Post by atfunding on Jan 27, 2006 4:05:29 GMT -5
Last week I was riding in the car with a "friend" of mine when he was pulled over for having a cracked windshield. Upon running his license, the police officers discovered that his license had been suspended and he was arrested and put into a K-9 vehicle. The police officers searched me, made me empty my pockets and told me I was free to go. As I was leaving, I heard them ask where he wanted the car towed, and since I only lived around the corner, I volunteered to take the car to my house and call his mother for him. The police officers then ran my license, saw that it was clean and said that would be fine.
While this was going on, one of the officers was searching my friend's car and found a needle and some bags of what they said was heroin. They placed me in handcuffs, told me I was not under arrest and put me in a police cruiser where I was able to watch everything going on outside on a TV screen the cruiser was equipped with. About 3 minutes later one of the police officers came back and told me that I was under arrest for "this bag of heroin you dropped". I was a little shaken, but I knew I hadn't dropped anything so I wasn't very worried at this point. I informed the officer that the bag was not mine. The officer then said "You mean to tell me that when we look at the videotape from that car that we won't see you drop a bag?" I said no, and asked if we could look at the tape. The officer stated that their supervisor would view the tape probably the next day. Again I denied the bag was mine and the officer said that the bag was not there when he placed my friend in the car so it had to be mine. He also said that my friend said the bag was not his.
On the way to the jail, I told the officers to look at the tape and fingerprint the bag and they just ignored me. When we arrived at the jail and my friend was next to me, he told the police officers that he had dropped the bag. The police officers said that it was too late and took us both into the jail. Once again I asked them to look at the tape to which they responded they would.
In the jail, my friend told me that he had stored the bag in his underpants and when they were taking him to the K-9 vehicle, he let it drop out of his pants leg. He also informed me that I should definitely have them view the tape because I hadn't been anywhere near where he had dropped the bag. Of course, he is as of this date, not taking responsibility for the bags. These are statements he made only to me, but they were true and definitely needed to be followed up on.
Overnight at the jail, I still wasn't very worried because I figured they'd view the tape, do fingerprint analysis on the bag and I'd be exonerated of all charges. That all changed in the morning when I had my arraignment and one of the officers stated that he saw me throw a bag of heroin while he was escorting me to the cruiser. This was also printed in our local paper in which I advertise weekly (I am a loan officer and mortgage note broker) and from which I get most of my business.
I had my preliminary hearing this morning. Obviously, with the extremely low burden of proof required of the prosecution, my case was held over for grand jury. The problem is that it probably would not have been held over had it not been for the perjured testimony of two police officers. The officer that claimed he had seen me throw the bags, testified in my prelim hearing that he saw a shiny object drop from around me through his periferal vision. Both officers testified that there was absolutely no way that the bag was there when they placed my friend in the K-9 vehicle (which I can't understand at all considering the fact that he DID drop the bag). Another officer testified that during the course of the evening I was "very adamant" about wanting to leave the scene, when in fact I just waited patiently until they told me I was free to go. The officer also stated that he never told me that I was free to go. Another complete lie!
My lawyer requested the videotape from the cruiser from that night and the officer responded that the camera was not running that night. My lawyer requested fingerprint analysis of the bag of heroin and the officer stated that they had been handled excessively by the officers with no regard to preserving their integrity as evidence and therefore could not be printed.
My question is now, What the HELL can I do?
This town is very small. I've lived here for less than 7 months. I just got release last January from federal prison after doing 4 1/2 years for using a firearm during a drug traffiking crime. I did my time, studied my butt off, and gained employment as a loan officer which I am doing very well at. I moved to this town to be close to my fiance and her daughter and have abided by the law every step of the way.
I had another trial today on a domestic battery charge. My fiance and I had an argument and she tripped trying to get out of our room and fell against our dresser. She was knocked unconcious and I called the police. The police took me to jail, would not listen to either one of our stories and made up their minds that I had beaten her. I was denied a court appointed attorney, moved for a continuance at the trial today so that I could receive counsel, was denied the continuance, defended myself and was found NOT GUILTY. Before the trial, the prosecutor and police officer were talking to my fiance, laughing and telling her that I was going to jail today no question. Needless to say, they were not happy when I successfully defended myself. At least during this trial, that particular police officer was very honest and sincere and at no point made any false or misleading statements.
After leaving the courtroom, I was advised by several citizens of the town that I need to watch myself because the local police are very spiteful and vindictive and most likely would not let the fact that I beat them in court go unanswered. In fact, about 5 minutes ago (it's 2:40 am right now) the K-9 truck just drove by my house and made a noise with his siren as he passed in front of my home that I heard all the way in my bedroom which is upstairs and towards the back. I know it was the K-9 truck because I rushed to the other bedroom to look out the window and saw it turning the corner onto another road. So, already the hazing begins.
The question is-- What if Anything can be done about this? I really can't do a damn thing. It's their word against mine. I would like to challenge them to take a polygraph even though I know it's inadmissable in court and I know they won't.
Any Ideas?
While this was going on, one of the officers was searching my friend's car and found a needle and some bags of what they said was heroin. They placed me in handcuffs, told me I was not under arrest and put me in a police cruiser where I was able to watch everything going on outside on a TV screen the cruiser was equipped with. About 3 minutes later one of the police officers came back and told me that I was under arrest for "this bag of heroin you dropped". I was a little shaken, but I knew I hadn't dropped anything so I wasn't very worried at this point. I informed the officer that the bag was not mine. The officer then said "You mean to tell me that when we look at the videotape from that car that we won't see you drop a bag?" I said no, and asked if we could look at the tape. The officer stated that their supervisor would view the tape probably the next day. Again I denied the bag was mine and the officer said that the bag was not there when he placed my friend in the car so it had to be mine. He also said that my friend said the bag was not his.
On the way to the jail, I told the officers to look at the tape and fingerprint the bag and they just ignored me. When we arrived at the jail and my friend was next to me, he told the police officers that he had dropped the bag. The police officers said that it was too late and took us both into the jail. Once again I asked them to look at the tape to which they responded they would.
In the jail, my friend told me that he had stored the bag in his underpants and when they were taking him to the K-9 vehicle, he let it drop out of his pants leg. He also informed me that I should definitely have them view the tape because I hadn't been anywhere near where he had dropped the bag. Of course, he is as of this date, not taking responsibility for the bags. These are statements he made only to me, but they were true and definitely needed to be followed up on.
Overnight at the jail, I still wasn't very worried because I figured they'd view the tape, do fingerprint analysis on the bag and I'd be exonerated of all charges. That all changed in the morning when I had my arraignment and one of the officers stated that he saw me throw a bag of heroin while he was escorting me to the cruiser. This was also printed in our local paper in which I advertise weekly (I am a loan officer and mortgage note broker) and from which I get most of my business.
I had my preliminary hearing this morning. Obviously, with the extremely low burden of proof required of the prosecution, my case was held over for grand jury. The problem is that it probably would not have been held over had it not been for the perjured testimony of two police officers. The officer that claimed he had seen me throw the bags, testified in my prelim hearing that he saw a shiny object drop from around me through his periferal vision. Both officers testified that there was absolutely no way that the bag was there when they placed my friend in the K-9 vehicle (which I can't understand at all considering the fact that he DID drop the bag). Another officer testified that during the course of the evening I was "very adamant" about wanting to leave the scene, when in fact I just waited patiently until they told me I was free to go. The officer also stated that he never told me that I was free to go. Another complete lie!
My lawyer requested the videotape from the cruiser from that night and the officer responded that the camera was not running that night. My lawyer requested fingerprint analysis of the bag of heroin and the officer stated that they had been handled excessively by the officers with no regard to preserving their integrity as evidence and therefore could not be printed.
My question is now, What the HELL can I do?
This town is very small. I've lived here for less than 7 months. I just got release last January from federal prison after doing 4 1/2 years for using a firearm during a drug traffiking crime. I did my time, studied my butt off, and gained employment as a loan officer which I am doing very well at. I moved to this town to be close to my fiance and her daughter and have abided by the law every step of the way. I had another trial today on a domestic battery charge. My fiance and I had an argument and she tripped trying to get out of our room and fell against our dresser. She was knocked unconcious and I called the police. The police took me to jail, would not listen to either one of our stories and made up their minds that I had beaten her. I was denied a court appointed attorney, moved for a continuance at the trial today so that I could receive counsel, was denied the continuance, defended myself and was found NOT GUILTY. Before the trial, the prosecutor and police officer were talking to my fiance, laughing and telling her that I was going to jail today no question. Needless to say, they were not happy when I successfully defended myself. At least during this trial, that particular police officer was very honest and sincere and at no point made any false or misleading statements.
After leaving the courtroom, I was advised by several citizens of the town that I need to watch myself because the local police are very spiteful and vindictive and most likely would not let the fact that I beat them in court go unanswered. In fact, about 5 minutes ago (it's 2:40 am right now) the K-9 truck just drove by my house and made a noise with his siren as he passed in front of my home that I heard all the way in my bedroom which is upstairs and towards the back. I know it was the K-9 truck because I rushed to the other bedroom to look out the window and saw it turning the corner onto another road. So, already the hazing begins.
The question is-- What if Anything can be done about this? I really can't do a damn thing. It's their word against mine. I would like to challenge them to take a polygraph even though I know it's inadmissable in court and I know they won't.
Any Ideas?
