Perp-walk politics

I understand the social utility of inflicting a certain amount of humiliation on a formerly powerful official like ex-Rep. John Sweeney, who is serving 30 days for DWI in the Saratoga County Jail and was photographed at a court appearance last week. A large photo of him appeared on the front page of The Saratogian, where he was very obviously not only handcuffed but leg-shackled -- which was considerably overdoing it on the part of law enforcement. Other papers ran the photos, too. I don't blame them but I do blame whoever put the shackles on. It was not only unnecessary but disgusting, creeped me out. I hope the feds are smart enough not to do that to 81-year-old Joe Bruno next Thursday.

Comments

[Hank Fox]

Any reason given for the shackles?

I haven't forgiven Sweeney for the Florida recount riot, so it tickles me jusssst a little bit to think of him this way.

Still … poor bastard.

[Matthew]

Unfortunately, I can verify that leg shackles are standard operating procedure for any prisoner transport.

[devtob]

My understanding is that people coming from county jail to court are always cuffed and shackled, and can be photograpehed in the parking lot.

Unlike most such, Sweeney was allowed to wear a suit, and not jail clothes.

That said, the media did not have to take and prominently publish a photo of cuffed and shackled Sweeney.

It's like kicking a man when he's down, and no one likes that much.

Even Democrats like me who never liked Sweeney at all.

Arrests and convictions of former high-profile politicians will always be news, and should be, but that photo, and its placement, was needlessly nasty and sensationalistic.