You gotta fight!.....For your right!...........

[RugbyD]

Too many rollercoasters will do that too you

Rugby has caused my head to hurt on some of the older, less smooth ones.

[Madison]

Too many rollercoasters will do that too you

Rugby has caused my head to hurt on some of the older, less smooth ones.

But the coasters are fun!

Something I missed was that this was a New Year's Eve party. Any idea how many people get arrested on New Year's Eve at private parties at people's homes? He's definitely not the only one that this has happened to.

Ok, I just reread the story and I still don't see that he was the only one arrested. It sounds like it, but it didn't say it point blank. Also the guy is arguing that

"One thing people should be able to do is drink in their own house,"

But he WAS NOT in his own house. It was a New Year's Eve party at a friend's house. Sounds like wasted breath to me since his entire argument doesn't even pertain to what actually happened. Getting drunk at home vs. getting drunk at a party at a friend's house is two completely different things.

He had drunk several beers and started videotaping the police when they started asking about thrown beer bottles at the police car. Sounds like he brought it on himself to me because there's no way he did that and still acted civilized in his drunken condition. I'd say there's much more to this story than what's in the article.

[RugbyD]

But he WAS NOT in his own house. It was a New Year's Eve party at a friend's house. Sounds like wasted breath to me since his entire argument doesn't even pertain to what actually happened. Getting drunk at home vs. getting drunk at a party at a friend's house is two completely different things.

I think you're casting this too narrowly. The issue is whether or not cops were right in taking someone from a private residence, not just that person's own residence. Whether its his or not doesn't matter, he was given full permission by the owner to be there, drink there, and stay there. From the account given thus far, I doesn't seem like the cops would behave differently if the owner was the one in question.

Sounds like he brought it on himself to me because there's no way he did that and still acted civilized in his drunken condition.

That's a pretty big assumption to make, I think. I'm all for giving the benefit of the doubt, especially on private property with no threats being issued by the guy that was arrested. Guess it depends on how you define 'civilized'.

[Madison]

But he WAS NOT in his own house. It was a New Year's Eve party at a friend's house. Sounds like wasted breath to me since his entire argument doesn't even pertain to what actually happened. Getting drunk at home vs. getting drunk at a party at a friend's house is two completely different things.

I think you're casting this too narrowly. The issue is whether or not cops were right in taking someone from a private residence, not just that person's own residence. Whether its his or not doesn't matter, he was given full permission by the owner to be there, drink there, and stay there. From the account given thus far, I doesn't seem like the cops would behave differently if the owner was the one in question.

What I'm getting at is why is this particular incident any different than the thousands of others that this happens to every single year? Why the outrage at this one guy getting arrested, when it seems we don't even have anything close to the whole story and the argument he's making doesn't even hold water since it's untrue because he was not at home, he was at a party at a friend's house?

Sounds like he brought it on himself to me because there's no way he did that and still acted civilized in his drunken condition.

That's a pretty big assumption to make, I think. I'm all for giving the benefit of the doubt, especially on private property with no threats being issued by the guy that was arrested. Guess it depends on how you define 'civilized'.

Not any bigger assumption than those who think this is a travesty of justice and the guy is completely innocent of any wrong doing, I don't believe.

[RugbyD]

What I'm getting at is why is this particular incident any different than the thousands of others that this happens to every single year?

I don't think its that frequent. if you include stuff on public streets and in bars, then i'd agree with you.

Why the outrage at this one guy getting arrested, when it seems we don't even have anything close to the whole story and the argument he's making doesn't even hold water since it's untrue because he was not at home, he was at a party at a friend's house?

His quote about drinking in your own home, is just that, a single quote. Other parts of the article clearly cite the issue, and presumably his lawsuit, as one concerning private property in general.

...has filed a lawsuit, arguing he had a constitutional right to get drunk on private property as long as he didn't cause a public disturbance.

and

Laverriere argues that the Massachusetts Protective Custody Law was written to combat public drunkenness and that the police had no right to use it to take him from a private residence.

You sure you've recovered from the roller coasters?

[Kingctb27]

I have been really drunk in my day but never enough to pick a cop car to toss bottles at.

Ha, I got a good laugh out of that one

[Madison]

What I'm getting at is why is this particular incident any different than the thousands of others that this happens to every single year?

I don't think its that frequent. if you include stuff on public streets and in bars, then i'd agree with you.

Why the outrage at this one guy getting arrested, when it seems we don't even have anything close to the whole story and the argument he's making doesn't even hold water since it's untrue because he was not at home, he was at a party at a friend's house?

His quote about drinking in your own home, is just that, a single quote. Other parts of the article clearly cite the issue, and presumably his lawsuit, as one concerning private property in general.

...has filed a lawsuit, arguing he had a constitutional right to get drunk on private property as long as he didn't cause a public disturbance.

and

Laverriere argues that the Massachusetts Protective Custody Law was written to combat public drunkenness and that the police had no right to use it to take him from a private residence.

You sure you've recovered from the roller coasters?

Me? I'm fine, I think that guy is still drunk since he didn't stick to the same story. There's a big difference in getting drunk at home, and getting drunk at a party at a friend's house. Since he said both situations, he must still be drunk or drinking.

As to frequency, it's not uncommon at all here in Texas. Not sure what state you are in, but down here, when people throw parties and the cops end up there, the drunks are usually escorted to jail for the night. I've even seen them call the paddy wagon for large groups of people.

Could just be a difference in how the police in each area handle that kind of situation though. I dunno.

[reznorsboy]

There are always two sides to all these situations. On one hand the cops may just be hassling people like they are good at, or this guy may have been obnoxious and mouthy and then developed a selective memory of the events after the fact.

The law sounds to me like a licence to hassle people though.