The Police
In this paperwork, I am going to discuss the video, the confession, depicting the positive or notable actions portrayed by the police and any issues with police behavior that cause my concern. I will also discuss any illegal or unconstitutional acts by the police, therefore, specifying the constitutional Amendments the police actions may have violated.
The Confession is a video written and directed by Ofra Bikel. The video revolves in the context of the rape and murder of Michelle. Daniel William, Michelle neighbors, called the 911 after the incident had happened so as to establish the cause of the incidence. The police were quick enough to respond to the call- they are said to have arrived minutes later. It is, therefore, clear that the police are always available 24/7 so as to help the citizens when their help is needed- the police help. It is a commendable action portrayed by the police unit- punctuality. From the video, we also learn that the police are also willing to punish their corrupt detectives, for example a detective, Robert Glenn Ford, was found guilty on two of four extortion charges in October 2010. The moves of punishing corrupt police officers build up trust among the citizens, thereby, enhancing a strong relationship between the citizens and the police officers, since the citizens come to learn that no one is above the law. Robert Glenn Ford is said to have been extorting money from defendant, so as to help them get favorable treatment- the law got with him.
The video also contains numerous examples of issues that cause my concern. After Daniel William alerted the police of the incidence, the police were not willing to let him go. Daniel William was expected to answer the police why he took the action of alerting the police, of the incidence, instead of his husband- Michelle’s husband. Daniel went through an intensive interrogation under detective Ford who successfully forced him to give a false confession- he admitted of having raped and murdered Michelle in her bedroom. According to Jay Saltpeter; former NYPD detective admits that some detectives can make you give confession that you never committed- depicted as the psychology of giving bogus confession. The police, led by detective Ford, were willing to assume this important fact and went ahead interrogating the suspects so as to conform to their want and desire. The interrogation led to the emergence of new suspects, such as Joe Dicks, Eric Wilsons, Derek Tice, John Danser, and Omar Ballard. The method applied to bring these suspects to justice is wanting, since the police officers were willing to apprehend the suspects without sufficient evidences- a word of mouth confession. It is also important to note that the use of forensic science was ignored by the police officers. Omar Ballard testified as having committed the crime alone, but the police officers were not willing to accept their mistakes and let the suspects free. Instead, they bribed Omar Ballard to give a false confession that they conducted the crime as a group, so as not to face death penalty-Omar ended up being entrapped. It is important to note that entrapment is considered unconstitutional. Omar Ballard received life imprisonment, but he continues to testify that the police officers were not interested in knowing the truth (http://video.pbs.org/video/1637166286-the confessions).
The DNA test was accurate enough to testify that Omar Ballard, indeed, conducted the murder, but the police officers were not willing to buy that even after the DNA failed on the other suspects. It is important to note that the DNA results were kept secretly, so as to keep the truth in the dark. The police officers may have kept the DNA test in the dark so as to save their careers, but they should, also, have considered the situations the suspects were going through in their life. It is depicted that the life of these suspects have not been bearable even in the outside world, for example Eric Wilson have to register as a sex offenders in each year and to make the situation even more unbearable; he has to consult the neighbors’, first, whether they would allow him to live in their neighborhood. As I have depicted in this paperwork, it is unconstitutional for a law enforcement officer to accept bribe as depicted by detective Glenn Ford. The society, too, should not be quick in making conclusions, as depicted by this video. Derek Tice attempts of having a lawyer fell in deaf hears of detective Ford who continued with the interrogation as depicted by the video. It is, therefore, clear that Derek was denied his constitutional right of having a lawyer- his consent, too, was irritated by detective Ford.
The police officers actions, being led by detective Ford, violated the following constitutional amendments: false arrest and malicious prosecution. The police dishonored their fourth Amendment right against irrational arrest, since the forensic tests were not honored. It is, therefore, clear that there was no probable cause to deem that the suspects had committed the crime. John was celebrating his birthday party when the incidence was happening, but that evidence was not enough, since detective Ford went ahead in prosecuting him. The officers, too, deprived the suspects of the fourth Amendment right to freedom. The tests conducted upon the suspects proved insufficient, but they went ahead prosecuting the suspects. It, therefore, does not make sense interrogating a suspect if you have, already, made up your judgments-as a police officer (Franklin, 1991). As depicted in the video, the police officers have a significant role to play when enhancing security in the society. The police officers should come up with better ways of gathering evidences so as to control such an occurrence from happening in future, as depicted in the video. It is also important to note that corrupt officers have no place in the police division- they should be expelled from the police division.
References
The confessions: http://video.pbs.org/video/1637166286
Franklin, P.(1991). The Fourth Amendment . Englewood Cliffs, N.J.: Silver Burdett Press.
