Man Charged with Battery for Passing Gas Near Police Officer

In a nation where imprisoning citizens has become Big Business, it is very easy to get in trouble with the law.  This spring, a teenager was arrested for wearing an unacceptable dress to her high school prom.  Jose Cruz, of West Virginia, recently ran afoul of the law when he passed gas.  He was charged with assaulting a police officer.

Mr. Cruz explained to the court that he was not allowed by police to go to the restroom when nature called.  Lucky for him, the battery charge was dropped.

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Sept. 25, 2008

(AP) - Charleston, W Va - A West Virginia man accused of passing gas and fanning it toward a police officer no longer faces a battery charge. The Kanawha prosecutor's office requested that the charge be dropped against 34-year-old Jose Cruz. According to a criminal complaint, Cruz passed gas and made a fanning motion toward patrolman T.E. Parsons after being taken to the police station for a breathalyzer test. Cruz denies fanning the gas and says his request to use a restroom when first arriving at the station was denied. 

Link for article:  http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20080925/ap_on_fe_st/odd_flatulence_charge;_ylt=Aj9KNxpXPKwbxUrO54XjsDMuQE4F
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Approximately 2.3 million Americans are presently behind bars.  Taxpayers pay approximately $185 BILLION annually to incarcerate 1 out of every 137 citizens.  Thousands of citizens are imprisoned for nonviolent crimes, like possession of small amounts of marijuana.   

Mental patients are important commodities in the business of incarceration.  Citizens with mental disabilities are regularly incarcerated for such offenses as disturbing the peace and vagrancy.  Because mental patients are frequently unable to understand and/or follow prison rules, they often get harsher and longer sentences than their fellow "criminals."  Approximately 1.25 million of prisoners suffer from mental dysfunctions, and that number is likely to increase as more mental hospitals close, especially if patients are released without governmental provisions for their general welfare (such as food and housing) and minus any mandates for continued psychiatric treatment after deinstitutionalization. 

Tougher laws and longer sentences, including mandatory three-strikes laws, ensure that investors with shares in the privatized prison industry will continue to do well on Wall Street.

But there is a more humane way for businesspersons to invest:  Build and refurbish mental hospitals and increase community care options for mental patients currently behind prison bars.  Public protest regarding imprisoning mentally ill citizens is growing louder and stronger.  Therefore, smart capitalists should consider redirecting their investments now into treatment for mental patients and away from punishment.  Treatment is less expensive to taxpayers and more humane.

Persons who are interested in decriminalizing mental illness are contacting their representatives about this issue at this link:  http://www.house.gov/writerep

How many "criminals" are taxpayers paying up to $50,000 per annum to incarcerate for committing such offenses as passing gas?  The answer may be hard to gauge from reviewing the record, since the charge against Mr. Cruz for his illegal fart was written up as "assault against a police officer."

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Please notice the code that appears before my name below, appearing after writing a certain article regardng a political candidate.  Oh, well.

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<?XML:NAMESPACE PREFIX = ST1 />Mary Neal
Website:  http://wrongfuldeathoflarryneal.com

Assistance to the Incarcerated Mentally Ill

Visit Online at:   http://www.care2.com/c2c/group/AIMI

Then shall the righteous answer him, saying, Lord, when saw we thee an hungred, and fed thee? or thirsty, and gave thee drink?

When saw we thee a stranger, and took thee in? or naked, and clothed thee?

Or when saw we thee sick, or in prison, and came unto thee?

And the King shall answer and say unto them, Verily I say unto you, Inasmuch as ye have done it unto one of the least of these my brethren, ye have done it unto me.  ~ Matthew 25:37-40