Shuftin,
I'm new to this forum, any forum for that matter. I read your story. It all rings very similar to my experience with the justice system, except that I took my chances at trial. I decided I'd rather sit in the can for a year or so than to be free by pleading guilty to something I did NOT do! And I still have a child at home. I sadly would have to agree with you on several of the points you made, such as you are guilty until proved innocent and that it takes a deep pocket to save yourself. Without a high priced attorney, you are screwed! I was and am in the middle of a very long-drawn out, nasty divorce. "War of the Roses" was a cake walk compared to this evil divorce. My (future) ex had taken all of my savings and he took control of all of our stocks (including my half) by rolling it all into his 401K plan. So, I ended up with a public defender. I was also assaulted by one of the officers and I was now unable to work. I'm still not back to work after physical therapy and then having surgery on my shoulder. My shoulder should have healed by now and I can only assume that I will be stuck with a messed up shoulder for the rest of my life because it's not getting any better. I was a very active person before this. I will have to make a change in the way I'll eek out a living from now on too. I am unable to do most physical work now. I was working on a construction job (a remodel) the night this nightmare all started. I am a female, but I love the outdoors and doing "tom-boy" type of things. I was very independent and self suficient. I got so broke though that I didn't have money to purchase ink for my printer to prepare for court!
The attorney that I went to trial with was intelligent, but not street smart. She had NO clue has to how they would play the game! She was from out of the area. She went into the court room believing it would be a level playing field. She also was brought into the game late. My first public defender saw me for my part of my initial consultation and 4 months later he had still not returned one single phone call or email to me no matter how urgent I let them know it was that he contact me. He hadn't even taken the time to get all the facts in the first and only meeting. I didn't even find out my BAL until about 5 months later and that was through the prosecutor telling me my BAL while I was on the stand. She then went on to make me appear to be a lier about not knowing my BAL yet. I had a hearing to remove him as my council. At the hearing he made it a point to tell the prosecutor & the judge my plans for getting an expert witness for testimony on handcuff injuries. So at trial they made it a point to demonstrate handcuffs and how someone "squirming" in cuffs could leave bruising and swelling on their wrists, forearms, biceps & legs?
It was one of the rare funny moments at trial. The cops blundered their attempts of a demonstration so badly of how I had gotten my injuries. The abusive cop's face turned beat red while doing their demo!! I had to put my hand over my mouth as to not laugh out loud. It put a now, rare smile on my face for a few seconds. There actually were a few moments of comic relief during the police's testimony too. I could go on and on about the happenings from the assault, the cover-up, the trial, the experience in jail, the ongoing harassment by the police, the sham investigations, but I would like to look more toward what I can do to take this awful experience and make something good happen from it all. I'm not saying that I ever plan to stop seeking my justice. I would bet just my posting part of my story on this forum earlier today will get someone's attention finally, hopefully the FBI's. Especially since I speak about their "investigation" of my assault or lack of. I, being new at this forum thing, accidentally posted my story under "Abuse & Power", Kelley's story, if your interested.
I do believe that this all happened to me for a reason, God's plan, not mine. I feel it's almost my duty to continue to do whatever small or big part I can in making some changes for the better. It went from just wanting justice & to keep these cops from making another victim out of someone, now to something closer to a personal crusade. And if the prosecutor ever reads this, yes you can quote me, "personal crusade"! It's a mighty big ugly beast to slay and one person can't change it, but several can. I have tried or I am trying to get help from my local area, from the state of Michigan, the FBI, the ACLU of Michigan, Amnesty International (their broke right now) and pretty much any and everywhere possible and some good places I won't mention at this time. My happenings vein off into so many surreal dealings and happenings that it takes allot just to understand the circumstances of it all. The average person doesn't begin to "get it". Unfortunately you almost need to experience it or to know someone that has lived it to grasp the true manner in which our justice system really runs in our country in these types of situations where people in a position of power are the guilty ones. It's a great system, but it has it's flaws. Power corrupts and it always will. Corruption will still be a part of life 10,000 years from now. And if it's always going to be a part of our lives I think it's all about the handling of the corruption. That is where we the people come in. We truly are the only ones that can make the changes. I believe that we should make our police officers and politicians more accountable than the average Joe on the street. I agree with the idea of doubling the fines and sentences for any law enforcement person that breaks the law and any politician that lines his pocket with dirty money. There needs to be a strong deterrent. The only way that I can see to clean up some of the corruption is by letting the masses know what really goes on so that the people can change the laws etc and be aware of how are government is being run. Police departments are a government agency and the people need to monitor what goes on within our governments. Also getting people know the facts means you have to get the media to pay attention & do some stories on incidents. I don't care at this point if it's Bill O'Riley or Dr. Phil. People need to know that it could be your mother, your child, your neighbor, anyone can be a victim of police corruption. I was not a criminal, I do not bother anyone, I'm a good neighbor, I take the time to vote and for the most part an upstanding citizen. I just happened to be in the wrong place at the wrong time that night and crossed paths with the WRONG cop. It could have been YOU!
After I was pulled over and immediately after I was assaulted for the first time that night, I literally went into shock. I was in complete clinical shock! I grew up believing that all cops were the good guys, the nights in shining armor. I knew that cops might look the other way for a friend on a traffic ticket etc., but that for the most part they were the good guys. I had even been told things about the cop that beat me up, prior to, and I dismissed their remarks and I even stood up for this filthy cop. Everyone knows he's a loud, pushy type of cop wanting to be the big fish in the little pond, but I assumed that they were just mad that they got caught doing what ever petty illegal thing they were doing and that they had an ax to grind. And I'm sure that is what some people will assume is my case when I tell them of my happenings. To those people that I dismissed as just griping about this cop, I apologize, I am truly sorry that I didn't listen to the words you had to say! I like yourself am now tagged for life, but maybe it will end up being tagged in a good way though. I hold my head up high everyday. I guess I will have some interesting stories to tell my grandson someday over milk and cookies. I can tell him how his grandma sat in a cell with heroine addicts and felons because she believed in seeking justice and refused to buy into their sham or be intimidated.
At trial the prosecutor claimed that I went out that evening with the intent to get pulled over and then the intent to claim police brutality, yes, she really said that at trial! She also said that I made these accusations of police brutality to get attention!! I can assure you I am not an attention seeker, but now if that's what it takes to finally get justice, then so be it.
If you want to talk about prosecutors that aren't interested in justice try this one out. She has intentions of becoming a judge I've been told several times. Whatever her political agenda is, right now she is a prosecutor and her JOB is to prosecute criminals. Criminals can come from all walks of life, including police. I believe she needs to be held accountable for her part in obstructing justice. She made no attempts to seek the truth out, and I'd love to say more on that subject, but I won't at this time. I too came with records, documents and what should have been more than enough to at least give reasonable doubt, but it of course did not matter. It did not matter that they're own testimony conflicted, or other FACTS. They were so blatant about their corrupt proceedings that the "arresting officer" sat next to the prosecutor and actually coached all the other police as to how to answer questions on the stand. just prior to the trial the prosecutor pulled a podium over by the states table. The jury could not see the officer sitting on the other side of that podium. He sat there actually nodding his head yes or no to all the questions the cops were unsure of how to answer. They had to struggle to keep they're stories straight since nothing they testified to was fact, but fabrication. A person that tells the truth can tell you the same story fifty times over and it will still stay basically the same. A lier and especially a group of lier's (ie a "pack of lier's in this case. LOL), can't do that. Some of these guys are not the sharpest knives in the drawer either if you know what I'm saying. One beautiful thing though about already having gone to trial, even though I lost that battle, they're words are now written in stone for the next 10 years. If a competent investigator should interview these thugs, they could never get their stories right again!
Do you have any good ideas on ways to make changes for the better? I'm tired, alone, and overwhelmed at this point, but I have no intentions of stopping in my search of justice in my case or in any others in my area. There is another new victim by the same two officers. The kids parents are wanting to sue for excessive force. God bless them if they do! The kid now has titanium rods and pins in his leg(s?) and last I heard he was still in a hospital bed. These two officers target woman and teens. They harass men, but you don't hear about them "crossing that line" with the guys like they do with the teens and the women. That makes them even smaller men to me! I have become pretty knowledgeable in some of the laws (FOIA's, trial protocol etc) and I've got people cheering me on to go to law school and also to be a PI, LOL. Interesting thought, but right now a little hut on a beach in Mexico sounds better, but who knows. If you do have any good ideas at all, I'd love to hear them. That goes for anyone out there. I really could use some help.
The corrupt police & my ex-husband came to my home last week and actually tried to throw my son and I out into the street! I live in northern Michigan. We still have a good 3-4 feet of snow and it's darn cold out in March. The police have dropped a rapist off at my door, they have tried to sue me for bogus things, they have followed me and family members, pulled over family members without cause, I've had 4 dogs poisoned & 2 new burials in my backyard right now and I can't even get them to give me a police report. I have had my US mail taken, mail tampered with, my information changed with my creditors, doctors, etc., etc. by my ex-husband and the police didn't want to give me a report on that for months and when they finally did they stated in the report that they saw nothing illegal about it! The damage was already done long after the time they would finally give me the joke of a report on the mail tampering. When I ran my credit report, it came back with my name but with ex-husbands address as my address. And I've never had a P O Box 26. he actually had my mail going to his PO Box so that I couldn't get my mail. Try to remember what bills you need to pay when you don't get your statements in the mail. But according to the police here, this is legal. I've gone to the hospital for tests and am told that "I've called and canceled my own medical insurance", I don't think so. I've had lug nuts loosened and an accident occurred because of it, no police report again. I've had property stolen, my ex-husband leaves his calling cards in my yard, ie beer cans. My abusive ex is free to stalk me and harass me. The police are a joke in my area! They have banded together with my now ex-husband, a local man. My ex and the police both have their own agenda's. And "to boot" the chief of police's wife is best friends with my ex-husbands cousin. LOL - That's really is the way people are described here all the time, you need a score card to keep track of who's who around this little town with the big fish. But the main theme really is more likely that he is a local. I'm a transplant getting ready to re-transplant to somewhere else, LOL. It's a true shame! The UP is a very beautiful place to see, but not to live in.
Do you have any statistics on police brutality? I am also curious as to the comparison of domestic violence within couples where one spouse is a police officer and compare that to the stats on the general publics domestic violence. One thing I stated to the officer that abused me that night was "I bet you beat your wife too" and if I had to bet, I'd put money on a big yes. There is also what is called the "link". The link is the connection between abusers beating people and animals alike. It's gaining attention finally with the authorities. The FBI, Scotland Yard, BAR association etc. is taking a deeper look at the high probability of people that abuse animals abusing people. This is also one of the factors in my case. The officer that assaulted me chased an old dog up to my house 7 days after beating me up. He then shot the dog 17 times. He also falsified that police report. This poor dog is one of several he has killed. His boss was informed by me of the real events of that incident as well. He once again chooses to look the other way. I requested a copy of the report in a FOIA and was once again denied the information. A little bird read me the report, it states that he only shot the dog 11 times! The cop that was with him during the dog shooting that day, is the same cop that dropped a rapist off at my door. When I called the state police to report that one of their troopers just dropped off a strange man at my home that stated he was just interviewed for rape, the boss-man told me they don't take "written complaints".
I would like to share just one last thought with you. If you are going to take on corrupt cops, you need to be prepared. Don't leave your home without a cell phone, a small pocket tape recorder and a camera! And buy plenty of extra batteries, you'll probably need them. If your driving keep them handy. Trust me, document everything! If you keep the pressure on them or if you hit a nerve (which means your going in the right direction), they will have all of their brethren bother you too. I record or document any and all conversations with anyone tied to a government agency that has anything to do with my situation. I have many blatant lies caught on tape by the authorities! There rich! They say one thing and then in the next conversation they say "I never said that" and then I get to say, "yes you did, I have you on tape" and then there is usually a quick signing off by them. Check out the laws though in your state! In Michigan it is legal to tape yourself and one other person, but that's where it ends. And you can't put a tap on a phone where one of the parties does not know that it exists. One of the two parties must know that they are being taped.
Lock and load on the freaks! Thanks for taking the time - please send any helpful info!
It was one of the rare funny moments at trial. The cops blundered their attempts of a demonstration so badly of how I had gotten my injuries. The abusive cop's face turned beat red while doing their demo!! I had to put my hand over my mouth as to not laugh out loud. It put a now, rare smile on my face for a few seconds. There actually were a few moments of comic relief during the police's testimony too. I could go on and on about the happenings from the assault, the cover-up, the trial, the experience in jail, the ongoing harassment by the police, the sham investigations, but I would like to look more toward what I can do to take this awful experience and make something good happen from it all. I'm not saying that I ever plan to stop seeking my justice. I would bet just my posting part of my story on this forum earlier today will get someone's attention finally, hopefully the FBI's. Especially since I speak about their "investigation" of my assault or lack of. I, being new at this forum thing, accidentally posted my story under "Abuse & Power", Kelley's story, if your interested.