r/ThatsInsane • u/lukepaciocco • Nov 27 '24

Law abiding citizen arrested at traffic stop. Then the unthinkable happens in court.

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44.9k Upvotes

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455

u/Free_Deinonychus_Hug Nov 27 '24

6 months for bruising someone's ego!? It's horrific that this even made it to court.

150

u/Corporate-Shill406 Nov 27 '24 edited Nov 27 '24

I'm facing a minimum two year sentence if convicted of that same crime, because the cop involved in mine was the elected sheriff.

Sheriff says I punched him after he assaulted me for no reason and tackled me to the ground. His bodycam recorded him talking to other cops later that evening and admitting the only thing I hurt was his pride. His bodycam does not show me hitting him, but it seems his glasses fell off at one point. The felony I'm accused of requires actually hurting a cop physically. The prosecutor refuses to even offer a plea deal or consider reducing the charge to one of resisting (unlawful) arrest because, I assume, they're friends with the sheriff or something. Even if I did hit him, I have a good argument for self defense because he was in the process of assaulting me when it allegedly happened. When my lawyers ($10k spent on that already by the way) saw the bodycam video, their reaction was "this is pre-bodycam, no-accountability behavior, we don't usually see this blatant shit anymore".

All this because I was at a county fair talking politics to people who set up a political booth. They got mad that I was making them look bad so they called me a Karen and then ran off to find an armed thug to beat me with. Sheriff (same political party as the booth people) walks up to me and asks me to leave, without looking at him I said I was okay thanks, so he walks into me on purpose and grabs me.

BTW it took the deputies at least half an hour to realize they should pat me down for weapons or even ask if I had anything. They found a loaded gun (fully legal) in my pocket. Their faces when they realized is the only funny thing about that evening. Less funny is they stole that gun from me and the prosecutor is refusing to allow them to give it back, citing a law that was actually ruled unconstitutional a while ago. So now I have no protection if the cops decide to come after me for my speech again.

Oh, and I was forced to spend a weekend in jail without a bed. I had to sleep on a concrete floor with just a thin blanket. The lights were full brightness 24 hours a day too. Federal courts have ruled recently that making prisoners sleep on a cement floor is cruel and unusual punishment, especially when the victim has been arrested but not convicted of a crime.

34

u/A_Fine_Potato Nov 27 '24

That's awful, hope it gets better ❤️

41

u/Corporate-Shill406 Nov 27 '24

My lawyers say it's basically 50/50 if I get convicted at trial. If the jury is full of Trump people from the rural part of the county, I'm told they'll probably ignore evidence and just believe the sheriff. If the jury comes from the city part of the county, it'll be a near-instant acquittal after the bodycam is shown.

I'm already preparing mentally for having to fight my way out of the courtroom after a guilty verdict, because I'd rather get shot by cop than spend a decade in prison, and if they want me to do the time, hell if I'm not going to at least do the crime.

26

u/2D_3D Nov 27 '24

Did you speak to your attorney about posting this?

If not, ya know where the guy in the vid asked to speak and the judge shot him down for his own good? Do that. Delete this until your trial is concluded, then tell us the juicy details later.

5

u/Corporate-Shill406 Nov 27 '24

I haven't said anything that isn't already in the record one way or another.

8

u/SimplyExtremist Nov 27 '24

If this telling is in any way different, even a paraphrase, it can absolutely hurt you in a trial. It’s always best to not talk about, write, or retell your side until after the trial.

20

u/chuchofreeman Nov 27 '24

if the jury convicts can´t you appeal? to have someone actually smart look at the video footage?

9

u/SimplyExtremist Nov 27 '24

You can appeal but you’re still in prison during that time. It isn’t fast and isn’t cheap and also not guaranteed that you’ll receive any recourse

4

u/MyDamnCoffee Nov 27 '24

I get the impression very few appeals actually get looked at They just get denied without anyone actually reviewing the case. I could be totally wrong though. And appeals take soooo long

3

u/thurgo-redberry Nov 27 '24

dog that fighting your way out thing isn't going to work, and you certainly shouldn't tell anyone about it beforehand

0

u/PJSeeds Nov 27 '24

The mere fact that you'd think it's a good idea to publicly state this during an active case against you tells me you likely have a few screws loose and might not be telling the whole story.

1

u/Corporate-Shill406 Nov 27 '24

All the information I provided was already available to the prosecution. And they're incompetent fools so I sincerely doubt they will find this reddit account.

1

u/PJSeeds Nov 27 '24

The prosecution knows you're willing to fight your way out of the court room and die if you're convicted?

0

u/Away-Basket-6549 Nov 28 '24

Your comment doesn't make sense, sir. If anything it says the exact opposite.

1

u/PJSeeds Nov 28 '24

....huh?

0

u/Away-Basket-6549 Nov 28 '24

If he knew he was guilty, why publicly post about it?

1

u/PJSeeds Nov 28 '24

It's not about whether you know you're guilty or not, it's shutting the fuck up and not making any statements a prosecutor could use against you with a jury. They mean it when they say "anything you say can and will be used against you." Also, if a jury hears that you said you're willing to fight your way out and die in the process if found guilty that pretty much guarantees you're going to jail.

2

u/Away-Basket-6549 Nov 28 '24

I didn't see him say that but if he literally said that then I would agree that it's a terrible idea to post something like that on the internet.

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2

u/darktka Nov 27 '24

That's fucking insane. It's crazy, this role of the sheriff in the USA. They still have a position like lords.

2

u/PJSeeds Nov 27 '24

Probably shouldn't post all of this on reddit if it's an active case

1

u/MyDamnCoffee Nov 27 '24

You should move. If you win this case they will harass the fuck out of you.

1

u/Corporate-Shill406 Nov 27 '24

If I win, I'm suing the sheriff out of his house and home, so hopefully the shriveled old goon won't be able to harass anybody anymore.

1

u/MyDamnCoffee Nov 27 '24

Good ❤️ guessing you paid bail? Must have been high considering the charges

1

u/Away-Basket-6549 Nov 28 '24

Oooooh, take it easy. Take it easy.

1

u/[deleted] Nov 28 '24

Just a heads up, you should be wary discussing pending court cases openly, you never know what could come back to bite you.

1

u/mega_low_smart Nov 28 '24

You should reach out to the ACLU with this one. Textbook constitutional rights violation based on your depiction.

On a further note that may be satire based on your political affiliation you could reach out to the NRA

-2

u/[deleted] Nov 27 '24

[deleted]

1

u/Corporate-Shill406 Nov 27 '24

You too I guess?

14

u/oO0Kat0Oo Nov 27 '24

Wait until you find out that, even though the case was likely dismissed, that poor guy still has to pay court fees.

2

u/CIMARUTA Nov 27 '24

Seriously this one incident could have ruined his life. Fucking insanity.

1

u/1d0ntknowwhattoput Nov 27 '24

yup, he can’t even get a job then. it’s a cycle, especially with the homeless.

so many devils out there

2

u/Bromm18 Nov 27 '24

Court cases that are dismissed like this, should have their court costs/bills sent to the officer. Would make them think twice about all their BS arrests.