Missouri: Police Roadblock Harassment Caught on Tape.

TheNewspaper.com ^ | 12/30/2006 | Brett Darrow

[The KG9 Kid]

Missouri: Police Roadblock Harassment Caught on Tape
St. Louis County, Missouri threaten to arrest a teenager for refusing to discuss his personal travel plans.

A teenager harassed by police in St. Louis, Missouri caught the incident on tape. Brett Darrow, 19, had his video camera rolling last month as he drove his 1997 Maxima, minding his own business. He approached a drunk driving roadblock where he was stopped, detained and threatened with arrest when he declined to enter a conversation with a police officer about his personal travel habits. Now Darrow is considering filing suit against St. Louis County Police.

"I'm scared to drive for fear of being stopped at another checkpoint and arrested while doing nothing illegal," Darrow told TheNewspaper. "We're now guilty until we prove ourselves innocent to these checkpoint officers."

On that late November night, videotape confirms that Darrow had been ordered out of his vehicle after telling a policeman, "I don't wish to discuss my personal life with you, officer." Another officer attempted to move Darrow's car until he realized, "I can't drive stick!" The officer took the opportunity to undertake a thorough search of the interior without probable cause. He found nothing.

When Darrow asked why he was being detained, an officer explained, "If you don't stop running your mouth, we're going to find a reason to lock you up tonight."

The threats ended when Darrow informed officers that they were being recorded. After speaking to a supervisor Darrow was finally released.

"These roadblocks have gotten out of hand," Darrow told TheNewspaper. "If we don't do something about them now, it'll be too late."

A full video of the incident is available here. A transcript is provided below as the audio is at times very faint.

[rawcatslyentist]

>"I hope you get it one day and when you do, don't whine to us."

Why how polite of you. Thoughtful too.

Cerially why the anger?

Shure it's a violation of the 4th. However the founders didn't even have the slightest inkling of multi ton vehicles being driven at speeds unimagined by intoxicated citizens.
Drunk driving is a violation to everyone elses 4th, it's just done by induhhviduals instead of a governing institution.

Gotta provide for the common defense. Promote the general welfare.

Either that or just arrest every single person that ever orders a drink at a bar or restaurant then starts his vehicles engine. Actually that would be more effective than "randumb" checkpoints.

The kid could have just simply answered just about anything to the officer, a party, my moms, a friends, Mc Ds, rollerskating, to climb Killamanjaro .... ... see how easy all that BS could have been avoided..

Sometimes we bring our troubles on ourselves, when just a modicum of civility prevents problems. This IS^{TM Billey Jeff} the case in this situation.

[Vn_survivor_67-68]

Arguing with you're feelings is not worth my time, so just watch this frivolous "case"....and don't hold your breath, because you might not even see it in the "news" again.

in the meantime, if you fly, try being a smartass such as this kid was while looking for his 15 minutes of fame and see what it brings for you.

[Vn_survivor_67-68]

P.S.

speaking of "news", have a look at the "publication" that is the only one that carried this story, LOL.


theNewspaper.com: A Journal of the Politics of Driving

http://www.thenewspaper.com/

too funny

[Ben Mugged]

I've given up responding to this thread. Too much emotion and not enough logic.

[Hop A Long Cassidy]

>>>Random police checkpoints should be challenged in every way possible.

I agree, bump. Particularly the ones for seat belts.

[Ben Mugged]

Yes. I'm no angel.

[Hop A Long Cassidy]

>>>"I'm looking for a doughnut shop, do you know of any good ones in the area?"

Most humorous response on this thread!

[zeugma]

I looked up the most dangerous jobs in the USA. Cab drivers are almost 3 times more likely to be killed than policemen. Loggers are are almost 5 times more likely. I am still very grateful for the good policemen. I would not want the job.

i'm grateful for the good ones too. Unfortunately, IMO, those are few and far between. Officer friendly was killed years ago, and there does not seem to be any indication of a replacement coming from our para-militarized law enforcement (and revenue enhancement) agencies.

[Ignatz]

He is under no legal compulsion to answer that question or any other, which is my point.

[Ignatz]

He'll be fine so long as he never runs into truly evil people. His mouth will get him killed if he ever leaves the safety of suburban neighborhoods (gaurded and kept safe by the very LEOs he trifles with) and comes into to the realm of the urban barbarians.

Then he should use yet another one of his Constituional Rights and carry a gun with him.

[gogeo]

Arguing with you're feelings is not worth my time, so just watch this frivolous "case"....and don't hold your breath, because you might not even see it in the "news" again.

in the meantime, if you fly, try being a smartass such as this kid was while looking for his 15 minutes of fame and see what it brings for you.

Feelings? I posted a position based upon rational principle, rooted in the constitution. You seem to be confused about the difference between thought and feelings...

...you would have never compared what happens when you purchase an airline ticket with what happened here. The obvious diiference, of course, is that this young man was driving lawfully in his own vehicle. When you fly, you're being transported in someone elses...that has everything to do with the amount of privacy and security one can expect.

BTW...it makes no difference where this was reported, the NY Times, Pravda, or Better Homes and Gardens...

This story isn't about wha either side alleges happened, but what the tape and transcript show happened. If it were his word against the PD, we wouldn't be talking about it, would we?

I hope this helped...

[Sherri-D]

This IS NOT the case in this situation. The kid was polite, there was no tank, no drunk driving. I actually would rather it not happen to you, or anyone, but I'll bet it will change your mind when you get harassed by out of control police, breaking the law at their whim, because they can.

[beltfed308]

What kind of country have we got when little smartasses think they have some right not to answer a policeman's questions?

What kind of country do we have with combloc style check point "charlie" set up. Your papers please.

[KenmcG414]

"My best friend is an sheriff"

Wow!! That must make you an expert on Law enforcement,

[jjm2111]

Not really. I don't personally like the "how are you" questions in life. It's basically American for "Hello". Many times I respond to "how are you" with a "good morning" (evening, etc. as appropriate), because I don't like giving the cursory "fine". If i'm feeling great, I say so, but no one wants to hear what a bad day I had or that my aunt is sick, etc.

[School of Rational Thought]

"What are the guy's damages exactly? It was obviously a set up, for which I salute the guy, but still, what are the damages? Ya I know, the "damage" to his clutch. :)"


Civil rights. They are valuable to some.

[zeugma]

Civil rights. They are valuable to some.

Judging from some of the comments on this thread, the opposite is true as well. 

[Sloth]

Why the exception? Why would we hate pigs if not for the horrible treatment you always see us describing?

Indeed. The only time in my life I had occasion to deal with a police officer in his professional capacity, he acted dishonestly & arrogantly like the largest anal orifice on Earth. For the record, it was former Captain Lucious Howard of Tennessee Highway Patrol, District 2... he's since been demoted to a lieutenant. :-)

[jjm2111]

You get the "Internet Toughguy Award" for this thread.

[RayStacy]

It's amazing when I think of it. I grew up loving the pigs, just like I loved the military and my country. EVEN WHEN I WAS A SOMETHING OF A JUVENILE DELINQUENT, AND HAD A FEW RUN INS WITH THEM, I still loved them. Went in the Corps, loved the pigs, got out of the Corps 4 yrs. later, still loved the pigs. And then it happened, and it happened over and over again. I'll never forget the time an armed and dangerous felon broke into my car and I got a gun and ran downstairs. He was gone by then, and I never saw him again (the pigs caught him and he pleaded)but the filthy pigs were threatening to arrest ME, for having picked up the gun. And this was in VIRGINIA!!!!!!!!!!!!! Good God!