Officer Threatening To Make Up Charges On Me

[raytown]

"Posting the stuff to the web simply says "look at me", it does NOT help to resolve the problem."

- Carl

You've got to be kidding me . Yes IT DOES help resolve the problem because it exposes these corrupt cops to the public. It allows for a larger group of people to be aware of this VERY BIG problem with most Local Law Enforcement, and their rampant abuses of power.

If more people were to mount cameras in their car, there would be LESS Police Officers abusing their power and they would focus MORE on what their actual jobs are, which is to protect and to serve. Not to harass, and/or make threats/lies.

And seriously JK. He wasn't acting defiant. He completely cooperated with what the officer wanted him to do within his rights. Since the officer is detaining him (as evidenced in the vid), he has the RIGHT to remain silent. He doesn't have to say a damn thing to that poor excuse of an officer. Since when is exercising your rights as an American acting defiant. Are you just some NeoCon that thinks we shouldn't have any rights or something. You should be ashamed.

[jk]

You've got to be kidding me . Yes IT DOES help resolve the problem because it exposes these corrupt cops to the public. It allows for a larger group of people to be aware of this VERY BIG problem with most Local Law Enforcement, and their rampant abuses of power.

If more people were to mount cameras in their car, there would be LESS Police Officers abusing their power and they would focus MORE on what their actual jobs are, which is to protect and to serve. Not to harass, and/or make threats/lies.

And seriously JK. He wasn't acting defiant. He completely cooperated with what the officer wanted him to do within his rights. Since the officer is detaining him (as evidenced in the vid), he has the RIGHT to remain silent. He doesn't have to say a damn thing to that poor excuse of an officer. Since when is exercising your rights as an American acting defiant. Are you just some NeoCon that thinks we shouldn't have any rights or something. You should be ashamed.

and i said he was acting defiantly where?

I didn't. You need to read a bit more carefully before taking anybody to task.

Trust me, I exercise my rights regularly. Ashamed? Not a chance. I have had a few run ins with officers where I was staking my ground based upon my rights and came out quite well. Before you start chastising me, or anybody else, you need to read my posts as well as many others here. Nobody hear has suggested Maxima was in the wrong in standing up for his rights. What he does have a problem with is it seems he tends to draw attention to himself. In this situation, it seems the cops were unaware of his prior disagreements with cops and although he does claim to have been meeting somebody in the parking lot, Maxima has a propensity for attracting the bad cops around him.

All an action of Karma? One truly has to wonder and even question Maxima's experiences when I know may other people that are actually bad nasty people that have fewer run ins with bad cops.

Now if he would do something with his evidence to correct the problem children of the police world and not simply seemingly attempt to inflame society in to an anarchistic frenzy, he will continue to have my support and that of a few others that remain a bit more silent. If he does not take action to correct the problems he experiences, it can only be seen as an attempt to garner attention and not an attempt to correct the ills of the world.

[cdwjava]

You've got to be kidding me . Yes IT DOES help resolve the problem because it exposes these corrupt cops to the public.

Only to the public that watches Youtube. Unless the video makes CNN or FoxNews, no one in power in his little burg is likely to see it. Thus, nothing will get done.

Most the people in my generation (and that's the generation of people that tend to be in the positions of influence) spend much time perusing the drivel on Youtube, etc. Our lives are too busy.

If you want to have an impact, you make the powers-that-be or the real media aware of the problem. You do NOT toss it out on the internet where only like-minded folks will be watching it. I doubt the mayor, the Chief of Police, or the city council spend a lot of time watching Youtube. My 13-year-old son does, occasionally, but he has little influence at home and even less in the city.

It allows for a larger group of people to be aware of this VERY BIG problem with most Local Law Enforcement, and their rampant abuses of power.

With MOST local law enforcement? Now THAT's a broad over-generalization, I'd say. Especially since I doubt you are in any position to know even SOME much less "most".

The way to resolve problems is to bring the issue to the people who can effect change. That may mean the web AND the powers that be. But simply posting it on the web and leaving it at that is about as effective as a 6-year-old stomping his feet and jumping up and down in a tantrum.

If this officer was out of line, then he needs to be held accountable. Posting a video on Youtube will NOT accomplish that.

- Carl

[Shii]

Please read ALL Maxima's other posts and you will find that he just fishes for trouble.

Look, Carl, I did read those other posts, and it seems to me like the cameras are a necessary precaution because the cops are corrupt. I mean, these cops have started an entire forum devoted to bashing him even though he broke no laws. One of them made a death threat. I would carry cameras too.

[raytown]

"It actually may be counter productive as some people that see that will be angered or at least have the sense of righteousness to the point that they may now act defiantly at times when it is very innappropriate."

Well, one can only assume that you are talking about the person in question acting defiantly because of this statement.

By saying that people may now act defiantly because of his actions you are implying that he was acting defiantly. Which he was not.

So you WERE saying he was acting defiantly, albeit indirectly. You should learn how properly convey your messages .

[aaron]

Again, let's limit this thread to the specific incident under discussion.

Any other discussion on how police should respond to specific individuals or specific behaviors is best placed in its own thread.

If this thread is about to reduce to people complaining about each other's phraseology, perhaps I should close it now.

Thanks.

[nascarfan999]

If you want to have an impact, you make the powers-that-be or the real media aware of the problem. You do NOT toss it out on the internet where only like-minded folks will be watching it. I doubt the mayor, the Chief of Police, or the city council spend a lot of time watching Youtube. My 13-year-old son does, occasionally, but he has little influence at home and even less in the city.

- Carl

FYI, all three local TV stations and the only major newspaper have ran stories on this incident. I've posted links to the stories below. In the stories, it states the officer has been put on unpaid leave pending the investigation.

http://www.kmov.com/topstories/stori....bf5ceebd.html
http://www.stltoday.com/stltoday/new...C?OpenDocument
http://www.myfoxstl.com/myfox/pages/...Y&pageId=3.2.1
http://www.ksdk.com/news/news_articl...storyid=129127

[cdwjava]

FYI, all three local TV stations and the only major newspaper have ran stories on this incident. I've posted links to the stories below. In the stories, it states the officer has been put on unpaid leave pending the investigation.

That's a start. Only when the story reaches the ears of those with oomph will something be done. With the right exposure in the media, that can happen.

- Carl

[BadLawyer]

FYI, all three local TV stations and the only major newspaper have ran stories on this incident. I've posted links to the stories below. In the stories, it states the officer has been put on unpaid leave pending the investigation.

http://www.kmov.com/topstories/stori....bf5ceebd.html
http://www.stltoday.com/stltoday/new...C?OpenDocument
http://www.myfoxstl.com/myfox/pages/...Y&pageId=3.2.1
http://www.ksdk.com/news/news_articl...storyid=129127

Excellent!

I'm genuinely pleased that this has moved beyond simply being an "Internet drama" and that it has percolated into the mainstream.

I'm also pleased to read that Sergeant James Kuehnlein, the officer in question, has been placed on unpaid leave. I'm not sure that he would be in the proper state of mind to effectively carry out his job functions while under this cloud.

To be honest, Sergeant Kuehnlein (evidently pronounced Ken-line) might have an otherwise stellar reputation and simply have suffered a momentary mental breakdown that night. That said, he is now forever going to be tarnished as a result of his behavior that evening.

I'd be concerned if I were Brett Darrow for two reasons:

Firstly, Sergeant Kuehnlein has lost his source of income, and might soon even lose his job. Take a job away from a man whose personality is tightly intertwined with it, and the man becomes depressed and suicidal. To the extent Sergeant Kuehnlein feels he has nothing to live for, it wouldn't be hard to imagine a scenario wherein Kuehnlein murders Darrow and then commits suicide. Not good!

Secondly, Sergeant Kuehnlein might have friends within the police force who could conceivably take it upon themselves to engineer a traffic stop in which Darrow is gunned down under the auspices of "self defense". Such a scenario was depicted in the Hollywood movie "Training Day", and despite the fictional nature of that particular plot line, it's plausible that a real-life scenario such as that could take place.

I'd strongly recommend that Brett Darrow attempt to genuinely "make peace" with Sergeant Kuehnlein, and to move out of the area.

I smell death... but I cannot (with any degree of accuracy) predict if it'll be Sergeant Kuehnlein who is the aggressor, or what the circumstances will ultimately be. I hope I'm wrong, I truly do, but with emotions running high, people losing their source of income, and the spotlight of national attention... someone, seemingly, is going to wind up dead.

[Ranimal]

Excellent!

I'm genuinely pleased that this has moved beyond simply being an "Internet drama" and that it has percolated into the mainstream.

I'm also pleased to read that Sergeant James Kuehnlein, the officer in question, has been placed on unpaid leave. I'm not sure that he would be in the proper state of mind to effectively carry out his job functions while under this cloud.

To be honest, Sergeant Kuehnlein (evidently pronounced Ken-line) might have an otherwise stellar reputation and simply have suffered a momentary mental breakdown that night. That said, he is now forever going to be tarnished as a result of his behavior that evening.

I'd be concerned if I were Brett Darrow for two reasons:

Firstly, Sergeant Kuehnlein has lost his source of income, and might soon even lose his job. Take a job away from a man whose personality is tightly intertwined with it, and the man becomes depressed and suicidal. To the extent Sergeant Kuehnlein feels he has nothing to live for, it wouldn't be hard to imagine a scenario wherein Kuehnlein murders Darrow and then commits suicide. Not good!

Secondly, Sergeant Kuehnlein might have friends within the police force who could conceivably take it upon themselves to engineer a traffic stop in which Darrow is gunned down under the auspices of "self defense". Such a scenario was depicted in the Hollywood movie "Training Day", and despite the fictional nature of that particular plot line, it's plausible that a real-life scenario such as that could take place.

I'd strongly recommend that Brett Darrow attempt to genuinely "make peace" with Sergeant Kuehnlein, and to move out of the area.

I smell death... but I cannot (with any degree of accuracy) predict if it'll be Sergeant Kuehnlein who is the aggressor, or what the circumstances will ultimately be. I hope I'm wrong, I truly do, but with emotions running high, people losing their source of income, and the spotlight of national attention... someone, seemingly, is going to wind up dead.

It's sad to think Durrow should leave town 'or else'. Sounds like something one would need to do to get away from a gang.

Of course reality and the way things should be aren't often the same thing.

Posting this video online was a good idea IMO - it gives it grass roots exposure, making major media outlets lean 'in-favor' of airing this story rather than ignoring it.

Watching the video - I fail to see how Darrow did anything wrong. He's been abused by LE before and has taken steps to protect himself. He also followed every lawful order issued to him as far as I can tell.

May this be a reminder to us all - you never know who may document / observe / record your actions.