Posted on 06/05/2014 7:42:23 AM PDT by Altariel
CHESTERTON, IN — An innocent man was arrested in an early morning raid and jailed for 10 days because he had the same first and last name as a drug suspect. The ordeal caused him to lose his job, rack up bills, and nearly get evicted from his home.
Steven M. Thompson, a service technician at Arcelor-Mittal Steel, received an “early morning visit” from the Porter County Drug Task Force (PCDTF) on on May 5th. He was taken from his teenage daughter in handcuffs.
Mr. Thompson had done nothing wrong. He assumed the misunderstanding would be easily cleared up once in police custody. Except it didn’t work out that way.
Despite collecting no evidence at Thompson’s home, he was charged with two Class B felonies for dealing pills and heroin. Each felony carries a 6-20 year prison sentence.
Accused of being a drug dealer, he was locked up in the Porter County Jail. Except he isn’t actually a drug dealer.
Days went by and he was not being released. With such difficulty in correcting the error, he began to think that going to prison might be a real possibility.
Finally, on the 10th day of confinement, he was able to prove his innocence with the help of attorney Bob Harper.
Although Thompson’s identity matched matched the signed warrant — down to the date of birth and middle initial — the data on the warrant had been incorrectly obtained. The intended suspect was Steven P. Thompson, who is three years younger and the same race, the Northwest Indiana Gazette confirmed.
Mr. Thompson’s false arrest caused him to rack up bills, face threats of eviction from his home, and lose his job after 6 years of employment.
Porter County Prosecutor Brian Gensel oversees the Porter County Drug Task Force (PCDTF), and dropped charges after it was evident that the wrong man had been arrested.
* * * * *
This case clearly illustrates the point that anyone — innocent or guilty — can be the target of government’s eager efforts to imprison Americans; the police state is not only felt by criminals. Those who turn a blind eye toward overzealous policing fail to recognize how easy it is to be subjected to a false accusation, a wrongful arrest, or a downright corrupt prosecution effort.
Mr. Thompson is “lucky” in the sense that the ordeal didn’t go further than it did. However, he still was fired from his job, lost 10 days of his life, lost his good name, and suffered numerous personal inconveniences. And this represents just one of countless botched arrests and injustices that have been caused by the War on Drugs.
How does that Kiwi taste?
Well, no... They used -his- data for the warrant when the guy they were after was the other guy with the same name. If you're making a case for a police state, maybe this sort of thing isn't the right hill to die on. It was a mistake... Maybe a stupid one, but most likely an honest one.
Unless you're making an argument that there should be no police at all, you're going to have to put up with occasional mistakes. And if you ARE arguing for no police at all... Well, we are done here either way.
It was a mistake... Maybe a stupid one, but most likely an honest one.
May the next "mistake" be aimed at you.
Glad my last name is Harkobeeparolin.
What's your alternative? No police? This idea that there can, anywhere, be an organization that makes zero mistakes is a childish fantasy. Some things, when they screw up do a LOT more harm than others. Police among them. It sucks. That's the real world. But seriously... What's your all-knowing alternative? How does your no-police world work? Is there no law at all? Is everybody deputized to enforce the law? What is it like to live in your world?
What's your alternative? No police?
Now, knock down your straw man.
“I’d still sue them for a hell of a lot of money.”
Millions...and if he has a good lawyer, he will win!
“And a juicy payout for anguish.”
Millions...of dollars...(in case anyone does not understand ‘millions’...
It is absolutely important that this kind of grose injustice be made to stop. Millions for this may help to do that.
Yeeeeaaaaaahhhhhhhhhhhhh, that no evidence thingy probably should have been a tip off for the police people early on...
All that ensures is that the taxpayers will be punished.
Get rid of qualified immunity, and sue the officers personally.
“All that ensures is that the taxpayers will be punished.
Get rid of qualified immunity, and sue the officers personally.”
All well and good. but if the taxpayers do not feel the ‘hurt’, nothing will change. The qualified immunity will still be there. Get rid of ‘em all...!
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.