mikekingtx
New Member
I would like to know if the following constitutes harassment or an illegal search. Either way, I plan on filing a complaint with the police department and pursuing it to the max. I would also be willing to pursue other options if they are presented.
I am a 29 year old clean cut white male; professionally dressed, not a suspicious character in any way. I am from TN and was visiting TX. A TX police officer pulled me over for expired registration. As it turns out, it was not expired. He either did not know how to read the out of state tag or he was just looking for a reason. By his own admission, "we have a lot of problems with out of state vehicles".
By this time he had already called for backup and asked me to get out of the car. He interrogated me for awhile and I answered all of his questions -- why are you here, where are you going, where are you staying, how do you know him, etc. Then he asks to search my vehicle. Of course I said no. He responded with "I'm really just curious about why you wouldn't open your glove compartment". I told him because there's really nothing in there. At this point, I felt that my civil liberties where in jeapardy.
He called for a canine unit and the dog circled the car three times. They found nothing and the dog never barked. They opened my car and let the dog into my car. Still nothing -- no bark, no exciting behavior, no nothing. The officer then approaches me and tells me that the dog found evidence of contraband. I disagreed, but I was told that I had no choice. The officers completely searched my vehicle - every possible compartment and found NOTHING -- something that made them very upset.
While the two officers were searching my car another officer was attempting to coerce a confession -- telling me that whatever I admit to with him cannot be used against me. Is that true? I was also told that I had to stand in the high weeds off to the side. During this time, I was bitten several times by misquitoes - which might sound lame, but this is TX. Theres a lot of the West Nile virus around here.
So my questions are this:
1. Is that a legal search?
2. Was I being harassed by the police?
3. Was that attempt at a coerced confession legal?
4. Other than a complaint with the police department, what are my options? I have no intention of letting this go.
5. Can a officer order you where and how to stand? I.e. - get your hands out of your pocket?
Either way I plan on consulting an attorney, but it would be nice to hear other people's thoughts.
Thanks!
Mike King
I am a 29 year old clean cut white male; professionally dressed, not a suspicious character in any way. I am from TN and was visiting TX. A TX police officer pulled me over for expired registration. As it turns out, it was not expired. He either did not know how to read the out of state tag or he was just looking for a reason. By his own admission, "we have a lot of problems with out of state vehicles".
By this time he had already called for backup and asked me to get out of the car. He interrogated me for awhile and I answered all of his questions -- why are you here, where are you going, where are you staying, how do you know him, etc. Then he asks to search my vehicle. Of course I said no. He responded with "I'm really just curious about why you wouldn't open your glove compartment". I told him because there's really nothing in there. At this point, I felt that my civil liberties where in jeapardy.
He called for a canine unit and the dog circled the car three times. They found nothing and the dog never barked. They opened my car and let the dog into my car. Still nothing -- no bark, no exciting behavior, no nothing. The officer then approaches me and tells me that the dog found evidence of contraband. I disagreed, but I was told that I had no choice. The officers completely searched my vehicle - every possible compartment and found NOTHING -- something that made them very upset.
While the two officers were searching my car another officer was attempting to coerce a confession -- telling me that whatever I admit to with him cannot be used against me. Is that true? I was also told that I had to stand in the high weeds off to the side. During this time, I was bitten several times by misquitoes - which might sound lame, but this is TX. Theres a lot of the West Nile virus around here.
So my questions are this:
1. Is that a legal search?
2. Was I being harassed by the police?
3. Was that attempt at a coerced confession legal?
4. Other than a complaint with the police department, what are my options? I have no intention of letting this go.
5. Can a officer order you where and how to stand? I.e. - get your hands out of your pocket?
Either way I plan on consulting an attorney, but it would be nice to hear other people's thoughts.
Thanks!
Mike King
