Second Blog Ever!
About 2 months ago, I was out running some errands on Sunday around 6. I took something back to the store and it was near my old city where I lived. Actually, we had 3 different houses in that city! I told you that I moved a lot. So, I thought I would drive around to see the old neighborhoods. I drove from one end of the city to the other, very slowly. Driving down side streets, I saw a police officer pulled someone over at an intersection up ahead. The cop looked nasty. Instead of a nice uniform, he was wearing a beat up black leather jacket! I come to the stop sign, then stoped & watched him talking to the car he pulled over. Oh well, then drive off. I come to another stop sign and see another cop pull someone else over! What's going on? 
I come up to a stop sign and stop. Duh! I just saw two people pulled over! Another car is coming the other way to my intersection at same time. I am going straight so I have right of way, since she signals to turn left in front of me. We both pull forward a bit. I stop AGAIN, then wave her to turn in front of me. I then drive through intersection. A cop pulls me over!!! I pull over and it is the same sloppy cop that I saw earlier. He gets out of his car, throws his cigarette to the ground, and comes strutting up to my car. He blurts out, "License & registration". I ask, "What are you stopping me for?" The jerk says that he won't tell me until I give him my stuff. I do, then he walks away to his car. Then, he comes back and says he is giving me a ticket for running that stop sign!!!!! WHAT???? I say, "You mean the stop sign that I stopped twice for???" I explained it to him. He said I ran through the stop sign and then writes me a ticket for it! Grrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrr!
I am so mad that I get over my shyness to go down to police station and file a complaint. I write out 2 pages. A week goes by, so I go back down to police station to follow up. While waiting, I see a sign that says "Police Chief Cadez". Wait a minute, that is my officer's last name. I find out that they are brothers! So much for my complaint! Plus, the mayor is the Chief's wife! Doh!
I schedule for court. Informal hearing comes first. I can take a no point ticket for $200. No thanks! I am innocent! Next, I have to have a formal hearing before the judge. Little Me vs. City Prosecutor & Police Dept! I file a motion for discovery. I want everything on the police officer, the in car videotape, status of my complaint, etc. The day before court I call the police station and they tell me that they have nothing for me, except a copy of ticket! Videotape was erased too!
I go to court and it takes 2 hours for them to get to me. First, you meet with prosecutor informally. I go in and he offers me the same $200 ticket with no points. I have maps drawn out showing where I drove and where the cops were. I have a list of questions to ask the officer during the trial. I tell the prosecutor everything and I am innocent! I am not taking any deal, and I ready to go to trial. He actually looks disappointed that I didn't take his wonderful deal! 
He asks me to step out and he calls someone. Then, I get called in and he says that he is going to recommend a Continuance. Then he tells me to ask the judge for a Dismissal. That way, he won't get it trouble with the city. Then we go into the court, and it was weird. The judge reads the file and says prosecutor recommends a continuance. Then the judge looks at me, like he is waiting for me to say my line! I say, "I request dismissal". Judge, "Granted!".
Done, just like that!!!! I win!!!!!! That was hard to do, but I was fighting on principle. Police shouldn't be allowed to just make up stuff like that!
