Comment from Ratings:   I have been following this case for months. I have talked to many people involved in this case. I have searched the net for any news and I have filed a Freedom of Information request for her trial transcripts. The transcripts are a good read. If you just go through fast and read it, it looks bad for Steffy, since the prosecutor is 'setting up' the scenarios. BUT if you go back and read JUST the testimony of the people there, a lot of stuff just does not make sense. And the more I dig into this case, the more unbelievable it is. Heres a 'cut & paste' of a few questions I have for the grand jury that investigated the case and could find NO criminal actions by police: As you may or may not know the grand jury brought NO charges against the police in this case, and NO information can be released about what evidence the grand jury reviewed. So we have no idea what evidence was presented to them, or what may have been withheld as too prejudicial. I have no idea, HOW, they could come back with NO charges, but I have read Hope Steffy’s trial transcripts and I have a few questions for the grand jury. Ok first I have to assume that the official policy of the sheriff’s dept is that the deputies ONLY have to turn on their video cameras whenever they ’feel like it’. The arresting deputy had a body mic & video control on him and could have started taping ANYTIME he wanted. Other officers have been FIRED over not starting their cameras, but the grand jury thinks this merits no punishment at all? After he’s taken the VICTIM and assaulted her and put her in the back seat of his cruiser and she’s mad and cussing him, THEN he turns on the recorder! And then he wants us to believe that THIS is the way she was the WHOLE time. THIS is the only video the jury saw. Is this the way taxpayer equipment is supposed to be used? The arresting deputy also testified in Hope’s trial that he felt that Steffy had “disrespected” him. This doesn’t raise any questions for the grand jury? Then in trial transcripts the arresting deputy and the backup deputy had exactly the same testimony of Hope Steffy. They both said she was staggering, slurring her words and smelled of alcohol.(Even though other PROSECUTION witnesses testified she was speaking “crystal clear” and did not seem that drunk, if at all.) The backup deputy then continued his testimony by saying that he didn’t get there until Hope was being put in the back of the squad car. How do you deduce that someone is drunk, staggering and slurring her words from seeing someone in the back seat!?!? Ok, then we have the video of Steffy being stripped, she asks the staff ’what they are doing’ and telling them that “she hasn’t done anything wrong”. Do you hear her ’slur ’ her words? (I don’t.) And once you allege that someone is highly intoxicated, doesn’t it seem necessary to do a breathalyzer? But none was done here. But the grand jury finds nothing wrong with all these conflicting FACTS to the deputies stories? Next we have the arresting deputy testifying in court that he had to escalate the amount of force to arrest Steffy. He testifies that you start out not touching anyone and escalate the force necessary, that is why he testified that he ’pushed her against the trunk of his cruiser’. He then testifies that he had to grab her by her right arm, tripped her, and swung her to the ground to get the cuffs on. The other witnesses testified that the deputy “flew into a rage” and slammed Steffy on the car and then threw her to the ground with great force. How do you break someone’s tooth by a push against a car? How do you have someone bleeding from their nose and give them a bulged disk in their back by swinging them down to the ground? The grand jury sees nothing wrong with the conflicting testimony and the FACTS of Steffy’s injuries?!?!? He says that he used all this force, because he HAD to because she was “resisting arrest”. Later in the trial he admits that Steffy slipped a hand out of her cuffs, but she TELLS him about it and never tries to escape! (Or resist without her arm being in a arm bar.) The arresting deputy also testified that a reason he arrested her was that he was afraid that her disturbance would "generate more calls to the sheriff's dept." Then in later testimony he said that there could have been no other witnesses to what was going on, because they lived too far away. Just another one of many discrepancies of the cops testimony. This is a professional?? This deputy dishes out serving after serving of BS and the grand jury doesn’t see anything wrong!??!?! Then we have the jail staff. We have Steffy declared suicidal. A experienced psychiatrist can NOT tell when someone is suicidal, but their doctor claims to do it, in seconds, with a few questions? And sometimes over the phone?? When’s the last time a doctor would diagnose and prescribe for you over the phone?? Sounds like malpractice for sure and probably criminal actions. The grand jury sees nothing wrong in stripping people they THINK, MIGHT be suicidal!?!? Even though the person NEVER said she was, or had been?? And then we have men helping to forcibly strip a handcuffed woman. By LAW, they can’t be present during a strip search, body cavity search, or even supposed to be where they can SEE women in the showers, but Swanson’s “policy” ‘SAYS’ its ‘ok’ for men to not only VIEW a forced stripping naked of a woman in a ‘suicide prevention’, they are allowed to PARTICIPATE and help remove her cloths!!! (The sheriff dept denies that men helped, even as the video CLEARLY shows it happening!) But the grand jury sees nothing wrong with men removing women’s cloths,. And why THIS controversial way to handle it? Even correctional mental health officials say this is highly controversial method. All these laws to keep men away, but the grand jury finds NOTHING wrong with this policy, just because Swanson “says” its “ok”??? Does this sound logical and reasonable? (Or moral?) Why do the 3 men STAY in the cell after she is stripped naked and the women have left? Why are they moving her around on the bunk and manipulating her legs in different positions? Why is it done repeatedly? click here click here So what is their explanation or excuse for all of this as to why the women couldn’t handle this part of “whatever” they claim they were doing. The grand jury buys “whatever” story they are peddling and still sees nothing wrong?? Steffy also testifies that her ears were ripped, when they removed her earrings. Does this sound like people trying to “save your life”, or that even care what happens to you!?!? The grand jury thinks this is acceptable and is in no way criminal!??! Then add on all the video, that isn’t there. A seven year veteran cop doesn’t “feel the need” to turn on his camera? After 5 months of asking for the hallway video, the sheriff waits till the grand jury investigation, then announces that the camera “wasn’t working”. (The one in the building video that CLEARLY shows the LED screen on.*) * http://i2.photobucket.com/albums/y39/Zemo999/Steff1.jpg * http://i2.photobucket.com/albums/y39/Zemo999/Steff2.jpg (Even the video from the first lawsuit involving the three teen girls that were strip searched is “missing”. I haven’t heard anything about the Valentina Dyshko lawsuit, but I wouldn’t be surprised that video from that is “missing” too. ) This is the point where all the logic, reasonableness, and the plausibility of the sheriff and deputy’s story is REALLY falling apart. Then the killer blow to their excuses, that they were not abusing Steffy, they were "just doing their job", to "save her life" is what happens next. THEY LEAVE HER NAKED! Their excuse? "She was TOO suicidal for a suicide suit." Huh? TOO suicidal for a garment DESIGNED for this situation??!?! TOO suicidal for even a paper covering?? I never saw this in the video, all I saw was a traumatized woman who was humiliated, embarrassed and scared to death. THIS is where the lies catch up to them. THIS is where all the speculation of what was REALLY happening turns. THIS is where we find out what was REALLY going on, and whose version of events to believe. THIS is NOT an arguable point; THIS is NOT up for speculation. THIS was done to punish, humiliate, and degrade Hope Steffy under the "color of law". But the Grand Jury can’t see ANY criminal actions by the police!??!?! ============================================ Heres been my experience with the sheriff. I have left my name & number at least 3 times with assurances that he would contact me. No calls ever returned. I have had the people that I DO contact in the sheriff's dept LIE outright to me. I have had the head of the Stark County jail LIE outright to me. I called at the beginning of June to get the name & contact info for the State Atty Gen's investigators looking into the Hope Steffy case. (At the advice of the Atty Gen's office.) The two times I called the people at Stark County Sheriff's Dept said they knew of NO ONE investigating the Hope Steffy case. When I finally talked to Paul Scarsella, one of the investigators, and told him that the sheriff's secretary and head jailer denied knowing anyone investigating, he pointed out the obvious, THEY were the ones that requested the investigation!!! I COULD have been an informer, maybe someone in the next cell that night wanting to come forward with my story. They didn't know why I wanted to contact the investigators, only that it was in connection with the Hope Steffy case. Just makes me wonder how many others may have gotten sandbagged trying to contact the investigators and what other evidence never made it to the Grand Jury!?!? ============================================== Also, in the news, the sheriff keeps saying that the state 'reviewed' jail 'policies' and ‘approved’ them. This is a deception. The only state requirement is that they have a "policy" in place. The state NEVER 'approved' of men stripping women, this was Swanson and the county prosecutor that came up with this. And please, don't take my word for it, call the state and ask yourself: Bureau of Adult Detention 614-752-1062 Butch Hunyadi PS Butch says that he was also NEVER contacted by the grand jury investigators.

by John Smith (0 articles, 0 quicklinks, 0 diaries, 2 comments) on Thursday, Sep 11, 2008 at 12:43:49 PM

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What Would Martin Luther King Do?

http://www.opednews.com/articles/opedne_mark_ada_080121_what_would_martin_lu.htm

Scoop – Top Scoop January 25, 2008 - Democrats Pass on Challenge to Secret Vote Counting in South Carolina by Michael Collins http://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/HL0801/S00233.htm

Scoop – Top Scoop January 19, 2008 - Appeal to Edwards - Take a Stand for Voting Rights by Michael Collins http://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/HL0801/S00151.htm

Read the top story published on OpEdNews.com on January 17, 2008 - An Open Letter to Senator John Edwards: The Constitution Prohibits Secret Vote Counting! Will You Take Action?

http://www.opednews.com/articles/genera_mark_a___080117_an_open_letter_to_se.htm

Read the top story published on OpEdNews.com on January 14, 2008 - South Carolina Elections Are UNCONSTITUTIONAL!?!

http://www.opednews.com/articles/genera_mark_a___080114_south_carolina_elect.htm

For more info, see www.ProjectVoteCount.com Project Vote Count’s Election News http://www.projectvotecount.com/ElectionNews.aspx and FAQ http://www.projectvotecount.com/faq.aspx

by Mark Adams (20 articles, 0 quicklinks, 0 diaries, 312 comments [39 recommended, 0 rejected]) on Monday, Feb 4, 2008 at 8:42:40 AM

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THE NAZIS ARE COVERING THEIR TRACKS AS THE VIDEO HAS BEEN PULLED.

DAMAND THAT THEY ARE HELD ACCOUNTABLE.

by Michael Morris (20 articles, 0 quicklinks, 16 diaries, 316 comments [4 recommended, 1 rejected]) on Friday, Feb 8, 2008 at 8:01:37 AM

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From some of the comments that I have received asking me what we can do, it seems like some people may have missed pages 2 and 3. They contain explosive information, too.  Don't miss out on the info on pages 2 and 3 if you want to know what can be done to stop brutality like this.

There is a green button just above the author’s bio which will take you to the next page of my article. Please keep that in mind when you are reading on OpEdNews.com

Here's a link to the Amended Complaint in the victim's lawsuit against these police scum http://pamelahennessy.com/steffey.pdf

by Mark Adams (20 articles, 0 quicklinks, 0 diaries, 312 comments [39 recommended, 0 rejected]) on Saturday, Feb 9, 2008 at 1:01:15 PM

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This case and other outrageous abuses of power were discussed on the Rule of Law Radio Show on the We The People Radio Network on Thursday, February 7, 2008. You can listen to the show archives at http://mp3.wtprn.com/Kelton08.html

by Mark Adams (20 articles, 0 quicklinks, 0 diaries, 312 comments [39 recommended, 0 rejected]) on Tuesday, Feb 12, 2008 at 9:57:03 AM

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Prisoners are not always wrong.  Hopefully they will get to the bottom of this and soon, and everyone remembers the importance of individual and constitutional rights in our country -we ALL need them and need to protect them.

by Paul Lehto (32 articles, 0 quicklinks, 0 diaries, 60 comments [2 recommended, 0 rejected]) on Monday, Feb 4, 2008 at 11:04:22 AM

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... in the article below, a corruption of power beyond our wildest human imaginations and that VERY FEW people of the world know the full extent of, and it is going on today and constantly. Please, read the following article:

http://www.opednews.com/articles/opedne_professo_080203_the_bush_2fcheney_geno.htm

My point for writing the above piece is twofold:

1) to re-iterate the level and kinds of crimes and aggressions history has shown these sitting leaders and their administators to have perpetrated, and

2) to say that NOW is the time--if all our efforts to impeach these people fall on the same deaf congressional ears and cold hearts they have--for us to prepare NOW for a concerted effort to get the World court to prosecute these people once they leave office for their genocidal actions.

There are some roadblocks in the way of doing this; but there are other ways that this CAN be done.

I also want you all to know one thing more: my (and others') push to get this done is not about revenge; it is about holding up a "truth mirror" to the faces of who these US leaders really are, of what they have really done to destroy this nation, to unlawfully kill people of the world, and to eviscerate the perception of who Americans are in the eyes of the world.

I'm saying, "No more...ever!" And if we do nothing... again... we deserve what we get. All we can do is care enough to NEVER STOP trying to right these wrongs.

People must be prosecuted when evidence reveals that they indeed have committed crimes, and in this case, the evidence against the Bush/Cheney administration is unrefutable, and the people of the US and the world are the victims, much unfortunately due to our ongoing acceptance of this rabid oppression.

Nan

by Professor Fandel (7 articles, 2 quicklinks, 0 diaries, 56 comments [22 recommended, 0 rejected]) on Thursday, Feb 7, 2008 at 12:48:56 PM

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Sadly, this is typical police activity. The Rodney King incident, the goon who prevented Ralph Nader from entry into an auditorium for a presidential debate, although Nader had a ticket, etc. - all too typical. In 1990 I was in Eureka California for a peaceful demonstration in support of a redwood forest when police took 5 young men into their station and shaved their heads. It happens with alarming regularity, so one has to wonder what is being taught in police academies. I'm a senior citizen who has never been arrested, and I have not a whit of trust for police forces in the U.S. 

by Bill Willers (11 articles, 0 quicklinks, 3 diaries, 50 comments [5 recommended, 0 rejected]) on Monday, Feb 4, 2008 at 11:55:40 AM

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     For those who choose to not speak out before you are in custody, will you wonder then why no one spoke out when you were?

     peace

by mikel paul (14 articles, 1 quicklinks, 11 diaries, 570 comments [13 recommended, 0 rejected]) on Monday, Feb 4, 2008 at 1:18:04 PM

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There basically three kinds of police: Peace Officers; ones that truly understand what power they have and use it with restraint, humane understanding and know the difference between bad and good laws, Policeman; a majority of police who are just doing their jobs. See no evil, hear no evil, speak no evil and wait for retirement and Pigs; corrupt, violent, sociopaths who on every occasion will prey on those they're supposed to protect.

In most cases it's the latter that seem to dominate and what you have is a pertinacity of over-reaction. As in this case witnessed. And actually, those more likely just Policeman doing their jobs as has been now the norm in situations such as these.

A true Peace Officer once told me that there isn't a day goes by that police aren't made aware of the power over death and life they have, and that given the pressures of the job it's not unusual that there are those that step over the line when a situation might call for less aggressive response.

A lot of it comes down from above as to what restraints they are allowed. It's a case of give them an inch - take a mile. Even before 9/11, Patriots Act and all the other loosening of those restrains and granting of more police power the tendency for police to take it as far as they wish is understandable, but never excusable.

What we have now is more and more reliance on authority to solve problems that they're ill equipped to handle. Military used for police actions, as diplomats and builders, when all they were trained for is to kill. Police that are called upon to do more than just police. It's not a good situation and unlikely to get any better. If we were to have one more "false flag" attack we can basically expect near all our rights to become moot. (If they aren't already) The collapse of the economy could very well do it too as more civil unrest occurs police will be called on more and more to use new high-tech weapons for crowd control and surveillance.

Anyone that's spent any time in 3rd World countries has experienced what's coming here. Calling police in countries where police pretty much have free rein the last thing you want to do if there is any type of altercation is have them involved. More often than not both the perpetrator and victim wind-up behind bars and have to pay "fines" to get out. Political crimes are handled in an entirely different manner. It's there that punishment truly takes a sadistic turn.

What can we do about it?

Most likely very little. Unless there is a Gandhi type response to the brutality, which isn't going to happen in a country as fragmented and violent as we are. No, we'll continue to spiral down into the Orwellian Hell George Orwell prophesied. Even some of the responses I've read about this incident actually condone the officers response to this situation. And that will continue until it happens to them.

by Mr M (8 articles, 0 quicklinks, 66 diaries, 2845 comments [654 recommended, 27 rejected]) on Monday, Feb 4, 2008 at 1:39:48 PM

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Mark Adams's article contains the videoed death of a fourteen year old a few hours after coming under our system of corrections. In another link, a woman becomes a victim of the Police State after a call to 911 for help. To say that these are isolated cases is to be naive to point of ignorance of the facts; to further assert that these gross and brutal tactics are the "duties" of the law enforcement employees and agencies is best summed up at the Nuremberg trial. Abundant documented evidence is available only on the Internet for those seeking the truth. We have no free press.

The apathetic and immoral laxity of our countrymen threatens us with increasingly terrible acts administered by thugs with authority, but, since it first deprieves the poor, helpless and innocent, we do nothing. When the basic rights of our most vulnerable countrymen go unaddressed with few voices raised against the "silent crimes" of wayward and dangerous politicians, a progressive enforcement of such brutality gradually moves INWARD: one day you read an account of a stranger (while uncomfortable, you ignore the incident); then a neighbor is brutally arrested in a peaceful protest march ("oh, well, he was irritating, always talking about our rights being taken away."); then someone you know very well is tazered to death during a routine traffic violation ("Afterall, how could the cop have known the kind old soul was deaf?"). Excuses continue until one in your own family speaks out against injustice and is summarily tazered, violated, jailed or worse.

Friends, these are not isolated instances. Their growing frequency should alert us to the imminent peril we face, arousing us to action. Make no mistake: This is a battle against all who believe in the Constitution and the rights there-under for our protection. The aggression has been primarily been against our voiceless and disinfranchised. Tomorrow it is you and I, and our family members. The legislation I study shows that actions are stepped up against the middle class, against all our rights under the Constitution; I ask you not to believe me or anyone, check out H.R. 1955 and Executive Order 51 as a start. These recent actions of elected politician have impoverished our nation and are built upon other violations of our highest law while we slept. We "perish for lack of knowledge".

In England, a new version of "Child Protection" has emerged: With the signature of one social worker and one state doctor, any parent may be deemed legally unfit and their child or children forcibly taken from them, even at the moment of delivery. Unsurprisingly, through a co-ordinating and lucrative adoption agency of the State, these "stolen children" are transferred as property of the State to those paying State adoption fees. The parents are denied a voice and are under judicial law of imprisonment if they seek justice or bring this knowledge to the public.

Read this.

Evidence of violence against us is on the Internet, going unreported by a corrupt Main Stream Media but for a few, courageous independent stations. We must investigate the documented proof ourselves and stand united against the many accounts happening across the nation.

Unless we are the cowards that this treasonous take-over expects or witless fools who refuse so evident a truth, we will stand against this evil and encroaching threat to our personal freedom. It begins with a committment to discovery of the truth, informing all those we know and finding the most effective group or groups addressing these issues with whom to align. It makes you feel good to make the simple call your Congressmen and Senators (both state and National) to show them we are watching and demand their positive action. This is a fundamental responsibility of those awakened to this menace. Washington toll-free numbers are: 800-828-0498, 800-612-2803,866-340-9281. One call takes only two minutes and is vital to alert the Washington traitors who have passed such aggressive laws against our rights that WE SLEEP NO MORE AND WILL HOLD THEM ACCOUNTABLE FOR ALL VOTING RECORDS AGAINST OUR CONSTITUTION. Most of them have fore-sworn their oaths to our highest law and WILL be held accountable. To help ensure this happens as quickly as possible, make the call. Hundreds of thousands are doing this, let your voice be heard. There is no other issue more important in this perilous hour than to stand for your freedom and safety of your families. Freedom denied one is denied all.

May God grant you wisdom and courage of action.

Motorgrader

by Dorsey Oscar (0 articles, 0 quicklinks, 0 diaries, 1 comments) on Monday, Feb 4, 2008 at 1:46:54 PM

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You hit the nail on the head.  If we don't stand and stop these thugs, this will soon be aired as a good episode of COPS.

As for the video, everyone who was there should be removed from active duty without pay until the investigation is over.  The Sheriff should be fired and run from town.  The two men in the cell should be charge with rape and sodomy, assult, battery, civil rights violations and lewd behavior and be made to regester as sex offenders.

If the Attorney general does not prosocute this case, the family should seek thier own justice.  If that was my wife I would.

This video just goes to show that we as a nation have degraded our sense of right and wrong to the point that for a nothing charge you can be stripped, raped and degraded in public for what, the wrong id card?

If this is the continued conduct of Law Enforcement around this country, police officers will find they have NO friends on the street, citizens and thugs alike.  You will be alone!  Think about that the next time you get your jollies off raping a victum of a crime.

by Michael Morris (20 articles, 0 quicklinks, 16 diaries, 316 comments [4 recommended, 1 rejected]) on Monday, Feb 4, 2008 at 11:55:25 PM

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Of course we need to ensure that ballots are read by people and accuratly counted in an open public environment.

But not only that, we need to have an improved and evolved system of elections, because this system of partisan politics, primary elections, and competion for the "throne" is totally and inherently corrupt, divisive, and does not produce government of, by and for the people.

What we need is the solution provided here:

http://reformationcomingsoon.bravehost.com/NewDeclaration.html

and here:

http://reformationcomingsoon.bravehost.com/InheritTheEarth.html

by Sarah Morgan (1 articles, 0 quicklinks, 1 diaries, 178 comments [2 recommended, 0 rejected]) on Monday, Feb 4, 2008 at 2:39:02 PM

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From some of the comments that I have received asking me what we can do, it seems like some people may have missed pages 2 and 3. They contain explosive information, too.

There is a green button just above the author’s bio which will take you to the next page of my article. Please keep that in mind when you are reading on OpEdNews.com

by Mark Adams (20 articles, 0 quicklinks, 0 diaries, 312 comments [39 recommended, 0 rejected]) on Tuesday, Feb 5, 2008 at 4:44:11 PM

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Democracy, rule by, of, and for the people means more than simply elections. The people must have the power to control their government.

Of course, the United States was designed to be a democratic republic which has principles which cannot be violated by the governors or the majority. Our Constitution was designed to empower the people to control our government, but the powers of the people have been undermined, diluted, and even stolen by those who have a thirst for more and more power.

To learn about the other tools that are necessary to truly enjoy all of the benefits which can flow from our Constitution and a truly democratic republic, see:

Democracy Defined http://www.democracydefined.org/

Fully Informed Jury Association http://www.fija.org/

The Constitution Society http://www.constitution.org/

For more info, see www.ProjectVoteCount.com

Project Vote Count’s Election News http://www.projectvotecount.com/ElectionNews.aspx and

Project Vote Count's FAQ http://www.projectvotecount.com/faq.aspx

by Mark Adams (20 articles, 0 quicklinks, 0 diaries, 312 comments [39 recommended, 0 rejected]) on Tuesday, Feb 5, 2008 at 10:00:36 PM

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