Hartford, CT On September 11, 2015, journalist and police accountability activist, Michael Picard was illegally detained for lawfully open carrying and filming police on public property. During the illegal detainment, Connecticut state troopers confiscated his gun and his camera. However, the trooper who took the phone went on to make a critical mistake he left the camera rolling while conspiring with fellow officers to falsely charge Picard. In 2017, it was revealed by the department that they investigated themselves and found they did nothing wrong when they conspired to frame an innocent man.
They were exonerated, police union attorney Mark Dumas said. The troopers didnt do anything wrong. They were doing their jobs, and they do an excellent job.
Apparently this excellent job consisted of trampling the rights of an innocent person and conspiring to have them kidnapped and locked in a cage. Sure thing, Dumas.
Now, because the system failed to hold the officers accountable, the case is now a civil matter and the troopers involved have been ordered to stand trial in the civil suit brought on by the ACLU of Connecticut. The taxpayers, not the officers will be the ones to pay for the crimes.
The Free Thought Project spoke to the ACLU via email this week, who issued the following statement on the case.
The Constitution is clear: people have a right to protest the police, and people have a right against police taking their property from them without a warrant, said ACLU of Connecticut legal director Dan Barrett, who is representing Picard in the lawsuit. The evidence, including video, will show that these police employees were more concerned with covering up their bad behavior, undermining free speech, and retaliating against a protester than with upholding the law. We look forward to getting justice for Michael in front of the jury.
We agree. TFTP also spoke to Picard, who told us the following.
People have the right to protest, including the right to protest police, without ticketing or retaliation against them. I am deeply disappointed that these police ignored my rights, and I am hopeful that the court will hold them accountable so that no one else has to experience what I did, said Picard.
As TFTP reported at the time, on that September night, Picard and a friend were on public property and warning drivers of a DUI checkpoint ahead. They were several hundred yards from the checkpoint and not interfering at all when troopers drove up, without lights on, and against the flow of traffic, to begin harassing the two gentlemen.
Trooper First Class John Barone, Sergeant John Jacobi, and Trooper Jeff Jalbert falsely claimed that Picard was waving his gun around and pointing it at people. However, Picard was holding a sign the entire time and did not touch his gun. Also, as you will see below, the officers admit that they were lying.
Police should be focused on public safety, not punishing protesters and those who film public employees working on a public street, said ACLU-CT legal director Dan Barrett, who is representing Picard in the lawsuit. As the video shows, these police officers were more concerned with thwarting Mr. Picards free speech and covering their tracks than upholding the law.
Had Picard actually been waving a gun, these troopers would have approached the situation in an entirely different manner, with guns drawn and possible SWAT backup. However, they did no such thing, because there was clearly no threat from the activists.
The fact that there was no threat did not stop the subsequent assault, however.
Two troopers approached Picard while forcefully removing his gun and then grabbing his camera, falsely claiming it is illegal to film. When Picard informs the officer can legally film here, the officer ignorantly asserts that Its illegal to take my picture. Personally, it is illegal.
Did you get any documentation that I am allowing you to take my picture? asks the cop.
When Picard attempts to explain to the aggressive officer that he doesnt need a permit because he is on public property, the trooper then makes the asinine declaration that, No Im not (on public property). Im on state property. Im on state property.
State-owned roadways and right of ways are public property. The troopers assertion that it is illegal to film on his state property was entirely false and in violation of Connecticut Bill No. 245, which protects the right of an individual to photograph or video record peace officers in the performance of their duties.
All this aggressive and unlawful behavior of these troopers, however, was about to come back to haunt them. After illegally confiscating the camera the trooper forgot to stop it from recording.
What happened next was a behind the scenes glimpse of what it looks and sounds like when cops lie to charge innocent people with crimes.
The corruption starts as an unidentified trooper begins to search for anything that these gentlemen may have done to make up charges against them. However, they were clean. At this point, Trooper first class Barone chimes in describing how they now have to charge these men with something to justify their harassment and subsequent detainment.
Want me to punch a number on this? Gotta cover our ass, explains the trooper as they begin conspiring.
Lets give him something, says an unidentified trooper, pondering the ways they can lie about this innocent man.
What are they going to do? Are they going to do anything? says Sergeant Jacobi, noting that they are entirely innocent.
Its legal to do it, he continues, describing how the actions of the two activists are completely legal, before going on to make up charges on them.
I think we do simple trespass, we do reckless use of the highway and creating a public disturbance, Jacobi says as he makes up these false charges against innocent people. All three are tickets.
Once they figure out the false charges to raise, the officers then brainstorm a story of lies to back them up.
And then we claim that, um, in backup, we had multiple, um, the unidentified trooper stutters as he makes up his fake story. Um, they (the non-existent complainants) didnt want to stay and give us a statement, so we took our own course of action.
The corrupt cops had then solved their fake case, lied about a cover story, and were set to charge an innocent man with three crimes all in a days work.
But there was just one more thing . Oh s**t! blurts out the cop as he realizes their entire scandalous corrupt conversation was just recorded. Apparently, however, the officer felt that it must not have recorded their conversation as the phone was returned.
The cops then gave the innocent man back his weapon, and its back to the DUI checkpoint for them to harass and detain more innocent people.
Picard explained that all of the troopers involved in his unlawful situation were never disciplined and allowed to progress through the ranks, with some of them retiring. Picard explains:
Trooper First Class John Barone, the trooper who said it was illegal for me to record him, seized my camera and recorded himself saying, We gotta cover our ass, is now retired and collecting a pension thanks to the taxpayers.
Sergeant John Jacobi is now retired and collecting a pension thanks to the taxpayers.
Master Sergeant Patrick Torneo, the trooper who said lets give him something, and then helped fabricate a story to charge me, was demoted for reportedly driving drunk, but is now a lieutenant.
Lieutenant Stavros Mellekas, who conducted the internal affairs investigation and found that the troopers did nothing wrong, was magically promoted four ranks, and is now second in command of the Connecticut State Police.
All troopers are being represented by the attorney generals office and their defense is being paid for by the taxpayers.
This is justice in the land of the free.
#45: Gatlin To: GrandIsland (#24)
Deckard did just that. Dckard posted an article by Matt Agorist while Stone had restricted him from posting any article byMatt Agorist.Salute,
Gatlin
Gatlin posted on 2019-09-29 21:41:28 Reply Private Reply
#46: Deckard To: Gatlin, FireIsland (#45)
Stone later rescinded that edict - try to keep up assclowns.
Deckard posted on 2019-09-29 21:45:47 Reply Private Reply
#47: Gatlin To: Deckard (#46)
Gatlin posted on 2019-09-29 21:51:26 Reply Private Reply
#48: Deckard To: Gatlin (#47)
Uh, no I didn't. I'm not going to jump through hoops for you and look it up, but Stone rescinded his ban at least a week ago.
But I suppose since you've lied at least once, might as well keep' em coming.
Still ignoring where I smacked down one of your false assertions?
State troopers to stand civil trial for taking protesters camera, filing charges against him at West Hartford checkpoint (Hartford Courant)
Deckard posted on 2019-09-29 21:59:36 Reply Private Reply
#49: Gatlin To: Deckard, nolu chan (#44)
Nobody has been ordered to stand trial. A trial has not yet been scheduled.See Post 19 by nolu chan for the last four docket entries.
Salute,
Gatlin
Gatlin posted on 2019-09-29 22:00:56 Reply Private Reply
#50: Deckard To: Gatlin (#49)
Deckard posted on 2019-09-29 22:02:29 Reply Private Reply
#51: Gatlin To: Deckard, nolu chan (#50)
That is a newspaper report.
See the court actual documents.
Show me the date and case number.
Gatlin posted on 2019-09-29 22:43:12 Reply Private Reply
#52: nolu chan To: Gatlin, Deckard (#51)
Yeah, it is. Here are the DOCKET REPORT and the COMPLAINT.
DOCKET REPORT Picard v Torneo, DCCT 3-16-Cv-1564-WWE Retrieved 29 Sep 2019
https://www.scribd.com/document/428027798/DOCKET-REPORT-Picard-v-Torneo-DCCT-3-16-Cv-1564-WWE-Retrieved-29-Sep-2019
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
Picard v Torneo, DCCT 3-16-cv-1564-WWE (15 Sep 2016) Doc 1, COMPLAINT
https://www.scribd.com/document/428028071/Picard-v-Torneo-Dcct-3-16-Cv-1564-Wwe-15-Sep-2016-Doc-1-Complaint
nolu chan posted on 2019-09-29 23:00:36 Reply Private Reply
#53: Gatlin To: Deckard, A K A Stone, GrandIsland, nolu chan (#48)
I have not lied I will NEVER lie.You INTENTIONALLY violated Stones instructions while probably assuming that he would never catch you.
He didnt But I did.
Summary:
Actual posts:
But you know, I took the time and went to the trouble to show that you did it at least once knowing full well that Stone is not going to do anything about you violating his specific instructions.For it is as GrandIsland said:
Nah, Stone will not do SHIT about you, Deckard TOTALLY DISREGARDING his instructions But, he surely will jump all over me and he will will tell me to get my head out of my ass for trying to show him where Matt Agorist LIED.A sad display Ever so sad
Stone said:
I say:Im finished
Salute,
Gatlin
Gatlin posted on 2019-09-29 23:09:00 Reply Private Reply
#54: Gatlin To: nolu chan (#52)
You are a good Person who has my respect.
Hand Salute,
Gatlin
Gatlin posted on 2019-09-29 23:10:24 Reply Private Reply
#55: nolu chan To: Gatlin, Deckard (#51)
That should be Connecticut Senate Bill 245 of 2012, and after it is passed it is an Act, and then it is a law. Mere technicalities.
However, with his usual flair (entirely false), Matt Agorist flubs the dub again. The law in question is not some grossly generalized thing with no exceptions. The law is not so general and has exceptions. Moreover, the Court has already dismissed the associated Count on summary judgment on the grounds that Matt Agorist is full of crap. The Court did not really say that, it was just my inner Agorist coming out. The Court did say, 13 days before the onslaught of Matt Agorist bullshit:
https://www.cga.ct.gov/2012/TOB/S/2012SB-00245-R00-SB.htm
nolu chan posted on 2019-09-30 01:24:46 Reply Private Reply
#56: Gatlin To: nolu chan (#55)
When I read that headline by Matt Agorist I went no further for I immediately began a search to verify the premise of his story and I continue to do so today. I waste no time ever before I begin fact-checking the articles by Matt Agorist.
I still have found that nowhere is there one iota of evidence to show any basis whatsoever to indicate in any way there is pending legal court action for the State of Connecticut taxpayers to be held liable in any way whatsoever for actions by the Connecticut state troopers in the story.
Have you?
It has been reported and we both have often verified that Matt Agorist and The Free Thought Project are entwined in a vicious circle of mutual manipulation, mythmaking and they are promoting a self-interest agenda. Matt Agorist needs to always create a crises headline to dramatize some salient facts of an actual situation whereby he appears to be responding to a crises. Far too often there are just enough facts presented but there is never really a crises there is however much joint fabrications added to a situation.
The two have become so ensnared in a symbiotic web of lies that they are virtually unable to tell the public complete truth because they flavor the situation with such soul-searching and tear-jerking drama.
Paul H. Weaver, a former Harvard University political scientist, a Fortune magazine journalist and a Ford Motor Company corporate communications executive presented such a thesis in his demonstrative provocative analysis showing News and the Culture of Lying: How Journalism Really Works.
Matt Agorist and The Free Thought Project have learned all of the deceptive tricks and they use them most effectively to unfortunately fool some. All they ever do is take a story from another source and flavor it with fabricated lies in order to create excitement which will gain sympathy and attract attention.
And why Stone changed his mind to once again permit these flavored news story atrocities to appear on his web site only Stone knows.
Salute,
Gatlin
Gatlin posted on 2019-09-30 05:56:47 Reply Private Reply
#57: A K A Stone To: Gatlin (#42)
No you don't. You didn't mention one lie the cops told. Not one.
How about doing that now. Instead of whining about an accurate title, yes the taxpayers will pay for the asshole liar cops on the video.
Are you capable of addressing the substance of the article or are you to obsessed with Deckard and proving libertarians aren't your equal?
A K A Stone posted on 2019-09-30 07:31:57 Reply Private Reply
#58: A K A Stone To: Gatlin (#56)
Free speech and open dialog. Back to my original position on the home page.
A K A Stone posted on 2019-09-30 07:33:55 Reply Private Reply
#59: A K A Stone To: Gatlin (#56)
Everyone has their own agenda. Your agenda is to trash libetarians. Now I don't agree with libertarians on moral issues either. But they aren't wrong on everything that is for sure.
A K A Stone posted on 2019-09-30 07:35:34 Reply Private Reply
#60: A K A Stone To: nolu chan (#55)
Judges are corrupt and this is bullshit just like Roberts and Obamacare.
The cops said on tape that they had to cover their asses. So they made up stuff after the fact.
The cops should be fired and imprisoned and would be if we had honest judges and prosecutors.
A K A Stone posted on 2019-09-30 07:40:15 Reply Private Reply
#61: Gatlin To: A K A Stone (#57)
What is it that you dont understand about lies on a first come basis?
The first lie to come was: Taxpayers to Be Held Liable
I have as nolu chan also has proved it was a lie.
That is correct absolutely correct.For, it is as I have repeatedly said: I deal with lies on a first come basis
And I am still dealing with the first lie.
I will be pleased to address your point after you concede that Matt Agorist told a lie first in the headline.
Will you do that Or either prove that Connecticut Taxpayers to Be Held Liable for the actions by three state troopers?
Whining your ass. I am just doing a great job of dressing you down. You made a proof positive statement. Now you should show me show me where, how and when.But you cant do that. Can you?
I am fully capable of addressing the substance of the article after you deal with the first lie and thus far, you have shown that you are totally incapable of handling it.As I said First lies first.
You admit it was a lie or prove it to be a fact.
Then I will be more than pleased to honor your request.
Salute,
Gatlin
Gatlin posted on 2019-09-30 08:51:14 Reply Private Reply
#62: Gatlin To: A K A Stone (#58)
GrandIsland stated in:
Yes, I called you a weak-assed Flip Flopper simply on the ground where you effectively demonstrated yourself to be.
It was you who so BOLDLY stated to Deckard:
I showed you where Deckard INTENTIONALLY violated your edict and you dont do a fucking thing about it. Oh, but you can tell me to get my head out of my ass and stop whining All while you Flip Flop. GeeezeI dont see you running a web forum any longer. You have a registered domain that has become Deckards Personal Blog. That is an opinion a carefully considered opinion.
But I believe you cannot help but recognize this for without Deckard filling the side-bar with cop-hating and anti-government articles, you site activity would be nothing to speak of.
Salute,
Gatlin
Gatlin posted on 2019-09-30 09:15:16 Reply Private Reply
#63: Gatlin To: A K A Stone (#59)
That is true.
And you have let your web forum become a parrot for the Matt Aforist and The Free Thought Project through he designed efforts of Deckard running his on blog on what once was your forum.
Nah, my agenda is not to trash libertarians. My agenda is to use their fuck-ups as an in-your-face mirror look-back at Deckard for continually posting cop- hating articles while he constantly proclaims that he only hates bad cops. It gets him riled and responsive. And I must confess I do enjoy doing that.
The libertarians are not wrong on everything and that is for sure. But everything the libertarians are right on they stole for someone else. The have no original ideas. Research will show you that for everything they post someone has either already said it, tried it or done it.
Salute,
Gatlin
Gatlin posted on 2019-09-30 09:27:18 Reply Private Reply
#64: Gatlin To: A K A Stone (#63)
I have been boldly blunt with you.
I never in any way intended to offend you and I sincerely hope that I did not do so.
I also have been direly truthful in expressing my views and sentiments.
I know of no other way - It is my nature.
I wish you well
Salute,
Gatlin
Gatlin posted on 2019-09-30 09:32:38 Reply Private Reply
#65: Gatlin To: A K A Stone (#57)
No, I am not.
I will explain why, although I fear that you will not understand.
Here is but one reason:
Here are 8 other reasons - People Who Were Executed and Later Found Innocent.
I learned long ago as an investigating officer for Courts-Martials never to pass judgement on what I am seeing or hearing during the investigation.
A judgment can be made only after all evidence is presented and carefully considered and this usually takes place in a court of law.
I have no problem with you making the snap judgments your have demonstrated that you are so ever prone to make.
But I have every right to say that I think you are wrong to make them without factual verification.
Salute,
Gatlin
Gatlin posted on 2019-09-30 10:24:40 Reply Private Reply
#66: nolu chan To: A K A Stone (#60)
The quote is not from a judge or a court. It is a direct linked quote of a law of the State of Connecticut.
You may call it bullshit, but it undoubtedly the actual law, as opposed to imaginary bullshit law. Real law trumps imaginary bullshit law.
Identifying information as provided at my #55:
nolu chan posted on 2019-09-30 10:50:51 Reply Private Reply
#67: Gatlin To: nolu chan, A K A Stone (#66)
Although I had already anticipated exactly what it would be.
And it was exactly as I expected.
Later
Salute,
Gatlin
Gatlin posted on 2019-09-30 10:57:42 Reply Private Reply
#68: nolu chan To: Deckard, A K A Stone, Gatlin (#0)
Is it inferred that the Court will require the taxpayer to pay? That would be false.
As I have noted, no governmental entity is a named defendant in Picard v. Torneo, et al.
Why is no element of government named as defendant?
When you get done with that, the next question is:
How could there be a judgment of liability against the taxpayer where no element of government is a party to the lawsuit?
nolu chan posted on 2019-09-30 12:24:57 Reply Private Reply
#69: nolu chan To: A K A Stone, Gatlin (#59)
Just for the record, my agenda is to trash misstatement of law or facts. With Matt Agorist and a few others, such misstatements are in wild abundance.
nolu chan posted on 2019-09-30 12:29:48 Reply Private Reply
#70: Gatlin To: nolu chan, A K A Stone (#69)
That is the basically the same with me.I start reading and I go into an automatic mode to either disprove or prove what I am reading. With most all the crap that Deckard posts, I continually find myself in the disprove mode.
Strangely enough, after I spend all my time disproving what is in the cop-hating article I am consequently labeled either a cop-sucker or a boot-licker when all I have done is to challenge opinions and conclusions.
If the name-callers would read to comprehend and not read to confirm what they already want to think they would then find what I am saying is true. That being I am not defending cops. I am merely exposing the lies and disproving the lies against them.
Well, maybe that does make me a cop-supporter. If so, then I will wear the title proudly for I am truly an law and order person.
Those people who read a biased article and immediately form a firm conclusion will never cease to amaze me.
To sum it all up, my analytical mind is always subconsciously asking as I read through an article: Why is the author trying to convince me what I am reading is true and is it really true?
You and I essentially have the same agenda, which again is:
Salute,
Gatlin
Gatlin posted on 2019-09-30 13:32:27 Reply Private Reply
#71: nolu chan To: Gatlin (#70)
Get used to it. I does not look like it will change.
nolu chan posted on 2019-09-30 14:08:42 Reply Private Reply
#72: Gatlin To: nolu chan (#71)
And I an thoroughly enjoying doing it ...
Gatlin posted on 2019-09-30 14:10:45 Reply Private Reply
#73: nolu chan To: Deckard (#44)
Picard, Doc 92 at 13-14, the Court stated:
And the Court ruled at 27:
Do try to keep up old chap. You do not want to be relegated to the short bus again.
nolu chan posted on 2019-10-01 11:51:20 Reply Private Reply
#74: nolu chan To: Deckard (#0)
One must wonder why the taxpayer will pay if no governmental entity is a party to this lawsuit.
The COMPLAINT at 2, paragraphs 10-13, identifies the Defendants:
No government entity is party to the lawsuit. The three officers are sued in their individual capacity. Just curious, but what is your legal theory of government liability.
Do you infer that the court may order the government to pay, even though they are not party to the lawsuit?
If you have no legal theory, you may have to start riding the short bus again.
nolu chan posted on 2019-10-01 11:53:05 Reply Private Reply
#75: Tooconservative To: nolu chan (#74)
I loath any reminders of the movie with that title. They would consider that a success that I've been so offended for so long. It's about as bad as those Lars Von Trier movies.
Tooconservative posted on 2019-10-01 16:09:58 Reply Private Reply
#76: nolu chan To: Deckard, A K A Stone (#74)
Regarding a legal theory, it appears the legal theory is *c*r*i*c*k*e*t*s*.
https://libertysflame.com/cgi-bin/readart.cgi?ArtNum=60173&Disp=7#C7
Why? What is your legal theory? Do you expect the court to order the taxpayers to pay?
Perhaps a U.S. Supreme Court opinion will help rouse y'all from your stupor.
Edelman v. Jordan, 415 U.S. 651, 677 (1974)
At 675-677:
Just asking, trying to clarify what y'all are saying. Do you expect judgment for the plaintiff and against the government?
nolu chan posted on 2019-10-02 11:26:31 Reply Private Reply
#77: nolu chan To: Deckard (#76)
With a view toward your CLE, here is another U.S. Supreme Court opinion.
Harlow v. Fitzgerald, 457 US 800 (24 Jun 1982) [footnotes omitted]
At 801:
At 815-19:
nolu chan posted on 2019-10-03 14:23:39 Reply Private Reply
#78: nolu chan To: Deckard (#76)
Deckard, where are you? Stand tall and be counted. Hiding in a corner, squatting in your own puddle of warm piss is no way to go through life. I await your legal theory of how the taxpayers are liable. In the meantime, while you hide in silence...
With a view toward your CLE, here is another U.S. Supreme Court opinion.
nolu chan posted on 2019-10-05 01:18:11 Reply Private Reply
#79: Deckard To: nolu chan (#78)
Deckard posted on 2019-10-05 01:29:08 Reply Private Reply
#80: nolu chan To: Deckard (#79)
Is that your legal theory? Go back to squatting in your puddle of warm piss.
nolu chan posted on 2019-10-05 01:42:51 Reply Private Reply
#81: Deckard To: nolu chan, Tooconservative (#80)
Objection your Honor. The record will show that Mr. Deckard espoused no so-called "legal theory", He merely compared nolu spam's....er I mean chan....
Ahem...as I was saying, your Honor - Mr. chan has impressed us all with his nose-to-the grindstone efforts, relentlessly scouring through reams of cases that may help him in the admirable yet so sadly and strikingly Sisyphean (H/T: Tooconservative) task he has been performing and will continue to faithfully perform.
The comparison to Perry Mason, the fictional TV lawyer is valid
***
Golly gee, I tell you what. Danged if I don't sound just like one of them fancy lawyer-type people.
And I never even went to law school.
Deckard posted on 2019-10-05 03:52:38 Reply Private Reply
#82: A K A Stone To: nolu chan (#77)
Key word generally. Not always.
A K A Stone posted on 2019-10-05 07:03:59 Reply Private Reply
#83: A K A Stone To: nolu chan (#78)
There is a different case in connecictut and they settled and payed taxpayer money. So they do pay out and were held liable.
In the end I suspect Connecticut will pay out in the case we are discussing too. If I am wrong I don't care. It is just my opinion of what will happen.
States pay out all the time.
A K A Stone posted on 2019-10-05 07:09:15 Reply Private Reply
#84: Tooconservative To: Deckard (#81)
See? It's just so easy to sprinkle that term in almost any sentence. Try to work schadenfreude in there as well. Or go for the brass ring by mixing and matching these words at random. Try to fit Sisyphean schadenfreude into a sentence.
Pretty soon you too can sound like the hoity-toity instead of the hoi polloi. LOL
Tooconservative posted on 2019-10-05 08:39:53 Reply Private Reply
#85: Tooconservative To: A K A Stone (#83)
Although the police officer was found negligent, the court found the town responsible for paying damages because of the state's indemnification law. This law requires municipalities to assume liability for any injuries caused by an employee in the performance of his duties and within the scope of his employment that are not the result of wanton or willful conduct.
Seymour filed a motion to set aside the verdict, a motion for judgment notwithstanding the verdict, and a motion for a new trial. These motions will not be heard until May because the defendants cannot file motion briefs without reviewing the trial transcripts, which will not be available until then. Once these briefs are filed, the judge may accept the jury's verdict, set it aside in favor of the town, or order a new trial.
Due to the state's indemnification law, courts may assign liability to parties not named in the original lawsuit. Or so it seems. I can't find anything that indicates that Connecticut's legislature has subsequently changed that law so it does seem that it is still in effect. Unless nolu can prove that avenue of liability has otherwise been closed off. Certainly, AKA has an argument to make here since a court did impose liability on a party (the town) which was not originally named as a plaintiff in the case. And a federal court could do the same, using Connecticut's own indemnification laws and precedents like this case to justify such a decision.
Tooconservative posted on 2019-10-05 09:08:51 Reply Private Reply
#86: GrandIsland To: Tooconservative (#85)
Spreading liability (aka passing blame for personal responsibilities) IS A LIBERAL TRAIT.
Id be cautious about how far you would support such a slippery slope... even if it is a police officer you would like to hem-up.
IMHO, when someone is able to walk to a vehicle, unlock it, sit in it, start it.... and drive it any kind of distance, and they willingly drank alcohol, there is only ONE person 100% responsible.
GrandIsland posted on 2019-10-05 09:21:09 Reply Private Reply
#87: Tooconservative To: GrandIsland, nolu chan, A K A Stone, Deckard (#86)
I am not supporting it at all. I don't live in Connecticut and have no opportunities to change the unique laws of Connecticut. I am simply demonstrating a case where Connecticut law and Connecticut courts and a Connecticut jury did assign liability to a party not named in the lawsuit (the town) when an off-duty cop let a drinking buddy drive and kill himself and a few others.
The jury said, at least in part, that the town was responsible because the job description for town police was that they were considered on-duty 24 hours a day and therefore they were always acting under the city's civil liability, even if the city is not named in a lawsuit.
Unless the laws of Connecticut are changed, it seems to me that in another case where Connecticut state police are being sued, another jury and another court might decide that the state is responsible for their actions.
So do you know whether CT state police are considered legally on-duty 24 hours a day or not? If they are, then how can the state be shielded from liability for any action of state cops as long as it happens on Connecticut soil? There may not be federal laws that can apply to this (as nolu says) but a federal court can and will impose liability if the federal court believes that the state courts are misapplying state laws or are acting corruptly in trying to let responsible agencies off the hook for their liability regarding the conduct of their employees.
Federal courts are not utterly powerless in such cases even if federal laws do not apply directly.
Well, you'd better move to Connecticut and inform the jurors and the voters and the courts of that fact. Have fun with that.
Tooconservative posted on 2019-10-05 09:41:31 Reply Private Reply
#88: GrandIsland To: Tooconservative (#87)
There is case law that state they can make arrests, off duty, provided they have the PC to make that arrest, and if they get hurt making that arrest, they are covered by work insurance.
However, they arent paid off duty... so I would think they dont have to act.
GrandIsland posted on 2019-10-05 09:47:32 Reply Private Reply
#89: Tooconservative To: GrandIsland (#88)
And yet, in the CT case I cited, the jury did hold the town liable.
Tooconservative posted on 2019-10-05 09:57:23 Reply Private Reply
#90: GrandIsland To: Tooconservative (#89)
Where does your local court pick its jury pool from? The same liberally indoctrinated people that watch MSM, get college indoctrinated degrees... and watch indoctrinated Hollyweird on TV.
Pretty soon, well be able to sue a taxi driver for going off duty 5 minutes before a drunk leaves the bar. Of course he could have prevented it.
GrandIsland posted on 2019-10-05 10:02:11 Reply Private Reply
#91: Tooconservative To: GrandIsland (#90)
Well, maybe.
I wonder what the liability is if a veteran police officer poisons a neighbor's cat with a fish poisoned with antifreeze, a piece of bait intended to harm a domestic animal. What would the police officer's employer's liability be? Know of any cases like that?
I know a lot of states have laws to protect domestic animals, even crappy ones like rats and hamsters and ferrets, from being killed even if the laws would otherwise allow it if they were not someone's pet.
You may be able to kill feral cats in all 50 states. But a cat or dog or other pet is pretty hard to consider feral, especially if they have a home base and lack hunting skills to feed themselves which is true of a lot of pets, some of whom may kill prey, like a cat killing a mouse, but won't eat it.
Tooconservative posted on 2019-10-05 10:10:42 Reply Private Reply
#92: GrandIsland To: Tooconservative (#91)
If its roaming free... its feral.
do·mes·ti·cate (dY-ms′t--kt′)
tr.v. do·mes·ti·cat·ed, do·mes·ti·cat·ing, do·mes·ti·cates
1. To cause to feel comfortable at home; make domestic.
Wild animals roam. Domestic pets belong on your property or IN your home.
Do you let your cat shit on your neighbors, too? Be honest.
GrandIsland posted on 2019-10-05 10:17:18 Reply Private Reply
#93: Tooconservative To: GrandIsland (#92)
Cats, well, I don't like the little dead-looking spots they cause for a month when they take a big pee on your lawn. But their turds aren't big enough to make a mess out of the mower. So I wouldn't throw a antifreeze-poisoned fish out on the lawn to kill a trespassing cat to keep it from peeing or pooping on my lawn, you know, like some cops would.
We do have a roaming cat problem in the neighborhood though. Including mama cats who keep crapping out litters of kittens. They were down to two kittens, then one disappeared. Last week, I went out to walk and noticed the last kitten, barely able to navigate on its own, was crying and mewling more than a block away in the alley. I think its mama lost track of it and it wandered off. It's probably dead by now if some softie idiot didn't take it in so they could brag to their friends about "rescuing" that poor kitten, blah-blah-blah. So we're back to a couple of mama cats, waiting to get knocked up and have kittens in the spring, of which only one or two will survive to reproduce. But they don't make a big mess or pee on stuff too much. I suppose they do pose a hazard to other cats and the old bat and her granddaughter who feed the cats (sometimes) and let them live under her porch might catch toxoplasmosis from them but that is their business if they want to catch brain diseases from semi-feral cats. It's a free country and people can have all the cat-based brain diseases they want.
Tooconservative posted on 2019-10-05 10:59:02 Reply Private Reply
#94: GrandIsland To: Tooconservative (#93)
You wanna know how thats caused? lol. Two things.
1) Lazy cat owners like A K A Flip Flop, who are too fucking lazy and cheap to buy cat litter, and clean a fucking litter box. So they love on the cat for an hour a day and allow it to shit on their neighbors for 23.... thats called love. Then they EXPECT ME TO VALUE THEIR CAT, LIKE THEY DO.
YOUR CAT is no different than a deer to me. You expect too much.
2) Sheep that allow it, and call animal control... and nothing is done.
For the record, Ive not killed a single kitty, besides a few unfortunate ones that kamikaze ran under my moving vehicle... and I dont even know if they died. I just can testify that when I looked in the rear view mirror, the vermin was still flopping around like a fish out of water.
GrandIsland posted on 2019-10-05 11:12:43 Reply Private Reply