Insane Justice System.

This is just a vent from me concerning an issue I recently 'resolved.'


I'm a diabetic, been so for 16 years since I was 11. Diabetes has a lovely problem with stabalization of blood sugar levels. It goes up, I take insulin to keep it down so when I eat and the food is converted to sugar I can actually use it. If I don't eat enough or on time, I go low, hypoglycemia, lovely effect of siezing. so beyond the preface;

I was returning from a job interview that took a bit longer than expected and was on my way home, I realized it was past lunch time and I needed to get some food, so I decided to stop at the hardees on the way to my house. I remember pulling in, driving around the building to park. Then I woke up, I couldn't see it felt like my eyes had been seasoned with an indian buffet's worth of curry. I couldn't move because my legs were bound and my wrists chained. I had no clue what was goin on. I was asked if I knew my name, where I was, the date, (for some reason I said Reagan was president, then I remembered it was 2k7 and bush was when my sugar begain to go up further) I hear a siren and realize i'm in an ambulance, but wtf happened to my eyes, they burned like nothing I'd ever felt. I complained of this and someone laughed a bit and said yeah I bet, this pepper foam isn't nice, I used almost the whole can on you. Lovely. I arrive at the hospital and was taken to a room where the orderlies quickly removed my clothing since I was apparently disturbing some of the respiratory problems on the other side of the ER with my fumes from the spray. I told the ER to do a blood alcohol/drug test, because I knew this may be an issue at some point and wanted to cover my ass.

I was told by the officer that they arrived on the scene and I was in my car parked, I wouldn't respond and was just making garbled noises. So like any good cop would do they grabbed me, of course in my state I was likely reduced to the fight or flight instinct, and since I could barely function fight was my option, so I kicked around and the obvious occurred, they restrained me. Once on the ground they said I was calm again. They tried to make me get on to the stretcher and still in my state of hypoglycemic skew I started struggling when they grabbed me. They pulled the mace and sprayed me with the viscious sudsy crap (while I was cuffed mind you), because I kicked out at the emt who was positioned at my feet. And so now here I was.

About 2 hours later I finally opened my eyes without feeling like I'd just had an alcohol eye wash. I ate a subpar meal I was provided by the hospital, a lovely pimento cheese sandwhich and some stale saltines. another 2 hours passes and they doctor comes in to release me. I sign all the forms and go to call my parents to bring me some clothes so I can leave (no way those were going back on me, my once white boxers were now a strange brownish orange.). Before I reach the phone an officer approaches me and arrests me. He then tells me to put my clothes on. They were double bagged in thick plastic for a reason I told him and there was no way I'd put them back on, he said it'd be easy or it'd be hard. I began to put them on, I had my drawers and pants on when a nurse walked in sneering and gave me the ER polo she was wearing because she thought it insane that I have to put those clothes on...but I felt bad I put those shorts on, cos I was on fire in my pants, not fun.

I was transported to jail while the cop berated me for my inaction in taking care of my diabetes (I mean I didn't go to hardees with the intention of passing out, I went to eat, just a bit too late.) and that I'm lucky he's only charging me with "Sleeping in a vehicle on private property" and "resisting arrest" since he could technically charge me with Assault, Assault on an Officer, and some others I don't remember. By the time I arrived at the jail my eyes were sealed shut again. I spent 6-8 hours in the jail, the in cell phones were broken so I couldn't call to get out, they'd dial but when answered would hang up, so I kept calling my mother until she finally called the caller ID number back and got the jail. when they asked if I was bonding out I told them yes around hour 1, I at this time asked for a change of clothes, since I was bonding out, no reason for me to change out... and so I sit alone in my corner, since no one else in that cell (10 or so others) wanted to be near noxious me, I think that was the only good thing.

Finally it's time to leave, they take me and another to a small 5x5 glass room where we talked to the bond lady and signed some forms. About 30 seconds in there with me the other guy began gagging and gasping, he banged on the door till a guard took him back to the cell. Lovely effect I have on people.

So finally bout 8 hours or so into it I finally get home. Note to self, a shower sounds good, but it takes several to get that crap off, and it hurts like hell the whole time.

I had to be at court in a few days and when I went I was aghast they were still going to charge me. I got a lawyer and fought it for a year, well didn't fight, more like extended it and continue it into eternity. On the last day a year later I was to have my day in court. The prosecutor came to me with a Waiver of Liability to release the city for any damages, and for me to pay court costs. My lawyer told me he'd suggest doing that, but it's my choice. I told the DA she could keep her waiver, no way I'd sign it. My lawyer kept on telling me that if I'm found guilty I'd have to pay even more to appeals court bond and this and that and a bunch of crap, I already had 500$ of my mothers money in the cash bond they paid to get me out, this was to be returned post trial. He said they very well may win it, and I have NO clue how the hell this is possible. In the end I talked the prosecutor down to court costs on one charge and no waiver and the charges all dropped. I was incensed and I was going to sue. After it was all said and done the cash bond money was gone to the court costs, my lawyer wouldn't take my lawsuit and said it'd cost more to sue than it would possibly get in return. So I was left with a 500$ debt to my parents all for my medical indiscretion of being diabetic. I fear not only for myself now but for anyone with a medical issue that could appear at first to be "criminal" (ie under the influence) even when the cops realize you suffer from a medical problem they still aggressively prosecute you and then milk you for your money. This is america? Freedom? This was utter madness. And that's where it is today, forever in limbo, never to be scrutinized. My question of the DA is why would they allow me a criminal to go free with just the payment of a fine, or if they felt I was innocent why would they continue their pursuit. I'm very worried about the mechanical justice we seem to have, no emotion, no feelings, no logical scrutiny, it's scary.


rob f;

 

Wow, I read the whole story and it sounds like the cops just f-cked you over.

I think it's just that the cops you dealt with were assholes. Normally, you'd want a cop to be more understanding and be more sympathetic to other humans.

But I don't think that this story makes our justice system "insane." Our justice system is probably the best one out there. Innocent until proven guilty, unlike guilt until proven innocent.

 

Well, it's not our entire justice system. Not a blanket "The justice system sucks" But it wasn't just the cops. The judge, the prosecutor....All of them looked at my case, without flinching or seeing that they're doing wrong by continuing to prosecute me for something so ridiculous. I explained the story just as I did here (which is pretty much just how it happened) to the DA, she actually told me how horrible that was...but she didn't once change what she was doing, she still pressed on...In this case it worries me about what if someone is innocent, but doesn't have the case I do proving that so readily. The DA would be out for blood, it couldn't possibly be fair for them, because with the overwhelming facts showing that I was doing nothing more than suffering from an acute medical dysfunction, with even the doctor from the hospital saying this on paper, she didn't see the innocence and kept going.

Inhumane is what it was. I was locked in a cell for hours without being allowed to change into clothing NOT covered in pepper spray. I was in this little cell with 10 other people, one who was smoking crack off the steel sink with a lighter he'd smuggled in. This isn't right for someone who's never broken the law before to have to suffer through. It's not a case of just the cop, there is a multitude of people involved, sure it begins with the cop, but all who supported him are rusty tines in the gears of justice.