Post by WaTcHeR on Nov 29, 2006 10:56:10 GMT -5
11.29.2006 - It's a case of mistaken identity. A woman says she was detained by Norwood police for over three hours before officers figured out they had the wrong person.
During that time, Echo Cooley says an officer became very agitated and cursed at her several times.
Cooley tells 9News that she understands police can make mistakes, but she feels a police officer crossed the line when she says he started cursing at her.
But what the officer didn't know was that the conversation was being recorded on a cell phone voicemail.
The 22-year-old Evanston resident had just gotten off work from the Frisch's restaurant on Montgomery Road, in Norwood, Sunday afternoon.
Cooley says as she walked to the bus stop, a Norwood police officer pulled up beside her and said that she was wanted for felony warrants.
"I said, 'I'm Echo Cooley.' He said, 'You're a f***** liar.' Meanwhile he's not knowing that everything is being called on my mama's voicemail," Cooley told 9News.
Here's part of the interrogation Cooley says that she was able to secretly record on her mother's cell phone voicemail.
Officer: "How does she know your name?"
Cooley: "Echo Cooley?"
Officer: "How would she know your name?"
Cooley: "Who?"
Cooley: "Who is my neighbor?"
Officer: "Shut the F*** up."
The three Norwood police officers involved in the investigation are listed on a police report, but were not available for comment Tuesday.
Cooley says she tried to prove police had the wrong person.
"I pulled out every identification that I have with my name on it," said Cooley, "including my bank card. Everything that I could have."
Cooley's mother says she eventually got the voicemail message and rushed to the police station.
"'Well this is your daughter.' I said no it's not," said Rosareatha Jones, Cooley's mother. "'She's been arrested and she's just using an alias name. When she's been arrested.'
Her mother told police, "No she's not. I said you all have ID."
Cooley says it turns out police were looking for a person her ex-boyfriend used to date.
But by that time her mother says the damage had been done.
"'We're sorry. We're sorry. You got to understand our position,' but I'm steady telling you that that was not that girl in that picture," said Jones.
"I don't care what your police officer said. He gave you that type of mark she got on her. I gave her all the information there is to give and you want to fingerprint her. I said that's okay, that's okay," said Jones. "I just want the badge numbers and I just want the names."
Cooley was wearing her "Bluetooth" in her ear, so the officer didn't know she had called her mother.
The Norwood police department did not want to be interviewed at this time, but did acknowledge that Cooley was detained, but never arrested.
Cooley says she is considering filing a lawsuit against the police department.
wcpo.com/news/2006/local/11/28/mistaken_id.html
During that time, Echo Cooley says an officer became very agitated and cursed at her several times.
Cooley tells 9News that she understands police can make mistakes, but she feels a police officer crossed the line when she says he started cursing at her.
But what the officer didn't know was that the conversation was being recorded on a cell phone voicemail.
The 22-year-old Evanston resident had just gotten off work from the Frisch's restaurant on Montgomery Road, in Norwood, Sunday afternoon.
Cooley says as she walked to the bus stop, a Norwood police officer pulled up beside her and said that she was wanted for felony warrants.
"I said, 'I'm Echo Cooley.' He said, 'You're a f***** liar.' Meanwhile he's not knowing that everything is being called on my mama's voicemail," Cooley told 9News.
Here's part of the interrogation Cooley says that she was able to secretly record on her mother's cell phone voicemail.
Officer: "How does she know your name?"
Cooley: "Echo Cooley?"
Officer: "How would she know your name?"
Cooley: "Who?"
Cooley: "Who is my neighbor?"
Officer: "Shut the F*** up."
The three Norwood police officers involved in the investigation are listed on a police report, but were not available for comment Tuesday.
Cooley says she tried to prove police had the wrong person.
"I pulled out every identification that I have with my name on it," said Cooley, "including my bank card. Everything that I could have."
Cooley's mother says she eventually got the voicemail message and rushed to the police station.
"'Well this is your daughter.' I said no it's not," said Rosareatha Jones, Cooley's mother. "'She's been arrested and she's just using an alias name. When she's been arrested.'
Her mother told police, "No she's not. I said you all have ID."
Cooley says it turns out police were looking for a person her ex-boyfriend used to date.
But by that time her mother says the damage had been done.
"'We're sorry. We're sorry. You got to understand our position,' but I'm steady telling you that that was not that girl in that picture," said Jones.
"I don't care what your police officer said. He gave you that type of mark she got on her. I gave her all the information there is to give and you want to fingerprint her. I said that's okay, that's okay," said Jones. "I just want the badge numbers and I just want the names."
Cooley was wearing her "Bluetooth" in her ear, so the officer didn't know she had called her mother.
The Norwood police department did not want to be interviewed at this time, but did acknowledge that Cooley was detained, but never arrested.
Cooley says she is considering filing a lawsuit against the police department.
wcpo.com/news/2006/local/11/28/mistaken_id.html