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Subscribe to RSSDash cam video shows a police officer dragging a 77-year-old woman out of her vehicle after she refused to show a driver's license during a routine traffic stop in Keene, Texas. TODAY's Natalie Morales reports.
A local Texas police department is standing by an officer who dragged a 77-year-old grandmother out of her car for speeding after she repeatedly refused to provide her driver's license.
The entire arrest was caught on video by the Keene Police Department.
The woman, Lynn Bedford, of nearby Cleburne, was stopped on Aug. 19 for driving 66 mph in a 50-mph zone.
Bedford told Sgt. Gene Geheb that she had a bladder infection and had to go to the bathroom, but the situation quickly escalated when the officer asked several times for her identification and she refused.
"Just hurry up; I have to go to the bathroom," she said.
"Let me see your driver's license and insurance, please," the officer asked.
She declined several times.
"No, I want to see your driver's license and insurance, please, and then I'll listen to you," the officer said.
"I'll give it to you in a minute," she replied.
"No, you give it to me now, or I'm going to take you to jail," he said.
"Well, go ahead," she said.
The officer then pulled her out of her car and handcuffed her.
Bedford's attorney, Clay Graham, of Fort Worth, said the officer overreacted.
"The officer is not very interested in listening to what she has to say," Graham said. "She gets a little frustrated. And then he just overwhelms her. That's what I see. And then it goes from routine stop to ridiculous stop."
Graham said Bedford was injured during the arrest.
He said Bedford is not interested in filing a lawsuit right now but isn't ruling it out in the future.
The lawyer said the woman was returning home from playing the piano at church when the incident occurred.
In a statement, Keene Police Chief Rocky Alberti stood by the officer's actions.
"This incident has been reviewed thoroughly by the Keene Police Department and the City of Keene Administration," Alberti said in a written statement. "All parties have concluded that Sgt. Geheb did not violate any state laws or department policies, and in fact was following department policy in regards to violators not providing identification."
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Leave a Comment:
Welcome to Nazi Germany! Where are your papers???
As a patriot and guardian of our Constitutional rights. This officer is completely in the wrong. He use unnecessary excessive force on this woman. Failure to produce documents is a minor traffic ticket nothing more. I am appalled people find this officer's actions acceptable. He clearly violated her constitutional rights as an American.
What rights did he violate?
Exactly people here are crazy
Show your papers or be violated those are your only options, now submit to your rulers.
I know! How DARE they ask anyone for ID?! I mean, this brand spanking new method of asking drivers for "license and registration" is a downright appalling violation of basic human rights! What will be next? Asking you to show ID when you buy alcohol??!!!??
What is this world coming to??!?!?
I can't believe what this country has come. Can you imagine the police demanding to see ID when they pull you over for speeding. This is a free country I should be able to tell the police to go to hell without fear of any repercussions.
Skup, I'm telling you how bad things are... my mailbox filled up with mail last month because me and my family went on vacation... so the post office held my mail and left me a note in the mailbox saying they were holding it.
So, I went to the post office to pick up my mail... and you'll NEVER guess what happened!
They asked me for ID!!!!!! Can you believe it?!? I was ready to pop a cap in that b*ch's a$$!!
I mean it, America. You keep getting all high-and-mighty and asking people for IDs, there's going to be a bloody revolution!
At least you could of went to the washroom first and they would not of dragged you
american cops have become an enemy of the people.. cops are no longer heroes, they torment people and beat people every day in this country. never ever trust law enforcement or the system.
Sure Tony, because anarchy is the solution to all our problems. If we remove the enforcement of laws then we'll all live long, happy, prosperous, violence-free lives.
Generally, people who advocate against trusting the system and the police are people who have done something wrong in the past and gotten caught and resent the fact that they deserved what they got.
Hear, hear!
Everyone knows we'd be better off with no cops and no system.
People should be free to decide which laws they want to obey. It is a "free" country after all.
The police union 'internet operatives' are on here big-time. If you take all the fun out of being a cop, it would just be a job then.
He didn't beat this woman!
Busted! They got us! We're part of a vast police conspiracy. All across the country, as we speak, we're pulling over speeding grannies who have to pee. And we're putting them through the most horrific and downright brutal ordeal they've ever suffered through...we asked them to show their driver's licenses.
Even worse, we have a sinister covert operation to come right on to this message board and try to defend these human rights travesties.
Gosh, darrall...you're good. What gave us away?
Jax A, you are my new hero!!! Of course, since you are obviously part of the Police 'internet operatives' - sadly, Tony's comment has been proven wrong - Cops are indeed Heroes!!
Just doin' my job m'am, um, sir...?
Drive safely.
This country is full of cretins - and I'm not necessarily talking about the cop or old woman.
As far as the cop and old woman goes... this didn't have to play out the way it did and both of them seem to have contributed to the mess.
I agree, both of them contributed to the inflammatory situation thats why I believe that calling in a second officer...perhaps a supervisor...to the situation would have been a good idea. Perhaps that officer could diffuse her...because he completely blew it. Now I want to make it clear that I dont think she was in ANY way right in her actions, but right or wrong, she still deserves respect as we all do. Police officers are here to Protect and SERVE... which means that they provide a service to us...they are in a service occupation. If more of them took that attitude when doing their jobs they may find that more of the people they serve respond favorably to their presence.
It's amazing how the media has all the good little boys and girls trained into thinking it is ok to use violence on an old lady for refusing to show her papers, non compliance = violence and all you good little sheep like it keep lapping it up fools.
So what should the officer have done? Thanked the lady and asked to try not to hurt anyone when she decides to break the law in the future.
Yes Peter. You breaking the law means that there's the possibility that an officer of the law will use force against you. It's better to follow the law, then there's no force to be used against you.
Tony,
You are the most full of sh*t person out there. You are too stupid to even have an opinion. My mom is 79, and in great health. She got pulled over last year and guess what? She showed her frickin' license like she was frickin' supposed to!
@Skipper,
Thank you for voicing my thoughts EXACTLY!!!
I agree with many of the above comments. I think she was using the "pee" thing as an excuse. If she was that distressed, she should have had a Poise Pad on. When you are stopped, you should obviously provide your documentation and then, if you are having an issue, you can explain it to the officer. Insolence is not the answer. She was absolutely at fault in this situation. The officer handled himself with more patience than I would have under similar circumstances. Those who are using age as an excuse forget that people of every age, race, nationality, and creed commit crimes everyday. She could have been a drug smuggler, kidnapper, murderer, who knows? She could have been a fugitive. If you look on the missing person databases or FBI most wanted lists, people go decades without getting caught. For all you know, she had kidnapped her kids after abusing them twenty years ago or murdered her husband. Refusing to show the officer an ID would be indicative of trying to hide in my opinion and would send up red flags!
All she really had to do was comply with the officer and this would never have happened. She was in the wrong. We have laws in this country and it would have been over quickly if she had only complied.
Probably even more quickly if she had reached into her purse, but then you wouldn't have a problem with that either, would you?
What's up with these pesky 70 year old women today? First one gets herself raped in Central Park and now they are attacking the police.
I live four miles from Keene and they have one of the worst speed traps in the US. If this lady lives in Cleburne, which is close by, she should have known better. Those cops are out on Highway 67 all the time. The lady was speeding though and she should have just cooperated with the cop. Maybe he would have let her off with a warning, but I kind of doubt it. However, my husband got stopped for going 70 in a 60 mph zone and the Keene cop let him off with a warning. We were shocked, and we should have known better than speed through there too.
Every state in the union has a law requiring you to provide your license to an officer when asked when you are in control of a vehicle. it is not an option. It is one of the prices we pay for the privilege of driving.
Had she been walking down the street, she has the right to refuse to show id unless the officer can show probably cause. But when driving, it is non-negotiable. If asked, you must show your license. Or, the officer can arrest you.
And, for all you people saying, "she's 77...a grand mother...she's not dangerous!" Do your research. Plenty of senior citizens commit violent crimes. Just because your grandma is a kind, sweet old lady doesn't mean they all are.
geriatric-terrorist. You just invented an new paranoia! You can add it to the long list I'm sure you already have.
Older people have medical conditions which could be a bit more urget than getting you DL and insurance card out. Older folks also are slower to move and there bones and joints are a lot more brittle. He certainly used excessive force getting this lady out of the car. Don't think so, what would you do if he handled your grandmother like this??
He should have waited for a female deputy to arrive, and been more professional. I hope she sues him and the department. If his mother is still alive and sees this I hope she smacks the @!$%# out of him!
Bill,
REALLY?! Did you really just post that..Wow.
A cop sees many people a day, whenever a cop pulls someone oever he never knows what could happen. They always have to be ready and assume the worst. I bet if you pulled someone over and they refused to show you their lisence and said they have a "Bladder Infection" you might think something's up, I know I would. A cop cant assume the besy of people. He did his job. Shame on Granny! Shame on you for posting something that rediculas....
This lady probably didn't have her license or maybe insurance and had been avoiding the tickets by playing the "I have a condition" card. The officer acted properly and this should not even be news.
I lived in the Houston TX area for 15yrs during the late 70's thru the 80"s and this IS typical law enforcement in the entire state. cops in that state are nothing but liars and thieves i pray this lady gets a great lawyer and ends up owning this town in the end...IF that officer would have shut his all mighty (i've got a badge and you'll do what i say) mouth this entire ordeal could have been handled in a much more professional way
It really is arrogant when cops go on a power trip... and ask for license and registration.
He really should have just kept his mouth shut, and said nothing... so that she'd have no idea why he pulled her over. Anyone with a brain knows that's how it should have been handled.
As hard as it is to see this grandmother treated like a criminal, I must remind all of you, she is. She broke the law by speeding. She broke the law for refusing to comply with an officer's request for identification. She then resisted arrest by refusing to exit her vehicle. If this had been a younger person, no one would be up in arms about it. I love how so many people are asking, "If that was your grandmother...". My grandmother would comply because she has respect for law enforcement officers.
It's people like you who sanction any abuse by authority that are far more dangerous than a dingbat driving too fast.
No one is sanctioning abuse. Answer this...If it had been a 25 year male instead of a 77 year old woman, would you still feel that his actions were justified because he had to pee?
Only if he was white...otherwise it would have been profiling and police brutality.
Duh.
That granny is gangsta!
This woman clearly did not have license or insurance. She should have just admitted it instead of causing this kind of scene. She ought to be fined for obstructing a police officer.
I realize that the officer here was following protocol, but sometimes judgement should trump protocol. I personally would have called for a second unit to help with the situation...sometimes two heads and a different point of view are better than just having it out by yourself. More talking in this case...perhaps some listening too.
The lady wasn't quite right in her mind, but rather than realize this and act appropriately, the officer just strong-arms her because it's just too much trouble, or he's too ignorant, to do the job he's paid to do. You know, that protect and serve thing. But then, it is Texas.
If this was a younger lady I could see it but she was an elderly lady and needed the restroom have a little sympathy
It's not just older women that have incontinence problems. Women and men of all ages have issues. So is it okay for everyone to use the excuse that they have to pee and not have to show ID or insurance because of it?