Do either of you guys have any stories you might be able to tell. Obviously don't use names.
Hmmmm...here's one I love, even though it wasn't police brutality. I was prosecuting in a district court once (that's a court that covers both cities and unincorporated areas), and as was typical, had no idea what cases were up for the day - you typically got all the documentation the moment you arrived, and had to speed-read it and then briefly meet with the officers just before each case.
Well, I was reading one officer's report, stopped, and re-read it. Seems the officer pulled over a man for drunken driving - and there was no doubt the driver was drunk. Trouble was, nothing in the report indicated
why. I assumed that the officer simply forgot to include the facts that led to the probable cause to stop. No problem - I saunter over to the officer to get the facts.
This gentleman was your prototypical southern deputy for the Sherrif's Department. Hugh belly, big chew of tobacco, thick southern accent. A good ol' boy of the first order.
"Say, Deputy", I began, "I don't see in your report any details as to why you arrested this man".
"Why, sonny," he drawls, "that there's ol' Tom Jones." (Named changed, obviously.)
"Uh, right", I reply, "but
why did you stop him?"
The deputy starts to get a little steamed, although I can't figure for he life of me figure out why.
"Damnit, I said he's
Tom Jones!!!!", said the Deputy, voice rising.
Then it hit me...
"Deputy, you wouldn't happen to know Mr. Jones, would you?"
"Hell, yes, I know the sombitch! Went to high school with the bastard!"
"Uh-huh", I reply. "And by any chance has Mr. Jones been one to drink too much most of the time you've known him?"
"Why, sheet yeah, boy!"
"And when you saw him driving on that country road late at night, you knew that the only way Mr. Jones would be out at that time is if he was plastered, right?"
Well, at that point the deputy gets a look on his face that says, "Hey, maybe this Yankee bastard ain't so dumb after all!"
"Damn straight! Like I says, that's Tom Jones".
I thanked the deputy, walked into the courtroom, and immediately dismissed the case. The deputy had followed me in, and when I dismissed the case, he hit the roof. In open court, he starts in...
"What the hell you doin', boy?!?!?! You got sheet for brains or som'thin?!?!?!?"
The judge called us up to the bench, and asked for an explanation. I told him - and made sure he understood that the traffic stop occurred without probable cause. The judge motions us back, and then states that he's granting my motion to nole pros.
The deputy caught me outside later, and demanded to know "why you done such a damn-fool thing". I tried to explain probable cause, and why he had to have it. Then I stopped, and said the I didn't recognize him, and did he ever come to any of the trainings I gave local law enforcement. His reply?
"Sheet, boy, I been a police officer since 'fore you was borned. I don't need no school classes. I know every person in this county, and I
know when they's doing wrong".
I just shook my head and walked away...
Funny thing is, he probably did keep the peace - he just didn't do it legally...