This is from a friend who wishes to remain anon Why I dont trust police and fear leaving my home. December 26, 2014 at 12:09pm In March 2010, I was homeless and living in an RV with my wife and a few children in Montgomery, Indiana. I left our RV to see if I could get a pot to boil noodles in, because I wanted to make a special dinner of spaghetti. On my way into Loogootee, I was stopped by the Jasper INSP Posts very own Jerrod Lents. He stopped me for what he said to be changing lanes without signaling. I have video from his car and during the stop a Martin County Sheriff Deputy AND a Loogootee City Police Officer arrived during the stop. During his questions I was not forthcoming with any information that I was not specifically required by law to give him (Name, Address, date I was born) and Jerrod Lents admitted that I never changed lanes (Note - This is where I should have been let go and sent on my way). Indiana State Police Troops Jerrod Lents didnt like my lack of unlimited cooperation and how I told him that any information about the date I was born would be considered hearsay, but I told him when my mother told me (third party reporting is hearsay from me) and he arrested me for Failure to Identify. I pleaded with the Sheriff Deputy and the City Police Officer to intercede and stop this unlawful arrest. I knew that I had not changed lanes and so the stop itself was bogus and I told Jerrod Lents that I would file a lawsuit against him for all of his unlawful actions and told him how much each violation of my right to liberty would cost him. To intimidate me, he charged me with Intimidation of a Police Officer. This seemed particularly amusing to Jerrod Lents, because he added a felony charge of intimidation of a police officer, for notifying him of my upcoming lawsuit against him and I was taken to Martin County Jail, where I was eventually released by the judge after two and half days in isolation. Later I saw the judge that had released me and he asked the same questions about my identity that Jerrod Lents had and I gave him the same answers, even the hearsay claim about when I was born. The judge had a very different reaction to my claim of hearsay, he agreed that any information I would give was hearsay and set the next hearing date. During that time, I spoke with the prosecutor and informed him that not only did the Jerrod Lents commit felony perjury for lying about the reason for the stop in the first place, but that I had the video from his car about the event to prove it. At that time, I asked him if he was going to prosecute Jerrod Lents for FELONY PERJURY? Jerrod Lents never spent a moment being questioned about it and didnt have to worry about being booked or inconvenienced with a single charge. I spent two and half days in jail over telling Jerrod Lents, Any information that I give you about the date I was born would be hearsay. When I was born, I had no concept of what a date was and I was unable to count the days, until I could backtrack the date either. I did tell him when my mother told me I was born, BEFORE I WAS ARRESTED though. He still arrested me for failure to identify. I was NEVER cited for changing lanes without signaling, which was the only nice and professional thing Jerrod Lents did. I also had to pay to get my automobile back. I later went to the Jasper Post and talked to the Post Commander and made a complaint. While I was there, I felt that he understood where I was and I even cried as I realized that he got my pain, but Jerrod Lents still has a job and I fear law enforcement every day I leave my home. You see, two other Law Enforcement Officers, a judge, and a county prosecutor were involved and undeniable proof of a written affidavit (sworn under oath and penalty of perjury) and a video recording of the event (with audio) was available. The system was willing to bury me under a lie, but police receive no penalty for violating the public trust or apparently committing FELONY perjury in Indiana. For this reason, no amount of Public Relation spin and these good deeds that some police do to improve their image have an effect on me. I dont believe they should have an effect on the public either. As you might imagine, Im sharing this very real story with the public and I very well could be specifically targeting again, because Im sure Jerrod Lents will remember who I am. I wonder how many other families have been devastated by this officer and buried under a lie that he might have told with the intent to make someone disappear. Two other police officers did nothing directly to me, but them and an entire system failed to provide justice when I was victimized. For that reason, I cant view this article for any good that the rest of you might. Fortunately I live in a city where my local police havent lied to arrest me, but they have let me down in the past from my rights being violated in their presence by other law enforcement at my front door. The difference is that I think they learned a lesson and I did get some level of concern and assurance that something disciplinary would be done about it. I might live in fear of police every day, but all I have seen about my police is that they might stand around while someone else commits evil against me, but they havent shown my any indication that they will act will malicious intent toward me. This is the ONLY reason that I have some level of peace where I live at all. I hope that the people in our community are able to see police events for what they are. To see that people are presumed innocent for a reason and that some police will violate any law they want and not be subject to the level of scrutiny that you would for not wearing a seat belt or potentially doing nothing morally wrong at all. As you celebrate the holiday season, imagine your brother, sister, son, daughter, or spouse having an interaction with police next year and how the system will treat them different than they will treat any of you. Indiana is quick to increase your property tax or come with some scheme to pull more money out of your pocket, but to hold themselves accountable takes the action of the People many people will never even make it to these words. My story is incomprehensible to many people and they dismiss it faster than the charges against me in this situation. Until real law enforcement officers start enforcing the law in their own station, we the people will never be treated as all men are created equal. It is the job of We the People to protect one another. It is wrong to think that other people will do your job for you in this case. Power corrupts and absolute power corrupts absolutely. ~ Lord Acton Yes I am concerned about retaliation for sharing this with the public. As a military veteran, it is more important to me that I share this with you than to allow you to further trust the public relation spin of hundreds and thousands of police organizations. Their unions make it almost impossible to fire a bad cop and the Blue Code of Silence prevents wrongs against the people to be corrected. As I see it, youre lucky to get out alive. Is that how you want to live your life, in America? #OpAccountability
Posted on: Fri, 26 Dec 2014 20:37:59 +0000
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