Login required to started new threads

Login required to post replies

Georgia sheriff in trouble for full body searches of 850 students at a high school
Quote | Reply
It sounded like such a good idea at the time.

https://www.yahoo.com/...llion-162228985.html

Just a day after Gov. Nathan Deal suspended a South Georgia sheriff who last spring ordered physical searches of a county high school’s entire student body, lawyers representing Worth High School students in a federal class action announced a $3 million settlement of claims stemming from the warrantless search. The proposed settlement of the case, filed in June in the Middle District of Georgia, will resolve civil rights claims against Worth County Sheriff Jeff Hobby and multiple county deputies stemming from the sheriff's mass search last April of approximately 850 students at Worth County High School, according to attorneys at Atlanta’s Southern Center for Human Rights. The sheriff orchestrated searches of the entire student body during a four-hour lockdown of the high school.


The students, ages 15-18, were forced to submit to intimate and invasive body searches by local deputies, according to court papers and lawyers representing nine students who became plaintiffs in the case. No illegal drugs or drug paraphernalia were found. Thomasville attorney Raleigh Rollins, who defended Hobby in the civil litigation, could not immediately be reached for comment.


According to the complaint, classes were suspended, students were forced to line up in the hallway or corralled in the gymnasium while they waited to be physically searched. Students’ cellphones were seized without any explanation as to what was happening or why and they were barred from contacting their parents. Deputies allegedly inserted fingers inside girls’ bras or pulled up their bras while touching and partially exposing their breasts, according to the complaint.


The federal suit also contended that deputies cupped or manipulated students’ genitals through their undergarments as they reached inside waistbands or under dresses. Some deputies wore no protective gloves, and others did not change gloves when performing searches of multiple students’ genital areas, the suit contended.


The pending settlement would pay each student $1,000-$6,000, with students who were subjected to the most-invasive physical searches receiving higher amounts, according to Southern Center lawyers. An estimated 15 percent of the settlement would be set aside for legal fees. Half of any remaining funds would be paid into a fund exclusively for the benefit of Worth County High students. “The students’ voices have been heard,” said Southern Center for Human Rights attorney Crystal Redd.


Last month, a Worth County grand jury indicted Hobby and two deputies who participated in the mass search on charges of felony false imprisonment and violation of their oath of office, also a felony, according to the Southern Center and Deal. The charges also included misdemeanor sexual battery. On Monday, Deal issued an executive order suspending Hobby after a review panel appointed by the governor found that the charges included in the indictment would related to and would adversely impact the sheriff’s administration of his office. The governor suspended Hobby until the criminal charges are adjudicated.
Quote Reply
Re: Georgia sheriff in trouble for full body searches of 850 students at a high school [rick_pcfl] [ In reply to ]
Quote | Reply
They need better attorneys. They should get more $

who's smarter than you're? i'm!
Quote Reply
Re: Georgia sheriff in trouble for full body searches of 850 students at a high school [veganerd] [ In reply to ]
Quote | Reply
I agree. And I hope the sheriff and deputies do serious hard time.

What the actual fuck?








"People think it must be fun to be a super genius, but they don't realize how hard it is to put up with all the idiots in the world."
Quote Reply
Re: Georgia sheriff in trouble for full body searches of 850 students at a high school [vitus979] [ In reply to ]
Quote | Reply
+2. They need better lawyers and the sheriff dept needs a complete overhaul. Fire them and replace with someone that knows the law.

drn92
Quote Reply
Re: Georgia sheriff in trouble for full body searches of 850 students at a high school [drn92] [ In reply to ]
Quote | Reply
Worth county probably incredibly poor. Wouldn't surprise me if $3mm is their liability limit for insurance
Quote Reply
Re: Georgia sheriff in trouble for full body searches of 850 students at a high school [rick_pcfl] [ In reply to ]
Quote | Reply
Things like this are mind boggling to me. This is U.S. Constitution 101 level stuff. Nobody speaks up to say, "Yeah, we can't do this." Unbelievable.

Favorite Gear: Dimond | Cadex | Desoto Sport | Hoka One One
Quote Reply
Re: Georgia sheriff in trouble for full body searches of 850 students at a high school [The GMAN] [ In reply to ]
Quote | Reply
Yeah. You would think that a teacher or administrator would have had time to call someone to put a stop to it. I think it said it went on for 4 hours? Pretty sure someone could have made a call in that time.
Quote Reply
Re: Georgia sheriff in trouble for full body searches of 850 students at a high school [rick_pcfl] [ In reply to ]
Quote | Reply
Who says teachers and administrators didn't instigate the illegal search to begin with?
Quote Reply
Re: Georgia sheriff in trouble for full body searches of 850 students at a high school [rick_pcfl] [ In reply to ]
Quote | Reply
rick_pcfl wrote:
Yeah. You would think that a teacher or administrator would have had time to call someone to put a stop to it. I think it said it went on for 4 hours? Pretty sure someone could have made a call in that time.

But I wonder who do you call? Is there a police dept. with jurisdiction? The DA? The mayor? 911 and try to tell them to route to law enforcement other than the Sheriff?
Quote Reply
Re: Georgia sheriff in trouble for full body searches of 850 students at a high school [racin_rusty] [ In reply to ]
Quote | Reply
racin_rusty wrote:
Who says teachers and administrators didn't instigate the illegal search to begin with?

Whether they did or not, I hope they're the target of the next lawsuit.
Quote Reply
Re: Georgia sheriff in trouble for full body searches of 850 students at a high school [rick_pcfl] [ In reply to ]
Quote | Reply
I hear that Roy Moore personally volunteered to help with the searches.

_____________________
Fester from Detroit, Mi
Quote Reply
Re: Georgia sheriff in trouble for full body searches of 850 students at a high school [The GMAN] [ In reply to ]
Quote | Reply
The GMAN wrote:
Things like this are mind boggling to me. This is U.S. Constitution 101 level stuff. Nobody speaks up to say, "Yeah, we can't do this." Unbelievable.

I remember reading about this when it happened. And that was pretty much my reaction. It makes no sense. At what point did this sound like a good idea? And of course they don't actually find anything. Just so fucking stupid.

I'm beginning to think that we are much more fucked than I thought.
Quote Reply
Re: Georgia sheriff in trouble for full body searches of 850 students at a high school [The GMAN] [ In reply to ]
Quote | Reply
The GMAN wrote:
Things like this are mind boggling to me. This is U.S. Constitution 101 level stuff. Nobody speaks up to say, "Yeah, we can't do this." Unbelievable.

Apparently at our local high school, they come in and mock arrest someone every year as part of "scared straight" sort of deal. Except no one is in on it except the police and administrators.

So they come in grab some kid and tell him they found drugs in his locker and arrest him and take him out of the classroom. This year it was one of the older kids on my sons soccer team, apparently girls in the class were crying and everything.

How can that be legal?

*I take all of this with a grain of salt as its second hand through my son, so who knows how accurate it is but if as described...
Quote Reply
Re: Georgia sheriff in trouble for full body searches of 850 students at a high school [ThisIsIt] [ In reply to ]
Quote | Reply
ThisIsIt wrote:
The GMAN wrote:
Things like this are mind boggling to me. This is U.S. Constitution 101 level stuff. Nobody speaks up to say, "Yeah, we can't do this." Unbelievable.


Apparently at our local high school, they come in and mock arrest someone every year as part of "scared straight" sort of deal. Except no one is in on it except the police and administrators.

So they come in grab some kid and tell him they found drugs in his locker and arrest him and take him out of the classroom. This year it was one of the older kids on my sons soccer team, apparently girls in the class were crying and everything.

How can that be legal?

*I take all of this with a grain of salt as its second hand through my son, so who knows how accurate it is but if as described...

The kid would have to be in on it for this to not be an illegal search and seizure. There's no probable cause or warrant.

Favorite Gear: Dimond | Cadex | Desoto Sport | Hoka One One
Quote Reply
Re: Georgia sheriff in trouble for full body searches of 850 students at a high school [j p o] [ In reply to ]
Quote | Reply
j p o wrote:
The GMAN wrote:
Things like this are mind boggling to me. This is U.S. Constitution 101 level stuff. Nobody speaks up to say, "Yeah, we can't do this." Unbelievable.


I remember reading about this when it happened. And that was pretty much my reaction. It makes no sense. At what point did this sound like a good idea? And of course they don't actually find anything. Just so fucking stupid.

A child-like understanding of the 4th Amendment should tell everyone involved that it wasn't a good idea. This case is/was an absolute slam dunk for the plaintiffs, and probably for prosecutors in the criminal case.

I also read the Sheriff Hobby's son was recently arrested for drug possession and intent to distribute.

Quote:
The sheriff now stands accused by the local prosecutor of interfering with the criminal investigation into his teenage son, Zachary Lewis Hobby. The younger Hobby was arrested Oct. 9 and charged with felony possession of marijuana with intent to distribute and criminal trespass.
The sheriff and his wife burst into an interview room at the jail where a Georgia Bureau of Investigation agent was questioning their son after the arrest, according to a letter sent to Gov. Nathan Deal by Tifton Judicial Circuit District Attorney Paul Bowden.
“Sheriff Hobby and his wife, who is also an employee of the Worth County Sheriff’s Office, barged into the room ostensibly to invoke the seventeen (17) year old’s Fifth Amendment Rights for him,” according to Bowden.
Zachary Hobby had already been advised of his rights and had chosen to speak to the GBI agent, Bowden wrote. The sheriff’s intrusion into the GBI interview helped protect his son from additional questioning.
“The agent chose to cease the interview at that point since he was inside the Sheriff’s jail,” according to Bowden.
The DA also noted that following the arrest of Hobby’s son he “was housed in the Worth County jail instead of being transferred to a jail not under the supervision of his father.”

Favorite Gear: Dimond | Cadex | Desoto Sport | Hoka One One
Quote Reply
Re: Georgia sheriff in trouble for full body searches of 850 students at a high school [ThisIsIt] [ In reply to ]
Quote | Reply
ThisIsIt wrote:
The GMAN wrote:
Things like this are mind boggling to me. This is U.S. Constitution 101 level stuff. Nobody speaks up to say, "Yeah, we can't do this." Unbelievable.

Apparently at our local high school, they come in and mock arrest someone every year as part of "scared straight" sort of deal. Except no one is in on it except the police and administrators.

So they come in grab some kid and tell him they found drugs in his locker and arrest him and take him out of the classroom. This year it was one of the older kids on my sons soccer team, apparently girls in the class were crying and everything.

How can that be legal?

*I take all of this with a grain of salt as its second hand through my son, so who knows how accurate it is but if as described...

My son would not ever be attending that school again.

Civilize the mind, but make savage the body.

- Chinese proverb
Quote Reply
Re: Georgia sheriff in trouble for full body searches of 850 students at a high school [The GMAN] [ In reply to ]
Quote | Reply
The GMAN wrote:
ThisIsIt wrote:
The GMAN wrote:
Things like this are mind boggling to me. This is U.S. Constitution 101 level stuff. Nobody speaks up to say, "Yeah, we can't do this." Unbelievable.


Apparently at our local high school, they come in and mock arrest someone every year as part of "scared straight" sort of deal. Except no one is in on it except the police and administrators.

So they come in grab some kid and tell him they found drugs in his locker and arrest him and take him out of the classroom. This year it was one of the older kids on my sons soccer team, apparently girls in the class were crying and everything.

How can that be legal?

*I take all of this with a grain of salt as its second hand through my son, so who knows how accurate it is but if as described...


The kid would have to be in on it for this to not be an illegal search and seizure. There's no probable cause or warrant.


I helped a professor with a class he was teaching at Rice University’s MBA program. The block of instruction had to do with business ethics. The students were in the middle of setting up mock coffee companies on campus, and broken up into groups of about five students per company. The coffee was homogenous so no one company’s coffee was better than the other. They were to come up with a name, some base marketing, and pricing. The actual goal and intent of the exercise was to see if the students would figure out that agreeing upon a fixed price was actually the best alternative, at least from a competition standpoint. Otherwise they would just undercut each other’s prices in an ultimate exercise in futility. Professor said he was going to go grab some dinner and he’d return in an hour or so. Well, people that go to Rice are pretty intelligent so they figured out the price fixing thing pretty quickly. Unbeknownst to the students was that the professor was setting them all up. We had an informant in the room (one of the students) and we wanted to have a listening device in the room (said student’s cell phone). More on that later. So the whole thing was a ruse to get them to do something unethical/illegal, and then we were going to do a mock raid, search, and arrests. So me and another FBI Agent burst into the room and arrested and cuffed the professor. He was obviously in on it, so no biggie. We “pretended’ to arrest the students because they weren’t in on things so we couldn’t put hands on them even in this land of make believe that we were in. We then took each group away to be interviewed to see how quickly they’d admit to what they did, which ranged in time from about five seconds to two minutes. They were then whisked away to another classroom that was setup as a Magistrate’s court room, with the Magistrate played by an actual Federal judge. They were arraigned and all that. Then we had a Q and A session afterwards. It was a lot of fun.

Anyway, why did I type all that? 1) We knew that even though this was all pretend and a teachable moment, that we couldn’t actually put hands on anyone because we were still real world FBI Agents and there was no probable cause. 2) The student’s cell phone as a listening device. We had to go back and forth about this because what if one of the students admitted to doing something illegal in real life, not knowing that two real life FBI Agents and a Federal Judge we’re listening to everything from another room. The decision was to not eavesdrop on the conversation so that there were no bizarre legal ramifications if something was said. So we just had the student informant leave the classroom and tell us what was going on. Point being, we thought through a lot of legal mumbo jumbo for something that was totally made up. If this chuckleheaded Sheriff’s department would’ve spent half the time we did thinking through the law, you know for their real world situation, they’d perhaps not done it. Apparently the Sheriff called upon other local law enforcement agencies to come help but none of those agencies would participate in the search. I guess those other agencies passed Constitution 101.

Favorite Gear: Dimond | Cadex | Desoto Sport | Hoka One One
Last edited by: The GMAN: Nov 15, 17 7:13
Quote Reply