Another Drug Raid Nightmare

[Botanist]

"The History of the present King of Great-Britain is a history of repeated injuries and usurpations, all having in direct object the establishment of an absolute Tyranny over these States. To prove this, let Facts be submitted to a candid World."
-Declaration of Independence-
11th fact
"He has kept among us, in times of peace, standing armies, without the consent of our legislatures"
10th fact
"He has erected a multitude of new offices, and sent hither swarms of officers to harass our people, and eat out their substance."
15th fact
"FOR PROTECTING THEM, BY A MOCK TRIAL, FROM PUNISHMENT FOR ANY MURDERS WHICH THEY SHOULD COMMIT ON THE INHABITANTS OF THESE STATES."


but its ok because they are not military men they are cops. So a name change fixes everything.

 

[SomeGuy]

Interesting.
They are demanding a review of police procedure that the kops have vigorously defended. Remember too that the kops had their OWN review of the department last year done by an outside party and refused to release the details of the results.

Any bets on whether this will happen or not?

Virginian Pilot

Libertarians want study of police procedures in Frederick case

February 18, 2009

CHESAPEAKE

The Tidewater Libertarian Party is expected to ask city council next week to establish a citizen review board to investigate Chesapeake police procedures during a controversial drug raid last year on a Portlock home.

Detective Jarrod Shivers, a 34-year-old father of three, was fatally shot while attempting to enter the home in the 900 block of Redstart Avenue on the night of Jan. 17, 2008. The homeowner, Ryan Frederick, was convicted this month in Chesapeake Circuit Court of misdemeanor possession of marijuana and voluntary manslaughter in the officer’s death.

Don Tabor of the Tidewater Libertarian Party said his group will address city leaders at the Feb. 24 council meeting because questions regarding police procedures in such raids have gone unanswered.

“Somebody outside the police department should be overseeing the police, just as civilian authority oversees the military,’’ Tabor said.

Police used a battering ram on Frederick’s front door during the raid, which was carried out based on information from a confidential informant. The informant, Steven Wright, 20, had broken into Frederick’s detached garage days before the raid to look for evidence of a marijuana-growing operation and to steal plants. Frederick, 29, has said he did not know it was police at his front door and fired his gun at what he thought was an intruder.

In a statement on the issue, the Libertarian Party said: “This citizen review board should have full access to all evidence, records, reviews and testimony, and report to the City Council, and ultimately, with council approval of sensitive content, to the public, in order to restore the lost trust of the citizens in our police department and to ensure that our police officers and citizens are no longer placed in unnecessary danger.’’

 

[VenturaHwy]

These military swat tactics should only be used on hostage situations or something similar, whoever ordered the raid is the one who is responsible and should do the time... we have idiots for leaders.

 

[IKILL3RI]

The railroading of Ryan Frederick

Radley Balko | March 18, 2008

Imagine you're home alone.

It's 8 p.m. You work an early shift and need to be out the door before sunrise, so you're already in bed. Your nerves are a bit frazzled, because earlier in the week someone broke into your home. Oddly, they didn't take anything; they just rifled through your belongings.

But the violation weighs on your mind. At about the time you drift off, you're awakened by fierce barking from your two large dogs. You hear someone crashing into your front door, as if he's trying to separate it from its hinges. You grab the gun you keep for home defense and leave your room to investigate.

This past January that scenario played out at the Chesapeake, Virginia, home of 28-year-old Ryan Frederick, a slight man of little more than 100 pounds. According to interviews since the incident, Frederick says when he looked toward his front door, he saw an intruder trying to enter through one of the lower door panels. So Frederick fired his gun.

The intruders were from the Chesapeake Police Department. They had come to serve a drug warrant. Frederick's bullet struck Detective Jarrod Shivers in the side, killing him. Frederick was arrested and has spent the last six weeks in a Chesapeake jail.

He has been charged with first degree murder. Paul Ebert, the special prosecutor assigned to the case, has indicated he may elevate the charge to capital murder, which would enable the state to seek the death penalty.

At the time of the raid, Ryan Frederick worked for a soft drink merchandiser. Current and former employers and co-workers speak highly of him. He also recently had gotten engaged, a welcome lift for a guy who'd had a run of tough luck.

He lost both parents early in life, and friends say the death of his mother hit particularly hard—Frederick discovered her in bed after she had overdosed on prescription medication. After the deaths of both parents, Frederick grew close to his grandmother, who then died two years ago.

Friends and neighbors describe Frederick as shy, self-effacing, non-confrontational, and hard-working. He had no prior criminal record. Frederick and his friends have conceded he smoked marijuana recreationally. But all—including his neighbors—insist there's no evidence he was growing or distributing the drug.

According to the search warrant, the police raided Frederick's home after a confidential informant told them he saw evidence of marijuana growing in a garage behind the home. The warrant says the informant saw several marijuana plants, plus lights, irrigation equipment and other gardening supplies.

After the raid, the police found the gardening supplies, but no plants. They also found a small amount of marijuana, but not much—only enough to charge Frederick with misdemeanor drug possession.

Frederick told a local television station that he was an avid gardener. A neighbor I spoke with backs him up, explaining that Frederick had an elaborate koi pond behind his home and raised a variety of tropical plants. He'd even given his neighbors gardening tips on occasion.

One of the plants Frederick told the local television station he raised was the Japanese maple, a plant that, when green, has leaves that look quite a bit like marijuana leaves.

So far, Chesapeake police have given no indication that they did any investigation to corroborate the tip from their informant. There's no mention in the search warrant of an undercover drug buy from Frederick or of any extensive surveillance of Frederick's home.

More disturbingly, the search warrant says the confidential informant was inside Frederick's house three days before the raid—about the same time Frederick says someone broke into his home. Frederick's supporters have told me that Frederick and his attorney now know the identity of the informant, and that it was the police informant who broke into Frederick's home.

Chesapeake's police department isn't commenting. But if true, all of this raises some very troubling questions about the raid, and about Frederick's continued incarceration.

Special prosecutor Paul Ebert said at a recent bond hearing for Frederick that Shivers, the detective who was killed, was in Frederick's yard when he was shot, and that Frederick fired through his door, knowing he was firing at police.

Frederick's attorney disputes this. Ebert also said Frederick should have known the intruders were police because there were a dozen or more officers at the scene. But some of Frederick's neighbors dispute this, too. One neighbor told me she saw only two officers immediately after the raid; she said the others showed up only after Shivers went down.

What's clear, though, is that Chesepeake police conducted a raid on a man with no prior criminal record. Even if their informant had been correct, Frederick was at worst suspected of growing marijuana plants in his garage. There was no indication he was a violent man—that it was necessary to take down his door after nightfall.

The raid in Chesapeake bears a striking resemblance to another that ended in a fatality. Last week, New Hanover County, N.C., agreed to pay $4.25 million to the parents of college student Peyton Strickland, who was killed when a deputy participating in a raid mistook the sound of a SWAT battering ram for a gunshot, and fired through the door as Strickland came to answer it.

In the case where a citizen mistakenly (and allegedly) shot through his door at a raiding police officer, the citizen is facing a murder charge; in the case where a raiding police officer mistakenly shot through a door and killed a citizen, there were no criminal charges.

Over the last quarter century, we've seen an astonishing rise in paramilitary police tactics by police departments across America. Peter Kraksa, professor of criminology at the University of Eastern Kentucky, ran a 20-year survey of SWAT team deployments and determined that they have increased 1,500 percent since the early 1980s—mostly to serve nonviolent drug warrants.

This is dangerous, senseless overkill. The margin of error is too thin, and the potential for tragedy too high to use these tactics unless they are in response to an already violent situation (think bank robberies, school shootings or hostage-takings). Breaking down doors to bust drug offenders creates violent situations; it doesn't defuse them.

Shivers' death is only the most recent example. And Ryan Frederick is merely the latest citizen to be put in the impossible position of being awakened from sleep, then having to determine in a matter of seconds if the men breaking into his home are police or criminal intruders.

You wonder how many people can honestly say they'd have handled it any differently than he did.

Radley Balko is a senior editor for reason. This article originally appeared at FoxNews.com.

Outside link

That's one great reason why most people hate fucking pigs. You never know if they could be corrupted. In my opinion that cop got what he fucking deserved. Fuck the Police and the Fucking U.S Government, they raided my house 3 months ago, but they already had a case. They where tracking me for 4 years that's what the cop said but found shit. They didn't have enough proof and didn't bother to show up to court with their poor evidence LOL. That was a waste of 4 years investigating for shit LOL.

 

[Blunted22]

the fact that he doesnt sell drugs and/or grows weed why in the world would you think the cops are gonna be the ones late nite breaking your door down....

people like us should always have that possibility in there head but some one who doesnt do this shit has no reason to think shit the police are busting down my door....

he should be given money for them fucking up his life....


rule in my state is the cops can raid you up to 3 times before you can retaliate against the cops...

my boy has been raided two times both times never found nothing but they trashed EVERYTHING new leather sofa's, walls, so next time he gets raided and they dont find shit he can sue...

its fucking retarded and its getting worse every damn year....

 

[Kush_Master]

Man thats just fucked up!!!

In my country the cops come and ring your doorbell. When you refuse to open and they have a warrant they will just get a locksmith.

Fucked up!

 

[Pythagllio]

A locksmith? What fun is that? Battering rams, flashbang grenades, and the possibility of the air being peppered with flying lead are what make it worth getting up in the morning. How else would you know you're alive? What you describe isn't living, it's existence. Europeans are such milquetoast!

 

[iGro4Me]

Sweet, some dipchit burglar gets brought up on charges and says "hey, I've got some intel for you" and they drop one of the charges to find out where this guy's growing weed. If I were a cop and was told it's just a few plants I'd leave it alone because it's no big deal and was obtained from a guy who is obviously a piece of crap. But they wanted to conduct a full on raid to save the day, their city, their children from an evil weed smoker.

The only way to end it is to end the so called "war on drugs."

Its given LEO carte blanche to act like a bunch of jack booted, nazi acting thugs, kicking in whoevers door they want and the ability to violate peoples rights at will.

All they have to do is say we are trying to protect the CHEEELDRIN and everyone looks the other way. They don't seem to notice that LEO has turned it into a money making, billion dollar industry for themselves and innocent people get caught up in it all the time.

Time to take note of and exercise your 2nd Amendment rights

people, before it's too late.

A well regulated Militia, being necessary to the security of a free State, the right of the people to keep and bear Arms, shall not be infringed.

Additionally, there is text that directly quantifies the use of said arms for use in self-defense and the protection of a FREE STATE.

Not trying to turn this into any 2nd amendment thread, and I apologize for the tangent.

And as if we needed any further proof of the misuse and flat out abuse of some police officers and agencies......This from a land not far from you.

15 year old girl beat up in custody

*Surveillance Video*


Thanks to SomeGuy and others who kept this thread alive, and all the best to our friend in Virginia.

Peace,

iGro

 

[Macster2]

This reminds me of the poor bugger who worked full time but was registered as a part time gunsmith out of his home and upon hearing his wife was leaving him proceeded to get very drunk in the basement of his house.In conversation with his wife threatened suicide.She called the cops concerned for his safety.

Well the cops must have thought the carnival came to town.SWAT moved in and took out every window in the house with bazooka type things which shot croquet type wooden balls.Then filled the house with tear gas. Broke both front door and back. Doing about 30k$$ in damage.
And all he remembers (being passed out on the basement floor) is a little robot guy looking at him through the window.He ended in a phyc ward for 2-3 weeks.
Talk about a bunch of cowboys.

 

[SomeGuy]

And all he remembers (being passed out on the basement floor) is a little robot guy looking at him

Wall-E ????

 

[Macster2]

That movie probably gave him nightmares LOL

 

[SomeGuy]

Now the burglar/snitch is whining that the kops used him!!!!!

Well, DUHHHHHHH you snitch doucheBAG!!!!!!!! WTF did you expect from the kops??????




Virginian Pilot

April 3, 2009

CHESAPEAKE

Steven Wright, a police informant, said there were "implied promises" made by police and prosecutors to take care of him in return for his testimony against Ryan Frederick, a Chesapeake man convicted of killing a police detective during a drug raid.

"He feels they implied that he would be treated with leniency after his testimony," said Kenneth Reveley, Wright's attorney.

Reveley made the argument before Wright's trial Thursday in Chesapeake Circuit Court on charges of grand larceny, credit card theft and fraud and felony failure to appear in court. He argued that Wright should benefit now from any implied promises made by Chesapeake police detectives or special prosecutors.

Assistant Commonwealth's Attorney Amanda Abbey said no such promises, written or spoken, were ever made to Wright. A special prosecutor would not have the authority to speak for the Chesapeake commonwealth's attorney in such a matter, she said.

Judge John Brown found that conversations between police, special prosecutors and Wright were too vague to enforce as a contract. In addition, Wright testified under oath during Frederick's trial that he was not promised anything for his testimony, Brown said.

Wright, during a bench trial Thursday, was convicted of felony failure to appear in court and on misdemeanor counts of credit card fraud for taking and using a Chesapeake teen's debit card in January 2008.

Wright, 20, of Great Bridge, remains free on bond pending his sentencing in July.

He was a confidential police informant in a drug investigation of Frederick, a 29-year-old man from the city's Portlock section who was convicted of voluntary manslaughter in the January 17, 2008, shooting death of Detective Jarrod Shivers. A jury recommended Frederick serve 10 years.

Wright testified in January on behalf of the commonwealth that he and a friend, Renaldo Turnbull Jr., broke into Frederick's garage Jan. 14, 2008, to gather evidence for police of a marijuana-growing operation. Shivers was shot as he and other officers attempted to enter Frederick's home based on information Wright gathered.

Reveley described Wright as the "star witness" in the case against Frederick, noting that without him special prosecutors could not have established their case. Now, they are "dumping all over him," Reveley said.

"I think the commonwealth has taken advantage of this young man," he said.

Wright said he had several conversations with Special Prosecutor Paul Ebert and his staff, and conversations with a couple of Chesapeake police detectives. He told them he was nervous about testifying in the Frederick case and that he feared they would leave him "out to dry."

He was assured that everything would be all right, he said.

Detective Kiley Roberts said Wright was a confidential informant from November 2007 to January 2008. He was paid in cash, Roberts said, but he was given no guarantees for his testimony against Frederick.

"Now, during those conversations, did you promise anything to the defendant?" Abbey asked Roberts.

"Absolutely not," Roberts replied.

Denny Dobbins, Wright's attorney on the failure to appear charge, said his client didn't show up on the day of his trial on the credit card fraud and grand larceny charges because he feared for his safety.

"I was scared," Wright testified.

He said he was getting threats. He was jumped by four inmates while in jail, he said.

He filed charges against Kasey Blue of Chesapeake in July 2008 for threats, he said. Blue, according to court records, was convicted and fined $200 for a misdemeanor offense of profane language over public airways - the telephone - in August 2008.

"I was all over the news and they called me a snitch," Wright said.

Because you burgled a guys house then SNITCHED to the kops!!!!!!!

 

[Macster2]

He's going to get what he and all other snitch bastards deserve

 

[ItsGrowTime]

He's a moron and he'll get his reward for snitching (multiple ass beatings in prison). The cops can't legally promise him anything and if it's not in writing then it never happened. Can't say Im upset for him though...

 

[Bababooey]

Anyone ever watch "The Wire"? Great, great cop show, where the drug dealers get almost as much airplay as the popo. The creator of that show was a Baltimore journalist who says, if there's one thing he wants people to take from this show, is that the next time the 'drug czar' says we need more cops and more prisons and then we'll win the war on drugs, people will look at him like he's crazy.
Anywho, there were a couple situations in that show where the Baltimore PD was getting ready to arrest someone, and they had the fancy SWAT guys in all their gear ready to bust in, and the main detectives just said screw it, we'll just knock and go in quietly. One time, they were getting ready to storm a warehouse where all the drug dealers had a crapload of heavy duty weapons, and the detectives were like "if we burst in, we're going to get lit up" so they just pounded on the doors for a couple minutes before the bad guys decided to surrender and opened up the doors...
I agree, these SWAT type tactics needlessly risk officers' lives, and put defendants at risk of shooting a cop, thinking it's a burglar.
The thing is, all these police departments get money from Homeland security for their SWAT gear, I guess for anti-terror, hostage and active shooter situations. But 99% of the time they end up using their SWAT teams to enforce search warrants, which is a needless risk.
Frederick had no prior violent or criminal history, yet they still felt the need to break his door down at night. Did they even do a search to see if he's a gunowner? Wouldn't that have made them think twice about busting down his door at night?

 

[gdup]

At least the guy was smart enough to clear out his plants after he saw that someone broke in and didn't take anything. So are cops really allowed to have informants break into houses? That seems really crazy to me.

 

[El Vexilix]

Wow , how horrible . This is why I want to be part of the force , to change the unjust , almost criminal practices they do . Couldn't of thrown a flash bomb at least or yell out police search warrant .
Why do they have to act like the douchebag bully white people in those 80's movies we all have watched and learned from ? ( by white , I don't mean skin color either )
To bad the guy wasn't a chester ( child molester ) or got the police in a high speed chase that almost killed innocent bystanders and police , or a drunk driver that almost did the same , he would have gotten out the next day . System is screwed ..... we need to parasite it .

 

[Macster2]

WTF el vex you'll be tainted in no time.The esprit du corp etc. The bosses will expect you to make the bust and if you get into the drug squad the money will corrupt you in no time

 

[sweetsmell]

He gets 10 years

http://www.wvec.com/news/topstories/stories/wvec_local_050809_frederick_sentencing.5d408e0.html

 

[79towncar]

Wow 10 fuckin years. But the appeal is commin. Personally I might just say fuck it and take the years and not maby prolong my sentence with an appeal. What if the appeal goes sour and he gets convicted of something greater? I dont kno it's a tough call. To be honest tho you have to be in that situation to really say what you would or would not do.