Police Raid Grow House of... Christmas Trees

[Chris_]

KopBusters rented a house in Odessa, Texas and began growing two small Christmas trees under a grow light similar to those used for growing marijuana. When faced with a suspected marijuana grow, the police usually use illegal FLIR cameras and/or lie on the search warrant affidavit claiming they have probable cause to raid the house. Instead of conducting a proper investigation which usually leads to no probable cause, the Kops lie on the affidavit claiming a confidential informant saw the plants and/or the police could smell marijuana coming from the suspected house.

Guess what happened... 


Click -Reason-

[Thor]

The police dept was investigating the incident to "see if any laws were broken"..........


 

[JohnnyReb]

Now that would have been down right funny if the attorney had gotten shot, wouldn't it.......

[rich_t]

There is a reason that honest folks like me are suspicious of cops these days.

[NHSparky]

Well, while the Odessa PD is overstepping their bounds, the group in this instance does NOT have the right to demand the warrant from the PD, as they are not obligated to share that information with third parties.

Just so's ya know.

[rich_t]

Well, while the Odessa PD is overstepping their bounds, the group in this instance does NOT have the right to demand the warrant from the PD, as they are not obligated to share that information with third parties.

Just so's ya know.

Who does then? 

[NHSparky]

Typically the property owner, or in the case of a rental property, the tennant residing there.

Face it, some cops are overbearing thugs whose only job it seems anymore is to enhance revenues for their town or jurisdiction, but that doesn't mean playing "gotcha" on at best questionable causes is going to resolve the problem of LEO/civilian relations.  Some cops are bad, yes--such is the nature of the beast when you have PEOPLE filling the position.  But by the same token there are a lot of good cops who do their jobs, don't bust people's balls to get their jollies, and do serve the community.

Frankly, if these folks had a legal basis on which to retry the case of this person they want freed, they would have done so already, and she should have been freed if in fact she was innocent.  Sorry, but I do have a bit of faith in the system still.  Not much, mind you--but some.

[rich_t]

According to the article, they rented the property and were at that point the tennants.

How does this not give them the right to see the warrant in question?

[rich_t]

Frankly, if these folks had a legal basis on which to retry the case of this person they want freed, they would have done so already, and she should have been freed if in fact she was innocent.

You are kidding right?

Do you have any idea how hard that is if a drug or firearm case is in question?  Or how much it costs to appeal such cases?

We have tons of innocent folks behind bars for such trumped up cases.  They get rail roaded into jail by over zealous cops and prosecutors cuz the defendant can't afford to hire a decent lawyer and are stuck with a PD that also works for the system.

I have very little faith in the system when it comes to certain types of cases.

[AllosaursRus]

Well, while the Odessa PD is overstepping their bounds, the group in this instance does NOT have the right to demand the warrant from the PD, as they are not obligated to share that information with third parties.

Just so's ya know.

I believe if they get an attorney and file a lawsuit, discovery would mean they have to produce the original warrant. Otherwise, you are correct. At least in my neck of the woods.

Not familiar enough with the story to know if that is the tact they're taking.

If what I hear via the news coverage is true, I'd say these cops are really steppin' outside the realm of the ethics we expect of them. The cops I deal with on a daily basis would find this to be over the line!