DENVER ARRESTEES TRICKED INTO PLEADING GUILTY

[kpete]

Protesters denied access to attorneys, forced to march in leg shackles, ACLU charges
John Byrne
Published: Thursday August 28, 2008

The ACLU issued a stinging rebuke to the Denver Police Department Wednesday, alleging that the department may have violated laws and constitutional rights of protesters arrested outside the Democratic National Convention.

In the letter, obtained by RAW STORY, the ACLU revealed that the police refused those arrested access to attorneys. Police did not let detainees use phones unless they posted their own bonds, and even failed to provide shoes, in one case marching a protester into court in bare feet and leg shackles, according the ACLU.

What's more, police are said to have tricked protesters into pleading guilty, by giving them the impression they had to plead guilty in order to post bond. This meant that no one was allowed to make a phone call unless they plead guilty, thus making it impossible for arrestees to even call a lawyer until admitting guilt.

Most ominously, the ACLU letter claims that protesters were told they would be "facing 'years' in jail for a conviction of a single particular charge."

more at:
http://rawstory.com/news/2008/Protesters_denied_access_to_attorneys_forced_0828.html

[BlooInBloo]

1. Why anyone believes anything a cop says is beyond me.

[midnight]

6. How did you get to be so informed?

[LittleClarkie]

8. I'm not going to broad brush all cops for the actions of some cops

but if true, then it sounds like something is terribly wrong with that department.

[atreides1]

11. It is wrong to use that broad brush

But when they circle the wagons whenever one of them gets into trouble, they make it easy to use that brush.

An NYPD officer shoves a broom handle up someone's ass, and the entire NYPD tries to find any reason to justify the action. The LAPD beats a black man in the street and LAPD tries to justify that as well.

So, if someone uses that broad brush it's because the cops bring it upon themselves.

But if the DPD is usiing Facist tactics, I'm sure that they will try to offer a justification which will be supported by the entire force.

Just watch and see!!!!

[BlooInBloo]

13. Yup. As long as they refuse to police themselves, they're all criminals.

[lurky]

15. No, but...

there is a systematic pattern of this kind of thing on a national level. There is a lot more to it than a few bad apples or troubled departments.

[midnight]

19. I agree, and I didn't mean to come off as contrary to what seems

unjust.

[Danger Mouse]

2. WTF is wrong with them?

[WeDidIt]

9. Failure to be instructed before the protest

Every protest I ahve ever participated in, they told us three seperate time before the beginning, "if you are arrested, you only say four words to the cops. I want an attorney. Say nothing else. Once you've said those four words, there is nothing they can do. They may try to intimidate you some more, but stand firm. I want an attorney. Remember those four words."

[midnight]

3. So what is the law once the police say they are going to arrest

you, before they give you access to a phone?

[thunder rising]

4. So Denver cops are just as fucked as the rest of justice in the US...what's new.

[WeDidIt]

5. You only EVER say four words to a cop who detains or arrests you.

I WANT AN ATTORNEY.

Say nothing else. Nothing. The cop will know he's got no other choice but to allow you an attorney.

[avaistheone1]

14. I suppose that is true if you have an honest cop your dealing with.

[WeDidIt]

16. Doesn't matter the cop

Only ever say those four words.

They ahve to give in. They cannot deny you an attorney. They may hold you and invocnvneince you, lying the entire time, but they have to give in and let you contact an attoreny.

[moriah]

17. Honest or dishonest, cops can lie however much they want.

The hard part is holding to only saying those four words (or 8 if you prefer "I am remaining silent, I want a lawyer".) Jail is a really scary place and it's very easy to have the best of intentions when you're going in, but then get so scared or angry or sick of jail that you decide to talk anyway.

That's why jail solidarity training really helps out. They usually don't have the ability to house demonstrators in individual cells, so you have 10 or 12 cellmates. If everyone keeps encouraging each other, using tactics to get certain demands, and following through on their word when those demands are met, it makes it a lot easier to deal with.

[Danger Mouse]

7. Why the hell are they kept barefoot? And what's with the leg shackles?

This is all ridiculous.

[moriah]

10. And THIS is why Jail Solidarity training is essential for ANY protester.

... not just ones who plan to do a "direct action" that they know will lead to arrest.

Jail Solidarity training teaches protesters their rights, the laws in place in the particular jurisdiction, the maximum penalties for each, and all of the things they could be charged with for various things.

It also teaches collective bargaining rights, demands and tactics, and helps keep individuals from being singled out for worse treatment.

Police officers are allowed to lie their asses off. That's one of the things that is taught in these classes. The police can tell you anything, and they are allowed to do so.

But if it is true that they asked for attorneys and were denied them, then that could result in some charges being dropped. Unfortunately that kind of thing is very difficult to prove.

[moriah]

12. The "single particular charge" was likely conspiracy.

That's one they like to throw in there since it's pretty wide-ranging and has a very large penalty.

[TexasObserver]

18. the goons who are running the Denver police response are horrible

Why can't these guys respect the very Constitution they swore to defend against all enemies, foreign and domestic?! They trample the very document they swore to defend.