Jackson Jambalaya

The Clarion-Ledger reported today merely having an open container of alcohol in the car will land you in jail if you are in Tupelo:
"When Cedric Robinson and his friend were pulled over by a policeman a few months ago, even though he was drinking a cold beer, Robinson didn't think he'd have a problem because he was a passenger. Robinson was wrong.
Because of an ordinance that prohibits open containers of alcohol in a motor vehicle on any public street or highway in Tupelo, Robinson found himself in jail." Go to jail. Do not pass go and don't take a drink either.

A little strict one would think although I'm sure the MADD Nazis are celebrating. There are good reasons for having open container laws but throwing someone in jail instead of just pouring the beer out and writing him a ticket is draconian, to say the least, especially if the driver can pass a blood-alcohol test. However, the Tupelo police want to make sure you really don't drink and um, walk:
"And don't get caught drunk walking.
Michael Harrison thought by walking home after leaving a bar instead of risking getting caught driving drunk he'd be saving himself a trip to jail.
But, even though he wasn't driving, Harrison was still guilty of a crime - public drunkenness. Because he wasn't aware of the law, Harrison said, he made a mistake he'll never make again. "I thought I was being smart by walking the couple blocks home instead of driving," Harrison said. "But I didn't know you could be arrested for walking drunk. That was my bad."
Harrison admits he was drunk and said the officer who arrested him was doing his job and was very professional."

This shows how warped the MADD Nazis and their police lapdogs in Tupelo have become. Don't drink and drive they say. So you are in a bar, realize had have a couple too many, and want to walk home so you don't endanger anyone. Sorry, you're going to jail. Of course, this IS Tupelo we are talking about, after all. These are the same badge-wearing thugs that strip-searched a teacher a few years ago. Remember the case? A parent whose little brat could do no wrong filed assault charges against a teacher (even thought the school district had investigated and cleared the teacher) . Fair enough as it is the parent's right to do so. However, the Tupelo police department didn't just arrest the teacher and let her bond out. No, they strip-searched and humiliated her then stridently defended their barbaric behavior when questioned about it by the media. Tupelo PD's thuggery caused such an outcry the legislature changed the law concerning how teachers were treated on such charges.

Nice to see Tupelo police are still a bunch of dumb rednecks with badges.