Her search was not illegal.

PROBABLE CAUSE…
When asked if she posed a danger to herself, Steffey replied, “Now or in the past?” Her answer was interpreted as… “Yes, I have at points in my life.” Steffey’s answer was considered Probable Cause under Ohio law:

“(3) A body cavity search or strip search may be conducted for any legitimate medical or hygienic reason.”

The medical reasons are 1) Steffey’s admittance to prior thoughts of self-injury in conjunction with 2) national jail safety research.

People are more prone to self-inflicted injury after being arrested. So any admitted thoughts of self-endangerment in the past requires tighter security in the jail environment, including strip/cavity search and suicide watch (checking on the inmate at very frequent intervals).

SEARCHES MUST BE CONDUCTED BY THOSE OF THE SAME SEX…
According to Ohio law, females had to conduct Steffey’s strip search, and in this case, female deputies did conduct the search. Male deputies only restrained the inmate for the female deputies who were conducting the search.

98% of everyone strip searched puts up a fight. And rightfully so because we are human and we feel we are being violated.

The Sheriff denies a strip search was conducted. According to Ohio law, it specifically states that a strip search is more than just watching someone change clothes…

“(2) “Strip search” does not mean the visual observation of a person who was afforded a reasonable opportunity to secure release on bail or recognizance, who fails to secure such release, and who is to be integrated with the general population of any detention facility, while the person is changing into clothing that is required to be worn by inmates in the facility.”

“(2) “Strip search” means an inspection of the genitalia, buttocks, breasts, or undergarments of a person…”

Therefore, the Sheriff is lying when he says a strip search was not conducted.

“(4) …a body cavity search shall be conducted under sanitary conditions and only by a physician, or a registered nurse or licensed practical nurse, who is registered or licensed to practice in this state.”

In this case, Steffey admits no penetration took place, therefore no CAVITY search was performed. Only a strip search was conducted and NO medical personnel is required to be present for that, under Ohio law.

These safeguards are in place because people originally complained about deaths of loved ones after other inmates hid weapons in their body cavities. Negligence lawsuits were filed. Without these safeguards in place, more inmates would die in jail, less of them would be afforded psychiatric help after being arrested and detention facilities would continue to face lawsuits for negligence for the death and injury of other inmates.

Here are my biggest concerns with this case:
1) Why is the Sheriff lying about a strip search being conducted, when the department met the requirements of the law?
2) Why leave her naked for six hours? Even inmates on suicide watch are allowed to wear prison clothing (although they may be denied bed sheets).
3) And why in the world would a sheriff’s department willingly retain a deputy that instigates aggressive behavior, rather than calming it?

Written like an attorney. : )

I agree with some of your concerns. What makes it illegal is everything surrounding what had happened. The police department’s protocol was to have ONLY women present during a strip search…NO MEN. Why did they need men present to restrain her? This is a 125 pound woman. A female officer should be able to restrain her if she was putting up a fight. I saw at least three female officers in the video footage. The officer filming was also a woman. They did not ask Steffey to remove her clothing. Steffey had no idea what was going on or why they were taking her clothing off. Any woman placed in her position would think that they were about to be raped.

Just the same as our Miranda rights need to be read to us, she deserved the right to know what they were doing to her. They are responsible for explaining to her why and what they were doing to her. She was screaming, “WHY?” several times in the video. She asked, “What are you doing to me?”

Mrs. Steffey was not on any substances that could inhibit her understanding of the situation. It is the officers duty to explain what is going on while she is HANDCUFFED and IN CUSTODY.

Why did they jump to the conclusion that she would be a danger to herself when she asked a simple question? They immediately dropped her and then we have what is the controversy in this case.

I’ve worked with the police department before in the nation’s capitol and the only things we removed were any objects they could use to hang themselves: shoelaces, belts, strings, etc. Not once did officers ever “strip search” anyone taken into custody at the police department.

Also, how do you explain the strip searches of the three teenage girls? For a strip search to happen to three minors for a “trespassing” charge sounds ludicrous.

What makes this illegal is that it looks like excessive force by the officers took place. She was placed in a demeaning position, especially when she was left naked for 6 hours. It becomes ILLEGAL when it appears that her civil rights were violated. She is protected by US laws, as well.

The true controversy in this entire case is whether Hope Steffey’s civil rights were violated. I believe a Supreme Court Justice once made the comment, “I know it, when I see it,” to describe how he knew when a pornographic image was placed in front of him. Any individual watching this video footage can tell with their own eyes…Mrs. Steffey’s civil rights were violated. That is what makes this all illegal.

We’ve made a 12-minute video about Israel’s strip searches of women and children. Please watch it (be sure to see the ending!) and tell others about it:
http://www.ifamericansknew.org/about_us/easiesttargets.html

American taxpayers have long been giving Israel millions of dollars per day — far more than to any other country on earth (Israel is smaller than Hong Kong).

As an American taxpayer I don’t want to pay for molesting women — in Canton, Ohio or elsewhere. It’s time we all join together to stop this despicable abuse.

I cannot conceive of anyone intepreting this legal rape of Steffey as being ‘legal.’ Perhaps the respondent is blind, but the screams alone should alert him to more than a casual search. Male depuies are not only restrined from strip searching a woman, but are prohibited from being present in the ‘viewing area.’ Apparently, this entire event was staged for the benefit of lusty fat men who wished to view the nude body of this innocent (and not suicidal) young lady. They failed to get a warrant IAW Ohio State Code). Failing that, they were to file a report explaining urgency of the search (they did not). They violated policy on searching the victim who was arrested on misdemeanor charges. They failed to provide all evidence to Steffey’s defense attorney at her trial 9conspiracy to withhold evidence) The sheriff states nothing was amiss. This is interpeted to mean that this is just another depraved event at Stark County Jail. The young lady will suffer from a complex for the rest of her life because someone committed legal rape on her to satisfy their lust.

It is my prayer that all involved in this immoral and depraved crime will do prison time just like anyone else who attacks an innocent woman or is found peeping-tom in the jail house.