So I’m out for a walk to take a break from my job for a bit, on my usual route, to a local path where I like to walk back and forth several times before going home. On my way there I pass a local store, outside of which is a cop car, with an officer just standing around outside it. I look over at it as I wait to cross the street (it’s very busy), but don’t really think about it much after that. I go ahead and walk for a good hour or so, thinking about work and a book I’ve been reading. After 4 times back and forth, I hesitated before deciding to do a fifth and final one. I walk to the end of the path, turn around like usual, and walk back, and about a hundred yards back down the path, a cop comes running up from behind with his fucking gun drawn.
He put it away after I stopped and held up my hands, but that shit rattled me. He asked me the usual questions about what I was doing and where I’m from and whatnot, and took my ID and called it in. I asked if I was being detained and he said, “Right now you are.” Then some more questions, during which he said there was something that happened at the store involved a red vehicle or something, and a guy whose description I match "exactly." Which I told him I knew nothing about that, but he didn't seem to believe me at all, of course. Then he left me with some detective and walked off, with my ID in hand, back down the path the way I had come from (and was heading back to). The detective tried to get chatty but I just said I was exercising my right to remain silent and waited for the other cop to come back. He came back and gave me my ID but said he was “going to go check the cameras, and if it was you, we’re going to have a problem. I know where you live.” He said something about how if it was me I should just admit it now because it’s “just a minor charge,” and if I don’t “we’re going to add interfering onto that.” Anyway he gave me back my ID and let me go, but I'm still all stressed out right now, ugh.
Now I have to trust the fucking thumb's fucking facial recognition skills using off-angle, probably poor-resolution security cam footage, Yippee. Fun 4/20! I guess I should look up a lawyer's number right now, huh?
I guess I should look up a lawyer’s number right now, huh?
Probably should to be on the safe side. Sorry this is happening to you comrade
Yeah, if you can find a lawyer ahead of time it'll save you some trouble. If it were 'just a minor charges' you wouldn't be talking to a detective so my guess would be armed robbery or maybe assault during a robbery. So yeah, I'd try to have some legal advice as early as you can. Chances are the whole thing will be dropped if a lawyer contacts the police and says you're being represented.
I mean, I realize that, but I really don't want to have to shell out a retainer before anything has actually happened. I found a lawyer nearby who looks alright and wrote his number on my arm; might add a couple others as well just to be safe, but I'd like to avoid adding lawyers to this already unpleasant experience if possible. Or am I misunderstanding how this works? Can I have a lawyer ready to go without paying any money?
Lame. If it's in any county around Philadelphia let me know, I've got lawyer friends all over and they all hate cops.
Not in PA, but not too far away, either. Trying to avoid naming a state, but if you know anyone in southern New England, please DM me and I'll say which state I'm in.
Depends on the lawyer. It can't hurt to call around, they'd be able to tell you better than me. If you haven't even caught a charge then you're probably fine tho.
i had a cop draw a gun on me (but not point it at me) over watching star trek in the park with my bf. my crime was that he asked for ID and it hadnt been updated yet so it looked pre-transition for me and he accused me of fraud. updating it is a huge pain in the ass though which is why it hadnt happened yet
It's fucking scary as shit. I don't think this cop was ever pointing his gun at me, but just the fact that it was out, and he was coming at me, was terrifying.
yeah i just had to talk to a grown ass man with a gun like he was a toddler, explaining basic biology. not a good vibe
we were also alone, no one else in the park.
i didnt even have my id on me, turns out a guy holding a gun can be persuasive. he looked it up in his computer
Probably not. If it was anything worth while they would have arrested you then and there. Cops doing that you better so and so are just trying to get easy arrests.
I hope you don't have to hire a lawyer because that shit's expensive but fuck good luck comrade hope it just blows over.
He said something about how if it was me I should just admit it now because it’s “just a minor charge,” and if I don’t “we’re going to add interfering onto that.”
My brother (a pig) says this shit too. “Don’t lie to me. I’ll help you if you tell me the truth, but when they lie I’m gonna throw the book at you” (lie of course meaning, not admit to fault)
I feel like he acts like the worst asshole possible regardless based on other stories and his general demeanor tho
"I was at work when whatever petty theft you were eager to shoot me in the back over happened." seems like a pretty solid alibi.
Well, I work from home, so not as much as you'd think. I have some file modification timestamps on my work PC, though, I guess.
Which I told him I knew nothing about that, but he didn’t seem to believe me at all, of course.
In the future you shouldn't even do this tbh. Courts ruled that selectively pleading the right to silence can be used as evidence against you in court. If you tell them where you were an hour ago but plead the fifth when they ask if you shot someone then they can fuck you on that.
It probably won't matter as the evidence is only circumstantial but courts are the most fucked thing we have invented as humans.
I guess I should look up a lawyer’s number right now, huh?
Definitely, always have a lawyer, a gun, and a locksmith on speed dial if you live in shithole US.
Courts ruled that selectively pleading the right to silence can be used as evidence against you in court.
Ugh I did not know that. I didn't mention remaining silent to the first cop, only the detective who showed up and stood there with me until the first cop came back. Still, guess that's a misstep on my part. I didn't want to be totally uncooperative and guarantee myself a trip to the station, though.
you should definitely get a lawyer or you're going to make mistakes in this process and might end up in jail. It is really easy to accidentally confess to crimes you haven't done if you don't have representation
Yeah, but fortunately I'm fairly well-versed in the process from here on out: do not say anything except "I want a lawyer, and until I have one I will be invoking my right to remain silent." Then not a word, unless it's a full repetition of the same statement. My concern is not being able to reach a lawyer--do they give you a phone book to use? Anyway, it's after business hours here, so I won't be able to talk to much of anyone until tomorrow regardless.
I don't know maybe you van find a lawyer who gives free consultations now before any trouble germinates
Cops are totally full of shit and will railroad anyone into the system if they feel they can get away with it. My approach is to always interact with them the way I would with old friends who are sports fans; make them feel you’re one of them by shooting the shit, to use an unfortunate metaphor. But at the same time let them know you’re not their guy and you’re on to their bullshit. If that makes any sense. That fucker who pulled his gun should be sued for misuse of a weapon and intimidation.
if I don’t “we’re going to add interfering onto that.”
Lawyer yes. (IANAL) :soviet-bottom:
Sucks because cost, and interruption of your life. Hope you aren"t charged for being too convient and then inconviencing them because their lazyness wasted everyone's time, and for you the distress.
My gun training says you don't point a gun at anything you don't intend to shoot.
Advice: Keep your mouth shut, pretend to comply, but know that you can't be charged for non-compliance or interfering with an investigation if you're exercising your rights. In fact, that's a bogus charge that nearly all civil rights lawyers can get thrown out. Inteference has time and time again been interpreted by courts to mean active interference, like blocking their access to the scene.
:joker-amerikkklap: Love living in a "free" country, hope that cop dies
Get a lawyer ASAP. The minute pigs are involved you need to protect yourself and there's really no other way to do that other than a lawyer. I'd say get a gun but that would look suspicious. Make sure to be with friends for the next couple of days so is something happens, which it probably won't because laziness trumps grudges usually, there will be witnesses.
what would be step 1 of getting a lawyer? look in the yellow pages? asking because I'm an idiot and I really don't know
All bar associations and law societies I'm aware of offer a free referral service. Just search "(YourState) lawyer referral" and I guarantee that you can find a phone number in a matter of minutes.
It's best if you know a lawyer or someone who works in law, they can recommend someone decent if they can't help themselves. Short of that, I guess there's the referral system the other person talked about, but I don't know much about that. If none of those work ask any friends and family that have had legal trouble, and past that just Google or yellow pages. Provided they're not a billboard lawyer you should be fine.
He said something about how if it was me I should just admit it now because it’s “just a minor charge,”
This tells me he doesn't have anything, and at this point is just pure ego. There is no point in going gun drawn over a minor charge.
Fortunately I don't think anything happen once it is out of his hands. He let you go because he knew he couldn't stick it to you, because if he was convinced he could, he would have arrested you.
