Sheriff Apologizes For Raid On Wrong House

Knoxville News-Sentinel ^ | July 18, 2002 | Jim Balloch

[HiTech RedNeck]

My guess is that the informant told the police that they had better jump on the situation NOW because some big illicit drug and weapons deal was shortly going to transpire and the evidence would be gone. So they didn't bother to do any digging; it was too "urgent."

What a lose.

[decimon]

My gutt feeling is that if everyone is held responsible, you're going to have enough redundancy that it would be impossible to carry out a wrong address raid.

Right idea but wrong focus, IMO.

One way to look at what is wrong with government, in toto, is to see that there is a lack of responsibility across the board. Start with forcing responsibility on the legislators for the laws they pass and work down through the judges, prosecutors, etc before working on the cops. Place all the responsibility on the cops for their actions and you'll probably get an occasional scapegoated cop with no change in policy.

[HiTech RedNeck]

I know how one five year old is always going to view cops.

Make him an honorary Freeper. Maybe he will become a real one when he gets older.

[Basil Duke]

Yes, indeed. Imagine where the homeowner would be now had he put a hole or two in these bastards as they stormed his house, yanked his wife out of bed and pawed at her (mine happens to sleep sans clothing; how about yours?) and put an eternal fear of God into his little boy. The fellow would either be on a cold slab or facing life in prison in a cell assigned to him because its other occupant is the system's most notorious and violent sodomite. Take your pick. There are no doubt posters on this site who would say, had the worst happened: "The man should have just let justice take his course. He didn't have nuthin ta hide..." Ahhh, another fine chapter from the 'War on Drugs.'

[HiTech RedNeck]

One big start would be across the board restitution laws for when the government was wrong even if "innocently." Why should this or that random unfortunate citizen be taxed severely for the mistaken actions of a government, and the rest of the people (who the government is supposedly of, by, and for) bear no burden?

[truenospinzone]

"The man should have just let justice take his course. He didn't have nuthin ta hide..."

Exactly. I wonder if the "If you don't do anything illegal, you don't have anything to worry about" crowd will show their faces in this thread. They seem to disappear whenever these types of incidents occur...

[wcbtinman]

"Going after the malefactors will make one think twice..."

At some point this will begin to happen, as victims of this kind of police state tactic find that they have no recourse through the criminal justice system.

IMHO, the payback needs to start soon. Without dire consequences for the perpetrators of these crimes, this problem will escalate.

[decimon]

One big start would be across the board restitution laws for when the government was wrong even if "innocently." Why should this or that random unfortunate citizen be taxed severely for the mistaken actions of a government, and the rest of the people (who the government is supposedly of, by, and for) bear no burden?

Good logic if "the people" can still be held responsible for the actions of those they elect. I would have to devote my life to trying to understand what it is my legislators are doing and I would surely fail. I think the restitutions would just amount to more taxes paid by the citizens. The legislators would still be hiding under their rocks.

[Triple]

warrant - you can't get a warrant on an unverified tip from a low-life informant.

So, don the ski masks and ask for permission later.

What happens when these ah's no-knock into a house with a couple of rotties and a gun toting owner that wakes to the sound of his dogs battling ski-mask wearing intruders?

nevermind - it would turn out to be the biggest drug bust the county had ever seen, and good riddance to the right-wing, militia, gun-nut, drug-dealer, and his family.

[StriperSniper]

an informant who has previously provided 27 accurate leads resulting in arrests.

27 arrests? How many convictions?

Sounds like word games to me.

[Basil Duke]

They usually thrive on the pee testing threads (particularly the ones about high school students). It's there they brand as glue sniffers and libertines anyone who takes issue with the practice of inculcating our youth with the notion that they must submit unquestioningly to any demand for an intimate bodily function. These are the same people can't understand why our young people don't have any knowledge of or respect for the Bill of Rights.

[HiTech RedNeck]

I would think (hope) that a sheriff's administration that was too restitution liable would end up being publicly shamed out of re-election. These people do depend on our votes. Why do prosecutors grandstand and railroad so often in our current system? Same principle... they are politically rewarded for victories and aggressiveness and there is next to no political downside to being wrong. Change that downside and the equation will change along with it.

[Maelstrom]

You don't have a choice.

The War on Drugs demands a Police State or creates on in it's absence.

You can't have one without the other.

[Wonder Warthog]

""You're drunk. Have you ever bought coffee at Starbucks?"

Actually, yes--personally I prefer Luzianne or Community dark roast, prepared in a drip pot (not perked, or "French-pressed"). The comment WAS intended somewhat "tongue in cheek".

[Wonder Warthog]

"The "incompetent bastard" is running for re-election right now."

One hopes that his constituents will NOT return him to office.

[Shooter 2.5]

My son doesn't like Starbucks because when he gets a regular, common, run of the mill cup of coffee with cream, it tastes terrible. He said you're better off going to 7-11 or McDonald's.
That sounds like what this SWAT team should have done. Maybe the family won't own the town after this.

[decimon]

I think we're on the same page in terms of the need for forcing responsibility on those who now assume privelege.

That some have to face an electorate doesn't seem to me to be having a deterrent effect to bad conduct. In fact, it seems to have an opposite effect in that the elected need only promise some crackdown on crime or to strike some "bring home the bacon" theme to get elected.

[Redbob]

OK, now imagine this event being sponsored by the "Dept. of Homeland Security" and instead of a local sheriff running things, you've got, say, Lon Horiuchi:
"Clever disguises these people have! Look, one is even made up to look like a 5-year-old! Kill the fiends! Kill them all!"

[Hemingway's Ghost]

Sorry, that doesn't cut it. The police deserve our support. However the public deserves theirs as well. This police state bull s-it has to stop.

I applaud you for being against this kind of BS even though you support the W.o.D.

[HiTech RedNeck]

What happens when these ah's no-knock into a house with a couple of rotties and a gun toting owner that wakes to the sound of his dogs battling ski-mask wearing intruders?

The dogs would get shot; they wouldn't have much time to battle.

CATS might be a different story! I wonder how long it would take a JBT to get free of a 20 pound, fully clawed, infuriated tom cat hanging onto the front of his ski mask.