By Matt for the TIB Network:
Check out this press release from KRightsRadio found on US Newswire:On 2/13/05, as part of a "deadbeat parent crackdown," Sheriff Joe Arpaio's officials arrested 44 mothers and fathers who were taken to the Phoenix Park Central Mall and "...paraded before the media before being processed and booked," according to the EastValleyTribune.com (2/14/05).I'm all for cracking down on deadbeat dads and moms, but there is such a thing as due process. It appears this guy didn't get his day in court before being humiliated publically.
It turns out that at least one of those arrested was innocent. A court reportedly found Jeff Naylor did not owe child support. Naylor, father of seven and grandfather of five, was handcuffed and arrested in front of his children, despite his showing court documents that Naylor claimed indicated he didn't owe money. The sheriff's department said they had a warrant signed September 2004. Naylor's daughter said, "I was embarrassed, sad at what they're doing to my dad. He didn't do anything wrong."(KPNX-TV 12, 2/14/05).
"This shameful episode should be a huge wake-up call that something is horribly wrong with the child support enforcement system nationwide. The system is in disarray and full of errors, as evidenced by numerous news reports. This makes all citizens potentially vulnerable to civil rights violations and false arrests like the one that happened to Jeff Naylor, who was apparently arrested on a warrant signed last year," said Richard Farr, founder of KRightsRadio.com.
KRightsRadio said other wrongful arrests have occurred including one in Michigan where an innocent dad, who as the wrong man, was handcuffed, arrested at work in front of his co-workers, and taken away in a cruiser. He didn't owe child support. It was a mistake. (Lansing State Journal, 5/1/2003)
Dwight Mallory was arrested after he was stopped by an airport Customs officer. A computer check erroneously showed he hadn't made "$7,000 in child support payments in 1998," according to the Atlanta Journal-Constitution (1/28/05). He was jailed for 6 days. It was all a mistake. Mallory didn't owe the money.
Farr says, "These incidents are consequences of "deadbeat hysteria." They illustrate the damaging results of negative stereotyping and an "Old West/posse mentality." Most parents labeled as so-called "deadbeats" love their kids and do their best to support them financially and emotionally. Most are deadbroke, not "deadbeat." When you hurt parents, you hurt children."
KRightsRadio believes that Sheriff Arpaio needs to answer to the proper legal officials for this injustice. We don't parade prisoners in our great country of freedom, says KRightsRadio.
I disagree with Mr. Farr on one point: there isn't a hysteria when it comes to the deadbeat parent situation. In fact, I don't think the issue gets near enough attention. When a parent fails to meet his or her obligation, that is a serious matter that should be addressed swiftly and directly by our law enforcement and legal communites. It's called personal responsibility.
For the record, the KRightsRadio folks have covered the Amy Joan Schneider (check the sidebar in the "Weapons Storage" section for updates) case, which I have written about a couple of times and I think they have their heart in the right place most of the time.
