IL: Man charged for failing to aid officer

St. Louis Post Dispatch ^ | 8/17/2005 | Leah Thorsen

[NuclearDruid]

"It's not what Peter Skinner did, but rather what he didn't do, that landed him in jail.

Skinner saw, but did not help, a Wood River police officer subdue a teen suspected of stealing a car.

And that is why Skinner, 41, is scheduled to appear in court Aug. 26 to face a misdemeanor charge of refusing to aid an officer. "Why I'm involved as anything but a witness is beyond me," he said Wednesday in an interview in his apartment in Wood River."

"Illinois law states that a person must help an officer who asks for help 'apprehending a person whom the officer is authorized to apprehend.'"

[MinuteGal]

Some say tomato, some say tomahto....

The cop said he said.......

Skinner said the cop didn't say what he said he said......

Cop said vs....

Skinner said.....

Skinner loses.

Oh, let's call the whole thing off.

Leni

[Lazamataz]

I think he should be prosecuted just for the expression on his face.

[WillMalven]

I'm with you. I find this reaction astounding.

[Lazamataz]

I would put this in the same category as helping a drowning person.

Except, of course, the drowning person has a knife or gun and might want to kill you.

[BureaucratusMaximus]

the part about "helping your fellow man" ??? yeah right - who gives a s**t anymore, right?

Voluntary "helping of your fellow man" is alot different than what is being described in this article hombre.

That is what I hear on this board - The man should NOT have been charged with a crime for not helping the police, but on the same token, he SHOULD have helped to his utmost ability.

You go right ahead bring your knife to a gunfight hombre, oh yeah...there is that issue about this law being un-Constitutional...but what the hell? Hombres like you have been pissing on the Constitution for a while now.

This is the least/left coast big city liberal mentality - gimme gimme gimme - but I won't lift a finger to help.

Thous dost complanth too much...especially for a NEWBIE, hombre.

all you, please never move into my neighborhood.

Don't worry hombre....most of us will never be moving to CUBA anytime soon.

Viva Castro eh? Hows communism working for yeah?

[PAMadMax]

Hey, if a cop is not under obligation to help me, then neither am I to him. Call for more backup, officer.

[Wolfie]

I can't help but think of Columbine. Bunch of cops standing around while high school kids were executed, but now we're supposed to aid any cop who can't do the job he's paid for.

[BadAndy]

"I think he should be prosecuted just for the expression on his face."

This guy doesn't look like he would be much help unless the cop needed the answer to some Star Trek trivia.

[Smokin' Joe]

Where to start? The cop needs help, and asks you for it.

I would help to the utmost of my ability, if requested to do so.

(If he/she does not ask for help, but is capable of doing so, stay out of the way--you might be percieved as a threat.)

To not help is to give tacit aproval to the criminal element.

I carry a concealed weapon to intervene, not only in threats to my life and well being, but to, if necessary, intervene on behalf of third parties as well. This is an action which is legally protected in my home state.

Without that aspect in the population, what incentive do the cops have in backing CCW laws?

For those who talk about expense, etc, if they get hurt, I can pretty much guarantee any civillian who gets hurt helping a cop will have the entire police force's fundraising effort to help them out, and in some areas, the commmunity as well.

As for expensive, let the perp get away, hurt or kill the cop, and commit other crimes as well. That will cost the whole community.

In many jurisdictions Good Samaritan laws handle the liability aspect as long as you act in good faith.

For the record, I have never been employed in law enforcement, nor do I consider myself to be a law enforcement wannabe by any stretch of the imagination.

[bdfromlv]

and if you get injured by the perp bitten/blood/maimed whos is going to pay for your damages.

[T.Smith]

Your post is ironic when compared to your tagline.

[Tennessee_Bob]

Assuming he assists the officer, and is injured in some form or fashion, how much responsiblity will the city and police department assume in paying his medical bills, his lost income, etc?

[Sandy]

This cop needed help subduing a 14-year-old boy who couldn't even change a freaking tire? Good grief. The man should be fired.
What a doofus.

[Sandy]

Poor guy. You know he's hating whoever shot that photo.

[leadpenny]

Life imitating art.

[jwpjr]

re: drowning person has a knife or gun and might want to kill you.

I know from my limited exposure to lifesaving courses that a drowning person is as dangerous to the would-be rescuer as a weapon. I can barely keep myself afloat, let alone a panicked struggling second non-swimmer.

[Smokin' Joe]

I think you confuse a sense of responsibility to my family and community and those who protect it with those who would save us all from the eeevillls of left-handed nosepicking or some such.

For instance, the do-gooders in my tagline would immediately demand a law that you put the seat down, if you are male, when done, just to prevent the crippling trauma of sitting on the cold bowl for a female who used the facility after you and who did not notice the seat was up--even if the restroom was designated as a Men's Room.

I do not need anyone to save me from myself, thank you very much!

Nor do I think the guy should be charged with a crime for not helping the policeman, he has a right to be a sniveling pu$$y if he wants to. But by the same token, when his neighborhood goes to hell in a handbasket, he will have himself to thank for not helping stand up to the criminal element there.

[chadwimc]

I work nights at a major mid-western university. I kid the cops by saying "If you guys deputized me and gave me a pistol, I would see a lot more at night"...

[stuartcr]

So if this guy had helped, and got hurt, would it be the criminals fault, or the cops fault?

[RamingtonStall]

Ref: In case of the law enforcement officer needing help I would be limited to using his/her radio or my cell phone to summon backup.

That is exactly what the People's Republic of Illinois demands that you do if you are being the victim of a crime yourself since You are not allowed to legally exercise your 2nd Amendment rights to protect yourself.

Sorry about the Policeman's Luck. I would be all too happy to help, but I know full well that the Cop would probably arrest me and the Perp would probably sue me. Let em eat Cake!

RamS