"We really do believe in zero tolerance," Metro Transit Police Chief Barry J. McDevitt said after a schoolgirl was handcuffed and arrested for consuming an illegal substance in a Washington, D.C., subway station.

Was it marijuana, cocaine, LSD? No. French fries.

Seventh-grader Ansche Hedgepeth was handcuffed, booked and fingerprinted for her heinous crime, ABC News reported today.

Twelve-year-old Ansche told cops she knew she wasn’t supposed to eat in the Metro station but didn’t think she would get arrested. Her mother, Tracey Hedgepeth, is aghast over the October bust.

"I can’t believe there isn’t a better way to teach kids a lesson," she said. "The police treated her like a criminal."

Tough luck, say police. Commuter complaints about unlawful eating on Metro cars and in stations led to an undercover crackdown and 35 arrests.

-- Sheesh (kritter@adelphia.net), November 17, 2000

Answers

Well, I hope she learned a lesson. She will think twice now before scoffing at the law.

Besides, french fries are not healthy anyway, so it she shouldn't be eating them anyway.

AND, the mayor of DC got busted for drugs, so what makes her think she shouldn't get busted for fries?

I, for one, am glad DC is doing something about crime and public safety. There are just too many unregistered french fries on the streets, in cars, in the subways. It's just toooo much. And I think McDonalds is actually targeting minors in their advertising, so they should be sued for the crimes committed with their products. (Don't forget that they employed 'hamburglar')

-- gene (ekbaker@essex1.com), November 17, 2000.

LOLOLOL.... Thanks Gene, I needed that!

-- Tricia the Canuck (jayles@Telusplanet.net), November 18, 2000.

If she ate Froot Loops instead of fries, could they have busted her as a "cereal killer?"

-- Tim (pixmo@pixelquest.com), November 25, 2000.

Ooooh, a punster! lol!

-- Tricia the Canuck (jayles@telusplanet.net), November 25, 2000.