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Dad takes daughter's phone away as punishment - goes to trial (misdemeanor case)

MAC702

Campaign Veteran
Joined
Jul 31, 2011
Messages
6,331
Location
Nevada
[The mother] "Michelle Steppe is married to a Grand Prairie police officer." They claim, of course, that anyone would have been given the same police service.

That said, while I agree that the father had the right to take the phone as discipline while his daughter was in his custody, it does seem like he should have later given it to the mother, as she is the one who bought it for the daughter.
 

cjohnson44546

Regular Member
Joined
Nov 8, 2013
Messages
188
Location
Memphis, TN
This guy is an idiot... and he shouldn't have been found not guilty.

1. His daughter did not live with him, he was re-conecting with her.
2. The Mom (which he was never married to) owned the cell phone.
3. years later he STILL has the phone and will not give it back!

If he wanted to take it away from his daughter for some punishment reason when they were together... fine, then give it back to the mother, tell her what happened... she's the primary guardian of the child. This guy is all kinds of stupid... but I have no idea how he couldn't be found guilty of theft when he keeps the phone that is not his, or his daughters.
 

decklin

Regular Member
Joined
Sep 2, 2011
Messages
758
Location
Pacific, WA
The whole family sound like a bunch of losers.
Daughter is at dads. Dad finds inappropriate texts. Takes phone.
Daughter calls mom. Mom calls cops.
Dad apparently keeps phone afterwards. Probably out of spite.
Dad ignores kid till age seven. Four years later calls it quits.
Moms nuts. Dads a deadbeat. Daughters in for a dim future.

The only appropriate thing here was initially taking the phone and refusing to give it to the cops. He should have returned the phone to the mom when the daughter went home.
 

davidmcbeth

Banned
Joined
Jan 14, 2012
Messages
16,167
Location
earth's crust
Cops are not judges. What proof did they have that the mom owned the phone, first off. Nothing.

2nd...this is a civil matter, not criminal.

3rd ... gov't should keep out of family affairs

4th...(tangent) ... there should not the crime of "domestic assault" or similar charges ... assault and battery covers this..its just more laws passed to take away our freedoms. Why should it matter if you hit Joe Blow or your spouse? Now, they'll take away your RKBA in only one of those circumstances....
 

MAC702

Campaign Veteran
Joined
Jul 31, 2011
Messages
6,331
Location
Nevada
...What proof did they have that the mom owned the phone, first off. ....

Did the man not admit to that?

Who bought it would likely be very easy to prove with the phone number and serial number. Phones are "registered!"
 
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HPmatt

Regular Member
Joined
Aug 18, 2013
Messages
1,467
Location
Dallas
Dad paying child support? DA upped the ante by moving to Class B misdemeanor - but did not make the case? Obviously more back-story here. Wd like to see a pic of Mom and Daughter...


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
 
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