The latest from Page Croyder. It’s all good, but this is the part that clarified what exactly was being argued:
They argued to trial judge Barry Williams that in the 2-3 minutes after Gray was handcuffed, but before the illegal knife was found on him, Nero, by not instantly finding out why the supervisor wanted Gray detained, committed a crime. In other words, the mistake they made was neither in the chase (for which they had reasonable suspicion) nor in the arrest for the knife (for which they had probable cause.) In was in the extremely short delay before finding the knife in which they hadn’t pulled out all stops to find out why they were asked to detain Gray.
And the ominous (yet justified) conclusion:
So, Baltimore, when one of your citizens is a victim of crime, don’t be surprised if the police do nothing more than take a report. Detaining a suspect puts them in legal jeopardy under the Mosby regime. And don’t expect the prosecutor’s office to help you out, either. Their leaders are either watching the Gray trials (Mosby) or spending the first two years of their administration inventing new crimes for which to convict its police officers.
But click through and read it all, especially if you haven’t been following as closely as you should have been.
Her commentary, as usual, is fantastic. To argue that the 3 minute delay in finding out WHY they were detaining someone that they were told to detain is a crime is to argue that we should do what I have heard in water-cooler speculation for the past year-plus:
Stay at the station, respond after the crime is over, investigate, get a warrant issued, and then wait at the station until the criminal feels like turning themselves in. I mean, MAYBE you could call them or send them a few letter asking them politely to turn themselves in, but that is about as far as you go.
No arresting drunk drivers (you might have to chase and/or arrest them) just show up at the accident scene afterwards (responding from the station mind you) and block traffic (unless someone doesn't obey your traffic direction, in which case just let them drive through) and write a report, and tell the victim's family that you are very sorry this happened.
We probably shouldn't respond to fights or disturbances at all, or at least not until the scene is calmed down (don't want to be forced to make an unruly drunk comply…that might require *shudder* touching them.)
Besides, doing it that way, I have more time to cook meals in the station (set up the grill, sarge!) maybe work out, or watch TV. People will call to report less, freeing up even MORE of my time while I lift weights. (I hate having a set interrupted by a call anyway!) see? It's easy! no fat cops, ZERO use of force, and no criminal charges from Ms. Mosby. Bingo! "The Gray Effect."
And YES this is what cops say when we are feeling cynical about this crap, even where *I* work. And it is not even close to being in Baltimore, Chicago or St Louis.