Pubdate: Sun, 24 Aug 2003
Source: Star-Banner, The (FL)
Copyright: 2003 The Star-Banner
Contact:  http://www.starbanner.com/
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/1533
Author: Ken Sumner

CRIMINALS' ADVANTAGE

As every day passes, I grow less afraid of terrorists in this country and 
more afraid of our judicial system and some judges. I truly am skeptical of 
which side many of the judges in the country are on. The more I read, the 
more I believe criminals have all the advantages.

Recently in Tampa, a sheriff's deputy had a vehicle stopped. He became 
suspicious of its occupants, and had a drug-sniffing dog called to the 
scene. The dog alerted on the car, indicating drugs.

The deputy searched the car and drugs were found hidden in the car. The 
defense tried to have the drugs thrown out. The lower court refused, and 
the occupant was convicted. The defense must have known the appellate court 
for that district is liberal -- or dumb. They appealed, and sure enough, 
they overturned the conviction.

Forget that the dog alerted and drugs were found. That doesn't matter. The 
deputy didn't have documented information on how many times the dog alerted 
on a vehicle and drugs were found and how many times it alerted and no 
drugs were found. Then they said the dog only received five weeks of 
training. U.S. Customs trains their dogs for 12 weeks.

There is a cry now from many judges concerning mandatory sentencing. They 
don't like it. Well maybe the Legislature saw how many judges were letting 
hardened criminals walk the streets and the Legislature felt they had to 
protect us if the judicial system didn't.

Ken Sumner, Ocala
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MAP posted-by: Jay Bergstrom