Posted on 05/13/2010 5:01:34 AM PDT by from occupied ga
To police investigators, the double-wide in rural Polk County was the hiding place of a drug trafficker. But to her family, it was merely the longtime home of a 76 year old widow named Helen Pruett.
"All she did was go to church, go to Walmart, go to the beauty shop, and that's it," said Machelle Holl, Pruett's daughter.
Tuesday morning, police dressed in black paramilitary fatigues, armed with weapons and an arrest warrant surrounded Pruett's home, knocked on the door and demanded to be let in. Helen Pruett's family says she saw them through the window, was frightened, and didn't believe they were really police.
"She didn't know what to do. There was banging on the windows, men saying let me in," said daughter Diana Merrick.
Pruett opened the door - and police almost instantly realized their warrant had the wrong address.
"She told me she was having chest pains," said Polk County police chief Kenny Dodd. "I immediately called for an ambulance." Dodd said Polk County police assisted the DEA-led drug investigation.
Pruett was taken to the cardiac unit of a Rome hospital, where family members say doctors confirmed she'd had a heart attack. Family members were grateful Pruett wasn't killed -- like Kathryn Johnston, the elderly woman in a botched Atlanta police drug raid four years ago.
"She was the first person I thought of," said Merrick.
Pruett's daughters have spent the last two days at the hospital, where the Polk County police chief paid a midday visit.
"I feel sorry for the family," said Dodd.
Pruett's family wants police to investigate the misinformation that led to the mistaken raid. A DEA spokesman says that the agency is examining that as it continues its investigation.
Let me put the excuses that the jackboot lickers will post - save them the trouble.
OH and I almost forgot - should be in the list of excuses - anyone posting anything critical of the police is either a 1. criminal, 2. former criminal, or 3. "not a conservative, since conservatives worship police."
You jackboot lickers were born 90 years too late and in the wrong country for the great European experiment with police states in the 1930s & '40s, but there's hope for you with Obama's conversion of the USA to a totalitarian state
Bet? Seriously? If they had kicked in the door and executed everybody in the house there wouldn’t be any charges.
This one had lots of "knocking" ~
The police have a responsibilty to make sure their information is accurate before they use this level of force. I’m surprised that more police aren’t sued for stuff like this.
Anyone that can’t even get the right address should not be an LEO. They are far too stupid to even hold a gun.
If I remember correctly, just a few years ago, the state of Connecticut was rejecting Police applicants because their IQ was too high.
But the wrong address. Heard on the radio that this address had three digits the correct address had four digits. Welcome to the United Socialist States of Obama, Komrad. Halt - show papers.
Finding an address ~ I’m certain everybody here has had a problem a time or two.
They are sued, and sometimes have judgments against them which the taxpayers get stuck with. Meanwhile the actual individuals responsible NEVER face any consequences.
Sued? How about thrown in jail.
You wouldn't perhaps be a lawyer?
Yes, but I suspect that none of us here went with the intention of kicking in the door when we got there. That kind of raises the ante on making absolutely sure that the address is correct.
Hey that drug dealer they got this information from SWORE it was the place.
You caught that part, no?!
They knocked on the door.
Uh oh, someone old enough to remember America. Obamacare will take care of that little problem.
NEWS ~ police knock on door.
Almost never happens. Several years ago in Atlanta the cops hit the wrong address and gunned down a 92 year old woman. Left her to bleed out while they "looked for drugs." Unfortunately (for them) they got caught. Three of them were convicted of minor offenses like violation of oath of office, not murder and were sent to jail for a few years. ONLY REASON THEY WERE PUNISHED was that the victim was black. They were white, and Atlanta is run 100% by and for blacks. They were tossed under the bus to satisfy racial demands, not because they murdered someone.
“NEWS ~ police knock on door.”
Wow.. Like they are supposed to! They knocked, and waited to be let in. That is what is supposed to happen. Breaking down the door is supposed to be a very isolated event. It is a sad state of affairs when the police knocking and waiting is news.
Police are alway going to kick in the door if you don't open it for them, but of course you know that. You're just trying to blow a little pink smoke up the usual place.
Don’t forget they planted drugs on her in this isolated incident.
Couple days ago one of our freeper cops bragged about how he gave preferential treatment to friends and family. Got mad when I accused him of corruption.
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