In a twist worthy of a Hollywood thriller – minus the coherence and the satisfying ending – a Black Chicago woman named Whitley Temple has managed to avoid jail time for what can only be described as a spectacularly bizarre crime spree.
The 35-year-old woman was found not guilty by reason of insanity, according to CWB Chicago, after allegedly stealing a police cruiser, dragging a cop with it, and going on a high-speed joyride that could put a Fast and Furious movie to shame.
What happened?
Officer Ed Poppish, a 23-year veteran of the Chicago Police Department, had responded to a call about shots fired. What he finds instead is Temple, half-naked, lying in the street.
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Like any good policeman, he calls for an ambulance, only to have Temple spring up like an extra in a zombie apocalypse movie, chanting his name like she’s conjuring him with some dark magic. Before he can say “what the hell,” she’s in his cruiser. He yells at her to “get out of the fuck*ng car” several times which can be heard in the video at the CWB Chicago link.
Suspect drags police officer and takes off to spread havoc on the highway.
Temple gives Poppish the ultimate middle finger by telling him “Let me go. This has nothing to do with you” as she continues to drag him along for a ride. Surveillance footage shows most of what happened where, in a scene straight out of Grand Theft Auto, she reverses the vehicle, slamming Poppish into another car and leaving him doubled over in pain on the ground.
She then proceeds to drive off, reaching speeds of 97 mph, and crashes into five occupied cars. Miraculously, Officer Poppish survives, though with a concussion and stitches to remind him that no good deed goes unpunished.
Surveillance footage caught most everything. Should have been an easy case to prosecute and sentence the “alleged” criminal.
Surveillance footage doesn’t lie and it’s often used to convict criminals of crimes.
Not in this case.
Dem judge says no no on all charges.
DEMOCRAT Black Judge Tyria Walton, in her infinite wisdom, concluded that Temple was not guilty of attempted murder, aggravated battery, vehicular hijacking, or even possession of a stolen vehicle. No, of course not.
Instead, the judge approved the defense’s argument that Temple was in a “psychotic state” during her rampage. Apparently, Temple believed that people were out to get her and she thought she’d been sexually assaulted. So naturally, the only logical reaction was to steal a police cruiser and wreak havoc on the streets of Chicago.
Defendant will attend sessions with mental health officials.
Now, if you’re scratching your head and wondering how on earth this makes sense, you’re not alone. Judge Walton’s ruling means that Temple gets to avoid jail and doesn’t even end up in any kind of psych ward or mental institution.
Instead, Temple will meet with mental health officials for treatment. So she’ll get a few therapy sessions and will be free to wreak havoc again.
White police officer doing his job in Michigan is targeted by civil rights attorney who represented George Floyd’s family.
Meanwhile, if you are a white police officer in Michigan and you are trying to apprehend a Black felon – and he gets hit by your car and dies – you are going to be charged by the DEMOCRAT attorney general in your state for criminal offenses.
Because that’s how things are in Democrat-land these days. Guilty until proven innocent if you are a white police officer. Presumed innocent if you are Black criminal (or accused criminal).
Neither should be allowed. Nor should things be allowed in reverse of that. The justice system should be just and colorblind. But it certainly isn’t these days.
Low bail when arrested.
Temple’s bail when arrested was set at the low price of $7,500 and she was able to stroll out of jail with an ankle monitor after being arrested. She even landed a job with the Chicago Dept. of Family and Support Services as a lead accountant while she was awaiting trial.
Yes, really.
Karma came a calling though because someone finally noticed she had a few felony charges pending and she was fired.
You have to wonder what kind of message this sends. Steal a police car? Check. Drag an officer? Check. Endanger countless lives? Check. But hey, as long as you can convince a judge you were out of your mind, so to speak, you can walk free.
Race shouldn’t be an issue – but it is.
And if you are the right sex, color and political persuasion, well, that seems to help your case as well if the judge is on your side.
The media has done their best to hide Temple’s race. You won’t find any reports of her being Black in any other news reports. You won’t find the information or her mugshot on the Chicago Police Dept. website either. The only way you know her race is from the videos of her (alleged) crimes and a video of her as she walks out of court trying to hide her face. You will also have to dig deep to find out that SHE was the one who allegedly fired the shots which led the officer to arrive on the scene – and that she tested positive for cannabinoids and benzodiazepine. This was all in an article from WTTW.
In a city where crime is rampant and trust in the justice system is shaky at best, this verdict does little to reassure anyone that crime will be dealt with or that the justice system is actually fair, equal or just.
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