When Cops Don't Know the Law

[xchrom]

http://www.theatlantic.com/national/archive/2014/12/when-cops-dont-know-the-law/383861/

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My primary emotion when I think of law-enforcement officers is profound gratitude that they did not shoot me to death in my basement rumpus room ten years ago. If they had, it would have been terrible for me, but I have no doubt it would have been a “good shoot.”

What happened was this: After 24 hours of flight delays, I staggered back into my house in Eugene, Oregon, at about 2:30 am. I am not sure I have ever been as tired in my life as I was that night. I dropped my bags and rushed downstairs to the basement guest room, which was dark and quiet and where I could be sure I would not be woken by the sun or morning traffic on the street outside. I flopped on the bed and fell asleep at once.

Unfortunately, in my haste to crash, I had left my front door open.

Three hours later, the newspaper carrier came to my door and found it hanging open. In an act of genuine good citizenship, the carrier called the police to alert them that there might be a crime in progress at my address. (Eugene at that time had a serious and violent burglary problem, fueled by rampant meth use.) The police arrived. They hammered on the door, announced “Eugene Police!” several times, and finally entered. At this point they had reason to suspect that a home invasion or robbery might be in progress.

[tech3149]

1. "But I didn't do anything wrong" crowd should read this.

I'm a tired old white guy living in a quiet rural community but realize that I could be in a dangerous situation if I had to interact with some fearful "peace officer" in an ambiguous situation.

[Gormy Cuss]

2. More backwards steps from the Roberts court.

The Heien v. NC decision sucks, and the Atlantic author is right --- really unlikely that Roberts has ever seen a cop's gun pointed at him when Roberts had done nothing.

[Downwinder]

3. Finally it is official, "Police are not bound by the law."