Quitting an addiction can require strong willpower, something that only a few people seem to possess. Those who fail may feel hopeless, leading them to continue their addiction. Others may try to think positively and start over, looking for alternative ways to quit—some of which can be rather strange. That was the case with an American woman who slapped a police officer outside a jail for no other reason than to get herself arrested and serve time behind bars, where smoking was prohibited, hoping this would help her give up the habit.
The story began in 2013, when a 31-year-old American woman named Etta May Lopez, who lived in California, United States, slapped Matt Campoy, a Sacramento County sheriff’s deputy, in the face as he was leaving the jail. Her aim was to get arrested and sentenced to a sufficiently long period in prison as a desperate attempt to quit smoking, since smoking was not allowed inside the facility. Lopez had reportedly waited outside the jail all day for a uniformed officer to emerge, knowing that assaulting one would almost certainly land her behind bars.
As soon as Deputy Matt Campoy came out, Lopez approached him and attacked him. The officer tried in vain to avoid her and make his way home, but she continued to harass him. Suddenly, she reached out and slapped him in the face, leaving him with no choice but to defend himself, restrain her, and take her inside. While being restrained, Lopez told him that she had done it to quit smoking. The officer was astonished, and when he decided to release her, she struck his arm because she did not want him to let her go.
Etta May Lopez was brought to trial, where she refused any attempts to defend her actions. She was sentenced to 63 days in jail, along with an additional five days for violating an earlier court order prohibiting her from driving under the influence. She was also warned not to assault another officer, or her punishment would be doubled.
Although the story is amusing, we hope Lopez really did manage to quit smoking while in jail. Anyone thinking about giving up this habit should try a different method rather than following Etta May’s unusual example.
