Officer allegedly draws weapon on 7-year-old girl

[MikeNearMcChord]

By Deborah M. Todd

Mother, daughters stopped on way to Pee Wee League football game.
What was supposed to be a typical drive through a peaceful Shadyside neighborhood, turned into a standoff with a police officer threatening the life of a 7-year old girl, according one local mother.

Pamela Lawton of the Hill District said on Aug. 26, she was on her way to Homewood for a Pee Wee League football game with her two daughters, 7-year old Joshalyn, 8-year old Jasmine, and two other children ages 2 and 3. She said she was driving her green, 1998 Ford Windstar and was approaching the intersection at Kentucky Street and Negley Avenue when a Pittsburgh Police cruiser signaled for her to pull over.

http://newpittsburghcourieronline.com/articlelive/articles/36017/1

[MikeNearMcChord]

1. Here is the girl and her family

HARASSED--Pamela Lawton, center, holds her daughters, Jasmine, 8, left, and Joshalyn, 7. Lawton claims a police officer threatened to shoot Joshalyn.

[Subdivisions]

19. Mom is understandably angry in this image, but how could a cop

hold his weapon on children with such sweet little faces who were absolutely innocent? They will remember this the rest of their lives. I hope they haven't lost their trust in good cops.

[soothsayer]

2. Jeezus! We had a sadistic local cop, too, who gloried in trying

to humiliate people. BUT he was such a great little ticket writer, the precinct loved him cuz he brought in so much dough. Eventually he threatened to crash his car into the police station and they retired him, years and years after folks told them he was nuts. Weird. I would love to hear the cop's excuse for this one.

[Jed Dilligan]

11. Don't worry,

one of our law 'n order dems will show up and make his excuse for him.

[Bandit]

12. Sounds like you are not in favor of "Law and Order"

I doubt anyone will make any excuses for anyone pulling a gun on a seven year old but your post is quite suspect. IMO.

[LostinVA]

15. No, Jed's post is right on -- I've seen it happen before

Every excuse under the sun... and, I'm betting he meant "law and order" sarcastically.

[Jed Dilligan]

18. "Suspect"

Please define.

Every time an excessive-force story comes out there are people here who defend the cop.

That's all I'm saying.

I'm in favor of law and order, but not "law 'n order" politics as represented by Nixon, Reagan, Deukmeijan, Wilson. No real Democrat is.

[Catherine Vincent]

3. This was horrible!

For those poor children in that car, and the mother. That f'd up officer should be fired and should seek medical help. Disgusting.

[AspenRose]

4. I didn't even have to look at the picture to know they were black.

That is just pathetic.

[truebrit71]

7. Me too. How sad is that?

I hope they throw the book at the cop.... :grr:

[malaise]

13. Bingo n/t

[beyurslf]

5. I hope she has a good attorney

[zonkers]

17. She just paid for both kids college tuitions, no doubt.

[etherealtruth]

6. Disgusting

Hopefully the police officer involved will be permanently relieved of his duty ... though, I doubt it :(

[zbdent]

8. So, what does the video show?

or was it conveniently "taped over by accident"?

Come on, all these cop cars have the video cams now ... especially the Red(neck) state ones ... watch "Cops" ...

[slaveplanet]

9. The reason this is not an isolated

incident is because the police have been militarized. It is now procedure to treat America as a giant prison and the inhabitants as inmates without a hall pass. Especially the children, that is their main goal, get in the children's heads while they're still impressionable and make sure they know their status.
It's not unlike communistic re-education camps. That is why the schools now resemble prisons with their security and rules.
The suburbs and wealthy areas have largely been insulated in the past but that is now changing, expect this police behavior to become more common in suburbs. I have no doubt that praises are being heaped on this officer from within the department and he will be rapidly promoted.

Those comments the readers left are quite telling.

and so is this quote from an innocent 7 year old child:
“I can’t even sleep at night, I just think about it every day,” said Joshalyn. “They got it deep in my mind. “He was talking to me the whole time.”

[Lars39]

10. They went on to cite her for an insurance violation and towed her car?!

After the cop threatened to shoot her daughter with a cocked gun?!!!:wtf: :grr:

"As it was, Lawton ended up being cited for an insurance violation. She was fined and her car was towed, but according to her, the ultimate cost has already been paid with her daughters’ security and peace of mind."

I hope she sues their asses off.

[LostinVA]

14. I'm sure some posters will be defending this

They always do....

People like this aren't law enforcement or peace officers -- they are hard-on control freaks with a gun and badge who looooove the power. I've personally known some cops like this -- including an ex. Ick.

[Beelzebud]

16. In a police state, we tazer and draw guns on children.

We shoot people in the head with rubber bullets for celebrating a college basketball game.

We tear-gas people who are protesting war.

We lock people up, without charges, for protesting outside the "free speech zone".

We have a city destroyed by a hurricane, and are more worried about disarming the citizens than rescuing them or feeding them.

I could go on... But it's too painful.

America - A once beautiful nation.