Raid at hot dog joint preceded Kmart bust

Houston Chronicle ^ | Aug. 21, 2002, 11:13PM | By ROMA KHANNA

[PBRSTREETGANG]

Houston police Capt. Mark Aguirre, the man who ordered the arrests of 278 people at a westside Kmart last weekend, prodded a local restaurant to allow his officers to conduct a similar raid of its parking lot Saturday in a sting that netted 25 arrests.

Sad it came to this after his basketball career at Depaul and in the NBA.

[Dog Gone]

I had heard on the radio about a bust a James Coney Island, but there was nothing in the newspaper about it. I assumed that people were just confused, and they were really referring to the incident at Sonic and Kmart.

But here it is. This happened the night before the Kmart bust. They liked these Gestapo tactics so much they did the following night down the street. Lovely.

Here, at least, they started to follow the letter of the law. They got permission from JCI to arrest those who refused to leave. That is what is required for criminal trespass involving private parking lots like this.

The problem is that they didn't ask anyone to leave. They just arrested everyone there, paying customers or not.

It's clearly a false arrest, and James Coney Island should join the rest of the people in suing the Police Department.

But these morons at HPD liked the results so much that they did it again the following night, and they didn't bother to get permission from Sonic and Kmart, who owned the property. And, of course, they didn't ask anyone to leave.

I can hardly contain my outrage at this conduct, and I can't tell you how disappointed I am in the numerous Freepers who have defended these police actions. Some of them are posters I used to respect.

[from occupied ga]

The alternatives--anarchy, tribalism, or private police forces--are much worse than an occasional botched raid such as this. You insufferable knee-jerk, law enforcement-despising whiners don't deserve the police protection you ...blah blah blah ... pigs--just like the Bounty mutineers on Pitcairn Island.

Can you say "Sieg Heil?" I knew you could.

In addition, you're confusing the pitcairn islanders with the children in the novel, Lord of the Flies"

[PBRSTREETGANG]

I can hardly contain my outrage at this conduct...

I couldn't agree more. The actions of the police in these instances are as indefensible as they are frightening. Those who attempt to justify the police behavior here understand very little about freedom.

[Texas Mom]

I can't find the article on the net to print but there was a letter to the Houston Chronicle yesterday from a resident of that area asking "What took them to long?" I don't take the Chronicle anymore but was reading it at my sons house last night.

Evidently this has been an on going problem that has reaked havoc on the neighborhood for the past several months. The neighbors have been calling the police at all hours every Saturday night asking them to do something. The police have been by there every weekend asking the kids to leave. They leave and then come back the following weekend. 1:00 sounds rather mild, but the letter said it usually went on till 3:00 A.M. and sometimes later.

If anyone has the article I wish they would post it. I always think it's best to look at the complete picture rather than just a portion of it.

[FreeTally]

The actions of the police in these instances are as indefensible as they are frightening. Those who attempt to justify the police behavior here understand very little about freedom.

Although I defended the K-mart raid, this was over the line. The cops just pulled up, and arrested everyone at the restaurant? If that's what happened, then this is crazy. Its too bad that the compant actually agreed to let the HPD do some sort of raid, because they will probably have a hard time joining in on a lawsuit. I bet the HPD's raid days are close to over.

[Equality 7-2521]

I have some great friends who are cops--as a matter of fact, I'm dating a police detective (and I'd like to believe she would question unlawful orders--but I guess I don't know that for sure. We've already had some disagreements over things like jury nullification, but that's another story). But I will agree that a few bad apples creates a putrid odor that surrounds and permeates the whole bunch.

[Xenalyte]

COERCION IN ASKING TO POST KNOWING FULL WELL PREDESIGNED PLAN OF POLICE TACTICS.

Huh?

[PBRSTREETGANG]

While I agree that the trespassing, loitering and drag racing are serious problems that should be dealt with, if the solution involves arresting law-abiding citizens minding their own business, then the "solution" is a much larger problem in my book.

[RedWhiteBlue]

Did you hear the caller yesterday on KPRC's (Chris Baker's) radio show? He said that he worked for Aguire at one time, but wouldn't give his name or if he was still a cop. He said that the cops working for Aguire have never liked him or the way that he "approached the job." When he gave the orders to arrest the kids @ KMart, they did it without hesitation because they knew that "this was the rope that would hang him." If this is true, then Aguire will hang and the HPD will get rid of a bad apple.

[Dog Gone]

The Kmart raid was worse than this one. At least here, the cops had the permission of the property owner to make legal arrests. Unfortunately, the way they did them here, they were all illegal arrests.

At Kmart, they didn't even bother with getting permission.

[Fixit]

Not a great picture, but here is Aguirre:

[kidd]

They can have my hot dog when they pry it from my cold dead fingers.

[bert]

What were they eating and when did they order.

[steve-b]

Monica Coello, 36, was finishing a meal in the parking lot with her brother, sister, sister-in-law and 2-year-old niece when she was arrested.
"We were almost ready to leave when all the patrol cars came in and started blocking the entrances and exits," Coello said. "I wanted to lock my car, and they would not let me. They told me to shut up and walk to the back."
Coello's sister-in-law and niece were left behind, stranded. Police took Coello, her brother and sister to jail. Eventually, their mother shelled out $900 in bail, and the three siblings were freed.

Oh Keeevviieeee. Come and defend your budddiieess....

[SerpentDove]

>> Absolutely. We are but sheep, most of us that is. If the police / government official says "JUMP BOY!", most of us will respond "HOW HIGH, SIR?". <<

That's why the founding fathers had bullets.

:-))))))

[steve-b]

If so, perhaps the officials responsible should be and will be fired anyway

Firing is grossly inadequate. A year in prison (a real don't-bend-over joint, in general population) sounds about right.

[steve-b]

Not a great picture, but here is Aguirre

The rest of him is leaning forward about 30 degrees, but his forehead is vertical. Why am I not surprised?

[Thud]

Procedural violations count as much as racism or brutality. Here it was the arbitrary nature of the arrest - just for being there.