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INCIDENT: Wait for verdict

| June 20, 2018 1:00 AM

On June 15, Tina Bothwell authored an opinion piece in the Press called “My Turn: When Police Cross The Line.” Hmm, when criminal suspects cross the line, they are reported as “allegedly” crossing the line. I guess no such consideration is extended to law enforcement.

Bothwell, who claims to respect law enforcement, shows up with a wheelbarrow full of rocks to throw at them and prosecutors. Their crime? Daring to arrest a woman seen driving her car while drunk, and arresting her husband who, while the officers are dealing with the drunk, obnoxious, foul-mouthed, resisting woman, attacks the officers lawfully preforming their duties. This action is criminal any way you slice it, but Bothwell would have you think that he was acting like a hero, saving his poor, innocent wife from being arrested by brutal officers.

I believe Bothwell would have liked to see the incident happen this way: Ma’am, you violated the law driving under the influence, but since you don’t want to be arrested now, and your husband is a veteran and therefore legally incapable of violating any laws, how about we just forget this whole thing?

I don’t blame Bothwell for being shocked upon seeing the video. Violence is violent! But had Ms. McLean complied with the officers, which she is required to do, there would not have been any controversy. Put the blame where it belongs. And maybe, just maybe, we can wait for a jury to decide things before we make fools of ourselves in public.

JOSHUA COHEN

Coeur d’Alene