Posted on 09/27/2007 6:23:25 PM PDT by Ken H
Missouri: Police Stake Out Brett Darrow Home
Saint Louis, Missouri police stake out the home of young motorist whose video of an out-of-control police officer garnered international attention.
A young Saint Louis, Missouri motorist faces trouble with local police upset at the national attention his September 7 video of an out-of-control officer has drawn to ongoing problems within area law enforcement agencies.
On Sunday, Brett Darrow filmed a Saint Louis Metropolitan Police Department cruiser staking out his home.
"It was the first time I've seen it," Darrow told TheNewspaper. "But my neighbor said he's seen a lot of police down our dead end street since all of this happened."
When Darrow walked outside to his 1997 Nissan Maxima, he noticed two officers sitting in a marked squad car, numbered 65. There is little question as to why the officers were there.
"As I got into the car, he started to pull up the street and he and his partner just stared me down," Darrow explained.
The patrol car drove away as Darrow started his car and followed. Because his camera had been set to capture night-time footage, the first 45 seconds of the video is obscured. It does, however, capture the police car making questionable turning maneuvers in order to get away.
Members of the police community are on the record regarding their desire to stake out Darrow's home and harass the twenty-year-old. In late June, users of St. Louis CopTalk, an unofficial forum for Saint Louis area law enforcement, posted Darrow's home address along with messages containing apparent death threats in retaliation for the young motorist's taping of a DUI roadblock in November and a traffic ticket in June. One CopTalk user repeating the address wrote, "Every copper, City and County, should etch this little punks [sic] name in their [sic] memory. Brett Darrow, [address deleted], city of St. Louis." (View screen capture of post)
This month, however, scandals within the Saint Louis Police Department which otherwise would have been a local story, gathered national attention and fueled additional resentment. Some $40,000 in cash turned up "missing" from the police evidence room on September 17. The city of St. George was forced to fire Sergeant James Kuehnlein for his threat to "come up with reasons" to "lock up" Darrow.
An investigation into whether Kuehnlein's actions merit criminal charges is under way. Darrow met on Monday with a Saint Louis County Police Department detective.
"I quickly learned that this was about finding something I did wrong and not the officer," Darrow said.
Despite the official harassment, Darrow has been comforted by an unexpected level of support from the general public. Motorists who recognized him from various television interviews have stopped to thank him or give him the "thumbs up." A judge also dropped charges from the June traffic stop after a Saint Louis police officer failed to show up at a trial where Darrow had been prepared to defend himself with video evidence.
Yeah it was pulled this afternoon. I thought it was relatively tame compared to some of the things that I’ve seen posted here in the past.
Record it and post it on you tube. Seems to work.
bttt for later
And if you honestly believe that officers are "stalking" you, contact your State Attorney General's office or, as others have suggested, contact the FBI civil rights division. I can't find the case, but the CHP lost a big lawsuit in California for harassing a man. Good Luck.
The individual being harrassed in this case has another thing on his side- everyone knows he’s being harrassed, because word of the harrassment itself is already out.
If someone PO’s a cop and then they are harrassed in private, it might remain private.
That we are reading this now, and that any retaliation the cops may take will be public, is acting as a shield to protect this man.
Might I suggest that he stop driving; just be a passenger for a few weeks until this blows up or blows over. You know the stakeout guys are lookin' to bust him on a routine traffic infraction. Hard to do when you're riding shotgun. (Well, without the shotgun.)
He must be a white boy because neither the Justice Brothers or the Freddie Fender Posse have come to his defense.
according to that post history, this isn’t the first time Mr Darrow has taped cops.
If someone PO's a cop and then they are harrassed in private, it might remain private.
That we are reading this now, and that any retaliation the cops may take will be public, is acting as a shield to protect this man.
Great points. St. Louis better get on top of this, and quick. Otherwise, they're going to be in the same boat as Duke and Durham.
Just keep the camera rolling at all times, kid. Rush calls it “shining the light of truth” on a really stinky situation.
Good advice.
And by being the passenger he can film the police following him around town.
I noticed that, too. Hope some of my posts had something to do with it....
Well let me avail you of some of the feelings on that subject that I've read here over the years, If you aren't doing anything wrong, then you have nothing to hide??? Right??? Must be the same for cops.
This new video doesn’t show anything nefarious. You simply see him following the cop car for about 30 seconds.
Sorry about that Ken. I was speaking of Brett.
I don’t know if it’s worth joining this thread. We had one on the same topic earlier and the entire thread got pulled because one freeper has thick skin.
Well, FWIW, I think this kid Darrow is a brave sould who is a little bit reckless in standing up for his rights, but he’s doing the right thing. Rednesss had some good legal perspectives.
oops,
because one freeper has THIN skin.
Or antagonized them.
That we are reading this now, and that any retaliation the cops may take will be public, is acting as a shield to protect this man.
***So, it would be a disservice to this freeper and society at large if a thread devoted to discussing this topic were pulled?
To: rednesss; Brett Darrow
Looks like this corresponding thread was pulled, last time I was on it there were 500 responses.
Keep up the good work, both of you. And Brett: Watch Your Back.
TTFN
St. Louis PD stalking Brett Darrow?
Google Video ^ | September 25, 2007 | Brett Darrow
Posted on 09/25/2007 4:32:15 AM PDT by abb
[corrected link inserted]
http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/1901765/posts?page=498#476
703 posted on 09/27/2007 3:26:57 PM PDT by Kevmo (We should withdraw from Iraq — via Tehran. And Duncan Hunter is just the man to get that job done.)
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