of coffee. And she does thank them for creating an opportunity for the public to discuss, and more deeply understand the taboo subject of interracial relationships.
Read more: http://news.nationalpost.com/arts/django-unchained-actress-arrested-her-for-having-sex-in-public-asked-to-write-a-less-passive-aggressive-apology-to-police
?w=620
Comrade Grumpy
(13,184 posts)LanternWaste
(37,748 posts)I'd apply that very same sentiment to your disputation as well.
Comrade Grumpy
(13,184 posts)Your mileage may vary.
Shrike47
(6,913 posts)Based on that 'apology', I'd want to kick her ass.
Democat
(11,617 posts)She doesn't feel lucky to be famous and get away with things that others would probably be thrown in jail for?
An average poor person, black or white, might even be labeled a sex offender for life.
bluestateguy
(44,173 posts)I felt I had done nothing wrong, but I parsed the most gobbledygook non-apology apology I could wordsmith together. My manager let the issue drop after that, and I left the job a year later anyway.
closeupready
(29,503 posts)People walking about town in bathing suits, or even simple undershorts and nothing else.
Or, as with her, having sexual intercourse in a public place within view of pedestrians who were passing by?
No, Lena Dunham is not really walking around naked, and if she were, I can guarantee you everyone around her would be fleeing in terror. Same with this one.
Journeyman
(15,044 posts)Who knew, you can't schtup in public, no matter who you are or what your appearance?
What an idiot. Given an opportunity to gracefully put this behind her, she chooses to thumb her nose at the court. Wouldn't surprise me if the court hauls her in for a couple of nights in county lock up, to give her time to compose an appropriate message.
Blue_Tires
(55,445 posts)then I can dredge up 10,000 celebrities/politicians/athletes who need to re-submit their apologies...
branford
(4,462 posts)and in lieu of more serious penalties for a crime where the defendants were undoubtedly guilty. It was not a simple and voluntary public relations exercise.
Note also that defendants' insincere and false claims of racial bias to avoid the consequences of their actions would likely have aggravated any penalties imposed by the court without such a plea agreement. Ms. Watts was lucky that the court did not revoke the plea agreement and schedule the case for trial. I'm certain she would begin to feel far more apologetic after a few hundred hours wearing an orange jumpsuit and picking up litter on public parks and roads.
Blue_Tires
(55,445 posts)and there are still countless instances of non-apologies on record...This guy wrote a book full of them (not all of them are court-ordered, though): http://www.amazon.com/Sorry-About-That-Language-Apology/dp/0199300917
Nevermind the fact that there's about a million things the LAPD have yet to apologize for...So they can shove it up their collective asses, as far as I'm concerned...
Feeling the Bern
(3,839 posts)throw up.
Exultant Democracy
(6,594 posts)If you have ever been part of one you would probably know how awkward and insulting the experience of being in an interracial relationship can be in america. It in no way excuses her behavior but it doesn't mean it isn't true. I'm not that old, just in my 30's, and I got the shit beat out of me in highschool for hooking up with the a white girl.
We only lived in Idaho for four months of my freshmen year of high school, but I was almost killed twice and the cops suggested I stop messing with mormon girls rather than pursue my attackers.
Feeling the Bern
(3,839 posts)erronis
(15,460 posts)All normal humans would be going to some xian hot spot.
I've done it in about every place I could. I've had cops in TX knocking on the steamed-up window asking if everything was OK (it was!).
What a stupid country we live in. Get over it. Procreation (and recreation) are part of being alive. If you don't like it, your ancestors wouldn't have given a few tries, and you wouldn't be here.
MADem
(135,425 posts)windows; they were basically giving all the office workers a live show in broad daylight (not in a car on a darkened street with the door closed and newspaper on the windows, that's Neapolitan style) and the initial call to the police was a suspected public prostitution - "Hugh Grant" type complaint. The police arrived with that expectation, not that it was two lovers meeting for a little afternoon delight.
Frank Cannon
(7,570 posts)But even I might get pissed off if a couple were screwing in front of my building.
For crying out loud, do what our fathers and their secretaries did: get a hotel room.
MADem
(135,425 posts)....the Supply Closet!!!!!!
Monk06
(7,675 posts)Gigabear
(58 posts)Monk06
(7,675 posts)Helen Borg
(3,963 posts)All I can say.
branford
(4,462 posts)However, in this instance, the police were properly responding to a complaint and enforcing an entirely valid law in a professional and courteous manner. The defendants attempted to claim racial bias in order to avoid the consequences of their actions, but the videos proved them liars.
The defendants were still graciously offered a plea bargain which included letters of apology, a fairly common circumstance for minor crimes. I'm surprised the defendant's lawyer actually provided that "apology" letter to the judge, and the defendant was lucky she's now being given a second chance, rather than him throwing-out the plea agreement entirely.
Yo_Mama
(8,303 posts)She's the one who blew the whole thing up with a pack of lies.
She should spend a couple of days in jail while she's writing her next effort.
reorg
(3,317 posts)but were just making out with your boyfriend in a car you should absolutely be left alone.
Instead, photos were taken by some voyeurs in the adjacent building, some uptight assholes called the police, and when the latter arrived, a scenario similar to the one in Texas with Sandra Bland occurred. The black woman became uppity! And had to be cuffed since she refused to provide identification.
I think it's great that young, well educated and strong women like Daniele Watts put a stop to this and I say: honor and praise to her!
Helen Borg
(3,963 posts)About nudity and sex should be abolished. They are just a form of shaming and control over people.
alcibiades_mystery
(36,437 posts)hunter
(38,349 posts)Gawd, what a waste of the police and court resources.
Where were the adults?
Isn't it traditional to yell, "Hey! Get a room!"
It amazes me people call the police for incidents like this.
Why?
reorg
(3,317 posts)(49:49 min.)
Stunning professors, interesting discussion.