Appreciating Valentines: Georgia Judge and Police Officers to be Re-Trained After Muslim Woman Jailed for Refusing to Remove Scarf

It appears that neither judges nor police officers in Douglasville, Georgia have heard of the use of a scarf for religious purposes or, more likely, didn’t care about the religious practice. Lisa Valentine was arrested after she was ordered to remove the scarf, or hijab. Valentine, who goes by the Muslim name Miedah, refused and tried to leave the courthouse when she was barred by officers who took her to appear before Judge Keith Rollins who appears to have a little judgment as training as a jurist. He jailed her for 10 days.

Valentine admits to using foul language when ordered to remove the scarf, which only covers her hair. She was handcuffed and led to Rollins. She was forced to take a mugshot without her scarf.

Douglasville authorities admit that she did not fight with deputies, but insist that “Mrs. Valentine resisted the officer’s efforts by stiffening her arm, but did not physically fight with the officer.” Wow, she stiffened her arm while being pulled and cuffed?

There are certain actions that are not matters for “re-training.” This shows appalling judgment by these officers and most importantly by Judge Rollins. Even if retraining can instill a modicum of respect and restraint in the officers, Rollins’ actions reveal a serious problem in performing the role of a jurist.

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