Posted on 07/25/2008 8:49:03 PM PDT by bamahead
After being caught twice with a "baggie" of marijuana, 23-year old Rachel Hoffman was reportedly told by police in Tallahassee, Florida that she would go to prison for four years unless she became an undercover informant.
The young woman, a recent graduate of Florida State University, was murdered during a botched sting operation two months ago.
"The idea of waging a war on drugs is to protect people and here it seems like we're putting people in harm's way," said Lance Block, a lawyer hired by Rachel's parents.
The Florida Attorney General's office says it is reviewing the procedures and protocol of the Tallahassee police.
"I'm calling her a criminal," Tallahassee police chief Dennis Jones told 20/20, who maintains that both drug dealers and drug users are considered criminals to his department.
Under Florida law, possession of more than 20 grams of marijuana is a felony.
The Tallahassee police chief says Rachel was suspected of selling drugs and she was rightly treated as a criminal.
"That's my job as a police chief to find these criminals in our community and take them off the street, to make the proper arrests," Jones told 20/20.
Rachel's case also is raising questions about how police recruit and use informants in undercover operations.
"There need to be some safeguards here," said Block, the Hoffman family lawyer.
The young woman received no training before being sent to an undercover meeting to buy a large amount of drugs and a handgun from two suspects.
Police says Rachel was killed by the very handgun she was supposed to buy.
"I don't think she understood the risk or danger that she was in," said Block.
Rachel was in a drug court diversion program when she became an informant.
(Excerpt) Read more at abcnews.go.com ...
The pot users who killed the confidential informant are murderers. But the dopers want to blame the police.
Her big mistake was listening to the police rather the people she told.
The police told her not to go anywhere with the perps. Her friends told her that they were going to videotape the sting.
Yes, it's easy to be wrong.
That's refreshing. The blood dancers won't be able to add you to their ranks.
how do you feel about alcohol and tobacco being legal?
You can't smoke tobacco in a restaurant in California. Unless you're at an Indian casino restaurant.
I'll take your word for it.
Absinthe has been illegal in America for nearly a century.
Well. now they say they did. CYA
Her friends told her that they were going to videotape the sting.
The cops told her to meet the perps. Believing them and the Cops image, she asked her friend to videotape it.
Both her friends told not to trust the police, as "The polce can't protect you" (I've heard that somewhere before.)
O.K. Let's review what you said and how I responded. The purpose of this exercise is to show everyone how you twist things to suit your own purpose. That's why debating an issue with you quickly becomes boring.....as you never offer anything of substance.....and you drift.
Post #592 "American voters created the laws that the dopers violate". That was your comment.
Post #593..... I responded: They also elected Jimmy Carter! I guess I should have included and underlined "American voter" because that was the subject of your comment.
Post #594..... you responded: Presidents dont make the laws, Congress and the state legislatures do.
Whatever that comment had to do with what we were discussing is beyond me.....and I'm sure everyone else! I was alluding to the fact that the American voter displays rank idiocy from time to time and could care less about who makes the laws.
Like I said......discussing anything with you....especially something that requires some thought and consideration, becomes boring......very quickly.
Tobacco use is illegal in a restaurant in California. Subject to the exception previously noted.
If you want a cigarette with your restaurant scrambled eggs, hit the Indian reservation. Or drive to Nevada.
Jimmy wasn't elected to make laws.
Should I draw you a picture?
Which one of her "friends" tipped off the perps?
That's correct. But he was still elected by idiot voters who you had given some type of divine right to pass drug laws! The fact that some one attains legal age to cast a vote does not somehow magically bestow intelligence upon them.
That was the discussion....moron!
Please note that Mojave refuses to answer the question. Interesting.
Stick a fork in him....he's done!
The NORML crowd loves him.
Please note that mysterio refuses to address the answer posted.
police chief Dennis Jones and his crew.
a small time buyer suddenly wants a $15,000 buy of 1500 Ecstasy, several ounces of cocaine, "and a handgun"
a perp would have to be stupider than the cops not to ask himself "What's changed?"
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