Patterico's Pontifications

9/17/2008

Equal Justice for All, But More Equal for Some Than Others

Filed under: Buffoons,Crime,Morons — Patterico @ 9:17 pm



People accused of crimes should be treated the same whether or not they are famous.

Someone tell Las Vegas Detective Andy Caldwell, who was dispatched to investigate the O.J. Simpson robbery.

“If it was anybody else, we would have arrested him that night,” Caldwell said. “Because of who he was, we wanted to make sure we had everything right.”

Moron.

25 Responses to “Equal Justice for All, But More Equal for Some Than Others”

  1. Well, he may have paid very close attention to the Marcia Clark Follies, and didn’t want to see a re-run in Clark County.

    Another Drew (8a6fd1)

  2. I’m with the cop. He may not have expressed it elegantly, but the truth is the truth. Of any perp in this great land of ours, this one simply must be afforded every conceivable break and courtesy.

    Until sentencing!

    Ed (f35a20)

  3. I wasn’t aware that ‘false arrest’ is one of the reasons why OJ was acquitted before. Maybe one of you can school Patterico on this one.

    Icy Truth (ef009a)

  4. I agree with another Drew. The officer wanted to make sure that they did it right. It is not as if OJ could get away. He needs to be in the public eye so he can have money to live plus he is probably addicted to the attention.

    EDP (7223ad)

  5. Gee — I thought making a determination as to whether or not there was sufficient evidence to charge someone was a prosecutorial decision.

    For 18 years I’ve mistakenly believed it was the cop’s responsibility to gather the facts and arrest someone if there was probable cause to believe they had committed a crime.

    I guess that’s why I’m not a POST graduate.

    wls (c1b09d)

  6. I have to disagree with Drew. Trying to ‘get it right’ did nothing for the case against Robert Blake. If anything, it wasted more money and time.

    If celebrities aren’t treated like special cases, their star power fades and the audience turns pretty quickly.

    Apogee (366e8b)

  7. For someone who lives in California, and watches the hands-off attitude of the police to the “rich and famous”, to make this claim, is the pot and kettle in spades.

    great unknown (b751d2)

  8. I will speculate that the police were waiting for their orders from the casino owners. The Las Vegas authorities’ top ten priorities is to protect the tourism industry. I don’t know at what paygrade the decision was made to prosecute and not to sweep it under the rug but I bet (speculate) it was above the detective’s.

    nk (189a81)

  9. Darn spam filter. It just ate an exceptionally brilliant comment of mine.

    nk (189a81)

  10. That would be a first …

    JD (41e64f)

  11. “If it was anybody else, we would have arrested him that night,”

    That is the key part of the sentence. The police officer either had cause to arrest, or he didn’t. If he did, and he says that he did, then he should have arrested him. I am tired of illegal aliens getting different law enforcement than me. I am tired of politicians getting different law enforcement that me. I am tired of celebrities getting different law enforcement than me.

    I know the way the world works, but part of the culture of corruption is selective law enforcement, and I don’t like it.

    tyree (7a25f8)

  12. I want special treatment too!

    KatAttack (edae44)

  13. That would be a first …

    Comment by JD — 9/18/2008 @ 6:39 am

    No, it’s done it before.

    nk (189a81)

  14. Now that was good, nk.

    JD (41e64f)

  15. I’ll try again. In that city, the top priority of the authorities is to protect that city’s chief industry. I will speculate that the police were waiting for their orders from that industry. So, still speculating, that the decision to prosecute or sweep the whole thing under the rug was far above the detective’s paygrade.

    nk (189a81)

  16. ““If it was anybody else, we would have arrested him that night,”

    It’s not right, but that’s the way it is.

    C. Norris (6ced3b)

  17. Well, at least somebody finally did something, and Mr. Simpson is facing a jury of his peers.

    Another Drew (c78d34)

  18. nk, while it’s not brilliant, it is true, and it does contribute to the discussion.

    Ropelight (b9f273)

  19. Key phrase: It’s not right.

    This means we need to work on changing the “but that’s the way it is” part of the equation.

    Icy Truth (b8f405)

  20. Thank you, Ropelight.

    BTW, if you are ever in that city and you give a cabdriver a twenty for a $15.00 fare and he insists that you gave him a ten, don’t argue and don’t call the police. Just give him $5.00 more. Trust me on this. You will be the one arrested for attempt to defraud, disorderly conduct and disturbing the peace.

    nk (189a81)

  21. nk, I plan to be in Lost Wages during the first week in October. However I’m going to drive my own car. The only way I’d get in a cab is if I accept too many “free drinks” from all those pretty young girls in skimpy outfits. Free drinks in a casino can end up costing more than expected.

    I’m assuming you speak about cheap stunts by crooked cab drivers from experience, maybe you know some of the same girls I run around with.

    Ropelight (b9f273)

  22. nk, it’s contagious, something just ate my witty response to your advice. I’m going to quit for now and have a Bloody Mary. I suggested it to shorter Peter, and now for some reason it just seems like the right thing for me to do is belly up to the bar and practice what I preach.

    Ropelight (b9f273)

  23. You probably used a word that starts with “c” or “L” and “V”.

    I think that if the IRS were to do a net worth audit of every city and county employee in that place, we could fix the budget deficit.

    That’s why I didn’t think SiliconDoc was totally off-base in the O.J. thread.

    I’ll tell you, though, as a Chicagoan, I’m happy that there is one undeniably dirtier place.

    nk (189a81)

  24. The cop is overstating the case, but when the suspect is someone who is famous for beating a rap, with (bogus) insinuations of a frame-up, it is necessary to act cautiously.

    High-profile suspects (and victims) get different treatment because their cases often have big secondary impacts on the agency.

    Also, sometimes, a high-profile suspect may be let off with a warning for a minor offense that an average guy would be arrested for – because the arrest of the high-profile would be a de facto punishment far out of proportion to the offense.

    RIch Rostrom (09ec82)

  25. I’m assuming you speak about cheap stunts by crooked cab drivers from experience

    I had heard of it from clients and it was pulled on me the one and only time I have been there.

    For the record, I was there for a conference, I never gamble, and the high point was Rubens’s “The Beheading of John The Baptist” in the hotel’s art museum. As for the “girls”, looked but didn’t touch, but it’s a fact that they are quick and efficient with your drinks.

    nk (189a81)


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