My personal experience is cops can arrest you for anything. Loitering, not wearing your seatbelt, any stupid reason they want.

You would think arresting someone for killing a man is a no-brainer. They obviously didnt want to arrest him-you have to ask yourself why. It isnt because of the law-the law has never stopped cops arresting people before, even if they had no reason, or no good reason.

(Reply) (Parent) (Thread)

To be fair, it's a hell of a lot more important to be super careful with your probable cause when you're looking at a possible first degree murder than when you're hassling kids in front of the 7-Eleven. If your probable cause wouldn't stand up to intense scrutiny in a shoplifting, who gives a shit? If your probable cause wouldn't stand up to intense scrutiny in this case, best damned well wait for the charges to be filed and the arrest warrant to be issued, because the downside is serious fucking business.

(Reply) (Parent) (Thread)

Is it? I thought most states had laws against suing for false arrest. Ive never heard of any cop getting shit for it.

(Reply) (Parent) (Thread)

I meant the downside of the legal benefits accruing to the perp in his criminal case upon demonstration that you made a bad collar. Kind of a bigger deal if he killed someone.

Edited at 2012-03-30 07:15 pm (UTC)

(Reply) (Parent) (Thread)