THE STUDENT: KID PROFILING
by John Lee
I'm not 'against' the police; I'm just afraid of them. --Alfred Hitchcock
What does a 16 year old passenger in a car have to worry about, when she does not drink alcohol?
Jennifer was riding around with friends when a local police officer decided to pull them over for the alleged traffic offense of "having too many passengers in the car." There were five people in the car, which had five seat belts. The young people had thus broken no traffic regulations.
The driver, who was 20 years old, admitted to previously having had two drinks over a several hour period. There were no alcohol containers in the car.
The officer asked Jennifer what she was drinking. She told him it was cherry soda. The cop took the soda from her and tasted it. He smiled at her.
The passengers were ordered out of the car. Jennifer refused to get out. A police officer grabbed her and pulled her out.
The driver was arrested for underage consumption (under 21), as were all the passengers. Jennifer volunteered to take a field sobriety test and breath-alcohol test, but was refused.
After being taken to jail, the teenagers were immediately allowed to go home.
Jennifer's parents hired an attorney, who plea bargained the case. Police had lied in their reports, saying she had admitted drinking alcohol, and that she was obviously under the influence. After attending a DWI school, her record was cleared. The total cost was $1,000, for fines and attorney fees, which Jennifer had to repay from her part time job. It is general knowledge among fellow judges, lawyers and court victims that "Crazy Judge Weiner" was an alcoholic who drank liquor in his courtroom while judging his fellow citizens, and who was allegedly arrested for DWI on numerous occasions. The Federal Bureau of Investigation in Knoxville, Tennessee, declined an investigation, alleging, "It's up to the voters to get rid of him. We don't do that kind of investigation." This is despite recent news headlines of Tennessee judges arrested for rape, dealing crack cocaine and stealing general sessions court funds.
Jennifer is now afraid to have a social life. Since this event, neither she nor her parents trust police officers or the legal system. Jennifer sees the local officer on a regular basis around town. Everytime he sees her he laughs at her. [Interview]
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