Doctor and Husband Land in Jail for Profanity During Traffic Stop: “I Said Officers Don’t Shoot Us”
September 14
Dr. Marcia Bowden and her husband, Ira Marche, were recently arrested by an officer from the Southaven, Mississippi police, the Tri-State Defender reports.
According to Bowden’s letter to the paper, the incident occurred on September 7th. Being unable to find their license, coupled with the use of profanity, landed the husband and wife in jail.
After the couple was pulled over for speeding, Bowden says her husband tried to tell the cop that one of her patients was having a medical emergency, but the cop didn’t care:
My husband gave the officer his registration and started looking for his driver’s license. My husband gave the officer my business card. He asked, ‘What is this for?’ My husband said this is my wife’s business card, we were heading to her office for a patient’s emergency. The officer said he didn’t care about that. The officer asked my husband for his name and address.
It only goes downhill from there, with Officer Delany allegedly screaming at and berating the couple, prior to arresting them. Bowden also alleges that Delaney had his finger on the trigger.
‘I said officers don’t shoot us, we are law abiding citizens. I support the police and donate to all police causes, I know how hard the job is, but we are not criminals. PLEASE, you do not have to take your gun out, I am afraid.’
Miss. Cop Tells Black Dr. to “Shut Up” Before Arresting Her and Husband, Couple’s $200 Still Missing
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“Officer Delany said, ‘shut up maam and get out of the car and let me see your license.’ My husband said to me, ‘Honey, be quiet, these people are red neck, they will hurt you. They don’t care who you are or what you have done for the community.
The rudeness and verbal abuse didn’t end there, with Delaney reportedly questioning whether Bowden and Marche were even married and threatening to tow their car:
“I held (the) purse over for him to see the mess. I offered to let Officer Delany take a look in my purse. Officer Delany took the purse from me roughly, walked away with it and riffled through it. Officer Delany kept hollering, “Where is your license?” I said officer you have my purse.
“Officer Delany threatened, ‘I will throw all your mess on the ground and I will tow that car. Officer Delany asked, ‘Is your name on the car?’ I said I don’t know. Officer Delany said, ‘I thought you said y’all were married?’
When Officer Delany asked Bowden about her relationship with “that man,” she replied that the man “is my husband”. Officer Delany responded, “you are lying, y’all don’t even have the same last name.”Delaney also reportedly accused Bowden of lying when she said she was a doctor.
When Marche searched for his driver’s license in the glove box, Bowden says Officer Delaney was poised to shoot: “My husband leaned in the car over me with one hand on the seat for support. I looked out of the door (and) Officer Delany had his hand on the trigger of his revolver and had it lifted in the holster on his right hip.”
Bowden, the passenger, said they were both threatened with jail if they couldn’t produce a driver’s license. Bowden says she called Ruby Wharton, a lawyer and the wife of mayor A.C. Wharton in Memphis, to vouch for them. Delany took the phone, told Mrs. Wharton ‘I don’t care who you are’ and hung up on her.
Officer Delany then placed Bowden and Marche in handcuffs and arrested them. Delany took Bowden’s asthma inhaler and refused to give it back. Delany told Bowden that he was charging her husband with “use of profanity” even though, according to Bowden, the profanity was directed at her. Delany said, “He used profane language in the presence of two people, he is getting arrested today.”
A paramedic who recognized Bowden at the police precinct gave the doctor her purse so she could make calls, but even after she was arrested, officers there were rude and uncompromising:
I was able to call my brother, text my sister in law and attorney. The attorney arrived and texted me that she was in the lobby, but the hospital staff refused to let her come back. I asked the police officer if I could give my purse to the attorney because I have two rescue puppies at home that were not used to being alone and needed care. She said, ‘you can’t go out there and I won’t go out there and leave you in here unattended.’ I said, ‘Officer I am not trying to go out there, I just need my purse with my key taken to my attorney.’ She refused. Thirty to forty minutes later, hospital staff came in and said they didn’t have the form for turning over property. A nurse agreed to take the purse out but my attorney was gone.
Bowden says she was released after being forced to sign documents that she was not allowed to see. Although the married couple are now free, they are reportedly missing a watch and $200.
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September 14
Dr. Marcia Bowden and her husband, Ira Marche, were recently arrested by an officer from the Southaven, Mississippi police, the Tri-State Defender reports.
According to Bowden’s letter to the paper, the incident occurred on September 7th. Being unable to find their license, coupled with the use of profanity, landed the husband and wife in jail.
After the couple was pulled over for speeding, Bowden says her husband tried to tell the cop that one of her patients was having a medical emergency, but the cop didn’t care:
My husband gave the officer his registration and started looking for his driver’s license. My husband gave the officer my business card. He asked, ‘What is this for?’ My husband said this is my wife’s business card, we were heading to her office for a patient’s emergency. The officer said he didn’t care about that. The officer asked my husband for his name and address.
It only goes downhill from there, with Officer Delany allegedly screaming at and berating the couple, prior to arresting them. Bowden also alleges that Delaney had his finger on the trigger.
‘I said officers don’t shoot us, we are law abiding citizens. I support the police and donate to all police causes, I know how hard the job is, but we are not criminals. PLEASE, you do not have to take your gun out, I am afraid.’
Miss. Cop Tells Black Dr. to “Shut Up” Before Arresting Her and Husband, Couple’s $200 Still Missing
Click to tweet
“Officer Delany said, ‘shut up maam and get out of the car and let me see your license.’ My husband said to me, ‘Honey, be quiet, these people are red neck, they will hurt you. They don’t care who you are or what you have done for the community.
The rudeness and verbal abuse didn’t end there, with Delaney reportedly questioning whether Bowden and Marche were even married and threatening to tow their car:
“I held (the) purse over for him to see the mess. I offered to let Officer Delany take a look in my purse. Officer Delany took the purse from me roughly, walked away with it and riffled through it. Officer Delany kept hollering, “Where is your license?” I said officer you have my purse.
“Officer Delany threatened, ‘I will throw all your mess on the ground and I will tow that car. Officer Delany asked, ‘Is your name on the car?’ I said I don’t know. Officer Delany said, ‘I thought you said y’all were married?’
When Officer Delany asked Bowden about her relationship with “that man,” she replied that the man “is my husband”. Officer Delany responded, “you are lying, y’all don’t even have the same last name.”Delaney also reportedly accused Bowden of lying when she said she was a doctor.
When Marche searched for his driver’s license in the glove box, Bowden says Officer Delaney was poised to shoot: “My husband leaned in the car over me with one hand on the seat for support. I looked out of the door (and) Officer Delany had his hand on the trigger of his revolver and had it lifted in the holster on his right hip.”
Bowden, the passenger, said they were both threatened with jail if they couldn’t produce a driver’s license. Bowden says she called Ruby Wharton, a lawyer and the wife of mayor A.C. Wharton in Memphis, to vouch for them. Delany took the phone, told Mrs. Wharton ‘I don’t care who you are’ and hung up on her.
Officer Delany then placed Bowden and Marche in handcuffs and arrested them. Delany took Bowden’s asthma inhaler and refused to give it back. Delany told Bowden that he was charging her husband with “use of profanity” even though, according to Bowden, the profanity was directed at her. Delany said, “He used profane language in the presence of two people, he is getting arrested today.”
A paramedic who recognized Bowden at the police precinct gave the doctor her purse so she could make calls, but even after she was arrested, officers there were rude and uncompromising:
I was able to call my brother, text my sister in law and attorney. The attorney arrived and texted me that she was in the lobby, but the hospital staff refused to let her come back. I asked the police officer if I could give my purse to the attorney because I have two rescue puppies at home that were not used to being alone and needed care. She said, ‘you can’t go out there and I won’t go out there and leave you in here unattended.’ I said, ‘Officer I am not trying to go out there, I just need my purse with my key taken to my attorney.’ She refused. Thirty to forty minutes later, hospital staff came in and said they didn’t have the form for turning over property. A nurse agreed to take the purse out but my attorney was gone.
Bowden says she was released after being forced to sign documents that she was not allowed to see. Although the married couple are now free, they are reportedly missing a watch and $200.
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