People keep telling me that I’m living in the freest country on Earth. If that’s the case then the rest of the world must be one giant supermax prison:
Police in Aurora, Colo., searching for suspected bank robbers stopped every car at an intersection, handcuffed all the adults and searched the cars, one of which they believed was carrying the suspect.
[…]
Police in Aurora, Colo., searching for suspected bank robbers stopped every car at an intersection, handcuffed all the adults and searched the cars, one of which they believed was carrying the suspect.
Police said they had received what they called a “reliable” tip that the culprit in an armed robbery at a Wells Fargo bank committed earlier was stopped at the red light.“We didn’t have a description, didn’t know race or gender or anything, so a split-second decision was made to stop all the cars at that intersection, and search for the armed robber,” Aurora police Officer Frank Fania told ABC News.
Officers barricaded the area, halting 19 cars.
“Cops came in from every direction and just threw their car in front of my car,” Sonya Romero, one of the drivers who was handcuffed, told ABC News affiliate KMGH-TV in Denver.
People were removed from their vehicles and handcuffed with no probably cause, no reasonable suspicion, and no warrant. The only thing the police had to go on was a “reliable” tip. That’s not even the worst part of this story:
“Most of the adults were handcuffed, then were told what was going on and were asked for permission to search the car,” Fania said. “They all granted permission, and once nothing was found in their cars, they were un-handcuffed.”
Shame on every person who gave the police permission to search their vehicle. Each and every one of you demonstrated one of the worst aspects of modern American society, mindless subservience. If a costume-clad thug pulls you out of your vehicle, handcuffs you, and asks for permission to search your vehicle the only correct response is, “Go fuck yourself.” Seriously. At such a point you should say, “Officer, I don’t consent to a search of my person or property.”
I would be livid if the police did that to me. In fact I would likely lose my typical professional demeanor and go straight to the stereotypical anarchist mode of yelling, “Fuck you pig!” When the police are acting like this they’re no longer deserving of well-mannered responses. In fact every police officer involved in this stunt should be tossed in the slammer for kidnapping and every person who granted the police permission to search their vehicle should attend a course on Constitutional protections.
We need to stop kowtowing the state and its thugs and rekindle the American tradition of rebelliousness.
Not entirely sure about this, but I’ve been told by several “experts” that the Fourth Amendment doesn’t cover vehicles since they don’t have a fixed location or some utter moronic crap like that. At least in CT, the laws are written in such a way (or are interpreted, much the same problem) as automatically giving consent just by having a car off (or perhaps on!) your own property. This from the same legal system that declares that the government can spy on you in any way and keep the data indefinitely, but you’ll go straight to a state Pound-Me-in-the-Arse prison for making a simple recording of the police or any “public official” in any capacity, even if it’s for your own protection against their obvious abuses.
Of course, our state is full of socialist and morons who say that X right doesn’t apply anymore because we’ve “progressed” beyond its need. Or that Amendment X to the Constitution really doesn’t mean what it says; you’d have to be a complete idiot to think that things like “Congress shall make no law,” “shall not be infringed,” and “without due process of law” actually apply to the serfs! Right? Right? WRONG!
I knew the moment I heard about this on the radio yesterday you were going to run something about this. It was a local sports show but the host has fairly libertarian views and was quite outraged that the police would even think that kind of stop was legal.
@Mussorgsky112 – What the Constitution says is irrelevant to the state. Remember, they’ve successfully suckered people into believing the Constitution is a “living document.” While they say that means the meaning of the Constitution changes with the times what it really means is the Constitution says whatever the hell they want it to say. They also never address the fact that the Constitution is, somehow, the only article of laws in this country that is a “living document.” Every other law is enforced to the letter as it was meant when written.
@Zerg539 – I’m nothing if not predictable.
@Eddie – Whether or not your vehicle or person fall under Fourth Amendment protections has basically been made irrelevant by the allowance of “probably cause.” If a cop wants to search your vehicle they can find “probably cause” to do so. Perhaps they thought they saw a weapon, a bag of pot, or cash that could have been from the bank robbery. Such antics may not hold up in court but the police can make your life a living hell while you’re spending your money and time fighting the charges or suing the police department for false detainment or a violation of your Forth Amendment protections.
The really unfortunate change in our legal system has been the change from innocent until proven guilty to guilty until proven innocent. If you’re charged for something you’ll be made to pay, even if you’re innocent.
Mussorgsky112. Whatever expert said your car doesn’t count because it’s not a “fixed” location, is utterly clueless. What about your person? Your body isn’t in a fixed location. The Fourth Amendment absolutely applies to your car, it applies to ALL your personal property, your wallet, your home, your scooter, your car, anything an everything you own. That’s why the Supreme Court just made it illegal to track your car using GPS without a warrant.
http://jalopnik.com/5878492/supreme-court-says-cops-cant-gps-track-your-car-without-warrant
A good defense lawyer is going top try and get any evidence gathered this way thrown out.