Home › Forums › Open Discussion › RANT SEATTLE CRIMINAL JUSTICE SYSTEM!!
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December 10, 2008 at 3:09 pm #588957
changingtimesMemberthis is my rant…i was just reading http://www.komonews.com/news/35852744.html and it really made me upset. I understand where this family is coming from because our family is experiancing the same thing…although not a boyfriend/lover. Yesterday we were subpoenaed to appear in court as witnessess for a criminal hearing against my fiance’s brother who we have a restraining order against and who has a rap sheet the size of webster dictionary. He is mentally crazy enough to have to take anti phsycotics but as he does not want to be put in mental court the court says that they can not place him there manditory. So the courts let him represent himself. At the hearing…. he embarressed himself by trying to act like a top notch lawyer right out of some tv show. the courts let this happen all the while laughing at him……as i sat at on the witness stand being cross examined by him…which was the most stupid thing i have ever experianced he was asking all sorts of random questions i looked over and saw the judge actually checking her email from where i sat and also reading up on gossip on the internet!! I am not kidding!!! i was soo disgusted!! But anyways the judge then let him out due to he had already served his time…this by the way was a trespassing case at our house. As they played the 911 tape you could hear my 6 year old daughter crying scared out of her mind as my brother in law tried to kick down the front door. Anyways long story short he got out the same day we had to testify against him by order of the city. So he gets out and goes down to my soon to be mother in laws on delridge to get his car that the police had confiscated at his time of arrest 75 days ago… in the mean time he steals 2 hunting knives kept in her garage..i know what your thinking her fault for keeping them there. Immediatly the police are called…they come down to the house and basically say sorry we cant do anything unless he uses them with force against anyone….can you believe this! she tells them this is STOLEN from me he is a CONVICTED FELON just released today and we know he is at the travel lodge in west seattle!! the police basically laugh at her and tell her its her own fault for leaving the knives out. So know we and the other 4 brothers who live in west seattle in there own homes with there own children and jobs have to wait until this crazy guy comes and tries to use a 8inch hunting knife on them before the police will try to confinscate the weapon!!! So my take on the seattle police…they wait for the crime to happen, they do not care about crime pervention they sit back and wait for it to happen before making a meager effort to help the citizens who work hard for there money and follow the laws!
December 10, 2008 at 10:26 pm #649637
vincentMemberI only skimmed this, but this is a common misconception. “crime prevention” is not what the police do. Police enforce laws when they are broken, thats it. Its hard for people in a liberal city like Seattle to understand this, but its your job to protect yourself.
December 10, 2008 at 10:44 pm #649638
JenVMemberOH, that must be why on their website it says:
“Preventing crime, enforcing laws, supporting public safety”
I can see how someone who lives in a liberal city like Seattle might just misinterpret that, you know, where it says “preventing crime”..
DURRRRR.
December 10, 2008 at 10:56 pm #649639
cruiserMemberDecember 11, 2008 at 2:53 am #649640
changingtimesMemberwell that is the dummest thing i ever heard!! well in that case to all of you perventing crimes, there is a crazy man living near the junction who hears voices that tells him what to do and he is armed with 2 10 inch hunting knives…..
December 11, 2008 at 7:28 am #649641
AnonymousInactiveI have to agree with vincent on this. The police “enforce” the LAW. Meaning – when the law is broken, they take action/intervene.
Expecting the police to be personal body guards is unrealistic.
As far as this individual representing himself during trial, well, that’s his RIGHT. Everyone has the right to represent them self in court. Is that the smartest thing to do? No, not usually.
December 11, 2008 at 4:11 pm #649642
changingtimesMemberthat cant be true because when he stole the hunting the knives the police said that they could not do anything even though we told them where he was and that he is a convicted felon, he was the one who beat up that poor gas station attendant last summer and at that time the man was lucky he wasnt armed when the voices told him to attack the guy. he will be in jail again, he has been in and out of jail for the past 12 years only staying out for maybe a month the longest before he gets put back in, each time his actions are getting more and more violent and the police yes they do there job as in capturing him in about 5 minutes after he has attacked someone, but his actions are getting more and more violent. so i feel the system is not only failing us it is failing him. And never have i asked for personal body guards. i ask for justice to be served.
December 11, 2008 at 4:48 pm #649643
JenVMemberagain, for people who don’t understand – here is the SPD website clearly stating their mission statement – which includes “preventing crime”
http://www.cityofseattle.net/Police/
While I agree you need to be vigilant in protecting yourself and being aware of your surroundings – part of what the police do is protect you…or they should. (when not trying to run you over in a marked crosswalk..ha ha)
It’s usually the people like Vincent and NR that will squeal the loudest when something like this happens to them, though. Funny, that.
December 11, 2008 at 5:07 pm #649644
CaitParticipantIf it isn’t THEIR job to prevent crimes, whose is it. Since you know… we spend millions of tax dollars on crime prevention every year. And isn’t “not preventing crime” what Rossi came down on Gregoire for during the election? We can’t expect it to be the governor’s job so – where is all my money going? I suggest looking at Jen’s link. It’s right there.
December 11, 2008 at 5:23 pm #649645
TrickParticipantI guess when I was sitting
in on the crime PREVENTION meetings
with the police I was just wasting my time?
December 11, 2008 at 6:35 pm #649646
JoBParticipantthe real failure here is in our mental health care.. and in a lack of options for judges.
it is clear that if this person is not a danger to himself and others (the old standard for commitment for mental health issues) with medication, he needs to be in a supervised program that monitors his medications and institutionalizes him if he isn’t taking them.
We didn’t do the mentally ill or ourselves any favors when we disbanded the mental health system without replacing it with viable options.
BTW.. the police may not have been able to do much else.. but they certainly could have arrested him for theft…
it might be a good idea to ask for an appointment with someone at the West Seattle police station with someone who can help you find positive solutions. I would start by calling the community policing representative.
if you can’t get an ear at the station.. and some help towards finding a solution.. then call your local representative. It’s amazing how helpful institutions become when your representative get’s involved.
Good luck…
December 11, 2008 at 6:58 pm #649647
vincentMemberriiiiiight, because preventing crime is what the OP is raving about right now?
Its sad that PR speeches about community meetings get interpreted by people that the role of the police is anything other than a reactive one.
plz explain any tangible example aside from standing around making people docile and afraid that police “prevent crime”
sqquuuuuuuuuuueeel!
December 11, 2008 at 7:35 pm #649648
AnonymousInactivevincent – Lol! Really, JenV, do I know you?? Yeah, didn’t think so.
Again, I agree with vincent. The police enforce the law. When a law is broken, they respond. If they were to go around trying to “prevent” everyone from breaking the law, imagine how many rights would be violated. And, if that were happening, I’m sure quite a few folks here would be squealing. :)
The police have a tough job of toeing that line. If you are attending crime prevention meetings, you are, as a community member, helping the police keep your neighborhood safe, or safer. That’s exactly WHY they have meetings like that. So the community can be as involved as possible and be an integral part of preventing crime.
Squuuuuuueeeeaaaalllll!
December 11, 2008 at 8:08 pm #649649
mellaw6565MemberNR – are you doing your “Deliverance” impression there at the end?
December 11, 2008 at 8:12 pm #649650
datamuseParticipantUh, guys? Unless I missed something, there is at least one law broken here: you know, where the guy stole something? Last I checked, theft was a crime.
December 11, 2008 at 9:59 pm #649651
vincentMembersure, but in this world things have to be pretty tangible in order to take someone down to the jail and avoid getting sued over it.
If I go to the police and say datamuse from the West Seattle blog came to my house and stole my lawnmower, should they come arrest you?
Seriously the brainwashing that people accept from the all levels of goverment and the media is astounding when people make statements like that.
THEFT IS A CRIME…
sure it is, but you cant just arrest people on hearsay thats illegal as well, and if your wrong it denies people their rights, you know those civil rights we keep giving up for safety? like innocent before guilty? Its pretty lame crazy dude is running around, but what if the OP was just as crazy? Is it the cops job to play judge? or to enforce the law?
Part of living in a free country with a bill of rights isn’t so you can hide behind the skirts of big brother and tell on everyone around you till you feel safe. Its your RIGHT and DUTY to ensure the safety of yourself and loved ones.
Seriously I love America, but I hate uninformed entitled Americans sometimes.
December 11, 2008 at 10:04 pm #649652
datamuseParticipantIf I go to the police and say datamuse from the West Seattle blog came to my house and stole my lawnmower, should they come arrest you?
Of course not. But should I not at least expect them to take a report if I call them and tell them my lawnmower’s been stolen?
December 11, 2008 at 10:09 pm #649653
beachdrivegirlParticipantI am sure the police did make a report that the knives were stolen; however, they cant just go into someones home to search it. They need proably cause to enter into the suspects home to search for it.
December 11, 2008 at 10:52 pm #649654
CaitParticipantLOL @ mellaw… Deliverance.
December 11, 2008 at 11:10 pm #649655
JenVMemberDecember 11, 2008 at 11:14 pm #649656
AnonymousInactiveDecember 12, 2008 at 2:32 am #649657
CaitParticipantWhat the hell is so great about that rubbish movie! You’re kidding right?
December 12, 2008 at 3:31 am #649658
JoBParticipantdeliverence
not just a river rafting story with great scenery set to good music..
as for the theft.. they didn’t need a search warrant to go talk with the guy…
and if the guy is as unstable as was reported and they said … your mom thinks you broke into her garage … i imagine they would get an earful from him … giving them probable cause to search.
Vincent… looks to me like you just want to get a reaction…
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