Free Republic
Browse · Search
News/Activism
Topics · Post Article

Skip to comments.

Police goof in raid, city stalls on damages
Baltimore Sun ^ | May 7, 2009

Posted on 05/07/2009 8:20:47 PM PDT by ellery

Andrew Leonard was watching television with his wife not long after returning from Ash Wednesday services when police burst through the front door of his North Baltimore home. He was handcuffed, plunked in a chair and told to keep quiet as officers rifled through the house and interrogated him for 15 minutes about drugs and a dealer he knew nothing about.

As it turned out, police had the wrong house. The man they were looking for lived two doors down.

Leonard, a 33-year-old chemist who has no criminal record, said he and his wife, a 29-year-old credit analyst, were frightened and humiliated by the incident. But for the past two months, he's wanted just one thing from the city: for someone to pay for the damage to his front door.

-snip-

No-knock raids can be carried out through warrants signed by judges, or by police who determine at the scene that announcing themselves would present a safety threat or lead to the destruction of evidence.

Critics say the confrontational tactic, often involving masked and armed officers, is increasingly being used in situations that don't require such a volatile response.

A 2006 Cato Institute study found that hundreds of raids are conducted nationwide each year at wrong addresses, sometimes resulting in death.

-snip-

The city denied his claim to be reimbursed for the damage to the door. Leonard said he was told that since the warrant listed Leonard's address, the officers hadn't technically stormed the wrong house.

-snip-

Meanwhile, the old front door sat in the backyard for two months. Leonard said he called the city's bulk trash pickup, but no one came.

The city inspectors who issue tickets for garbage in residents' backyards did, however, and gave him a $50 fine. The door finally was picked up last Thursday.

-snip-

(Excerpt) Read more at baltimoresun.com ...


TOPICS: Constitution/Conservatism; Crime/Corruption; Front Page News; Government; News/Current Events; US: Maryland
KEYWORDS: banglist; donutwatch; dynamicentry; jackbootedthugs; jackboots; jbt; jbts; lping; noknock; noknockraids; noknockwarrants; policestate; rapeofliberty; suckstobeyoucitizen; swat; wod; wosd
Navigation: use the links below to view more comments.
first 1-2021-33 next last
Baltimore Sun is a must-excerpt.
1 posted on 05/07/2009 8:20:47 PM PDT by ellery
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | View Replies]

To: bamahead

ping


2 posted on 05/07/2009 8:21:03 PM PDT by ellery (It's a free country.)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: ellery

I would think a good attorney could resolve this issue and these citizens millionaires.... Hell, illegal immergrants and suing cities and counties for arrest and winning millions...


3 posted on 05/07/2009 8:30:12 PM PDT by martinidon
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: ellery

Did they at least kill his dog?

JBT’s seem to enjoy that.


4 posted on 05/07/2009 8:31:56 PM PDT by glasseye
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: glasseye

No, for once they didn’t shoot the dog. They got in trouble for that in Maryland recently; maybe they’re practicing restraint by merely breaking into the homes of innocent citizens, busting up the house and terrorizing the residents.

/s


5 posted on 05/07/2009 8:35:11 PM PDT by ellery (It's a free country.)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 4 | View Replies]

To: martinidon

The problem is, the rest of the citizenry pays for it. Better idea: government employees, including cops, are held personally (and in the case of armed break-ins, criminally) liable for their actions.


6 posted on 05/07/2009 8:36:48 PM PDT by ellery (It's a free country.)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 3 | View Replies]

To: ellery

I’d probably get shot either for shooting the cops or for mouthing off.


7 posted on 05/07/2009 8:39:05 PM PDT by G Larry (Obama's plan = "STEALING FROM THOSE WHO CREATE THE JOBS!")
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: ellery

There is no excuse for a no-knock raid in any situation other than if there is a hostage involved.

There are many ways to prevent the loss of / recapture evidence even after it is flushed down the pot.

No-knock raids should be an extraordinarily rare event, not a common occurence.


8 posted on 05/07/2009 8:46:17 PM PDT by Don W (People who think are a threat to socialism)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: ellery
Somebody at the BS must have a fever. They used valuable space vindicating an innocent white guy rather than covering for a guilty minority.
9 posted on 05/07/2009 8:54:46 PM PDT by Navy Patriot (It's obvious from Nancy Pelosi's appearance that she tortures people every day.)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: ellery

Now that the news media has banged on the Mayor’s door, the city has begun to move, very slowly.

Frankly, I would have kept the door, stowing it inside. It is evidence in any potential lawsuit.


10 posted on 05/07/2009 9:12:01 PM PDT by HiTech RedNeck (Beat a better path, and the world will build a mousetrap at your door.)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: ellery; Abundy; Albion Wilde; AlwaysFree; AnnaSASsyFR; bayliving; BFM; cindy-true-supporter; ...

Maryland “Freak State” PING!


11 posted on 05/07/2009 9:23:56 PM PDT by Tolerance Sucks Rocks (Barack Obama: in your guts, you know he's nuts!)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: Don W
... recapture evidence even after it is flushed down the pot.

Gubmint mandated remote flush, police operated potties, with video cam attached to be sure no contraband is going down.

12 posted on 05/07/2009 9:31:20 PM PDT by RobinOfKingston (Democrats, the party of evil. Republicans, the party of stupid.)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 8 | View Replies]

To: ellery; Abathar; Abcdefg; Abram; Abundy; akatel; albertp; AlexandriaDuke; Alexander Rubin; ...



Libertarian ping! Click here to get added or here to be removed or post a message here!
13 posted on 05/08/2009 5:09:19 AM PDT by bamahead (Few men desire liberty; most men wish only for a just master. -- Sallust)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: ellery
A 2006 Cato Institute study found that hundreds of raids are conducted nationwide each year at wrong addresses, sometimes resulting in death.

http://www.cato.org/raidmap/
14 posted on 05/08/2009 5:11:53 AM PDT by bamahead (Few men desire liberty; most men wish only for a just master. -- Sallust)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: ellery
The problem is, the rest of the citizenry pays for it.

Where's the outcry by the good subjects of Baltimore? The calls for redress?

They remain silent. Let them pay.

15 posted on 05/08/2009 5:48:12 AM PDT by Clint Williams (Read Roto-Reuters -- we're the spinmeisters | America -- a great idea, didn't last.)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 6 | View Replies]

To: ellery

He should sue; it’s the only thing that gets these nitwit’s attention.


16 posted on 05/08/2009 6:08:04 AM PDT by jjm2111
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: Don W; All

the kicker is that the hardened criminal they required the no-knock for was such a bad guy, he got a ten year sentence that was suspended to the 30 days time served in county jail.
call the league of justice, lex luthor is out on parole!


17 posted on 05/08/2009 6:52:48 AM PDT by Nipplemancer (Abolish the DEA !)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 8 | View Replies]

To: ellery

This kind of bullshit has GOT TO STOP, before most all people start looking at the police like THEY are the enemy. Take heed, police. I know a lot of you are really good folk. Change this. Change it from within, or the people will eventually change it for you. Also, you dirty judges and lawyers,you’d better take heed as well. They’re the biggest part of the problem,issuing bullshit “warrants” based on junk information, IMO.
.


18 posted on 05/08/2009 7:28:45 AM PDT by 383rr (Those who choose security over liberty deserve neither; GUN CONTROL=SLAVERY)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 2 | View Replies]

To: G Larry
I’d probably get shot either for shooting the cops or for mouthing off.

It would be worth it.

These uniformed retards need to be set straight.
19 posted on 05/08/2009 7:31:01 AM PDT by Filo (Darwin was right!)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 7 | View Replies]

To: 383rr

20 posted on 05/08/2009 7:31:14 AM PDT by Lurker (The avalanche has begun. The pebbles no longer have a vote.)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 18 | View Replies]


Navigation: use the links below to view more comments.
first 1-2021-33 next last

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.

Free Republic
Browse · Search
News/Activism
Topics · Post Article

FreeRepublic, LLC, PO BOX 9771, FRESNO, CA 93794
FreeRepublic.com is powered by software copyright 2000-2008 John Robinson