Homeless man jailed after charging phone in public park

[solarius49]

SARASOTA, Fla. -- A homeless man spent the night in a Southwest Florida jail after a police officer accused him of stealing by charging his cellphone at a public park.

An arrest report says that a Sarasota police sergeant spotted 28-year-old Darren Kersey charging his phone Sunday evening in a public picnic shelter at Gillespie Park. The sergeant told Kersey that the "theft of city utilities will not be tolerated during this bad economy" and then arrested him on a misdemeanor charge of theft of utilities.

Unable to pay the $500 bond, Kersey spent the night in jail. But the Sarasota Herald-Tribune reports that Kersey was released Monday morning after a judge threw the case out, saying the sergeant lacked the legal justification to make the arrest.

http://www.miamiherald.com/2012/11/...charging.html#storylink=addthis#storylink=cpy

 

[iblink]

(Most) Police are a joke

 

[dilated1200]

I guess that somebody has to pay for the electricity he is using, but I think this is going a little far.

 

[bamez]

i dont think the guy cared, id rather be in jail than homeless right now in Las Vegas

 

[solarius49]

i dont think the guy cared, id rather be in jail than homeless right now in Las Vegas

hell yeah me too bro. 3 hots and a cot

 

[dabottom305]

I'm glad the judge had sense to throw this stupid case out.

 

[meek meals]

i dont think the guy cared, id rather be in jail than homeless right now in Las Vegas

hell yeah me too bro. 3 hots and a cot

I know someone who used to be homeless, they said it's easy to get food. There is always some type of shelter open giving out food. The only problem is getting there.

Although I'd imagine he appreciated that he had somewhere to sleep. I guess.

Pettiness on behalf of the cop. I wish I lived there, if a homeless man charging his phone is the biggest of the police's worries.

 

[Kev93]

Pointless arrest.

 

[water]

 

 

[airthompson]

Meanwhile on the other side of town an actual crime was taking place.

 

[ballahb]

Meanwhile on the other side of town an actual crime was taking place.

 

[munnnjee]

homeless people have cell phones?

 

[thecoldest343]

homeless people have cell phones?

Yes of course,its 2012 where you may not have a some where to live,a car,or a job but you have a cellphone.Even if its an Obama phone with 250 minutes on it,

Ive allways been told this but Im now starting to beleive that the judicial system,law enforcement and the other entities has a quota to fill during certain times of the year,since they both would most benefit from it.Storys like this one sure makes it seem that way.

 

[gottabeem21]

if this guy didn't break any type of lock over the outlet or anything, how is this a crime? what are there plugs there for if not to charge plug in some sort of electric device?

 

[b20 eg8]

I would love to ask this officer if that when he was a kid he fantasized about growing up and arresting homeless men for charging his phone in a PUBLIC place.


Some cops I tell ya...