Comments about ‘Defense grows in Orem lawn case’

You mean brown grass is against the law?? I would put a video camera on every city official's lawn and check for brown spots!! How many blades have to be green under that law?? LMAO

I think the City of Orem is makeing a serious mistake by going after Betty Perry. The best thing Orem Police can do is drop the charges and hope people forget what they did. They obviously do not have much common sense.

Another great moment in American police history. Is anyone else getting tired of reading stories about grandmothers/children/disabled/harmless people getting worked over by the police when there are still murders, rapes, kidnappings and violent crime happening?

It's time the police departments got external oversight comittees and some extra training. Compare this to the kid getting tasered this week.

Viva la America, eh?

POLICE never should have been involved in any level of enforcement of misguided laws requiring upkeep of lawns. Our personal rights as property owners are being steadily eroded in exchange for laws and restrictive covenants. We should be far more protective of our own liberties, and not prioritize home values as the undisputed TOP priority. I won't exchange my personal liberties for home value. If someone wants a dead lawn for their own property SO BE IT! What ever happened to our country based on the value of the individual? These types of laws would be warmly embraced in CHINA, where individual rights and liberties are constantly sacrificed for the "common good". Is this the direction we want to be headed as a community and nation? I don't think so. This is a wonderful wake-up call! Let's LISTEN TO IT & LEARN FROM IT!

It is known this lady has money. She has a BMW in the garage, travels for plessure to Europe often and has plenty of funds to take care of her lawn and turn her water on. She has a history of milking the system.
It is unfortunate that it has come to this. Arrested for not giving a name and turning her back on an officer over a lawn is silly. Should have just let her go inside her house after she chose to be rude and not comply and then a fine sent to her house if she didn't take care of the yard.
This is a case of pride and tempers flared.

Thank you Orem for showing us the folly of being "commanded in all things"!

Well, I know would rather drive my BMW and travel to Europe than water my lawn! Too bad its illegal in OREM!

One more reason for my decision to leave the GREAT state of Utah. I'm susprised she was not tasered. O yes, there is live in abundance outside of "Zion".

Correct me if I'm wrong, but in a criminal case, isn't the prosecution's job to represent "The People"? From what I've heard, and read in these forums, "The People" are outraged and can't believe this has happened, or that the court case is continuing. The prosecution doesn't seem to be representing the desires of the majority of their own clients this time around. Does anyone know what needs to be done to get the voice of The People heard by those who have sworn to represent us?

Oh MY GOSH!!!!! Now it's a criminal offense to have a dead lawn? What is this country coming to? What ever happened to private property rights? The constitution IS hanging by a thread.

This is the mentality we seem to have come to. City officials, including police are there to control us and make us do whatever will increase our neighbors property value. They are not there to protect and serve. It changes the relationship from one of trust and community to one of antagonism and fear. I guess that's what we want - we voted for the people in charge.

You people need to all get lives, and for you little bean I am personally glad that this has driven you over the edge. Please, by all means, leave Utah, because I'm sure you will find it so much better in another state. Just to let you people know there are a lot of cities that have ordinances against not watering your lawn, some choose to vigorously pursue people that disobey, some don't. But if they do choose to pursue offenders then they certainly have to punish everyone that is breaking the rule, not just certain people that meet age, gender, and race guidelines, that is against the law. I'm almost positive that nobody would even care if this was happening to some poor ethnic minority. So please hold judgement until you know how the law works and what you are talking about. Because I can assure you that it is the same in every other state.

Does the OREM Police really want CNN camping outside their door. This just adds to their reputation of being backward idiots.

What with all we keep hearing about the drought conditions in Utah, I would think she might be lauded for water conservation instead of fined for having a dead lawn. If the city is really interested in preserving a well-kept appearance, maybe they should consider some tax breaks or subsidy programs to help citizens for whom a green lawn is not a top priority instead of arresting them. Give them some landscaping incentive and help to install a drought tolerant, low maintenance alternative. Maybe they already have them, in which case they apparently need to do a better job marketing the option. They could have sent her a letter to inform her that the yard wasn't on par with city ordinances, and laying out some options and what kind of help she could expect to qualify for. I expect a proactive approach to such a nitpicking thing would get much better results than handcuffs.

Goodby Kim Bean. Enjoy your live (sic) in another state.

What a hoot. This story is so, so, so, charming.

Had she just given her name to the police officer, none of this would have happened. When does being 70 give you a free pass to diregard police officers?
Gloria Allred is just here to promote Gloria Allred.

"Does the OREM Police really want CNN camping outside their door. This just adds to their reputation of being backward idiots."

What did they arrest you for?

I think we should all have dirt lawns, or better yet, dead patches of weeds everywhere. That would look great!

Also, if someone refuses to identify themselves and attempts to flee the police, the police should just say "Oh well" and walk away.

Hey A.W.
As Ms. Allred has asked, would you like your grandmother to be roughed up and publicly humiliated by the city of Orem?
Gee, what a "Macho Man" this police officer must consider himself..taking on Mrs. Perry all by himself.
Is there any doubt in anyone's mind that Attorney, Andrew Peterson is simply trying to save face?
Ms. Allred tagged Orem perfectly...Orem has dignified itself as the laughing stock of the nation.
What a bunch of gutless coward the Orem P.D. and the Orem city attorney's office are showing themselves to be.