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(Some Guy)   Want to search a guy for drugs? Take a hint from these Texas cops: just remove the guy's license plate, and then pull him over for not having it   (gritsforbreakfast.blogspot.com) divider line
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    More: Scary  
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23822 clicks; posted to Main » on 22 Jul 2007 at 1:40 AM (15 years ago)   |   Favorite    |   share:  Share on Twitter share via Email Share on Facebook



167 Comments     (+0 »)


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bugdog
2007-07-21 9:32:46 PM  
Lame. If you suck so bad that you can't find PC for a stop just by following a car for two blocks, you shouldn't be a cop.

No way would this stand up in court.
 
FlyingJ
2007-07-21 9:56:44 PM  
They're don't care about lame bugdog, they wan't wins...I believe it did
 
SilentStrider
2007-07-21 11:19:31 PM  
wouldn't this be entrapment anyway?
 
Wise_Guy
2007-07-21 11:47:32 PM  
They did this so as not to compromise their informant.
 
gasdf2002
2007-07-21 11:47:44 PM  
SilentStrider: wouldn't this be entrapment anyway?

Not really. He's not being charged with driving without a license plate. They just needed the excuse to pull the car over and find the shipment of drugs they said was in plain sight.

I'm just wondering how bad your informant's credibility must be if his word doesn't even add up to probable cause.
 
gasdf2002
2007-07-21 11:48:32 PM  
Wise_Guy: They did this so as not to compromise their informant.

Okay. That makes more sense.
 
Crosshair
2007-07-21 11:56:14 PM  
Used to do that as a High School prank. Except I would put it back on upside down. They still had their plate, but they would get pulled over for it.
 
SilentStrider
2007-07-22 12:03:02 AM  
gasdf2002: Not really. He's not being charged with driving without a license plate.

yeah, but since it was the cops who took off the license plate, not him, that means it wasn't HIS idea to do it. Therefore he was committing a crime only BECAUSE the police tricked him into it. That seems to be entrapment to me. Reasonable judge would toss out the charge of driving without a place as entrapment, and any evidence obtained in the search as fruit of the poisonous tree.
But then I'm not a lawyer, so what do I know?
 
BooBoo23
2007-07-22 12:16:45 AM  
SilentStrider: But then I'm not a lawyer, so what do I know?

Don't be so hasty!

See that TotalFark badge next to your handle? That badge confers upon you honorary degrees in law, theology, climate science, and human anatomy... Please, carry on...
 
Outtaphase [TotalFark] [OhFark]
2007-07-22 12:21:10 AM  
Point of curiosity: who owns the plate? I googled a bit but couldn't find a relevant statute for my state. Anyone know?

If the plate is state property (which I suspect may be the case) that is one big-ass loophole I don't expect to be closed anytime soon. Scary indeed.
 
Humean_Nature
2007-07-22 12:58:49 AM  
Since when is an informant saying "hey, this is a dope shipment" not probable cause to pull over a dope shipment?

I think it comes down pretty clearly - if you have to stop and think "I gueessss this is legal because of this loophole and this one!" then what you're doing is pretty underhanded.

If you want to fight crime, do it right. It sounds like these guys just opened up a possible way out for some drugrunning punks.
 
hnb
2007-07-22 1:44:05 AM  
I got pulled over in a fishing expedition about 6 months ago. The cop said it was because I had bubbles in the tint of my back window.
 
Sharkface217
2007-07-22 1:44:42 AM  
Fruit of the Poisonous Tree!
 
JASOS
2007-07-22 1:44:58 AM  
Que Ric Romero: Cops lie about propable cause all the time.
 
Dacian
2007-07-22 1:47:33 AM  
From the headline, I expected the story to be along the lines of "cop pulls over drug dealer. cop removes plate and flings it into the bushes. cop then uses probable cause to search car."

It wasn't like that at all. The drug dealer took posession of the "modified" car. He should've assumed that his associate would screw him over and checked the car out.
 
Lionel Mandrake
2007-07-22 1:48:08 AM  
Like wiretaps, this will only bother you if you have something to hide.

Right, "conservatives?"
 
vegasj
2007-07-22 1:49:06 AM  
SilentStrider: wouldn't this be entrapment anyway?
no. entrapment is being enticed by an office to commit a crime.
 
Sharkface217
2007-07-22 1:49:39 AM  
hnb

Supposedly, the Ohio traffic law guide is like 10,000 pages long. Some town in Ohio took advantage of this and made tons of money pulling over every car that passed through the town. State lawmakers had to pass this law that dissolved the town (as in, the entire purpose was to dissolve this specific town).

Pretty scary stuff, indeed.

/no picture of V yet?
//Remember, remember the 5th of November...
 
Sharkface217
2007-07-22 1:51:46 AM  
vegasj

The police modified his car. They should have gotten the snitch to do it instead. Although it would still be tied to the cops, at least the cops wouldn't have stolen his plate.


In the end, a cop committed a crime (stealing) to catch a suspect (highlighted for emphasis) on a moving violation (no license plate).
 
scape
2007-07-22 1:52:44 AM  
gasdf2002: I'm just wondering how bad your informant's credibility must be if his word doesn't even add up to probable cause.

PC can't come in that manner, at least not in this case.
 
Unintelligible exclamation
2007-07-22 1:53:26 AM  
How about this: don't carry drugs.
 
skinink [OhFark]
2007-07-22 1:53:30 AM  
"Thelma, now I done told you I don't want to go thru Texas!!!"
[image from arcigaymilano.org too old to be available]
 
jonthenewt
2007-07-22 1:54:51 AM  
What is "dope?" Crack? Heroine? PCP? Mushrooms? Marijuana?

Ah, I forget. It's all the same anyway. Damn hippies, they deserve to die for using drugs. Next person I see smoking a joint, I'm going to shoot them in the face. They just sit on their couches all day so its not like anyone would miss them.
 
the_chief
2007-07-22 1:55:27 AM  
Waste of time, money, freedom.
 
jtwitch
2007-07-22 1:55:41 AM  
img201.imageshack.usView Full Size

V disapproves.

/It's still Caturday somewhere...
 
scape
2007-07-22 1:56:03 AM  
Personally I think this is a bunch of bullcrap. The cops going along with this (without one saying boo) is almost as bad as the fact a Fed thought it up in the first place. This country is being run by racist, xenophobic assholes like George Bush and Co. He is from Texas after all. I got $20 that says he passed a law making this legal at one point. As for you conservatives, you know you think this is OK. You should be ashamed of yourselves.
 
THE HouseCat
2007-07-22 1:57:25 AM  
Put your plates on with rivets from now on.
Although Chief Wiggum may end up getting you for having one tail light bigger than the other one
 
Hand Banana
2007-07-22 1:57:50 AM  
I drove around for a week once with an Ohio plate on the front and a Kentucky plate on the back. I forgot to remove the front plate when I moved back home from college (there are no front plates in Ky). Somehow I didn't get stopped, but that would have been interesting to explain.
 
josh3736
2007-07-22 1:58:45 AM  
Sharkface217: ...Some town in Ohio took advantage of this and made tons of money pulling over every car that passed through the town. State lawmakers had to pass this law that dissolved the town (as in, the entire purpose was to dissolve this specific town).

That would be New Rome. A judge did consquently void any tickets still pending in 2004.

Still, the village's behavior was quite disgusting: New Rome police had systematically taken advantage of the village's sudden drop (10 MPH change) in posted speed along the busy thoroughfare of West Broad Street to pull over thousands of motorists, raising nearly $400,000 annually from speeding tickets, as well as citations for more trivial offenses such as dusty taillights and improperly tinted windows. Nearly all of this money was funneled back into the police force, which almost exclusively dealt with traffic violations and so essentially existed to fund itself. The 60-resident village had as many as 14 policemen (some part-time), with the Village Council wanting more.
 
Sharkface217
2007-07-22 1:59:06 AM  
Unintelligible exclamation

That's not the point. This could be used on anyone. Would you still approve if cops went to Wal Mart and then took off license plates of people's cars in the lots there so they could nab them driving out of the place?
 
Big Dave
2007-07-22 1:59:15 AM  
if the cops will stoop this low, what makes you think they wouldnt get you out of your car, shoot you in your farking head, and then frame-up the scene?

When you get pulled over in this day and age in America, they can do whatever they want with you.
 
Flying Lasagna Monster
2007-07-22 1:59:18 AM  
I would rate the troll-fu in this thread as WEAK.
 
manbeard
2007-07-22 1:59:54 AM  
BooBoo23: See that TotalFark badge next to your handle? That badge confers upon you honorary degrees in law, theology, climate science, and human anatomy... Please, carry on...

I think Fark just got a new epigram.
 
Noticeably F.A.T. [TotalFark]
2007-07-22 2:01:31 AM  
Flying Lasagna Monster: I would rate the troll-fu in this thread as WEAK.

Aw c'mon, its realy late/early. Cut the trolls some slack.
 
jonthenewt
2007-07-22 2:01:59 AM  
Flying Lasagna Monster

My first attempt. Give me a break!
 
M-G
2007-07-22 2:03:06 AM  
Dacian: It wasn't like that at all. The drug dealer took posession of the "modified" car. He should've assumed that his associate would screw him over and checked the car out.

Yeah, that's the way I read it too. Informant provided the car, but before that the plate was removed. Whether it sticks or not will probably depend on the specifics which weren't provided.

Still have to wonder why they didn't just make a pretextual stop based on some minor traffic violation he was sure to commit.
 
Colonel_Ingus
2007-07-22 2:03:48 AM  
Will he get his Drugs back if this gets tossed on appeal? lol

/Those crafty Texans, gotta love that.
 
MrLint
2007-07-22 2:08:09 AM  
Why does this sound like the ends justify the means.

Of course the question is why does this mentality seems to pervade the govt these days
 
dugrik
2007-07-22 2:08:12 AM  
Seems like a hell of a lot of trouble just to get the driver. How about having the informant set up the supplier?
 
mrexcess
2007-07-22 2:14:05 AM  
That's fine work there, Lou.

/police have more powers than the average citizen
//and more protection under the law
///penalties for abuse of said power should be of requisite severity
////deliberate malfeasance = life in prison
 
GetBackJoe
2007-07-22 2:15:49 AM  
Scape: I accept your bet and look forward to receiving your payment. I am quite serious. If you produce the law that Bush signed making this practice legal, I'll send you $20. Otherwise, STFU, GBTW, and PYMWYMI.
 
Atillathepun
2007-07-22 2:16:48 AM  
Big Dave: if the cops will stoop this low, what makes you think they wouldnt get you out of your car, shoot you in your farking head, and then frame-up the scene?

When you get pulled over in this day and age in America, they can do whatever they want with you.

Lol, did you RTFA? Probable cause already existed because they had pre-knowledge of the situation. They ere acting with the full cooperation of an informant which is 100% absolutely enough for probable cause, plates or no plates. The removal of the plates was purely theater to avoid giving up the informant prematurely.

Even with plates they could have pulled the guy over at any time BECAUSE THEY ALREADY KNEW THE DRUGS WERE THERE>
 
BrknPhoenix
2007-07-22 2:17:38 AM  
mrexcess: /police have more powers than the average citizen

Captain farking obvious to the rescue.

Anyway, yes, let's arrest cops for arresting guys with drugs. I really don't care how they did it. If it means the drugs are off the street then good work.

/is quite prepared to be assaulted by the numerous pro-drug and anti-drugwar users of fark
 
Atillathepun
2007-07-22 2:17:47 AM  
dugrik: Seems like a hell of a lot of trouble just to get the driver. How about having the informant set up the supplier?

Duh, that's exactly what happened. RTFA
 
melonscoop
2007-07-22 2:17:52 AM  
Did y'all see that it was the informant who took the plate off the car? It wasn't the cops, per se.
 
Atillathepun
2007-07-22 2:18:23 AM  
MrLint: Why does this sound like the ends justify the means.

Of course the question is why does this mentality seems to pervade the govt these days

RTFA
 
Saberus Terras
2007-07-22 2:19:21 AM  
Seeing as I'm a resident of Texas, I'm getting a kick out of these replies...

on a serious note, this does appear to be a major breach of justice. While drugs were taken off the street, I wouldn't be suprised if a judge threw out this case on grounds of misconduct. At the very least the officers knowingly involved should be suspended, if not fired/arrested.

/If you're ever in Garland, TX do not get pulled over. When Garland PD tells you to step out of the vehicle, they mean step out of view of the camera so they can beat you and call it resisting arrest...
 
mikaloyd [OhFark]
2007-07-22 2:19:47 AM  
SilentStrider: wouldn't this be entrapment anyway?


Wise_Guy: They did this so as not to compromise their informant.

He is as comprimised as hell now that this scenario and general location is on FARK isnt he/she? Another snitch bites the dust.

In other news I reckon this would fly as long as they had the informant's permission/knowlege of the license plate removal.Their problem was/is keeping the informant covert and alive while he is still useful to the DEA. It's a sleazy tactic and bad form to to render a car illegal for street use before sending a civilian out driving it of course. But then again the havent really shied away from sleazy tactics to make cases before so this shouldnt worry em too much.
 
Atillathepun
2007-07-22 2:19:58 AM  
scape: gasdf2002: I'm just wondering how bad your informant's credibility must be if his word doesn't even add up to probable cause.

PC can't come in that manner, at least not in this case.

Acting on a tip from an informant with intimate knowledge of what's going down doesn't create PC? You've got to be kidding.
 
xen0blue
2007-07-22 2:21:36 AM  
if they did it because they thought the guys *had* drugs on them and by the luck of the draw it turns out they actually did, i see nothing wrong with it, except next time the may entrap an innocent person, which is not good.
 
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