Female Indian diplomat arrested and strip-searched in NYC - PeachParts Mercedes-Benz Forum

cmac2012 · #1 12-18-2013, 02:11 AM

Jeez, this was boneheaded.

Quote:

The diplomat, Devyani Khobragade, the deputy consul general in New York, was arrested last Thursday and accused of submitting false documents to obtain a work visa for her housekeeper and paying the housekeeper far less than the minimum legal wage. Indian officials said that Ms. Khobragade was arrested and handcuffed on the street as she was leaving her daughter at school, and that she was kept in a holding cell with drug addicts before she was released on $250,000 bail.

By far the most troubling part for Indians are assertions that Ms. Khobragade, 39, was strip-searched after her arrest. Some Indian newspapers published reports claiming that she was subjected to repeated cavity searches. The Indian national security adviser, Shivshankar Menon, has called such treatment “despicable” and “barbaric.”

The Indian government issued a statement the day after the arrest saying it was “shocked and appalled at the manner in which she has been humiliated by the U.S. authorities.” The foreign secretary, Sujatha Singh, summoned the American ambassador to India, Nancy J. Powell, and lodged a strong protest at the “unacceptable treatment” of the diplomat.

http://www.nytimes.com/2013/12/18/world/asia/outrage-in-india-over-female-diplomats-arrest-in-new-york.html?_r=0

Jim B. · #2 12-18-2013, 02:49 AM

The United States Marshals Service, in a statement, confirmed that Ms. Khobragade had been strip-searched, following “the same search procedures as other U.S.M.S. arrestees held within the general prisoner population in the Southern District of New York.” It said she was “placed in the available and appropriate cell.”

The United States Marshalls need to brush up on the term "Diplomatic Immunity" before the next time they start to take out their sticks and play them like a marimba on the head of the next Ambassador they "detain".

cmac2012 · #3 12-18-2013, 03:16 AM

The article said she was allegedly working a housekeeper similar to the near slave like conditions apparently often seen in India. I could see some official action being taken but this was just stupid.

Txjake · #4 12-18-2013, 08:49 AM

dumbasses on parade.....again.

kerry · #5 12-18-2013, 10:04 AM

Saw this story in the Time of India a few days ago. Big news over there. Heard somewhere yesterday that due to her ranking in the diplomatic corp being very low, she didn't have diplomatic immunity. I hadn't heard that before and didn't know that not all diplomats have immunity. But yes, dumb move. Both on the NYC police and her part for owning a slave.

spdrun · #6 12-18-2013, 10:20 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by kerry

Saw this story in the Time of India a few days ago. Big news over there. Heard somewhere yesterday that due to her ranking in the diplomatic corp being very low, she didn't have diplomatic immunity. I hadn't heard that before and didn't know that not all diplomats have immunity. But yes, dumb move. Both on the NYC police and her part for owning a slave.

This wasn't the NYC police for once -- this was the the US Marshal Service. And shame on her. Assuming a work week of 50 hours, she was paying her housekeeper around $2.55/hr. Obscene.

cmbdiesel · #7 12-18-2013, 01:41 PM

I guess if you don't want to be treated like a criminal, you shouldn't engage in criminal activity.

No sympathy here.

If the Indians don't want to live up to their agreements regarding our embassies, then it's time to pull up stakes.

Botnst · #8 12-18-2013, 02:01 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by kerry

Saw this story in the Time of India a few days ago. Big news over there. Heard somewhere yesterday that due to her ranking in the diplomatic corp being very low, she didn't have diplomatic immunity. I hadn't heard that before and didn't know that not all diplomats have immunity. But yes, dumb move. Both on the NYC police and her part for owning a slave.

There are different levels of immunity. Hers was "performance of duty". Labor laws are not impacted by that. But she can double park in performance of her duty and ignore the tickets.

Strip searching her was ferking stupid. Lack of immunity or no.

Jim B. · #9 12-18-2013, 02:29 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Botnst

There are different levels of immunity. Hers was "performance of duty". Labor laws are not impacted by that. But she can double park in performance of her duty and ignore the tickets.

Strip searching her was ferking stupid. Lack of immunity or no.

This is *NO* defense whatsoever of strip searching a diplomat, but no doubt in NY the strip search is SOP when ANYONE gets arrested and booked, along with the mouth and anal searches and fingerprinting process.

It was nothing personal, Though obviously ham fisted (no pun intended) in its application.

Many years ago one of the San Francisco Sheriff Lieutenants I worked with in the criminal felony Courts advised me,

"Jim, my advice to you is to NEVER get arrested, not for anything. Not EVER.

Not even just booked and released".

I took that advice to heart. I have never been arrested, ever.

But this illustrates graphically why it is manifestly very GOOD advice.

I don't think the arrest and booking procedures are likely to ever basically change in this country.

Cali-V · #10 12-18-2013, 02:36 PM

Status of a Diplomat does not give you the right to break local law... What you get is a pass on prosecution, if you Embassy invokes Diplomatic Immunity... You get a free ride home.

But invoking the right of immunity has political cost, so you never know...

For those who call foul, would you perfer a two tier/class judicial system?

Jim B. · #11 12-18-2013, 02:43 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Cali-V

Status of a Diplomat does not give you the right to break local law... What you get is a pass on prosecution, if you Embassy invokes Diplomatic Immunity... You get a free ride home.

But invoking the right of immunity has political cost, so you never know...

For those who call foul, would you perfer a two tier/class judicial system?

There already *IS* a two tier/class judicial system.

It's money/no money.

cmac2012 · #12 12-18-2013, 02:50 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by cmbdiesel

I guess if you don't want to be treated like a criminal, you shouldn't engage in criminal activity.

No sympathy here.

If the Indians don't want to live up to their agreements regarding our embassies, then it's time to pull up stakes.

Would it have been that hard to pay the woman a visit at her office and inform her that her slave thing was unacceptable and if she didn't show proof within a day or two that the situation was completely remedied she would be asked/forced to leave the country?

The chances of this woman trying to spirit drugs, weapons, whatever into jail in one of her cavities are what you call ZERO. That's what a strip search is for - sometimes they make you spread 'em and visually inspect, other times they probe. Word India is putting out is that they probed - I dunno, I wasn't there.

What she is accused of doing is serious and deserved looking into. However, it's not just her we're dealing with. A diplomat is their nation's representative and India feels that they have been insulted. Imagine our diplomat in Turkey being arrested and thrown overnight into one of their prisons as seen in "Midnight Express" over some similar nonviolent charge.

Cali-V · #13 12-18-2013, 02:51 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Jim B.

There already *IS* a two tier/class judicial system.

It's money/no money.

Well Yeah...

cmbdiesel · #14 12-18-2013, 02:54 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by cmac2012

Would it have been that hard to pay the woman a visit at her office and inform her that her slave thing was unacceptable and if she didn't show proof within a day or two that the situation was completely remedied she would be asked/forced to leave the country?

The chances of this woman trying to spirit drugs, weapons, whatever into jail in one of her cavities are what you call ZERO. That's what a strip search is for - sometimes they make you spread 'em and visually inspect, other times they probe. Word India is putting out is that they probed - I dunno, I wasn't there.

What she is accused of doing is serious and deserved looking into. However, it's not just her we're dealing with. A diplomat is their nation's representative and India feels that they have been insulted. Imagine our diplomat in Turkey being arrested and thrown overnight into one of their prisons as seen in "Midnight Express" over some similar nonviolent charge.

She treated another human disgracefully, and was then treated disgracefully. Likely it was deliberate.

Karma's a bltch.

cmac2012 · #15 12-18-2013, 03:01 PM

Sigh.

Yeah, let's try to reform Indian thinking and tradition with some heavyhanded nonsense. My suggestion had a much better chance of bringing about improvement. Your solution is causing mountains of headaches for our diplomatic staff in an important ally nation.