Gaston4700
New Member
- Jurisdiction
- Illinois
I was driving on i55 coming from Arizona to Ohio in a moving truck. just leaving St. Louis Missouri. About 2 minutes in i notices the State trooper on the middle between the freeway lanes. I was looking for an exit so that i may look for somewhere to pee and grab something to eat. As i was heading down the exit when i noticed the Trooper was following me. As i stopped at the store he drove by looking at me. Once i got on the freeway again the Trooper proceeded to follow me again. The trooper followed me for 5 minutes then drove up next to my window and made eye contact with me then drove behind me and pulled me over. When the officer came to my window he said that he pulled me over for swerving on the shoulder line. I said ok, yes i was eating a sandwich. He asked me to get out of my vehicle, so i did as told. Thru out the time i was in the vehicle the trooper asked personal questions as normal coversation. After all said and done the trooper gave me my belongings, shoke my hand and said good to go. told me i was good to go. I tried to verify am i good to go, he said yes but let meask you a question, i said whats up? He asked me if he could search my vehicle before i left. I told him No, i pointed with my finger and told him "No, im just gonna take off" he said ok, looked at me and proceeded to ask a series of question. Do you have marijuana, cocaine, methamphetamine, heroin weapons, etc. To which i replied No. He asked me again if he could search and again i said no. Then he asked if i had inspected my belongings to see if anything was broken for insurance purposes. I said no that i dont have insurance. Again he asked the same series of questions, marijuana, cocaine, etc. Again i said No. The Trooper then again asked for "us" to inspect the vehicle for broken items. I realized he was not gonna let me go, so i agreed to inspect for broken items. As i was getting out of squad car the Trooper made a motion as to go for his gun and said i need to stay inside. I got scare so i did. After the Trooper came back he sat in the car silent for about 10 seconds, awkward silence so i asked "am i good to go" he said no im calling a k9. I told him i didnt give him concent for a dog, he said he didnt need it. The officer never returned my keys after his initial search that did not turn up anything. The Trooper made me wait around 19 minutes for the dog to come and give a probable cause. No, the trooper did not find anything suspicious, he just said that my furniture looked like junk. The total of the stop until there was a reasonable suspicion was ruffly 32 minutes. 19 minutes from the moment he handed me the warning. Yes in the end i was arrested. I did my time for what i did wrong, i paid. Now i tried to have my case suppressed but as it turns out, the County of Madison, Illinois, has a currupt system working against minorities. I was not allowed to file a motion to suppress. My attorney refused extremely to file said motion. From day 1 i knew it was illegal. Yet i did what was required. I filed a complaint against my attorney, yes i had a public defender. After a year of fighting with my attorney, who was offering me no less than 10yrs at 85%, my attorney came 1 day and said to me, "You're lucky your smart and you're lucky you're a pain in my ass,would you take time served". At this point i had spent 1 ½ yrs fighting all this, so i said ok because he told me i would be leaving as soon as i signed. The day i signed my attorney said that now i would have to do parole and i would have to stay in Illinois. Currupt sytem ended making me do 1 more yr for the parole because i was not from around there. As i was incarcerrated i filed a civil suit. I believe i deserve compensation for the violation of my rights, i did everything the justice system and new social norms dictate. I listened and went thru the motions. I went thru alot. I did not see the sun, literally, for the whole time in jail until they took me to court to sign. Officers are working with impunity. Now, since i got out i have been working as a certified Spanish/ English interpreter. Since this pandemic started in February i have been working 12-13 hrs shifts helping the Medical, Finacial and Law enforcement fields. I am not familiar in what to do next in my case, i cant even look at what has been filed. I'm literraly an essential worker and i take my job seriously especially in this pandemic times. I believe they have ruled i favor of the Trooper due to me not following up. I need help. They violated my rights, mentally im not the same, but i have a job that requires my attention right now, our country needs me. I have a list of 32 latino individuals that had a bad case due to illegal search and seizure also in the same time i was in jail. Huff v Reichert happened almost in the same location as mine did. Case is extremely similar, except he didnt go to jail. Mr. Huff received 100k for his violation. The case of Rodriguez v. US is what im fighting. Am i right for doing so, please i need advice. Im currently back in Arizona.