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Cop says client broke the law. I cross w/his own cruiser cam, which shows the opposite.
Cop: I don’t care what the cam shows.
Me: so even when your own cruiser cam shows you’re wrong, that won’t change your testimony?
Cop: correct
When I tell you the testi-lying runs deep...
Cop: I don’t care what the cam shows.
Me: so even when your own cruiser cam shows you’re wrong, that won’t change your testimony?
Cop: correct
When I tell you the testi-lying runs deep...
A lot of people in comments asking about consequences for the cop. A few points:
1. For every case where a cop is caught like this, countless get away with it (e.g., if there had been no cruiser cam). That means convictions & jail time for the people they testi-lie against.
1. For every case where a cop is caught like this, countless get away with it (e.g., if there had been no cruiser cam). That means convictions & jail time for the people they testi-lie against.
2. The prosecutor gave me this cruiser cam footage in discovery, then objected to me introducing & crossing w/it in court. I doubt cop will be reported for review. Though I’d love to be proven wrong. Prosecutors generally let this stuff slide, and the cop goes on testi-lying.
3. It thus falls on defense attorneys to track this stuff. I’m lucky to work in a PD office that tracks & shares police misconduct/impeachment materials. But the amount of misconduct is overwhelming, and it’s v difficult to keep track of it all with our caseloads, etc.
4. At the end of the day, it’s stupid to ask the system to self-regulate. The solution is not to ask prosecutors to criminalize cops too. The solution is to dismantle a system that gives them this power in the first place — cops and prosecutors, “progressive” or otherwise.
5. Shout out to @elhijodealli7 who does an incredible job spearheading & managing the internal police misconduct database for PG OPD. It’s hard work, and so important. Give her a follow y’all.
