Coming in late on this thread, I noticed that in the first post "Cmdr. Michael Kilbourne said a ticket was issued because the ordinance bans conduct that disturbs or alarms people, and one of the boys told police he was scared by her comment.
st report."
Depending on the way the question is asked of a witness, an appropriate answer can be elicited to convict a defendant. Lawyers are adept at such questioning and this is now permeating to the police, certainly here in Britain.
As a witness to an incident of potential violence I was asked by a policeman if the words used by the arrested person causd me to be shocked, frightened, scared or what might have been my reaction. He was quite put out by my comment that I thought the words said were nothing more than the rantings of a drunk who would have been unlikely, the next day, to have been able to remember anything about the incident.
Due to my, I think reasoned, response I was considered to have been an unreliable witness. The policeman had in effect, been trying to put words into my mouth to enable him to obtain a conviction.
Colyn.