Judge Sorts Out Sordid Bachelor Party Arrests (liable for false arrest)

[The Straight Story]

Judge Sorts Out Sordid Bachelor Party Arrests

WASHINGTON (CN) - Cops who broke up a bachelor party featuring "scantily clad" strippers "with money in their garters" and the smell of marijuana are liable for false arrest, a federal judge ruled.
....

One of the officers, Andre Parker testified about having heard about "a lot of partying going on at" the supposedly vacant home. Once inside, Parker said he observed no furniture - just a mattress and lighted candles. He also observed "provocatively" dressed women and smelled of marijuana, but he neither found narcotics nor observed any illegal activity.

The men argued that they had permission to be in the home from a woman named "Peaches." Later, however, the home's purported owner said Peaches had only discussed leasing the property and that the he had not given her permission to host the party.

This discovery led the officers to make the unlawful-entry arrests, and the bachelor party guests ultimately spent several house in police custody. At the station, the charge changed from unlawful entry to disorderly conduct, but this did not sit well with some of the officers who questioned whether you can be disorderly inside of a house.

...

U.S. District Judge Robert Wilkins backed the partygoers on Wednesday, though he let three of the officers off the hook.

http://www.courthousenews.com/2012/01/20/43217.htm

[hunter]

1. Speaking from personal experience...

... there will be more fond memories of having been to a bachelor party that was broken up by police than to other less remarkable parties that weren't. Most especially one where you as a guest end up in police custody.

Bachelor party stories about "provocatively" dressed women and marijuana are commonplace. Getting busted by the cops in a vacant house without the property owner's permission, that's when a story starts to get interesting...