Opinion: Arrested Utah Nurse Had It Coming https://t.co/tPD6SPUnjg pic.twitter.com/3IIYuG394t
— The Daily Caller (@DailyCaller) September 5, 2017
In an early frontrunner for worst-take of the week, conservative tabloid Daily Caller published a piece aimed at the Utah nurse whose handcuffing and arrest went viral after she refused to provide a patient’s blood to a police officer.
In the piece titled “Arrested Utah Nurse Had It Coming,” Daily Caller editor Gregg Re makes the claim that Salt Lake City-based nurse Alex Wubbels may have deserved the treatment she received. “Police simply do not need a warrant if exigent circumstances justify an urgent search and seizure of evidence. The imminent loss of blood evidence, which would be useful in a drunk-driving case, qualifies as a potentially exigent circumstance,” writes Re.
Hilariously, Ken White — the author behind the popular law blog Popehat — predicted Daily Caller’s exact piece days before they published it, tweeting “Is it time for the first Hot Take on how the cop was right to arrest the nurse? Breitbart? Federalist? Daily Caller?”
Is it time for the first Hot Take on how the cop was right to arrest the nurse? Breitbart? Federalist? Daily Caller?
— VeryFinePopehat (@Popehat) September 1, 2017
The basic premise of Re’s piece is: Wubbels may have been in the wrong to stop the officer from taking the patient’s blood sample because of “exigent circumstances” — including possible intoxication during his car wreck.
However, there is a glaring mistake in the conservative tabloid’s post. Wubbels cited a hospital policy for not handing over the blood sample, as the patient-in-question was not under arrest, the police had no warrant, and the patient did not consent. This policy falls in line with search and seizure limitations covered under the Fourth Amendment, and while there are exceptions to search and seizure laws, they require probable cause.
Neither of these are the case in Wubbels’ situation, as her patient was not accused of being the culprit of a crime.
Wubbels recently went on CNN to explain her side of the story. “I stood my ground. I stood for what was right, which was to protect the patient,” she said.
Daily Caller also received plenty of criticism and a heavy dose of mockery from Twitter for their editor’s claim:
Opinion: Bambi’s Mother Should’ve Laid Low During Deer Season https://t.co/eTuqzCh7Th
— Patrick Monahan (@pattymo) September 5, 2017
Two things:
1. This clickbait headline stinks
2. She wasn’t charged and he was suspended pending investigation https://t.co/qXXucRaoNV— neontaster (@neontaster) September 5, 2017
What’s wrong with titling it “The Utah Nurse Case Is More Complex Than You Might Think”?
— neontaster (@neontaster) September 5, 2017
Last month, Daily Caller tells Barron Trump to dress up better.
Today, Daily Caller said Utah nurse had it coming.
Pathetic. pic.twitter.com/DcB8QxENkX— Mitch Behna (@MitchBehna) September 5, 2017
SLCPD: Eat these nickels
Nurse: No
CNN Breaking News: Nurse arrested for not eating nickels
Daily Caller: Shoulda eaten those nickels https://t.co/KHJi2rlAHM— Michael Stahlke (@MichaelStahlke) September 5, 2017
Daily Caller wins the prize @Popehat pic.twitter.com/ee4Dk1Wsw8
— Almaqah (@_Almaqah) September 5, 2017
[image via screengrab]
This is an opinion piece. The views expressed in this article are those of just the author.