Posted on 10/25/2011 6:19:49 AM PDT by DCBryan1
STOCKTON (CBS13) — The San Jose Police Department stormed into a Stockton home searching for an accused killer, but they left without him, and left behind a complete mess.
“I feel like a war was taken on here, and we lost,” homeowner Joann Rice told CBS13.
Almost all of the windows are smashed in, there are holes in the wall, and there’s a layer of tear gas in the air so thick breathing it in makes you cough.
That is the home Rice came back to after the San Jose police held a fruitless 12-hour search on Saturday for Steve Ruiz, the man accused of killing a Hells Angels member at a funeral.
“He wasn’t here, he was never here and he wasn’t in the house,” she said.
Rice said her daughter was an acquaintance of Ruiz, nothing more.
“When she opened the house at 7 in the morning she asked them to come in, all they kept saying is, ‘Are you in danger? Are you in danger for your life?’ She kept saying, ‘No, my kids are in here, you can come in here if you like,’” Rice said.
Rice says police didn’t listen. They grabbed her daughter and threw her in a police car for four hours and then into a jail cell.
While police shot tear gas into the home, a mother dog and her three puppies were still inside the house.
“They told her if there was anything left in that house, it’s dead,” she said. “We were hysterical and thought the puppies were dead, the other dog was dead.”
The dogs, fortunately, are in good condition. The house isn’t.
CBS13 made several calls to the San Jose Police Department, but didn’t get a call back.
“We want it fixed,” Rice said. “Of course I’m calling my insurance, but San Jose has to pay for this, there is no reason why they shouldn’t.”
Rice said the family doesn’t know if they’ll ever be able to live in the house again.
BIG MISTAKE....she gave her consent, and forfeited her rights. The cops shouldn't have trashed her house, and should make amends on that front. However there is an IMPORTANT LESSON TO LEARN:
Even if you want to cooperate with the Police, and think you are doing the right thing, you will face more and more indignities by the growing numbers of ninja suited cops on adrenaline high.
Remember: When the cops are at the door, you ask two (2) questions, and make one (1) statement:
1) "Do you have a search warrant?"
2) "Do you have an arrest warrant?"
3) No? I'm sorry officer, I will not give consent to enter my private property without those documents, and furthermore, I will make no statement without my attorney present. Thank you and have a good day!"
I don’t believe this story. There is no way the cops did all that damage, no way at all. I mean they didnt even kill the dog, which proves the cops weren’t there.
The first question that has to be asked is under what authority are the San Jose Police doing a residential “search” in another town in another county? Were the San Joaquin County Sheriff or the Stockton Police involved? This is simply outragreous.
Ridiculous. Even in Iraq we had to pay for damage done during a raid if we hit the wrong house. Apparently the rules are a lot more fast and loose in Stockton, CA.
If the story is true, the cops were 100% wrong. Just a few observations though. If you’re an “acquaintance” of a guy who kills a Hells Angel, chances are you’re a lowlife. The mother/homeowner definitely looks like a lowlife. Oddly enough, the house really looked very nice- and clean, as well. These are obviously upper class lowlifes- probably wear underwear.
First of all, we have to define "wrong house". Sure he wasn't there, but they got the house they were looking for. The guy is an "acquaintance" with the girl that was there.
Seriously, one piece of advice for any teen girls out there, don't be "acquainting" with accused killers. Bad stuff can happen.
..and they cant hold you unless they arrest you..... and you do not have to answer questions and should not without a lawyer if you suspect you are suspect. Remember, it is perfectly legal for THEM to lie to you to get a confession when they have no case, but anything they perceive as misinformation from YOU they can prosecute you for as perjury.....
Police are not always motivated by the best.
LOL, they thought they did!
Why is it that the police are looking more and more like military? I thought the military weren’t supposed to be police.
Yes, there's a law that says that. But, these clever legalistic government types have noticed that the law doesn't say that "the police aren't supposed to become like the military."
A BIG /S
Gee, I can’t imagine why anyone would hate pigs.
No tonlyshould the Police have to fix her house, the officers that did the raiding should have to do the work.
They tore it up, they should have to fix it, Mayne that would make them think twice before destroying other people’s property.
Why is it that the police are looking more and more like military? I thought the military weren’t supposed to be police.
Militarized “law enforcement” is the “standing army” our Founders feared.
Was this the Department of Education looking for overdue library books again?
Well, you have to understand, THOSE people have rights, even the terrorists to some extent. The people in this story are American citizens and have done nothing wrong. Totally different scenario.
why are San Jose officers busting in to a house in Stockton?
doesn’t Stockton have police and can’t they get San Joaquin
to serve an arrest warrant?
On their own time. And it better pass inspection. Come to think of it, we better have an inspector come in from a couple counties away. We wouldn't want another branch of the same city they work for inspecting their repair work, would we?
So much for a "professionalized" police force.
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