Post by A Parent on Jul 6, 2006 12:46:09 GMT -5
Found this forum and want to tell you of a situation in hopes someone will know what to do.
About 10 years ago, my son (we'll call him John) had a run in with a Sheriff's dept. deputy. In court, the case was thrown out and the attorney literally made the deputy look like a fool. He saw my son later and said, I'll get you one day when you least expect it.
At the time John was fresh out of college and living with his brother in that county. Shortly after that he took a job traveling around the country and only returned to the area occassionally on holidays.
About 3 months ago John's motorcyle was hit and he came home to recover. Looking for something to occupy his time while waiting for an insurance settlement, he went back to that county where I own a house, to do some re-modeling for me. He was without transportation, but the town only has one stoplight and everything is in walking distance.
While out walking one day, he spots a 4sale sign on a jeep. He went to the door and knocked, but there was no answer. He continued on for a couple of blocks and a police car stops. He is shaken down and warned about going near that house again. Turns out, this was the deputy's house he had a run in with. John asked them to put the trespass warning in writing. The officer didn't want to, but finally did.
From that moment on, every time he stepped off of my property they stopped him. Four times they shook him down, twice on private property one of which was mine.
This continued for about 6 weeks and finally culminated in his arrest for concealed firearm. The circumstances being, he had been in the woods looking for his dog and had a 22 rifle with him.
When he came back up on the road, he stuck the butt of it under his tee shirt, so children wouldn't see it. (he was dressed in shorts & tee shirt)
He was carrying the clip in one pocket and the shells in another pocket. He told the officer that, when he was arrested. At the jail, he was asked if he had anything on him and he relied, "I still have those three 22 bullets in my pocket." The arresting officer slapped another charge on him. 'Carrying Contraband into a Correctional Facility' (this charge was dropped at first hearing)
They immediately placed him in the Orange outfit denoting a problem or dangerous person. They then placed him in a cell with 2 federal prisoners. Somebody called the classification officer and told them there was to be no bond.
On the 3rd night, John was asleep and somebody hit him in the head. It required 6 stitches. He is afraid to say what happened. On the way to the ER, the sgt in charge told the female officer to shoot him if he made one move. I later confronted him about this and he admitted he did it. I then ask him why he felt it was nessesary to tell a trained officer that and was he trying to make her unduly nervous of John.
When he returned to the jail, he was placed in isolation. No , No radio, No books, No windows on the cell and nothing to write on or with. This was on May 27th and he has been there ever since.
About a week later there was a disturbance somewhere in the jail and the guards pumped pepper spray into the air conditioning ducts. All the inmates were taken into the courtyard, except for those in orange outfits. John has allergy induced asthma and the next day asked to see a doctor. They wouldn't let him and it was 5 days before the regular doctor's day and he was allowed to see one. Medication was prescribed, but it wasn't given to him.
He broke out with an allergic reaction and now has a staph infection.(Mercer) He is only given a change of clothes and a towel once a week.
It comes down to this. My son has never been convicted of a felony and hasn't been adjudged of any crime, yet he has been in 'the hole' since May 27th. I have pretty much traced the problem to the sheriff's deputy, who is now high in the ranks. The jail is under the supervision of the sheriff's office.
This sheriff's deputy talked to the State's Attorney handling the case and the judge.
I have hired an attorney, but he is working toward getting him out and I don't want to rock the boat, until John is away from their control.
Who do I report this abuse of power to?
About 10 years ago, my son (we'll call him John) had a run in with a Sheriff's dept. deputy. In court, the case was thrown out and the attorney literally made the deputy look like a fool. He saw my son later and said, I'll get you one day when you least expect it.
At the time John was fresh out of college and living with his brother in that county. Shortly after that he took a job traveling around the country and only returned to the area occassionally on holidays.
About 3 months ago John's motorcyle was hit and he came home to recover. Looking for something to occupy his time while waiting for an insurance settlement, he went back to that county where I own a house, to do some re-modeling for me. He was without transportation, but the town only has one stoplight and everything is in walking distance.
While out walking one day, he spots a 4sale sign on a jeep. He went to the door and knocked, but there was no answer. He continued on for a couple of blocks and a police car stops. He is shaken down and warned about going near that house again. Turns out, this was the deputy's house he had a run in with. John asked them to put the trespass warning in writing. The officer didn't want to, but finally did.
From that moment on, every time he stepped off of my property they stopped him. Four times they shook him down, twice on private property one of which was mine.
This continued for about 6 weeks and finally culminated in his arrest for concealed firearm. The circumstances being, he had been in the woods looking for his dog and had a 22 rifle with him.
When he came back up on the road, he stuck the butt of it under his tee shirt, so children wouldn't see it. (he was dressed in shorts & tee shirt)
He was carrying the clip in one pocket and the shells in another pocket. He told the officer that, when he was arrested. At the jail, he was asked if he had anything on him and he relied, "I still have those three 22 bullets in my pocket." The arresting officer slapped another charge on him. 'Carrying Contraband into a Correctional Facility' (this charge was dropped at first hearing)
They immediately placed him in the Orange outfit denoting a problem or dangerous person. They then placed him in a cell with 2 federal prisoners. Somebody called the classification officer and told them there was to be no bond.
On the 3rd night, John was asleep and somebody hit him in the head. It required 6 stitches. He is afraid to say what happened. On the way to the ER, the sgt in charge told the female officer to shoot him if he made one move. I later confronted him about this and he admitted he did it. I then ask him why he felt it was nessesary to tell a trained officer that and was he trying to make her unduly nervous of John.
When he returned to the jail, he was placed in isolation. No , No radio, No books, No windows on the cell and nothing to write on or with. This was on May 27th and he has been there ever since.
About a week later there was a disturbance somewhere in the jail and the guards pumped pepper spray into the air conditioning ducts. All the inmates were taken into the courtyard, except for those in orange outfits. John has allergy induced asthma and the next day asked to see a doctor. They wouldn't let him and it was 5 days before the regular doctor's day and he was allowed to see one. Medication was prescribed, but it wasn't given to him.
He broke out with an allergic reaction and now has a staph infection.(Mercer) He is only given a change of clothes and a towel once a week.
It comes down to this. My son has never been convicted of a felony and hasn't been adjudged of any crime, yet he has been in 'the hole' since May 27th. I have pretty much traced the problem to the sheriff's deputy, who is now high in the ranks. The jail is under the supervision of the sheriff's office.
This sheriff's deputy talked to the State's Attorney handling the case and the judge.
I have hired an attorney, but he is working toward getting him out and I don't want to rock the boat, until John is away from their control.
Who do I report this abuse of power to?