Apartment Searched For Somebody Who Hasn't Lived Here For Years
My question involves police conduct in the State of: Maryland
I awoke this morning at 7:30 to knocking at the door. My wife went out to open it, and a Sheriff officers and several police came in through the door, guns drawn. I wasn't in the room, but they asked her where is "he", and proceeded to spread out in my apartment coming into my bedroom with lights and guns drawn, and asked me to get up and come into the living room. Except for the guns and invasion part, it was pretty coordial I guess.
So it turns out they were looking for someone who hadn't lived here for at least the 3 years I have lived here. A simple call to the rental office would have shown the person they were looking for was not at my address and I can tell you I have no ties to that person. I had not seen his face until they showed me a crude mug shot print out in my living room.
They guy said to call the District Court house to get my address cleared, and I am loath to refuse legal advice from a man with a gun, but they are not open at the moment and I don't really have anyone who could possibly help to complain to at the moment. Is there anything I should do? What can I do to make sure it doesn't happen again, and what should I do if it does?
Thanks for reading. Hope your morning is less eventful than mine has been.
Re: Apartment Searched For Somebody Who Hasn't Lived Here For Years
Quote:
Quoting
JonathanN
They guy said to call the District Court house to get my address cleared, and I am loath to refuse legal advice from a man with a gun, but they are not open at the moment and I don't really have anyone who could possibly help to complain to at the moment. Is there anything I should do? What can I do to make sure it doesn't happen again, and what should I do if it does?
Thanks for reading. Hope your morning is less eventful than mine has been.
Is there anything you should do? Apparently call the District Courthouse.
What can you do to make sure it doesn't happen again? Apparently call the District Courthouse.
What should you do if it does happen again? If you called the District Courthouse as suggested, you can file a complaint with the offenders' agency. If you didn't, not much except call the District Courthouse since you didn't take steps to fix it. That being said, I would think the officers who did the search ought to be able to make a note in the case file about the address being bad.
Re: Apartment Searched For Somebody Who Hasn't Lived Here For Years
If he did not live there for 3 years, I agree, that should have been checked on. Although an arrest warrant does not expire like a search warrant, it would seem quote odd an update was not done.
Consult a local attorney to see if any state Constitutional element was violated, such as a reasonable belief a peson is at home before they bust in, as the US SC has stated; A home entry is the chief evil in which the wording of the 4th AM is directed.
Re: Apartment Searched For Somebody Who Hasn't Lived Here For Years
Quote:
Quoting
JonathanN
My question involves police conduct in the State of: Maryland
I awoke this morning at 7:30 to knocking at the door. My wife went out to open it, and a Sheriff officers and several police came in through the door, guns drawn. I wasn't in the room, but they asked her where is "he", and proceeded to spread out in my apartment coming into my bedroom with lights and guns drawn, and asked me to get up and come into the living room. Except for the guns and invasion part, it was pretty coordial I guess.
So it turns out they were looking for someone who hadn't lived here for at least the 3 years I have lived here. A simple call to the rental office would have shown the person they were looking for was not at my address and I can tell you I have no ties to that person. I had not seen his face until they showed me a crude mug shot print out in my living room.
They guy said to call the District Court house to get my address cleared, and I am loath to refuse legal advice from a man with a gun, but they are not open at the moment and I don't really have anyone who could possibly help to complain to at the moment. Is there anything I should do? What can I do to make sure it doesn't happen again, and what should I do if it does?
Thanks for reading. Hope your morning is less eventful than mine has been.
If they were after Hitler, would you recommend they call his landlord? lol You may have a civil suit available, if you want to bother.
Re: Apartment Searched For Somebody Who Hasn't Lived Here For Years
Well, called the District Courthouse. I talked to the office of Clerk for the District court and they said that they had a warrent out for the accussed and that their records show him as living at my address. They said the only way to change the address is if said accussed changes it or his lawyer. Not very likely.
I went about my day and tried not to worry too much about it. Still it was bothering me, they came in failed to show a warrant and left without so much as an apology for the obvious mix up. After I got home and called my local police station. They forwarded me to the Sheriffs department, since that's who came knocking this morning. Apparently the Sheriffs the department is the only one between my local, county and said Sheriffs department that shuts down after 6pm. I will call tomorrow morning, see what they have to say about it.