Washington D.C. Fusion Center: The Perils of Social Networking

[The Straight Story]

Washington D.C. Fusion Center: The Perils of Social Networking

Impeachment via Social Network Websites

Issue:

Postings on social network websites such as Facebook and MySpace have been used to successfully attack law enforcement officers’ credibility in courts.

Examples:

In a the New York State court, a NYPD officer was questioned by the defense attorney regarding statements he had posted on his Facebook webpage that portrayed him as a rogue cop. At the conclusion of his testimony, what should have been a slam-dunk “ex-con with a gun” case, resulted in an acquittal for the defendant because of the reasonable doubt created by the officer’s own postings on Facebook and MySpace. In other words, his own website statements were used to impeach him.

Convictions rest on the credibility of the officer(s). The defense strategy was to show the jury that what the officer writes about himself on social network websites is how he “really” conducts police work. The suspect in this case claimed that the officer used excessive force on him and broke three ribs. The suspect went on to allege that when the police officer realized that he would have to explain the broken ribs, he “planted” a stolen 9mm Beretta on the suspect and charged him with the offense.

The officer in this case had made questionable social network postings but claimed it was simply bravado, similar to what might be said in a locker room. But the difference between jokingly “talkin’ trash” in person and posting it on the Internet is that postings are preserved indefinitely on a digital server. One of the notable postings introduced to the jury was that the officer watched the movie “Training Day” (a motion picture that displayed corrupt police behavior and brutality) to brush up on “proper police procedure.” Another series of postings revolve around miscellaneous internet video clips of police arrests. One of his postings said, “If he wanted to tune him up some, he should have delayed cuffing him.” In another he added, “If you were going to hit a cuffed suspect, at least get your money’s worth ’cause now he’s going to get disciplined for a relatively light punch.”

http://publicintelligence.net/ufouo-washington-d-c-fusion-center-the-perils-of-social-networking/

[du_da]

1. In all fairness

The police have no one to blame but themselves for this type of thing. If they didn't allow so many of their peers to be ego driven with a superiority complex then we wouldn't have this problem. The people seem to be getting tired of their antics and as they continue to believe they are the law instead of enforcers and representatives of the law all in the age of internet videos and cell phone cameras then it is just going to continue to get worse.

If they want to fix this, they need to start with the training program and more strongly reinforce the difference between being the authority and having situational based authority. That is the key where their methods start deviating from what appropriate. Get that problem solved and you won't have criminals walking just because it is so easy for a jury to believe a cop might be out of control.

[leveymg]

2. There would be no cause for bravado by officers if there were accountability for corruption at the

top in America. The cops are scared silly -- so they act like thugs -- because they know the system is corrupt from the top down, and has been for a long time in this country.

The only hope for law and order is if law enforcement comes to the essential realization that the most damaging crime to American society is in the banks, boardrooms and high public offices, and proceed to bust 'em accordingly.