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Texas woman arrested for Facebook post about town water quality

reclaimthenet.org

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Re: Texas woman arrested for Facebook post about town water quality

#231
post #211
post #204

> The statute requires that a person knowingly circulate a false report. Combs says she was repeating what people told her. Gregory says she should have verified it with the hospitals first It would be a violation of HIPAA for a medical system to disclose that to a private individual. The State Health Services or TCEQ would need to conduct that investigation and ask those questions. Both of those are state level agen…

[flagged]

You wish your state had more politicians that disregarded the constitution?

Re: Texas woman arrested for Facebook post about town water quality

#233

Not surprised. Tarrant County told the US Marshals my styrofoam cooler with vomit in it was a “bomb threat” and charged me with use of a DEADLY WEAPON. Honestly. If my public defender hadn’t colluded with the Prosecution it wouldn’t be on my record today. This is going to get a lot worse before it gets better in the US. I’m a nonviolent cripple. Meanwhile a pardoned Jan 6 rioter just told a City Counsel “they should…

Is this from 2024? The news article mentioned a threatening note. Curious what it said.

Re: Texas woman arrested for Facebook post about town water quality

#234

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Yea, an arrest on your record, even if you're acquitted and/or get a settlement for police wrongdoing, can still mess you up. There are employers and landlords who will ask you / check whether you were ever arrested, regardless of the outcome of the arrest . Mere involvement with Law Enforcement puts a permanent black mark on your record and can interfere with basic things for the rest of your life.

As someone who lives this reality (arrest but no conviction), it's in practice not really so bad. It's never come up with a landlord. The last time it came up was after being accepted to grad school and I had to fill out a form about it. You do just carry with you the knowledge that if you ever get pulled over the cop can pull it up about you and have reason to hassle you more.

Not sure, would you (as a cop) help them with content creation?

Re: Texas woman arrested for Facebook post about town water quality

#235

It seems suspicious to me that they do not include the "offending" Facebook post. It seems like this is it, and it seems completely in the realm of journalism, https://scontent.fcps4-2.fna.fbcdn.net/v/t39.30808-6/6654022...

This link doesn't seem to load

Not sure why they used that link (though it works fine for me). Here's the same screenshot from the article

https://media.reclaimthenet.org/2026/05/N35Bezr1GdxG.jpg

It's facebook post. Firefox's "copy text from image" gives this unformatted blob:

> Southern Belle Watch • 1h • 2 Author We have received reports that some citizens have been hospitalized due to bacteria in the water. This is a serious public health concern that deserves immediate attention. If your water looks discolored, contains sediment, has a strong odor, or you have experienced related health issues, please send us a message. We are gathering information and reporting findings to the state. We are aware that not all areas of Trinidad are experiencing these issues. However, if your water is affected, your information could help identify patterns and ensure the problem is addressed properly. Please include: • Your area or neighborhood (no exact address needed • Photos or videos of the water (if available) • Dates and times the issue occurred • Any notices you may have received • Any health concerns you're willing to share Your information can help bring attention to the issue and support efforts to improve water quality for everyone. If you have information or your water looks like this, please send us a message Reply

Re: Texas woman arrested for Facebook post about town water quality

#236
post #222

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Yea, an arrest on your record, even if you're acquitted and/or get a settlement for police wrongdoing, can still mess you up. There are employers and landlords who will ask you / check whether you were ever arrested, regardless of the outcome of the arrest . Mere involvement with Law Enforcement puts a permanent black mark on your record and can interfere with basic things for the rest of your life.

> Yea, an arrest on your record What an awful data environment The fact that you were arrested, charged even, if not convicted should not be discoverable by third parties Uncivilised

> The fact that you were arrested, charged even, if not convicted should not be discoverable by third parties

That's how people get disappeared in failed states.

It's perfectly fine to force the state to clearly declare whom they have detained and their reasons for doing so. We also need to recognize that arrests are very often preposterous (or worse, retaliatory) and not hold it (absent other information or further proceedings) against people.

Re: Texas woman arrested for Facebook post about town water quality

#237

Earlier quoted context omitted.

> They did it to show that if you speak out against them, they'll arrest and inconvenience you. So the next person who gets a thought to speak out might decide not to bother. some of my students have expressed that they wish they could get arrested for a meme and walk away with a couple hundred grand. i, of course, have told them that they would be playing with fire. but they are still viewing it as a potentially lif…

Yea, an arrest on your record, even if you're acquitted and/or get a settlement for police wrongdoing, can still mess you up. There are employers and landlords who will ask you / check whether you were ever arrested, regardless of the outcome of the arrest . Mere involvement with Law Enforcement puts a permanent black mark on your record and can interfere with basic things for the rest of your life.

[deleted]

Re: Texas woman arrested for Facebook post about town water quality

#238
post #192

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Students are young and often have nothing to lose, aside from missing opportunities.

Opportunity cost is a real cost.

I have some alternative timeline SpaceX shares available - they are very valuable.

Are you interested in buying some from me using your money on this timeline?

Re: Texas woman arrested for Facebook post about town water quality

#239

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Not really. The federal government bails Texas out of the messes they get themselves into all the time (like their shitty power grid). Historically, Texas has often received more in federal funding than it contributes in federal taxes.

Sure, most of the South is in a hypocritical position of claiming to want the federal system I described, I want them to get it..

People are arguing with you as if you’re not making the same point they are, amusing

Re: Texas woman arrested for Facebook post about town water quality

#240
post #85

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Qualified Immunity should not apply ever. Period. No one should be above the law for any reason ever.

Let's not throw out the baby with the bathwater. Qualified immunity, as a concept, makes perfect sense. Police officers are not jurists, and they will make mistakes in enforcing the law. Making those officers personally liable for honest mistakes is, IMO, excessive. The issue isn't qualified immunity itself, but rather the maximalist interpretation that seems pervasive in the US justice system, and the overwhelmingly…

Other jobs don’t require this kind of shield. Instead, they require insurance.

Qualified immunity isn’t qualified, and it’s a horrific distorting function on your society, as officers get to act with impunity.

They’re given more and more power, and less and less responsibility.

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