Woman arrested for holding black teens at gunpoint

[groundloop]

Source: CBS News

Four black teenagers were going door to door early this month, looking to raise money for their high school football team in Wynne, Arkansas. When they approached the home of Jerri Kelly, she held them on the ground at gunpoint until police arrived.

Kelly, who is married to a county jail administrator, was arrested and charged with four accounts of aggravated assault, false imprisonment and endangering the welfare of a minor, Wynne County police told CBS News Friday.

Police arrived at Kelly's house on Wednesday, August 7 at around 10 a.m., responding to a report of "suspicious persons," to find the four boys on the ground, with Kelly, who is white, standing over them with a gun.

The boys were allowed to stand up and told officers they were selling discount cards to raise money for their school's athletic program. Two of the four kids were wearing their football jerseys, according to the police report. One officer immediately recognized the students from interactions with them as a School Resource Officer.

Read more: https://www.cbsnews.com/news/four-black-teenagers-were-fundraising-for-their-high-school-football-team-a-white-woman-held-them-at-gunpoint/

[Scurrilous]

1. Good!

[pangaia]

2. Lock the fucker up.....

Make her do community service, pay a HUGE fine, take psychological counseling, and wear an ankle bracelet with a GPS on it... and an electric shocker if she ever threatens any non- whitey again...


Hey, that's pretty good, don;t ya think, for a fri afternoon....

[brush]

6. Jail is more appropriate for aggravated assault, false imprisonment and endangering the welfare of..

a minor, which is what she was charged with.

[marble falls]

23. Six months, everyday all day in jail, and no more gun ownwership would be about right.

[cannabis_flower]

43. Agree and...

Even though it was a serious offense, I think after she has served her jail time she should be required to meet, supervised of course, with those boys, apologize to them and spend some time getting to know them so she can see that they are not a threat to her just because they are black. If they are not willing to meet her, she should be required to volunteer, again supervised, in some kind of school or community organization which serves minority youth.

I'm not even sure if this is possible due to school rules. Maybe if it's not possible she could volunteer at a community center in a black neighborhood. Maybe she should be required to do both. I think a lot of these incidents are motivated by unreasonable fear and creating positive interaction with minorities may serve to change long held attitudes. Simply locking her up in jail will do nothing to change her mindset and will only harden her racism. I don't think being around minorities in jail is going to change her heart.

Maybe some kind of program should be created where minorities who are willing mentor people like this to demonstrate that minorities are people just like them.

[marble falls]

47. I think reconciliation is in an important thing we have missing in our justice system ... .

I think you have the right idea.

[FarPoint]

26. That sounds most reasonable.

[trueblue2007]

48. LOCK HER UP .... 15 YEARS IN JAIL, throw away the key.

[Runningdawg]

3. Seems like the town is doing their part

Wynne School District Superintendent Carl Easley said students participate in fundraising "every year," but the district is considering stopping door-to-door fundraisers.

"We're reviewing whether or not to let door-to-door continue," Easley told CBS News Friday. Instead, the district encourages "going to businesses rather than individual homes, going to people you know and going with an adult."

[AllaN01Bear]

4. i thought that this was going to be a new case of stupids.

i like the outcome of this situation.

[onetexan]

7. me 2. I'm glad the cops were sensible. This is Arkansas after all. my inlaws live there. They're

the only liberals for miles and surrounded by the Idiot's minions.

[IronLionZion]

5. "going to people you know"

My mom only let us sell stuff or go trick or treating at people we knew, and would call them ahead to ask. She was sure we'd get shot by racists otherwise.

This wouldn't work for political outreach, where political campaign volunteers go door to door to talk to strangers. It's really scary doing that as a minority in some neighborhoods.

Having a group of 4 might be what kept these boys alive. There have been cases where black teenagers have been shot at or even killed for knocking on a racist's door.

And there was a case in the south recently where a shop owner murdered a black teen for stealing a beer, despite other customers pleading with him to not kill the kid over a beer.

[BumRushDaShow]

9. Unfortunately any number over 2 for young black males traveling together

and they are often considered "a gang".

So they are damned if they do and damned if they don't.

[IronLionZion]

33. One black male can be shot dead with no witnesses

They're more hesitant to kill a group of black males because it's more likely to have witnesses, lawsuits, uncomfortable questions if the boys are unarmed, etc.

In that case, they would have to call the police to deal with it. Police would kill one or 2 black males, but less likely if there are more. There is some safety in numbers.

[BumRushDaShow]

8. DAMMIT!!

I HATE that they make kids have to do these begathons for their school teams. They do that here in some of the Philly rim suburbs and the kids are often standing out in the middle of large and busy thoroughfares with buckets trying to get a dollar here and a dollar there from passing cars that get stopped at a light. And these are usually from schools in places with larger minority populations.

[LogicFirst]

13. I totally agree with you.

Recently, a high school student came to my door begging so that he could go to Europe with his class. I told him he could go to Europe the same way I did: work hard, get a college degree, work hard again, save money, and when you are in your 40's, you can pay your own way to Europe.

[ArizonaLib]

35. I disagree - I got a different point from BumRushDaShow's post

The schools should be funded enough with tax dollars so that the students don't need to spend time outside of class to pan handle the funding shortfalls for sports, music, and other activities. Almost any person of color can attest that the minority students will be working hard throughout their lives - probably harder for less compensation than non minority counterparts.

Also, schools are not funded as well as they were decades ago. Remember when Old Mother Reagan appointed Bill Bennett, who was campaigning to abolish the Department of Education, to Education Secretary?

Any one who knows anything about money knows that if you want something to succeed, you invest in it until it works well. The greedy racist conservatives who keep reducing money for schools in poor neighborhoods understand how to shield those kids from opportunity.

If the point of your post was a snarky hit on minority kids using the only method they can to fund their school activities, you must be a Trumper. Enjoy your time with him while it lasts. It won't last forever, and when he goes down, it will be epic.

[Jedi Guy]

40. "...you must be a Trumper."

Did you hurt yourself jumping to that conclusion? Good grief.

[Jake Stern]

50. When high school football serves a valid educational purpose I will support using tax money

Until then schools should be about academics ONLY.

[ArizonaLib]

51. I have seen sports, music, art, shop and other activities help provide

young people with great perspective and self confidence. I have done a lot of youth work. I understand football is not the be all and end all, in fact I would not allow a child of mine to play it unless kicking or long snapping, so I can give you that football could be funded by an organization like the NFL if it is that important to them - they have money and benefit in the pipeline for players and fans.

High school needs to better focus on preparing kids for life at 18 so that they can move on to where we want them to be in society, whether it be college, trade school, business ownership, etc. Young people with nothing to look forward to are the ones who are most likely to become destructive. That is why the white supremist groups acknowledge that white young people low on hope (they call themselves 'deplorables') are the easiest to recruit.

[Jake Stern]

52. Thank you for mentioning trade school

This nonsense of "you gotta go to college if you want to make something of yourself" needs to be nipped in the bud.

There is not a thing wrong with learning a trade. Around here construction companies are so hard up that they're PAYING for trade school to educate plumbers, carpenters, etc.

But the stigma is there and needs to be wiped away.

[ArizonaLib]

53. I bet there is a lot of money that could made by creating trade schools

A company or companies keeping up with trend expectations (they are out there - lumber future usages worldwide are broken out by decades and are based on construction growth and slow down expectations worldwide).

Technology companies are also hiring 18 - 20 year olds to train them instead of hiring college graduates. The companies are funding college classes mainly specific to the needs of the company. It is very smart but like you say, expensive investments for the company.

MESSAGE TO YOUNG PEOPLE - if you don't know what to do, DO SOMETHING; don't worry about finding the ultimate thing, or relying solely on college for professions or careers. Concentrate on building opportunity by learning and working for experience if nothing else. That is why many in this upcoming generation seem lost. Young people need more than 'go to college'.

Most 18 year olds don't know what they want they can and can't do. Most people make their money in their late 40's and 50's. Prioritizing creating opportunity should happen until they are at least 30. I think Benjamin Franklin said that men should not marry until 30.

[DiverDave]

54. How very, uh

Progessive of you...

[ArizonaLib]

36. I don't participate in many of my children's fundraisers

I hate racing home to take them to fast food places sponsoring a percentage of profits to their schools. I write checks directly to the schools in the full amount of what we would have paid for a decent dinner, and try to maintain our school night routines of homework, bathing, lacrosse practice, etc.

I don't understand how the difference in funding between poorer neighborhoods and wealthier neighborhoods are not remedied by title IX or some of the places in the constitution. I know title IX is known for requiring equality for sexes, but the inequality between school districts is ridiculous.

[BumRushDaShow]

37. Here in PA it has been a continual battle

as we are one of the few states that has no "dedicated" funding stream for the schools and thus the disparities between the wealthier districts versus the poorer ones gets magnified due to the fact that much of the school funding comes from property taxes. And when you have cities like Philly with a 10-year (property) tax abatement (directed towards what ends up being the high-end market), you inevitably have a loss of revenue for the public schools - particularly if you see buyers of such homes moving before the 10 years is up. And in turn, it encouraged an atmosphere where certain neighborhoods in this city became a house-flippers paradise as homes were "gutted/renovated" to get the abatement and then sold to other flippers - essentially negating having an actual family living in the home to help build a neighborhood.

Before I retired, during my career I always tried to support the fundraisers of both my family and my coworkers because I knew things had gotten dire in the schools. I remember selling peanut brittle during such fundraisers myself as a kid decades ago but it wasn't done for what are now some essential services/activities previously funded by local taxes.

[ArizonaLib]

38. It isn't much better here

We rank at or near the bottom in many educational state rankings. Always bottom feeding with Mississippi, Alabama, etc.

[cannabis_flower]

44. Even worse

I see kids begging on the street to fund raiser. No selling baked goods or having car washes, just begging. I don't think we should be teaching children to beg on the street.

[Jake Stern]

49. I don't want my tax dollars funding some high school football team

High school football serves no valid educational purpose. Schools should be for academics ONLY.

I hate that, in my area, the local school board pleads poverty when the science club wins a trip to a regional competition and comes, hat in hand, looking for a bus to take them but can all of sudden free up a bus with a driver to take the fucking football team to a game.

Surely there are better ways to raise funds for some sports team than sending kids door to door.

[LogicFirst]

10. SEND HER BACK

to wherever her ancestors were born.

[LiberalLovinLug]

11. "They said she lectured them after police arrived..

.. and insisted they look her in the eyes and shake her hand."

WTF? Just has to establish who is the authority here. Who should be subservient to whom. That they should be grateful to her to be alive.

[yardwork]

14. Ugly racism. Makes me angry.

[notdarkyet]

12. Some people shouldn't own a gun.

[Haggis for Breakfast]

15. Impersonating a LEO is a felony.

Even in that state. WTF did she think she was doing ?

[left-of-center2012]

16. yeah, this ...

She gestured toward their skin and then hers
and said "It's not about this".

[Rebl2]

17. Lock her up!

[Cosmocat]

18. School resource officer!

Big fan of these, and gotta believe he pushed to hammer this twit.

[riversedge]

19. mugshot.........

She is paranoid or bigot or both IMHO



.....Kelly, 46, attempted to explain herself, saying she heard a dog barking and the boys walking through the neighborhood. She said she feared for her safety after a prior home invasion. She gestured to the boys' skin and then her own, and said, "It ain't about that," according to the police report.

"If you're gonna sell cards, act like you're selling cards," she reportedly told police. "Be smart about it boys. Please. It's your life you're talking about. Don't be silly about it." Later, she said she "felt remorse" and asked to get in contact with the boys to buy them lunch and "put some closure on this."

A warrant was put out for Kelly's arrest, but she turned herself in Monday evening and was released that night on a $10,000 bond. A headshot was not initially taken, apparently because Kelly had a "medical emergency" as she was being booked.

Jerri Kelly's booking photo. Cross County Sheriff's Office via AP

[JDC]

29. Jesus H. That is some mug

[DFW]

41. It's Miss Trunchbull!!

I thought she was only a figment of Roald Dahl‘s imagination.

[PoindexterOglethorpe]

20. Is this woman in the habit of answering a door with a gun in hand?

And people think I'm nutso for wanting to take guns away from people. People like her are the nutsos.

[marble falls]

21. I only wish there was a photo of her face as they cuffed her. They DID cuff her, right???

[moriah]

25. She's the wife of the jail administrator, no booking shot.

And "turned herself in Monday evening", so she wasn't immediately arrested.

Instead, according to this article, the teens were the ones who were taken from the scene in police cars, even though allegedly it was to "take them home".

So fucking wrong.

[marble falls]

30. And she managed to postpone her mug shot.

[intheflow]

39. The teens were taken home.

The police car was there. You think the officers should have gone home, gotten their personal cars to drive the traumatized kids home? They weren't cuffed, and the police are actually the good guys here. A lot of these stories end with the kids getting shot by the cops.

Still, it was the fact that they didn't arrest her immediately is what jumped out at me, too. What the actual fuck? I'd also like to know what the "medical emergency" was. I don't think HIPAA applies to corrections.

And thank you for the link. Good additional info there.

[moriah]

45. I get they might have been traumatized and asked for a ride....

... but they had every right to continue to fundraise for their school in the neighborhood if they wished. They got there on their own after all.

And they didn't need personal cars. They could have called in extra officers if more cars were needed to escort them home as well as take her to jail if they requested it after such a traumatic experience, and no I don't think they were cuffed.

What irks me is that by their behavior of "taking them home" AND not arresting her when they had obvious probable cause is that, by all appearances, the four kids who were victims of this gun-toting paranoid were the ones that got "carted off" -- instead of the actual criminal here.

[intheflow]

46. The officers may have thought they couldn't arrest a homeowner

on her property, "defending" her home. But they should have stopped her coercing the kids to shake her hand. That was bullshit.

[raccoon]

22. She is definitely one who ought to have her guns confiscated.

But I seriously doubt that will ever happen.

[Talitha]

24. The court should make her do community service...

Make her work to help the Boys' athletic program.
Maybe that'll teach the bitch to be more neighborly.

[moriah]

28. Community service for 8 felonies, involving a firearm?

Max for just the Class D felony of aggravated assault (x4) is 6 years.

The false imprisonment charges, a class C felony, carry a minimum of 3 years, maximum of 8, and it should be first degree because she was holding a gun on them and obviously too damn jumpy if she came out of her house with one (creating a substantial risk of injury, as she herself admitted -- that she was willing to take their lives if they had moved the wrong way).

-----

Look, I'm an Arkansan, and I know a lot of people who are smart about their guns. They know the law.

And because of knowing the law, they know if they leave the safety of their home with a firearm on them to investigate "something suspicious", they're screwing up. If you leave your home and immediately point a firearm at someone, as this article says she did, you've committed aggravated assault. If you hold the person at gunpoint for police to arrive, you've committed unlawful imprisonment.

If she wanted everyone to be safe, if she was worried about lives, she should have stayed in her own home. Had they attempted to break in, she could have shot them the moment they got through the window/door under our laws and it be a "good shoot" -- but you DON'T leave your "castle" armed to investigate yourself.

We may suck, but we aren't Florida insofar as any type of Stand Your Ground law.

[Newest Reality]

27. This stuff, in general, reminds me of...

Yeat's poem. An excerpt:

THE SECOND COMING

Turning and turning in the widening gyre
The falcon cannot hear the falconer;
Things fall apart; the centre cannot hold;
Mere anarchy is loosed upon the world,
The blood-dimmed tide is loosed, and everywhere
The ceremony of innocence is drowned;
The best lack all conviction, while the worst
Are full of passionate intensity.

[guillaumeb]

31. Is the gun loving mom now claiming to be the real victim? eom

[femmedem]

32. If it's true she had a prior home invasion, it sounds like PTSD might have been a factor.

In addition to racism, whether conscious or unconscious.
Definitely shouldn't have guns ever again.

[Gothmog]

34. Lock her up

[Yo_Mama_Been_Loggin]

42. One of Trump's very fine people.