A 14-year-old boy from Amarillo, Texas, was reportedly hurt by a police officer after he refused to remove his rosary beads at a middle school football game Wednesday night.
Jacob Herrera’s mother Lori Martinez says her son was approached by officer Corporal Wilson and told to take off his rosary bead necklace. A witness named Marivell Chavez says the teen was then held to the ground, where she says he shouted, “call my mom” and “I can’t breathe,” reports Newschannel10.com.
“You know he handcuffed him and then crossed him across the street right there and slammed him again and he repeatedly slammed the child on the floor,” Chavez said.
But a spokesperson for the Amarillo Police Department denies the allegations and says the officer acted accordingly after the teen began fighting with him and refusing to remove the beads. Rosaries are reportedly a symbol of an association with a gang, and though police say they aren’t accusing Jacob of having gang ties, the religious item is prohibited at school events.
“He was fighting with the officer, he wouldn’t comply with the commands, he wouldn’t put his arms behind his back,” said Cpl Jerry Neufeld. “The officer used a couple of different compliance holds to try and get him to put his hands behind his back, he did not deploy his taser, he just tried to get him under control. They rolled on the ground for several minutes.”
Martinez says her son is not a gang member and that he wears the rosary because it has sentimental value to him after the death of his sibling. Jacob is currently being held at the Youth Center of High Plains. Some of his friends at Amarillo ISD and other parents who say they witnessed the confrontation wore rosaries Thursday to symbolize their demand for justice for the student.
Guilty until proven innocent.
ReplyDeleteThe idea that you must immediately comply with an illegal order (interfering with religious expression, a first amendment right), is one which is taught through violence, as here. People will notice the "insubordination" but overlook the way the policeman acted illegally. I hope the family presses charges. This might have harmed the boy for life, and set him on a bad path - or perhaps a very good one.
ReplyDeleteThe Rosary is NOT a necklace - it is not intended to be worn as a necklace, ever. No self-respecting Catholic wears a Rosary as a necklace. Who wears a Rosary as a necklace? Gang members.
ReplyDeleteThe US Constitution DOES NOT apply on private property my dear idiot.
ReplyDelete....hey Ken...you dumb-fuck....the school was public property...or do you have the name of the owner of this private football field? You ass-clown ... and are you saying that the 4th amendment does not apply to "private property"....so the government can just run rough-shod through my home without a warrant? Just because they now do so,...doesn't mean The Constitution is not supposed to apply...the fascist fucking pig government that you support can do anything criminal...as long as you idiots like you are sitting in your basemen, in your underwear....watching an episode of NCIS with your pecker in your hand pretending you are Jethro Gibbs...my gosh...does it hurt when you open your mouth and try to speak...for someone so fucking stupid as yourself..it must...
ReplyDeleteRJ O'Guillory
Author-
Webster Groves - The Life of an Insane Family
You are an imbecile. I have been a Catholic all my life and Yes, we wear the Rosary around our neck. The only gang member there was the cop. Please read RJ's comment. I think he said it best.
ReplyDeleteGo and make a very FORCED citizen's arrest, or something.
ReplyDeleteIf not, i's like saying he deserved what he got, and everyone else that comes into contact with this POS cop does too.
Try taking my religious necklace off my neck, and I will not only NOT comply with your UNLAWFUL orders, I will do everything I can to break your face before you swarm me with your little POS buddies.
I will not submit to kissing your ass, nor will I comply with your illegal, immoral, and oxygen-stealing 'orders'. They don't apply, afaic.
My body, MY property.
ReplyDeleteEnd-of-discussion.
Duck well.
ReplyDeleteIt is sacrilegious to wear a rosary. They are not items of jewelry or clothing.
ReplyDeleteAfter attending Catholic schools through college I would disagree with you strongly. We were taught from day one a rosary is not to be worn and to do so is sacrilegious. Ask your priest.
ReplyDelete