Comments

1
Paywall. Can't see the article.
2
Wait, what?

How does this happen? Aren't both sides of the case entitled to all evidence before trial? Wouldn't the prosecutor have seen this tape and said, "Holy Shit. They're lying through their teeth," and either dismissed the case or made them come up with a better lie?
3
@2 It was a police car dashcam video, which was obtained under subpoena. So, yeah someone dropped the ball big-time on the prosecution's side.
4
@1: Don't have to pay; just sign up and you get five free articles a month.
5
Wait, so you're saying dashcam/headcam video/audio is important for keeping police power in check and should be beyond the ability of actual police departments to destroy/alter/slow-walk/"lose" subpoenas for? Ridiculous! Officer Friendly would never do such things!
6
(And congrats on your new exalted status, Ansel.)
7
Someone should form a Police Police made up of citizens that patrol cities keeping an eye on the Police.
8
I was arrested and prosecuted for things I did not do (four typical contempt-of-cop charges) in 2009. When the prosecution saw my video of what happened, a video that the police tried to erase while I was in jail, a video that makes it very clear that the police officers falsified their reports, the prosecution added a second prosecutor to the case.

It went to jury trial in early 2011. All but one cop and one airport security guard were removed from the witness list. The cop, Officer Robert F. "Bobby" Dilley of the Albuquerque Aviation Police Department was one of the best liars I've ever seen operate. He was very smooth and believable on the stand. He's been the target of eight or so federal civil rights lawsuits, all but one (mine) settled out of court. Fortunately, the prosecution presented my video, the jury saw through the lies, and I was acquitted of all charges. Total cost of my legal defense: $34,000. Supporters chipped in about $9,000 of that. I'm still paying off the rest. It's money well spent. My lawyers were great. One of them is now representing Chelsea Manning in her appeal.

I filed a civil suit against all the involved parties about ten months after my acquittal. The judge dismissed the federal defendants in early 2013. The remaining defendants were dismissed last month. Next week, I'll file notice of appeal. The appeals process is likely to last until sometime next year.

You'd think perjury would be a career-ender for police. It's not.
9
Normally they just destroy those "accidentally"
10
At least 2/5 of police officers everywhere, more in some places, lie as a matter of lazy routine in a lot of reports and on the stand. It is often pretty obvious, sometimes blatant. But police officers never never get criminally charged with perjury. Look, even in this case, they will get off, and it is the defendant who will have to pursue the matter in court. This judge is pathetic too. I'm sure she has knowingly allowed police officers to lie in her court hundreds of times. But this time, there was too much evidence, so she had to put on a show. The shame is that the prosecutors and the other 3/5 of the police who know about it do nothing, so they are just as guilty, but they go home at night pretending to themselves and others that they aren't.
11
@8 It is hard to get people to understand that there are no repercussions for police who lie, and how routine it is for many of them to do so. This becomes very clear to those who have been victims, like you, or worked a lot in the courts. We simply don't want to accept how wildlycorrupt our law enforcement system is.
12
Hey, where's the cop-apologists on this one? Telling us all about how it's only a few bad apples?
13
@8: Thanks for your diligence in following up with your case. It's only by constant citizen legal struggle that there's any hope for change.
14
Ditto 11 & 13.

And the Chicago Tribune's sister paper describing the latest example of police-officer integrity on the Left Coast:
Los Angeles police officers tampered with voice recording equipment in dozens of patrol cars in an effort to avoid being monitored while on duty, according to records and interviews...

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