Do you remember the Bill Moyer's Journal show where the Texas judge was asked about the overwhelming reversal of precedence for individuals suing corporations? When asked about decisions that were NOW always in favor of the corporations the judge answered, 'you dance with them that brung ya'. Does anybody smell Campaign contributions? Texas is a very freewheeling state, to imagine a Judge admitting something like that on national TV!
Cops are "expert" witnesses in California. So in Court, basically whatever they say is gospel and whatever you say means shit. What does this mean? Unless you or someone else is videotaping the incident (eg police cruiser dashcams), you are at the mercy of whatever the cop can conjure up to make your life miserable.
Anyone citing the Courts as a refuge from police persecution is plain nuts...the Courts reinforce the cops' attitude they can get away with about anything.
Traffic tickets are simply another way to tax the public. You got bad luck--you are taxed more and the insurance companies f you even worse. You got good luck--the other people pay your taxes for you.
A cop can be a jerk, but he can't do anything the law doesn't let him. He can't write you a ticket for doing the speed limit, or carrying you proof of insurance, or stopping at stop signs. If you want to get angry, get the laws changed where the speed limit is 100 and wheelies are legal.
> You can be completely exonerated and he found completely at fault later in a court of law.
THIS is correct.
An officer can, and some absolutely have done, pretty much anything they want. The officer arresting you is merely the charge. You would be found innocent in court if there were obvious error.
But THAT IS THE CATCH.
If an officer decides to give you a hard time, he simply writes you up or arrests you for a charge you will *eventually* be found not guilty of.
Much like that kid from Maryland's arrest for the single-party-consent law was throw out.
BUT MEANWHILE, you are out thousands, maybe tens of thousands, missing work, having an arrest on your record, hiring an attorney, getting seized assets back, etc.
The cop ALWAYS wins. Even when you are right.
If the cop is found guilty of wrongful arrest, he is not required to pay for the injustice and cost to you. He's insured by the government against that. Basically, the state just dismisses your case and nothing else is done.
It's quite different than the private sector, where someone doing something out of spite or pride would be held financially liable.
It is for this reason I believe it's best to try and remain as clean and lawful as possible, but absolutely do your best to stay as far away from the police as possible.
The VERY BEST OUTCOME of engagement with the police is "nothing happens". It can not get better than that. However, the downside is enormous, and can easily turn life-ruining, ending your right to vote, own a gun, have a licensed profession, and so on.
Stay as far away from those people as possible. They are cancer.
That clip IS absolutely a classic, the lesson of which must never be forgotten.
Made all the more interesting by this week's Supreme Court ruling that you must announce your intention to remain silent, in order to stop a police interrogation.
