Woman's marshmallow ordeal makes Daily Show

[Snazzy]

Woman's marshmallow ordeal makes Daily Show
Associated Press

RIVERTON, Wyo. (AP) -- A woman's arrest over an unpaid fine from not storing food properly at Yellowstone National Park has landed her on the Comedy Central television show.

...

Clarke was arrested aboard a cruise ship in Florida recently as it returned from Mexico. U.S. Customs found an outstanding warrant for Clarke because she hadn't paid a $50 fine for leaving marshmallows and other food out overnight on a picnic table in Yellowstone back in July 2003. Food attracts bears.

Clarke thought she had paid off the fine.

She was held in jail for about 10 hours and went before a judge in leg irons.

....

http://www.billingsgazette.com/index.php?id=1&display=rednews/2004/07/07/build/wyoming/43-a-daily-show.inc

[DebJ]

1. Marshmellow terrorism! Yikes! (Ghost Busters!)

[kikiek]

2. Yeah and Ken Lay gets to turn himself in at his leisure.

[Mz Pip]

3. Your tax dollars at work.

Whatever happened to prosecutorial discretion?

MzPip
:dem:

[htuttle]

4. It's only news because she just got off a cruise ship

This sort of thing happens all the time to the poor. If you don't have the money to pay a ticket, you sit in jail for 10 days or so instead.

Years ago, I got stuck in jail for a muffler violation on a car I'd junked a year earlier. It took me a day to find someone to come to the jail with $65. :eyes:

[fishwax]

6. Agreed n/t

[Snazzy]

7. I think there might be more to it

In terms of Matrix like databases, or since it was a Fed park fine.

Since she was returning from abroad (if you can say that about Mexico)--not some local traffic stop.

Certainly agree with you poor people get disproportionately hassled for stupid crap. But I've left the country many times prior to 9/11 and was never hassled about a 'bench warrant' I think I have out west for a combo of youthful stupidity and maybe a principled stand. Wonder what would happen now. Some 20 years ago, but they told me it never goes away.

Still leg irons a bit harsh for any involving marshmallows.

[fishwax]

5. I'm not saying she deserved to be shackled

But leaving food out in Yellowstone national park (or any such wilderness area) is a bad idea. It has negative consequences for people, for the animals, and for the parks themselves. The fine was certainly warranted.

Every time I hear about this story, commentators seem to dismiss it as ridiculous, so I just wanted to point out that, while the conditions of her arrest may have been a little silly, a $50 fine for carelessness isn't really out of line here.

[lolly]

8. Not contesting--or ridiculing--the fine

According to reports I'd read, she had to pay the fine before she left the park. She didn't contest it.

A computer glitch or some mix-up led to the shackling and arrest.

Which could mean everybody who has ever gotten any sort of ticket for anything anywhere, even if it's been paid off, is at some risk for the same treatment.

[1monster]

10. The thing is that she HAD paid the fine...

http://www.cnn.com/2004/LAW/06/18/marshmallows.ap/index.html

snipped from the original article:

Assistant U.S. Attorney Peter Outerbridge conceded there were some "discrepancies," but suggested to the judge that Clarke appear in court again to clear up the warrant.

U.S. Magistrate Judge John O'Sullivan, who had a copy of a citation indicating the fine had been paid, apologized to Clarke, who spent nearly nine hours in detention, and demanded that the U.S. attorney's office determine what went wrong.

Zach Mann, spokesman for U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement, called the arrest "an unfortunate set of circumstances." He added, "We were acting on what we believed was accurate information."

[fishwax]

11. That seems clear now

(the initial "brights" I heard on the radio were ambiguous) And like I said, I wasn't referring to the appropriateness of anything that happened to her with respect to being arrested in Miami.

I just felt compelled to say something because this is the kind of story that, like the "McDonald's Coffee" and "Teaching Ebonics" stories is distorted by right-wingers with an agenda. She will be referenced in RW circles for years as "the Marshmallow Terrorist," with the intent being to ridicule perfectly reasonable laws designed to protect wild animals and a beautiful wilderness (not to mention people).

I feel sorry for the lady and what she's been through, and I hope the Daily Show treats her well, but when this conversation comes up, I feel compelled to make that point.

[otohara]

9. Is Jon Back - Wife Had Baby

and that's why he wasn't on lastnight

[Tsiyu]

12. But we can't find Osama or WMD.......n/t

[yellowcanine]

13. I feel much better after reading this. No telling how much havoc

has been caused by these marshmallow leavers. Way to go Customs! I feel safe with you guys on the job!

[yellowcanine]

14. Reminds me of the 60's classic "Alice's Restaurant"

.

[jdj]

15. It feels more and more like that era to me everday.

I just read an article or eff.org about how musicians are starting to bypass labels and sell straight to the public, Hooray!!!, maybe along with a resurgence of consciouness we'll get another age of awesome music, instead of this pre-packaged, cross-marketed, heterobotic r&b rip-off stuff.

[Th1onein]

16. She leaves out marshmallows and Ken Lay steals millions....

She's in leg irons and he's allowed to "give himself up" after YEARS of freedom. Yeah, this is GW Bush's America.