[Peace-discuss] A prisoner in Texas was recently promised freedom if he did what?

[Stuart Levy]

On Wed, Nov 26, 2008 at 01:06:49PM -0600, John W. wrote:
> On Wed, Nov 26, 2008 at 12:08 PM, Karen Medina <kmedina at illinois.edu> wrote:
> 
> Today's "Wait Wait, Don't Tell Me!" Daily News Quiz question is:
> > A prisoner in Texas was recently promised freedom if he did what?
> >
> > "What we have here is a failure to communicate: A city jailer in Denton,
> > Texas, recently told a detainee that he would be immediately released
> > if he did what?
> > A) Performed a belly dance
> > B) Voted for John McCain
> > C) Egged a city supervisor's house
> > D) Ate six saltines in one minute without drinking water
> >
> > ---- the answer is below ------
> >
> > Voted for John McCain
> > On Nov. 4, Denton jail employee Chris Saunier locked up Aruto Ntel, who had
> > been stopped for speeding and brought in on an existing warrant. Saunier
> > allegedly dangled the keys in Ntel's face and told him he would be released
> > if
> > voted for John McCain for president. Sadly for Saunier, Ntel simply waited
> > for
> > bail, then headed to the voting booth -- where he voted for Barack Obama.
> >
> > Nevertheless, exit polls showed that McCain performed strongly with Denton
> > voters who listed "being released from jail" as their top issue in the
> > election.
> 
> 
> 
> The last sentence, about the exit polls, is surely a joke.

:)
 
> Denton jail employee Chris Saunier's actions would seem to be illegal.

Hope so.  See this Dallas Morning News article:

    http://www.dallasnews.com/sharedcontent/dws/news/localnews/crime/stories/111908dnmetdentonjailer.1ca3a9923.html 

"Police Chief Roy Minter and his supervistors will decide in the
next week what disciplinary action should be taken...  Mr. Saunier,
a nine-year veteran, has been placed on restricted duty..."
Too bad there's no suggestion of filing a criminal charge. 

The article closes with

   "Mr. Ntel, who recently became a U.S. citizen
    [and who had been pulled over *as he was going to vote*
    for the first time], said a friend posted the $187 bond
    and took him directly to the voting booth.

    Mr. Ntel voted for Obama."

> I can actually eat six Saltines without drinking any water.
> But it's tough.

Wow.  Sounds tasty.    I'll have to try it.