Thanks. As I do t know the local law there I’ll quiet down. That sounds cogent however, if somewhat necessarily speculative at this early stage. One more issue may be whether the local city ordinance can legally be more restrictive then the state law. Perhaps what’s most interesting of all is the apparent incompetence of the state prosecutor. We will see how many millions of taxpayer dineros are spent trying to prosecute a dead man for a questionable and minor knife charge when the key public policy issue remains his cause of death while in supposedly safe police custody ( that question hangs over everything notwithstanding how he got nabbed or whether they was a lawful arrest or not). Thanks super for the very informative note. Best.
At this point everything is speculative. I don’t know what happened in the back of that wagon any more than anyone else other than the six cops and Freddie (and he ain’t talking).
And as a retired LEO who spent the majority of my career working in the inner city of a relatively large city, it bothers me that some guys think that the badge makes them judge, jury, and executioner.
Working in a minority community is tough. There is a natural suspicion of police (primarily young people) and some of it is because it is justified and a great deal more of it is because of the race hustlers who blow into a town and agitate the locals, coerce corporations to make large donations to keep peace and then blow out of town.(Are your ears burning Jesse and Al).
If these guys are dirty, then let the system convict them. BUT, let them have the constitutional protections we all ask for. Just because they wear a uniform doesn’t mean they are second-class citizens either.
One more thing...I’d bet the reason Freddie was charged under the Muni Code was two-fold. One because it is very loosely written and the other is because all the fines and court costs stay in the city. If they would have charged him under State code, the State would have gotten the money.
Just my experience.
Can’t wait for the preliminary hearing.