The tale of Tufts history professor Felipe Fernandez-Armesto getting roughed up for jaywalking in Atlanta has gone global. The BBC is doing a "those nutty Americans" story on it, headlined "What Every Brit Should Know About Jaywalking."
Another interesting fact emerged in the BBC story. The Hotlanta PD "confiscated his box of peppermints." The police took his peppermints! This whole incident is sounding more and more like a lost episode of Seinfeld.
Most stories have focused on Fernandez-Armesto, but the Atlanta Journal-Constitution offers the police perspective. Christian Boone of the AJC also adopts the Fernandez-Armesto-esque style: "Officer Kevin Leonpacher insists he is no rogue cop and suggests perhaps the professor is a bit of a scofflaw."
An interesting twist emerges in the AJC story, which also includes a PDF of the police report. At first, it seemed as if Leonpatcher was a plainclothes officer. However, Leonpatcher tells the AJC he was in uniform. He says he was working a side gig for the Hilton Hotel at the time of the arrest. No wonder Fernandez-Armesto was confused.
The Tufts Daily hasn't said anything yet, at least not on their website. However, Fernandez-Armesto is scheduled to teach a course on "The World From 1500" in fall 2007. So, Tufts students, sign up now because you have a celeb on your hands! And, if he is half as witty in the classroom as he is when talking to reporters, then that will probably be a great class.
Some commenters in Bostonist's earlier post on the Fernandez-Armesto Affair have given the contact information for Kevin Leonpatcher, the officer who initiated Fernandez-Armesto's arrest. Bostonist won't repeat it above the jump because we can't determine its accuracy, and, frankly, we're a little afraid of the Hotlanta PD after this. But feel free to check the comments if you want to give the arresting officer a piece of your mind.
Image from BBC. Bostonist is "liberating" the picture to make a point. Look at this guy on the ground, surrounded by Hotlanta's finest. Were that many officers really necessary to subdue him?
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