Comments on: All That Is Required For Government Thugs To Prevail Is For Good Citizens To Do Nothing

By: Josh Wexler

Josh Wexler — Thu, 17 Sep 2009 07:28:59 +0000

Ken,

That is my understanding. I can’t say exactly, since I never got a report on the findings. But, the officer who conducted the investigation told me that the officer who ticketed gave a different account of the incident.

I can’t imagine how any other account would stand up to even a modestly thorough investigation. He apparently acknowledged getting out of his car to stop the pedestrian (whom he claims ran dangerously into the crosswalk). How he could construct a story of getting from there to issuing a seat belt ticket the driver of a car behind his who was out of his vehicle, and have that stand up to any scrutiny is beyond me.

I presume this is part of the reason why the city attorney hastily threw out my ticket before trial. My lawyer approached him to talk about the case. The city attorney already knew of the case and immediately said he was issuing a “Nolle Prosequi” before my lawyer could ask for one.

By: Andrew

Andrew — Wed, 16 Sep 2009 18:58:03 +0000

“It’s not a tumor, you little punk! Johnny, go grab my Tazer from the supply cubbyhole.”

By: Uncommon Priors » Unsolicited advice to victim of New Orleans Police Department bullying:

Wed, 16 Sep 2009 17:16:09 +0000

[...] Josh Wexler got menaced then given a bogus ticket from a New Orleans cop (though this one really deserves the title of “pig” if Wexler’s story is to be credited) when the pig was in the course of arresting a pedestrian for the crime of being hit by the pigmobile when the pig ran a stop sign. Popehat pretty well sums up the culture at the NOPD: Now, the New Orleans Police Department is notorious. It’s notorious in a way that makes LAPD’s Rampart Division look like a cocktail party at the ACLU. [...]

By: Austin

Austin — Wed, 16 Sep 2009 13:50:59 +0000

I guess I am glad I am only dealing with a power mad kindergarden teacher.

Hey , imagine a power mad kindergarden cop.

By: Louise Valente

Louise Valente — Wed, 16 Sep 2009 05:01:27 +0000

I used to think these complaints against cops were primarily sour grapes. Then I was driving down the 57 freeway and was hit by a car going 90 miles an hour, knocked toward the center divider, and they sped away. I stopped at the next offramp and called a cop, who proceeded to berate me. Apparantly, between where I had been hit and the offramp there was a jurisdiction change. Because I did not know which side of the invisible line I was on at the moment of impact, I was to be berated. Never mind that I had just been hit by a lunatic – I should remember which side of the line I was on so he would know which form to use. What really slayed me was that when my friend’s husband showed up, the CHP became all nicey nicey, making me look like a nutcase for being mad. Once he had a witness….. I did complain – the commanding officer rolled his eyes and said the guy was going through a divorce so I should just let it go.

By: Ken

Ken — Wed, 16 Sep 2009 04:01:43 +0000

Thanks for the comment, Josh. I take it that the “investigation” was premised entirely on comparing your word to Officer Torres’ word, and finding your word false.

By: Josh Wexler

Josh Wexler — Wed, 16 Sep 2009 01:59:39 +0000

“Wexler filed a complaint. It’s highly unlikely that anything will ever come of it.”

Nothing ever came of it. I was told an investigation would be completed within a month, and that the findings would be mailed to me. After 8 weeks, I spent hours on the phone trying to information about the investigation, but mostly getting the runaround instead.

At one point, I spoke with the officer who conducted the investigation (the NOPD handles investigations against the NOPD, not an independent board). He told me that his recommendation was that the complaint be found false (he also could have essentially exonerated the officer with a finding of “unsupported,” but chose not to do so). He also told me that if he were the officer in question that day, that he might well have arrested me for interfering with the investigation/arrest of the pedestrian.

I still have not received a report on the findings of the complaint investigation.

Anyone interested in the case can reach me at the email address below.

Thank you for the very thoughtful post.

-Josh Wexler
jdwexler@yahoo.com

By: Windypundit

Windypundit — Tue, 15 Sep 2009 21:01:04 +0000

What annoys me is the implicit equation between a policeman’s job and a citizen’s freedom. Of course cops are entitled to due process and a presumption of innocence—when accused of a crime. But when it’s just their job on the line, there’s nothing wrong with using a lower standard of evidence. For those of us not protected by civil service laws and union contracts, that standard of evidence is nothing. Every job I’ve ever had, I could be terminated for any reason or no reason. Sure, it’s unfair to lose your job becuase dickheads complain about you, but it’s just a job.

By: jb

jb — Tue, 15 Sep 2009 17:22:51 +0000

I read once that abuse-of-power follows a power-law distribution – that is to say that 90% of the complaints of abuse in any particular geographic region are directed at only 10% of the cops.

Now, it is true that defendants file claims, but they do so indiscriminately. It seems eminently reasonable to look at the overall pattern of complaints – if a cop has a significantly higher-than-average level of complaint, their testimony shouldn’t be considered more valuable than the average citizens.

Bleah. What a terrible situation.