Trooper arrested after traffic stop of judge

KATC.com ^ | 10July2009 | The Associated Press

[LuxMaker]

COUSHATTA, La. -- Louisiana State Police say a trooper is on paid leave after being booked with battery, assault and false imprisonment of a judge after a traffic stop.

[LuxMaker]

Trooper Eric Schonfarber:

[OldDeckHand]

I hope dash-cam video exists, and will be released to the public at some point. Should be entertaining.

[LuxMaker]

Nope he was using a “pool car” where no record of the incident was possible.

[Filo]

Even with no information at all I’m quite sure that the cop is 100% guilty and that he’ll get off regardless.

(The above is extrapolated from virtually all previous cases of police brutality and/or misconduct.)

[Chet 99]

More details here:

http://www.shreveporttimes.com/article/20090710/NEWS/90710015/Trooper-booked-after-confrontation-with-judge

[PapaBear3625]

Trooper made the mistake of picking on somebody higher in the pecking order than him. If it had been you or me, they would have just accepted the trooper’s reason for busting us.

[OldDeckHand]

"Nope he was using a “pool car” where no record of the incident was possible."

Oh. I didn't see that in the story. That's too bad. Cop vs. Judge The Video, would have been enjoyable.

[KarlInOhio]

What an amazingly information free article. I'm not blaming you, LuxMaker, but that TV station provided just about nothing.

My bet is that a hot headed cop and a hot headed judge were each trying to assert their authority over the other and things got out of control.

[deport]

Nope he was using a “pool car” where no record of the incident was possible.

---

Correct in that no video will be available but there were other witnesses, a constable and others at the courthouse where the incident occurred. My guess is the trooper is in for some diciplinary action.

[JRochelle]

Guilty!

[deport]

Click the link in #5 above....

[LuxMaker]

I tried using the article in post #5 but shreveport times is banned on FR for copywrite complaints.

[Virginia Ridgerunner]

During the discussion, Sams identified himself as a district judge and Schonfarber asked to see a badge that was in Sams’ wallet. Sams refused, saying he wasn’t going to use his position to get out of a ticket.

That’s when the confrontation allegedly became physical. Schonfarber pulled out his Taser and threatened the judge, and also threw him onto the hood of his patrol car. A Red River Parish constable and occupants of the courthouse witnessed the events.

Idiot trooper is toast.

[FReepaholic]

From the article in post #5:

...was arrested this morning after turning himself into Red River Parish sheriff’s authorities...

What, was he Harry Potter or something? Do they not have proofreaders at that paper?

[Azzurri]

In another article I read, the judge identified himself as such and then the officer requested to see his badge and id. The judge then refused and said he would not use his position to influence the ticket. A scuffle ensued (perhaps the officer thought someone was trying to impersonate a judge?) and then the arrest. So, it looks like the judge tried one of those “Do you know who I am?” moves before redacting it.

[Sacajaweau]

Local story....Rookie cop stops a judge for speeding. The next day the cop is told to call the judge and apologize.

The cop calls and the judge's wife answers. The cop apologizes to her about the incident...Yeh....Wifie was not with hubby that night...he was with his girlfriend.

[Jim from C-Town]

“All animals are equal, Some animals are just more equal than others”

[balch3]

There has to be a backstory here. This is a very rural area, This guy may have been the only judge in the district, or at most one of only two or three. The trooper almost certainly knew him, and almost certainly had been in his court on official business before.

[FReepaholic]

...(perhaps the officer thought someone was trying to impersonate a judge?)...

Huh? Why would that matter? It was a seatbelt infraction.

..So, it looks like the judge tried one of those “Do you know who I am?” moves before redacting it...

Doesn't read that way to me. Just the opposite.

[Gay State Conservative]

It's certainly possible that the judge pulled a “do you know who I am?” on the trooper,who didn't fall for it.Either the judge *was*,or was *not*,wearing a seat belt and it either *is* or is *not* legal for a law enforcement officer in LA to stop those not wearing a belt.My hunch is that whatever happened was instigated by the judge...but I obviously can't prove it.