Arrested/Tasered for Excercising Freedom of Speech
Okay, I know it’s been a while since I was arrested, tasered, went on trial, got convicted of three crimes that I didn’t commit and jumped through a bunch of hoops for a judge so he could feel better about the justice system and his job, but I’m finally ready to write about what really happened. I havn’t written or talked about it since the day the judge freeded me from my ridiculous sentence, in hopes that I could just forget about it, but unfortunately I can’t. I think about what a fucked up justice system America has, every single day. It’s like torture, because there is nothing I can do to fix it.
Here is what happened the night I got arrested:
On 12/2/06, I was arrested by Officer Christopher Karches of the Carlsbad Police Department, without just cause and charged with crimes that I did not commit. In addition, Christopher Karches used extremely excessive force and used his taser on me three times as I was face down on the ground and he was on top of me. For the record, I am a female that stands 5′ 7″ tall and weighs 115 lbs.
On the evening of 12/2/06, a group including myself was celebrating a birthday on the patio at Hennesy’s in Carlsbad. At 11:15pm, my boyfriend and I prepared to leave. I wanted to use the restroom before we left and as I walked into the restaurant, I was grabbed by a bouncer and told that I could not enter the restaurant to use the restroom. When I asked, “Why can’t I use the restroom”. The bouncer replied, “Cuz I said so.”. I informed the bouncer that it is illegal to not allow access to the restroom to patrons and he continued to argue with me. At this point, Officer Karches stood in the doorway, next to the bouncer. I said, “Okay, well why don’t we ask him (referring to Officer Karches)”. Addressing Officer Karches, I said, “Why don’t you tell them that what they are doing is illegal and that they have to allow customers access to a restroom”. Officer Karches did not respond so I said, “You DO know the LAW don’t you?”. My statement obviously angered Officer Karches, but he still did not respond. I was then told that if I did not leave the premises, I would be arrested for trespassing. I said, “You guys are both fucking morons”, I turned around to walk out of Hennesy’s, flipped off the bouncer and Officer Karches and proceeded to walk 5 or 6 steps. I had one foot inside the premises and was about to place my other foot on the public sidewalk when I was grabbed forcefully from behind, by the back of the neck and my left arm. The person that grabbed me from behind (later identified as Officer Karces) did not identify themself, and the force of them grabbing my neck whipped my head back so hard that my purse and hat went flying through the air. Since I had no idea who just grabbed me from behind, I pulled my arm from their grip and I was immediately thrown to the pavement with enough force to knock the barrettes our of my hair and scuff my knee. Still dazed from being hit from behind and not knowing who was on my back, I simply tried to get to my feet. The person on my back yelled that I was under arrest for “drunk in public” and then tased me in the back while I was face down on the sidewalk. Being tased in the back, flipped me over onto my back and I yelled, “Ow you fucking asshole”. Officer Karches then proceeded to taser me at least two more times in the stomach. I screamed and yelled, “Ow, Jesus Christ, STOP IT.” I was then flipped back over onto my stomach and Officer Karches handcuffed me and yelled at me to “STAND UP”. I said, “I’m wearing 5 inch heels, I CAN’T get up.”. Officer Karches grabbed my handcuffs, yanked me to my feet and placed me in the back of another officer’s squad car.
Numerous Carlsbad police officers were on the scene at this point and I was removed from the car to be patted down by a female officer and to have my jewelry removed. Stefan Rest witnessed Officer Karches attack me and he was gathering other witnesses information when he was confronted by another officer. The officer asked what Stefan was doing and when he found out he was collecting witness information Stefan was ordered to leave or else the officer threatened to arrest him for loitering and DUI if he caught Stefan riding his bicycle home. The other officers left and I was put in the back of Officer Karches car with Officer Karches and one other male officer. Officer Karches drove around the block and dropped off the other officer. I thought this was incredibly strange that I was now handcuffed and alone with a man that had just attacked me and I started to get scared. So I started asking questions to Officer Karches:
Summer: “So, what’s your name?”
Karches: “Karches.”
Summer: “What’s your first name?”
Karches: “I’m not going to tell you that!”
Summer: “How long have you been on the force?”
Karches: “5 years.”
Summer: “Ah, I bet you havn’t been in Carlsbad long, have you.”
Karches: “1 ½ years in Carlsbad.”
Summer: “So, where are we going?”
Karches: “The hospital, then you’re going to JAIL!”
Summer: “Why are we going to the hospital?”
Karches: “It’s standard procedure when someone gets tased”
Etc.
At the hospital, I was marched into the Emergency Room in handcuffs where Officer Karches explained that they just needed to take my vitals and we’d be on our way. They hooked me up to an EKG and my heart rate was more then double my normal heart rate due to Officer Karches loss of control and using his taser on me at least three times. Doctor Bei went to talk to Officer Karches and said that there was no way that he could release me in this condition. Officer Karches got all huffy because he obviously wanted to go home and said, “Well, can I use your computer to finish my report then?”. After approximately an hour of drinking cold water and resting in the hospital bed, my heart rate was still dangerously high and I was hooked up to an IV in an attempt to bring it down. Another hour passed and my heart rate still would not return to normal. The doctor asked if I had taken any drugs or drank any caffeine that night. I responded that I have never done drugs before and that I had not had any caffeine that entire day. Apparently Officer Karches did not believe me and ordered a drug test. I peed in a cup and the drug test came back 100% clean. I asked the doctor what my blood alcohol level was, but he said Officer Karches would not allow them to test my blood alcohol level. I asked for a blood alcohol test 3 times, but Officer Karches would not allow the doctor to test for alcohol. I then asked the doctor in private that if he could, to please perform a blood alcohol test on my blood from the IV needle since Officer Karches arrested me (and subsequently tasered me three times) for being “drunk in public”, when it was obvious that I was not drunk. I am still waiting on my medical records to see if the doctor was able to test my blood for alcohol. After 2 hours, the doctor said that he would release me if I wanted to leave, but my heart rate was still very high and that I should rest until I felt better. I was also advised that I should immediately return to the ER if was experiencing chest pain or a fast heartbeat for more then 20 minutes. Unfortunately, I was unable to rest since I was immediately thrown in jail.
As I was waiting to be booked into the Vista jail, there were numerous other officers and several men that were arrested for drunk driving present, so I was making small talk with the officers. An officer was administering Breathalyzer tests to the guys that were arrested for drunk driving and I asked if I could take a Breathalyzer since I was arrested for “drunk in public” and tasered three times, when I wasn’t even drunk. The other officers looked surprised to find out the I was arrested for drunk in public and was tased by Officer Karches three times. One officer turned to Karches and said, “You tased her three times?”. Officer Karches looked embarrassed and said, “It’s always the girls that are the hardest”. I asked again if I could take a Breathalyzer and Karches erupted into childish taunting. He said, “Nanananana, don’t you ever SHUT UP? Your lucky I didn’t punch you and next time I’ll use the taser with the barbs because it hurts worse!” I was taken aback by Officer Karches lack of professionalism and said, “Are you kidding? You really should be quiet because you’re making yourself look stupid. Are you in high school or something?”
As my paperwork was being processed, the women that was processing it called Officer Karches over and asked if he got approval for “this”. He said no and she said that he couldn’t do that. I’m not sure what he was trying to do, but I have a feeling that he wanted it so that I would have to post bail rather then be released on “OR” (own recognizance), because when the women announced that I would be realeased on “OR” he was visibly annoyed. I was then thrown into the “drunk tank” and held for 12 hours even though I was stone-cold sober.
In addition to being falsely arrested, I was admitted into the hospital were I was forced to receive treatment for my injuries caused by Officer Karches and have incurred medical bills of over $3000.
So that’s what happened, plain and simple. The restaurant/bar I was at was violating health code and didn’t like that I was actually informed (the bouncers that were involved were both fired after this incident), I asked an officer for help and he was too stupid to know what I was talking about, I got annoyed, flipped him off and he lost his temper to the extent that he put lives in danger.
Was I a bitch? Sure. Did I do anything illegal? Nope. I simply exercised my right to freedom of speech. Weather you like it or not, it’s not illegal to call a cop a “fucking moron” or flip them off. It IS illegal for someone to jump on your back and zap you with a taser, even if they are wearing a badge. Which is why Officer Karches made up a report full of disgusting lies. If he admitted to what really happened, he would have lost his job as a police officer.
So, after this happened the District Attorney (of course) offered to drop everything if I agreed to plead guilty to an infraction “disturbing the peace”. An infraction is like a speeding ticket, you pay a fine and go on your marry way. I refused to take any “deals” offered by the DA, because I knew what happened was wrong and I wanted to make sure that Officer Karches didn’t pull this bullshit again. So, I went to trial. My lawyer was a bumbling newbie, but I was still confident since I knew that I didn’t do anything wrong and we had 8 witnesses testify that what Officer Karches wrote in the police report was totally fabricated.
Then, something happened that I would have never believed in a million years.
I was convicted of commiting three crimes that I never commited.
I know that the 12 jurors were tired (trial is totally exhausting and the DA drug it out over two weeks) and if they didn’t come to a decision within an hour, they would have to deliberate through the weekend. So, at 4:29 on Friday (court closes at 4:30), they decided to find me guilty of all three counts (trespassing, resisting arrest and drunk in public).
I was sentanced to a $1000 fine, required to attent AA meetings 3 times a week for 2 months, required to attend a 12-week anger management course and I was sentanced to 90 days (720 hours) of work service. The judge told me that he was so harsh with my sentance because, I “put an officers life in danger by choosing to wrestle with him in a place wear other people might have hurt him”. So I was punished for the hypothetical actions of someone else? Awesome.
So, on top of the 80 hours I work per week, I had to jump through all of these little hoops for the judge. Which I did. And, he “let me off” after 45 days of the ridiculous AA meetings, anger management classes and 10 days of work service. I’m not even on parole. The judge also stressed that I should expunge my record. You have to pay the court to expunge your record. Ah, it’s all making sense now. They just wanted more money.
The justice system is just a sick game. It has NOTHING to do with justice and it’s simply about who knows how to play the game better. So, I was simply naive and didn’t hire some pitbull lawyer because I believed that if you don’t do anything wrong everything will turn out in the end. As a matter of fact, I wanted to represent myself, but the 1st judge I saw couldn’t stress enough that representing myself wouldn’t be tolerated.
Any how, another thing I learned is how incredibly dumb so many people are. I can’t tell you how many anonymous assholes have commented on my posts during this entire episode with things like:
“Bitch, you deserved it”
“Maybe you shouldn’t have flipped off a police officer!”
“Do what you’re told next time!”
etc, etc, etc.
I’m not a sheep, nor am I a lemming. I don’t following along blindly in life and do whatever I’m told just because. I will always ask questions and so should you. This experiance has shown me how many ridiculous sheep are really out there and most don’t even know their own rights. I wasn’t tried by a jury of my peers. I was tried by a jury of average Americans that sheep along in life and are brainwashed to believe anything a police officer says.
As Officer Karches said in court, he could have punched me in the face, but he chose to taser me instead. Why? Because if he left an external mark on me (such as a black eye or even bruises), civil rights activists and the media would be all over this. So the police now use tasers that cause internal damage, because since you can’t see the injury, it’s less sensational and safer for the police to abuse their power.
If it was 1955 and Rosa Parks refused to give up her seat on a bus, she would be tasered and thrown in jail for disturbing the peace. Bitch probably deserved it…Right?
Bawbag with a capital ‘B.’
Makes me angry reading the whole story, it’s great that you haven’t let this stop you from doing all the things you want to do, even though it’s going to sting for a bit.
Supposing you peed outside, officer Karches would probably have tackled you for indecent exposure. My brother was rugby* tackled after a concert for that ’cause he wasn’t let back into the concert building. He was accused of ‘assaulting a police officer’ (nice trick with the officer on your back).
There is a theory that some cops would rather not be on the street with ‘dangerous’ types and would rather take in somebody who is an easy target. Crazy…I wonder?
My bro’ actually helped the police with an enquiry after that but he really had to think about coming forward.
I hope the blood test comes back so that you can prove you weren’t drunk. Would they expunge your record if you can get it (and sack Karches)?
*kinda like American football. =P
How I feel about:
San Diego District Attorney
District Attorneys convict innocent people to promote their career.
District Attorneys choose simple people as jurors so that they will be able to manipulate them into voting “Guilty” despite the defendants innocence.
I was there and knew exactly what went down with the cop and bouncers, yet after 3 hours on the stand being interrogated, I had a hard time remembering my middle name due to the District Attorneys antics.
San Diego Police
They are worse than the Mexican cops, at least in Mexico, if you get hassled for not doing anything wrong you can slip them $40 and be on your way.
Their job just go harder, I will never cooperate with the police department in connection with anything.
If an officer is in trouble, I will pull out my camera, film it and post it on YouTube and MySpace, but I will not help.
Cops all lie to help other cops on the force, don’t ever rely on one to tell the truth. They always have the ‘back’ of other cops.
Cops are criminals. Our tax dollars pay their salary. Every April, I support crime with my tax checks.
If you are friends with a San Diego Police officer or any other cop and read this and are dying to reply with comments telling me I am wrong or jaded, please feel free to do so, but you aren’t going to sway my thoughts on this.
Cops and the Justice system are DISFUNCTIONAL at best and don’t truly find justice for the innocent. You don’t think all cops are bad and I shouldn’t be so harsh on them as a whole because of one experience…too bad, fuck them all, Karches and his blue uniformed monkeys at the Carlsbad Police Department ruined it for police everywhere.
The worst part about all is that Summer and I are both law abiding high tax paying citizens…that at one time believed in the system. Once Summer got through her blood pressure problems and she was out of the woods with her health stuff (in association with being tasered) the hardest thing to deal with was that it actually happened and that we had to go to court to convict the real guilty party…the cop.
We committed to spending the money, the time, the stress so that this cop wouldn’t do it again and instead of getting Justice, we got a dose of reality…The Civil Justice System Does Not Work. I’ll say it again, the hardest part (aside from summers health) was the whole Innocence Lost aspect of this. Wait, isn’t this America? Home of the free. Didn’t my third grade teacher tell me to cooperate with police, that they are good people, that judges are respectable people. We have been raised to think this is the best omnipotent system in the world…but all that was shit adults shovel to children to get them conform to the sheep/lemming lifestyle early in life. Like Hitler and all the religions of the world, get them brainwashed while they are young, and you can have their mind, body and soul forever.
I still can’t believe how revolted this story makes me. Do officers have to take psychological tests before becoming officers? I feel like they do… but at any rate, it obviously needs to be a better test. There are a ridiculous number of jackass cops who are on a power trip because they were the jackass, loser in high school and now want revenge on the world.
I find it funny how a jury could do something like that to someone. I guarantee that you were right, they just wanted to get the hell out of there. What if it had been them on trial? They’d want someone to actually give a shit.
And I love when judges are pricks because basically… they’ll probably never have to worry about THEIR freedoms being taken away.
Why is it so hard for people to put themselves in someone else’s shoes?! More power to you for staying as optimistic as possible and for not letting your anger get the best of you.
Independence is a privilege reserved for the strong. And he whosoever tries
it, without needing to, proves that he is not only strong, but also bold to
the point of complete recklessness. He enters into a labyrinth; he
multiplies a thousandfold the dangers which are inherent in life anyway; not
the least of which is that no one can see how and where he loses his way,
becomes estranged, and is torn piecemeal by some Minotaur of conscience.
When such a person perishes, it happens so far from the comprehension of
other men that they neither feel it nor sympathize; but there is no return
for him, not even to human compassion.
– Friedrich Nietzsche, 1886
Ninja is still where its at. Anywhere Anytime.
I am still so VERY proud of you that you took the correct avenue to expose the cop that would not help you and he snapped instead. BUT it was sad to see how they drug it out 3 weeks to discourage you from the civil suit they kept asking if you were to pursue.
I am not sure verdict was not overturned by judge but I will find out. I watched much of the testimony and still cannot believe 12 jurors found you guilty of one much less 3 crimes not committed.
I have heard those weak minded people say things like “shouldn’t mouth off” BUT, excuse me, that is not what you were charged with. Jurors are supposed to stick to the charges.
I am sure prosecution was relieved that there was no video. The prosectuing attorney was a slick witch/bitch. I hope she has a conscience. She knew the truth. Who would know you could not just tell your story and be heard.
You were still right in going to trial and I don’t think this is the end of it. You shine and I admire your strength. People that can stand up for what is right are a rare breed, indeed!
Summer, this story saddens me to hear. The injustice is disgusting and I hope the doctor was able to test your blood somehow. I don't believe (all) cops abuse their power, as my brother is a good one..but for those who do–they should burn in hell & I hope their conscience gets to them. nina
Jeez, Summer, that totally f’in sucks! This cop, is he short? Ugly? Do you reckon he has a 3″ penis? ‘cos whatever it is he’s got issues and hides behind his badge and his uniform.
All the fools involved in this will reap their rewards, their karma will get them back… the bouncers lost their jobs and Karches will have something happen to him, I just know it…
Thanks for letting us know the full SP and hope you’re doing OK
Why don’t you try submitting this to DIGG and post a thread on dp?
I’m just now reading this, Summer. I had no idea what your arrest was about, nor did I want to ask. This is very bad. But I can guarantee you that this is not likely going to end by him just getting away laughing at this. People will read this, get to know his name and eventually it will come back to him.
Obviously Christopher Karches is not mentally fit and stable enough to represent the law, neither does he seem to understand or respect it.
American justice or not, there are scumbag cops in every country and unfortunately everywhere their actions get covered up.
Love you girl, peace out!
Mike
Yes, it’s all pretty surreal when something like this happens. It totally gives you a new outlook on the world (unfortunately, not in a good way). Never in a million years would I have ever thought that I would be arrested, let alone convicted if I didn’t do anything illegal. Trial sucks. It’s exhausting, expensive and downright degrading being stood in front of a court room full of people while the District Attorney spins the story and flat out lie to make you look like a bad person. The only reason I went to trial was because I didn’t want officer Christopher Karches to do this again, or worse, kill someone. Instead, he has now reaffirmed his belief that he can do whatever the fuck he wants and get away with it. So many people have been killed by tasers. That is especially good for the cops to just tase someone to death because then they get to write into their report that the deceased “threatened” them, and there you go. The cops go skipping off into the sunset and get away with murder.
And, I totally agree with Nina, not all police officers are bad. I’ve known quite a few good, respectable cops, but the bad ones are becoming more and more prominent because the police force covers up for them so they don’t get sued. It’s pretty sick.
Summer I can’t believe what Officer Karches put you thru. I didn’t really know the whole story. But it is good to hear because now I know why you stood up for yourself! You are strong independent and super smart… And you can sleep easy at night because you did the right thing…
officer Karches needs to seek professional help.
we miss you.
As you said, Summer, law enforcement will close ranks on this assclown, if only to prevent the city from being sued. Unfortunately, your story is no where near unique. Many people get into law enforcement by faking their way past the psych evals, and proceed to hide behind the uniform, victimizing pretty much at will.
In my former hometown of Chalmette, LA, bad cops outweighed good cops by about 4-1. Post-Katrina, and it is closer to 10-1. The DA is in such a hurry to clear his docket, he does not even bother to conduct his own investigation, instead taking the police reports at face value.
By all means, push the matter in a civil court of law if you can. The only advice I can offer is this: Watch your backside when in the lovely town of Carlsbad. If you put the heat on the city, you may just put yourself in danger.
Take care, and good luck!
Sam
This is so sad.There are too many angry people out there and they are trying to find victims like you.It boils down to who you know and that is how your problem will be resolved.This is very sad.
I was rummaging around on digg today, and although I’m not a big fan of fox news, I did see this story of a bad tempered cop with a small penis.
Sorry, did I really say that? I meant bad tempered cop with a small penis.
Bah, I did it again didn’t I? Ah well, now I’ve forgotten what I actually meant to say about him
I’m terribly sorry to hear what happened to you. This is what America has come to. Police lie, prosecutors lie, and there is no justice.
Dear Summer,
I just came across these posts and read with disgust. Sadly, I was not shocked or amazed, as I have seen and heard this happening way too many times. Particularly in San Diego, this kind of bullshit seems to be spinning out of control.
This is one of the biggest reasons we left California and the US. I wonder if that didn’t help your decision to move away as well. Its wonderful to be in a country where the authorities don’t even carry firearms. Makes me feel much safer, but maybe that is just me.
Good for you for fighting, despite the outcome. I hope it is all behind you now and you have managed to get it expunged and off your record.
Common sense dictates that your own side of the story is terribly flawed (ie: you’re lying). There are three sides to a story: the other parties’ side, your side, and the truth which lies in the middle. Even by your own admission, you struggled w/ the police officer and resisted arrest. If you had not been intoxicated (which you clearly were) at the time this happened, you might have been able to control yourself a little better. Now, I have no doubt that you strongly deny this and claim that I’m some crazy American conservative, but you will always know deep down (whether you ever admit it to anyone or not), that you were out of control that night. Sorry you got man handled. You also have to realize that this world is full of people who will kill a police officer at a moments notice (especially in the US) and the police don’t know who that person is until it’s already a life and death situation. They live with the reality that they might not come home EVERY SINGLE DAY they go to work. It might seem innocent to you, but when someone is cursing, pulling away from them, and being belligerent, it is frequently a precursor to a violent encounter (and who knows what kind of weapons a suspect has secreted away on them). It’s easy to be pious when you live in a world blanketed by safety… oddly enough, that blanket of safety is provided by the very people you are bashing here. And please show that you are not just talk, but are willing to be open to civil debate and conversation. Don’t just publish approving comments on your page. If you do, how can you expect progress but through debate? I haven’t slandered anyone here, unlike many of your posts above. Good luck in the future.
Personally I want to know the officers side of the story and also read a transcript of the court case.
fuck the police, we all need to stand up to this bullshit police state before all of our freedoms are taken away
Honestly Chuck, you’d think with the charges that the cop would’ve insisted on a blood alcohol test to prove she was intoxicated. If she did leave immediatly, why would she be charged with trespassing? Why refuse the BAC? Why tase when the officer is in control?
Sure she was flailing and cursing, but if you were tackled from behind randomly, what would you do?
You have to deal with the reality you might not come every single day too, this world is full of people that kill innocent civilians everyday. Just consider yourself lucky there’s not a war being fought on your doorstep.
The cop made the mistake of letting someone get to him - we can’t have angry, grudgy cops patrolling our streets. I mean, is there really ever a need to taze a 115 pound girl? Not to mention the arrest in the first place seems utterly boundless.
Now this whole blanket of security is more of an illusion. Are the cops going to get to your home within 10 minutes in the event of a home invasion? I doubt it. Hell, our military couldn’t even stop a 747 despite having 20 or so planes defending the Northeast. If someone really wants to cause chaos, they will. No ‘blanket of security’ is going to stop that.
And I’ll be damned if we sit idly by while our police officers tase 115 pound girls..
I can relate. I chose to represent myself in a matter that I was sure anyone trained in the law would see as pissed-off-cop-dick-measuring. I should have known that when the bailiff looked to the ground shaking his head as I waived my right to counsel that I was about to be screwed.
Summer: Smear this judge’s next election campaign. eflyer your article and go to local indie press. Sure, it’s a long shot, but crazier things have happened; you may just inspire some pre-law student with a glimmering eye to do something good with his or her career.
Kore - Thank you :). I have moved on, although it took a couple of years for me to get over it. The judge told me that I could expunge my record, but I see that as one more way for the court to get their hands on my money (since you have to pay to expunge your record), so I chose not to. Plus I’m not trying to hide anything, so why bother.
Chuck Taylor - The first sentence of your comment shows how completely close-minded you are (the exact type of person that the DA wants on the jury). Common sense dictates that I’m lieing? How exactly was I “clearly intoxicated”? If I was so drunk, out of control and trying to beat up a cop, why didn’t I take the “deal” the DA offered (an infraction “disturbing the peace”, which is the equivalent of a speeding ticket)? If I did, I wouldn’t have had to sit through 2 weeks of being on trial, missing work and spending thousands of dollars defending myself, but I DIDN’T take the “deal” because I knew what this cop did was completely 100% wrong and I truely believed in the justice system. I could have taken the easy way out (taken the deal), but I wanted to make sure that this cop wouldn’t do this to anyone else again. Instead he’s been given the thumbs up to do whatever he pleases as he knows that the DA will get him off.
How about this one:
http://www3.signonsandiego.com/stories/2009/jun/22/bn22white-not-guilty/?northcounty
Do you also think that this off-duty cop was justified in shooting and trying to kill that women and her 8-year-old son? Cops in California can do whatever they want. They are truely above the law. I am SO glad I no longer live there.
Pete McRod - I would love for you and everyone else to read the transcript. It is truely amazing at how good the DA is at her job. There is absolutely no proof that I commited any of these crimes, there were 8 witnesses that testified on my behalf (most of whom I’ve never even met or talked to) and the DA was still able to manipulate the jury in to convicting me.
Matt - Exactly! My whole point in taking on this cop was that I knew it was wrong and I didn’t want police officers to continue thinking they could get away with bullshit like this. Unfortunately I failed and the police in California continue to get away with murder (literally). It really does make me sick to my stomach just thinking about it.
Brendan - I hear you. Unfortunately the justice system is as “just” as flipping a coin. No matter what proof or evidence you have, you have a 50/50 chance of winning. My resolution was to move out of California and to take my tax dollars with me. Plus I believe in karma, so I know that that cop will continue to live a miserable life as long as he continues to lie, cheat and steal.
I hate cops and I hate the system. Why? Because it is fucked. Congrats for standing up for yourself. You’re right about people being sheep. No one wants to work for anything or think about anything. It makes it really easy for “The Man” to slowly chip away at our civil liberties. I have had so many run-ins with the cops and they are just egotistical, power-mongering, corrupt pigs. I recently just watched a video that may be helpful for people:
http://www.brasschecktv.com/page/342.html
Also, the comment about DAs just wanting to put people in jail because it looks good on their resume is accurate. The more people he jails, the better he looks. Cops are the same way. Contrary to popular belief, a cop’s job is not to protect the innocent or defend justice, it is to get a conviction. You’ll hear all of this in the video straight from the mouth of a police officer. Pay special attention to the part in which he tells the audience how many convictions and interviews he’s had. You can see his chest puff a little.
Thank you for being a strong-willed American. We need more of you.
I am sorry that you had to personally witness the fallacy of what most think is a fair and impartial judicial system. You did do the right thing and regardless of the cost you should pursue expungement at the earliest possible time, for you own benefit and no other.
The arresting officer will get his in the end. I wouldn’t count on his conscience having any affect on him though, I doubt if they even recognize the harm they do themselves, their departments or the public perception. They are really only concerned with CYA once they have committed to a course of action.
The saddest fact of all this is that the sysstem blindly accepts their word as irrefutable.
I hat to think that our judicial system has been reduced to a revenue stream for the entities involved. But as all organisms they want to grow.
That is why the USA has more people locked up that ANY other country, and we have been led to believe we are free. HA. I am looking for a free country and look forward to the day I can leave.
I am veteran and I am saddened to say that I know longer think of our country as I once did.
Good luck and I, for one, am proud of your actions. As a citizen I apologize to you for the costs already incurred, and what will be paid by you before you are done.
I don’t believe all cops are like that. Hell I have been arrested by good ones and bad ones. Too bad the bad are so tolerated by the organizations they are a part of. I feel all of us would have more respect for the professionals that are out there if they actually tried to weed out the misfits and criminals in their ranks.
@Chuck:
You are doing the exact thing that allows corrupt police officers to exist. Giving them the benefit of the doubt and instantly assuming that the accused is a lying hoodrat. Sure, it is possible that everything she says is a lie. But you said it yourself, there are always three sides to a story (cute little saying, but not accurate at all). Imagine what the middle ground of this story would sound like…still pretty horrible.
But really that isn’t important. What is important is that events like this actually do take place. Power gets to people. Even if an officer is not completely corrupt, they are LEGALLY allowed to LIE in order extract information. Take a law class, learn how the system works, and then tell me that people don’t abuse it.
Another cute little saying that is usually used to defend the system in situations like this is “you should just be glad you’re living in america, you don’t know how good you got it.” That’s great, but it doesn’t excuse the fact that people are being exploited and abused. I don’t care if it IS better than everywhere else, people’s rights are being violated. Let’s not forget that the “it is better than everywhere” business is just a bit of american propaganda and also not accurate.
Finally, if you really want to have a productive and realistic debate, quit with the “police officers are the heroes of america” business. That is the cliche and campy thought-fodder of sheeple. It is a fail-safe invented to maintain the illusion. A cop’s job is to collect taxes, feed the corrections system, and stroke their egos.
Police officers everywhere are being put down constantly by the younger genorations.. So they are attempting to regain their power and respect by scaring you and manipulating you in any way they see fit… It happends all over the country. Idealy this IS the best justice system, but last time I checked More and more corrupt people are taking advantage of it..
I’m So sorry to hear this happend to you, but I’m glad that you were strong enough to overcome this and share your story. The more Americans can inform themselves about the laws the better off we will be. They won’t be able to manipulate the masses if we are well informed.
I hope you the best.
So, if you feel so strongly about this, why don’t you appeal the verdict and sue the cop personally for his actions. Talk is cheap. If you want justice and your case is as stated, take action. There still is something that you can do about it.
I agree with pariah - if you feel that strongly about it get that civil suit in gear. It certainly sounds like you have a case. Sad as it is to say, had you gotten the civil case started before your trial the charges probably would have been dropped.
hey guys… this is an example of a horrible incident.. and some cops are just stupid. and the legal system is extremely flawed… but we can’t make broad generalizations saying ALL cops are evil human beings who are only out to get us. some truly do mean well and actually do want to help (but many don’t also)
thanks
Thank you for not giving up. It’s nice to know that there’s someone who will still fight for what is right in this nation. I sincerely hope you can prove your innocence in some way.
Chuck Taylor: Perhaps the truth is between the two versions of the story. However, your assumption is completely at odds with the version presented here and completely in line with what the cop’s story was. Therefore, you are supporting the obvious corruption of the American legal system. Both parties deserve the benefit of the doubt, but in situations like this it is the victim who is normally closer to the truth. This particular cop was in need of anger management and should not have been out on the streets without supervision. So maybe there was some truth to his story. It doesn’t change the fact that what he did was unforgivably wrong.
I hate to tell you this, but flipping a police officer off is not free speech. And yes, you got held responsible for the hypothetical actions of others, which is also, legal. Sure a lot of the other things on there are bullshit, but you are not completely innocent.
Yes, this system is flawed, but police, under our system, have the right to make stone cold judgments, like drunk in public.
The taser though, was out of line.
I am from Maryland, and about a year or so ago I went to San Diego to visit my girlfriend who was living there at the time. Her and her roommate picked me up from the airport and on the way from the airport to her apartment, my girfriends roommate was pulled over by none other than Officer Christopher Karches. I wasn’t really paying attention to the reason for her being pulled over because I was psyched to be in the great state of California on a much needed, long overdue vacation. Anyways, Officer Karches requests my ID. I didnt understand why but I handed over my ID. Then he points out to me that I am not wearing my seatbelt. I tried to explain to Officer Karches that I had just got off of a plane from Maryland where adults are not required by law to wear a seatbelt in the back seat. Growing up in Maryland my whole life, I didnt think anything of the fact that I wasnt wearing a seatbelt in the backseat. However, I respectfully told Karches that I would gladly wear my seatbelt for the remainder of my time in California. Needless to say, he wasn’t hearing any of it, and despite my attempts at convincing Karches to let me off with a warning, it goes without saying that he wrote me the ticket anyways. I noticed there was no fine on the ticket, instead it was a ticket to appear in court on a date a month or two later. I told the Officer again that I was not from the area and I would not be making another round trip across the country for a traffic violation which could have easily been reduced to a warning. “Not my problem” Karches says.
So later I start calling the numbers on the ticket to try and figure out what I need to do to take care of it. After getting the run around from everyone I talked to for about an hour, I finally talked to someone who told me that before the date I am supposed to appear in court, I would receive a notice to appear in court in the mail. So I just let it go and waited. And waited… I never received anything in the mail so I assumed that Karches grew a conscience and dismissed it. Unfortunately I had a debt collector calling my house at least a year after the incident telling me I owe $410 dollars. A hundred and something for the initial charge of failure to wear safety restraints, and the remainder for a fine for failure to appear in court.
I am still trying to work this out and see if I can end up just paying the initial fine considering I never received a notice in the mail.
I understand ignorance of the law is no excuse, and Karches by law had the right to write me a ticket in the first place. But I have gotten warnings for a lot less. I know this doesn’t even compare to being tazed and thrown in jail and a trial and court fees and fines. Im just trying to validate your point that Karches is a arrogant, power hungry prick that takes advantage of people as well as the system.
By the way, during the whole incident I was completely cooperative and respectful. Not because I wanted to, but because I have found in my experience with police officers that getting angry and being disrespectful will never work out in your favor. Giving a police officer the finger is not illegal, however its probably not a good idea. Walking away and finding a bathroom elsewhere is what I would have done. Not because I automatically submit to cops out of respect, but because I realize you can never win with a police officer. If he wants to get you he will get you. So I dont give him a reason to. Even if karma doesnt catch up with him, I know In my mind what the difference between right and wrong are, despite what the law is.
The best advice I can give people to protect themselves from cops is to know the laws and their rights. They cannot arrest you for being intelligent. Be calm and collected because they sense your fear and will exploit it. The same goes with being intelligent. If they know you know what you are talking about, they are less likely to try and take advantage. Also be respectful. Talking down to or insulting a police officer will only get you in deeper. Avoiding confrontation is the best way to go. Even if you are morally or legally right, a police officer has the power to make any claim he wants knowing his word will be the word.
I do not hate police officers, I simply know the nature of them. I accept the fact that life isn’t fair and bad things happen to good people all the time all around the world. Educate yourself in all areas of life. Live your life with love, and peace will follow.
If by that last statement I put any of you off to anything I have said because you think im some religious freak, I must tell you that I am quite the opposite. I suppose if I categorize my beliefs I would say that I am an agnostic. However, I dont like to place myself in groups. I just believe that life is way too short to spend it by judging others and trying to change them. People must have the will to change.