Not sure I understand your “even the innocent are petrified to not plea” statement.
I don't see a lot of local law abiding citizens being caught up in trumped up false charges around here.
I do notice a breathtaking number of out of area criminals finding out Polk County isn't quite the dumb hick town they thought it was, when they decided to set up operations....
where do i begin.
2006 daughter bathing one grand child while other napped in family room. my young son failed to completely close front door. two yr old grandaughter got outside. police called. police offer did not arrest her. hrs dcf came out and interviewed neighbors etc. found NO case For child neglect. My daughter had no criminal record. Had a job and was attending college. 8 months later i was awaken by police who handcuffed my daughter from her bedroom ( while in sponge bob slippers). wouldnt let me bail her out. apparently no bail on this charge until you appear in front of judge. when bailed out she was banned from coming home. i had to care for grandkids. 3000.00 later for attorney along with 22 notarized character letters we were told if we fought it they Would pursue max charge of feloney. prison time for year or more we were told. guess what? she plead to lesser defense. her life was ruined as far as getting law enforcement job which is what she wanted.
if these children where in danger why did officer on site and dcf not pursue. why wait over 8 months to arrest a mother in the middle of yhe night leaving her children behind? this is case 1. I will send the next in ainute.
case 2. i am a single parent. 25 yr old son and 17 year old son get into shoving match. older son calls police to teach him a lesson. officer arrives younger son ran off. the report goes to state attorney for review. they charge younger son with aggravated battery. a felony. older son calls then writes then calls then writes..state attorney explaining that this was blown out of proportion. we kept being dragged to court over and over w plea offers. we said hell no this time we are going to trial. the day of jury selection and again 3000 dollars for attorney fees charges were finally dropped. this is case 2. case 3 will be coming shortly
a few months back my adopted son atended a part. he is 28. everyone was drinking beer. he fell asleep. a neighbor attending the party left and promptly hit, actually smashed, into a light pole around the corner. all from party run out to see what happened. neighbor kid runs from scene. my sleeping son awakes to discover everyone gone and goes out and sees everyone in street. police show up. by the time i get there i am adbised ny officer thay yhry are arresting my son. i asked the officer why they were not looking for the owner of the truck. he told me, and i quote, SOMEBODYS going to jail tonigjt and yhe owner of the truck aint here. really!???? the nexy day yhe kid who hit the pole admitted he was driving. guess what?
the charged him and my son. how can this be? charging two people for driving the same truck into the same light pole?
oh now they dropped that one and said he “tried to move the vehicle” really?? OMG.
again i said hell no we go to trial.
he gets public defender. he picks out a jury.
night begore trial he tells me they charged him with two counts of something..... and guess what??? there is going to be two trials. two separate jury trials!!!!!!!
we get to court. he had seven witnesses to testify it wasnt him. guess what the prosecutor had? nada. no witnesses no officer. we were told both charges were being dropped. we all burst out crying. i asked the PD. how did it get this far???? he told me the state attorneys office didnt have the resources to investigate cases UNTIL just before trial. WTF???
they had time for all the appearances and selecting a jury though.
last case.
my youngest son was across the street. he was 7 days from his 21st birthday. he was drinking a beer. my neighbor runs over and tells me they are aresting him. he was not causing a disturbance. not drunk. not driving. yes i know he should not have been drinking.
however when i ran up the street the guy in black told me that if i could tell him of anyone that migjt be selling drugs. that they would let him go. i said i was just cutting coupons. NO! i dont know any drug dealers. They arrested him.
p.s. i voted for grady judge. believe it or not i have a great deal of respect for officers. i voted for bondi. It’s just something smells to high heaven here. something is radically wrong.