>From:    Todd Leuthold <[log in to unmask]>
>Subject: Pat Wright
> ...and once again, people are espousing opinions, without paying close
>enough attention to what was said, nor thinking about how things happen
>in the real world.
>The article (which I read) stated that when the policeman confronted Pat,
>he had a "kitchen knife" in his hands.  He was in his house and was in
>possession of a kitchen knife.  That statement was never clarified.  For
>all we know, it was a butter knife.  We also don't know if he was
>confronted while he was cutting up a piece of chicken, chopping lettuce,
>or using it as a screw driver.  That's the first piece where people are
>making assumptions.
 
By Pat Wright's own admission at the time of the incident, he wasn't using
the knife to cut chicken, chop lettuce, or using it as a screwdriver.
Nor was the knife in question a harmless butter knife.  On his web site,
when describing the incident, Pat admitted brandishing the knife at the
officials entering the house.  The only assumption made was that Pat Wright
was innocently working in the kitchen slicing chicken, chopping lettuce or
buttering toast.
 
>Nor was there any specific mention that he used the knife to threaten
>anyone.  It also wasn't stated just how the policeman got into his house,
>or if he had been outside, or anything else.  There is a great deal NOT
>said in this case.  The glaring lack of information should have been a
>clue to anyone, that things were left unsaid for a reason.  In many cases,
>police tend to leave out very important information that could negate the
>idea that they were threatened ...
 
Again, go to the original source, Pat Wright himself - the police were
executing a valid warrant regarding an incident where a child was injured
by a ferret at a public function hosted by Pat Wright.  The small child
was not a part of the Ferret Picnic held in a public park, and was, in
fact, a stranger.  Despite that fact, the child was allowed to interact
unsupervised with a ferret, which subsequently bit or scratched her.  When
the child's mother called police, Pat refused to cooperate and turn over
the ferret involved and the incident snowballed from there.  A warrant was
issued to seize the ferrets in Pat's possession, and the officers were
executing that warrant at Pat' home.  It should be noted that Pat had ample
opportunity to move his ferrets from his home to a different location or
even out of state before the officers arrived on his doorstep and didn't
take those prudent precautions.  Pat refused them entry and they forced
their way into the house to legally execute the warrant.  Pat was hoping
for a high profile legal case that would put him in the spotlight as the
ferret champion in California.  There has been no glaring lack of
information available about this case - it was well discussed here on the
FML when the incident occurred, on Pat Wright's Ferrets Anonymous Website
and other web locations.
 
There is no reason to make up fanciful excuses for what happened - there
was no innocent chicken sandwich on the kitchen table, no vast police
conspiracy to cover up their bungling.  The incident happened, Pat Wright
got his day in court, got off much lighter than he could have hoped, and
he got his media coverage, which is exactly what he wanted.
[Posted in FML issue 2972]