Alcohol & Drugs: DUI, DWI Fasle Arrest for DUI and Police Brutality in MAINE

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hoefinger

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While vacationing in Bar Harbor, Maine and driving back to our campsite with our car with New York plates at 2:30am, I was pulled over by a rookie police officer who claimed i was 'driving erratically'--I was driving 38 miles per hour in a 40 zone and changing the radio station. He asked if i had any alcohol and I said yes, one beer two hours ago. He made me get out of the car and stand barefooted on cold wet mud and gravel to conduct 5 sobriety tests: touching top of pen, following pen with eyes while he moved the pen well out range of vision, walking in a straight line for nine step back and forth with hands at sides while looking down at feet and counting aloud --which i completed with the grace, balance and composure of a ballerina, lifting one leg straight into the air with hands at sides while i counted aloud until he told me to stop after 18 seconds--which i did effortlessly without swaying or lifting an arm for balance, and the cognitive test of writing the alphabet starting from D to Y, signing my name, date, and time, which i completed in less than 10 seconds without flaw.
After the humiliation of acting like a monkey and completing the tests flawlessly I assumed I had proved that the one beer I consumed 2 hours earlier was well out of my system and I was perfectly capable to drive. But suddenly he was pushing me against the back of my car and telling me i was under arrest for DUI because I had FAILED the tests. I was in shock and protested that I hadn't even been given a breathalizer test yet! I panicked because his demeanor was nervous and I knew I was sober and passed all tests so I couldn't understand why I was still being handcuffed and arrested. I suddenly thought he had malintentions as we were in middle of a country road with no other cars or houses in site...so i panicked and requested other police come to the scene before I got into the police car in restraints as I wanted witnesses and feared that he was going to take me to an isolated spot and rape me. I was terrified and was resisting getting into the car and shouting to my sister to call 911 so that other cops would arrive at the scene.
He mandhandled me, shoved me, and violently pushed me into the cop car head first and slammed the door and locked me in. Finally another cop car arrived with two other police who ignored my pleas to speak to them. They informed my sister that they would tow our car while she came to police station with us (she couldnt drive as she had lots more to drink than my one beer) or she had to drive back to camp ground in a cop car, wake up our mother who suffers from heart problems, drag her in the cop car to our car to drive it to police station. They refused to let our car stay alongside the road on the gravel until the situation was dealt with, and insisted it had to be towed, or our mother had to be traumatized and woken up and driven in the cop car to move it. The cops were uncooperative, intimidating, and trying to assert their authority.
Meanwhile I was driven to the police station with just the original cop (he ignored my request to NOT be driven alone with him). There, I was left to wait with incredibly tight handcuffs for an hour and half to receive my breathalizer. I finally requested the handcuffs be removed and I was left with huge purple and red indentations which led to severe bruising. My mother finally arrived at the station hysterical and in shock. They refused to let her see me. She was told to go to an ATM machine and withdraw $540 cash for my bail--which she did (they claimed they only took cash and no other form of payment). In the end, I finally received my breathalizer which read .02--so I was WELL UNDER THE .08 LIMIT and completely INNOCENT after all!!! My license, registration, insurance card were returned to me along with a printout of my .02 breathalizer test and I was released with a 'Sorry about that'.
Unfortunately, 'Sorry' doesn't make up for the complete and utter violation of rights. Not only was I treated as Guilty Until Proven Innocent, I was not read my Miranda Rights, I was humiliated, treated with force, violence, and police brutality, left with bruising and marks on my body, and have suffered great emotional trauma from the event--as did my ailing mother and sister who have been greatly emotionally traumatized by the ordeal while on family holiday. I want to file a civil suit or a law suit against the police officer who arrested me--but I'm a resident of New York, and I currently live in London, England where I am completing my PhD and work as a Professor of Cambodian Gender Studies. I don't know where to begin but i know my rights have been violated and I want to take action. Anyone who knows the process and next step PLEASE HELP!!!
 
This is a complicated case. The first thing to note perusing a civil case against the police is almost never successful. Not to say the police where right, currently where I live a 6 foot 2, 230 lbs police officer maced and punched out a 14 year old girl for 'resisting arrest' for being out after curfew. The more shocking part is that the police just released a press release saying the officer acted in self defense and in accordance with regulations because the girl had bitten him while she was resisting. Now more directly relating to your case, officers whom are under stress typically acts more aggressive so the tight handcuffs is most likely a result of your struggle and resisting, once again not saying this is the correct thing to do but using that in a civil case will be portrayed like so and will hurt your case rather than you staying calm. In most cases an officer has already decided if your going to pass or fail a road side sobriety test, that being said if your asked to take one your likely being taken in regardless of how you do. Since your sobriety is left to there digression your at the mercy of a blood alcohol test. Many officers carry breathalysers test on them but it is not required, so taking you in is once again not illegal. Calling 911 a requesting an additional officer is a good idea A) to make sure your not a victim of a person impersonating an officer and B) having a witness to the arrest and treatment. However, It is not required to have additional officers to come, so again no law was broken. However unfortunate and inhumanly treated you where I do not see any law being broken. Miranda rights do not need to be recited when ever handcuffs are placed. There is no pound per square inch requirement for handcuffs it is officers digression. Once again I do not think you where treated fairly nor do I think you where put though a big ordeal fairly. However I can not see a law being broken.
 
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