Indeed it does. Officer “Service” sounds like a heck of a guy.

(I can’t speak for Ed, but you didn’t bore ME a bit. Good luck,and post an update, if you would.)

FWIW:

http://www.alternet.org/story/151150/america%27s_creeping_police_state?akid=7039.147321.6r3Kg4&rd=1&t=12

Hello Ed,

I just called your main number and was told you would be the best person to contact. Today was the conclusion of one of the most bizarre experiences of my life at the hands of the Michigan State Police and the folks of the Berrien County Judicial system, if you can call it that. I’ll start from the beginning.
In January my girlfriend and I, now my fiancé, were traveling from Chicago to Traverse City to spend time with my parents and three little sisters. We had left immediately from a LONG day of work and were driving straight through the night. In an effort to paint you a clear picture of the scene, it was freezing, windy, and less than favorable driving conditions. On top of the horrible weather, my fiancé suffers from high anxiety and if I go even 5 miles over the speed limit I usually end up with nail marks in my arm from her panicking. About 1 ½ – 2 hours into the drive we stopped for some dinner and got back on the road. Not long after that a large SUV came barreling in on us at a VERY dangerous rate of speed and once the vehicle was about 3 feet off our rear bumper it slowed to match our speed. I drive a small car so the headlights just a few feet from our back window nearly caused us to lose all sight of the road. After about 10 seconds of this blinding light and total confusion, the police lights came on. Prior to that we had no idea this was a police officer, especially considering the dangerous driving we witnessed. I immediately pulled over.
Officer Service, yes I cannot believe that is his name either, of the Michigan State Police approached the car and asked for the typical documents. When asked if I knew why he had pulled me over I said, “No.” Please understand I had set cruise control at around 75 once we got back on the highway so when Officer Service informed me that he had “got me” going 92 I laughed out of disbelief. When I asked if he was sure because I had my cruise control on at 75, I was immediately cutoff midsentence by his statement, “Do I smell marijuana?” WHAT?! Confusion grew. I was asked to step out of the car and was patted down. He then proceeded to interrogate me on the side of the road while I sat there in -9degree weather (wind chill) with nothing but a long sleeve shirt. All of my numerous requests for my jacket were denied. He then pulled my fiancé out of the car and patted her down, A FEMALE, much to my disbelief. At this point I was getting annoyed having watched him search my panicking fiancé and having asked numerous times for my jacket and being denied. Freezing. He eventually gave me my jacket after about 10 min of the interrogation.
Officer service then said he planned to search my car. This was the last straw for me. It took us better part of an hour to pack up that truck and the last ting I wanted was him rummaging through our things and pulling them out on the side of the highway. I told him he did not have my permission to do so because he had no probable cause (my mother is a BRILLIANT ATTORNEY – second highest bar exam score in her year, guess some things rubbed off). He said that he did and I came back with, “well your entitled to your opinion but the fact is you don’t.” He must have agreed because he never once opened my car door. What he did do was take out his German Sheppard and asked if he could let his door smell through the window, I said that would be fine. He did two laps around my car, in the windows, bumpers, and tires, everywhere… It seems I went from having pot in the car to being a drug mule with Marijuana hidden all over my Audi (the typical drug trafficking car). Sure enough, the dog couldn’t have been less interested. It seems that the heightened nasal senses of the dog were surpassed by those of Officer Service, which only begs the question who should be on the leash!
After 15 or so minutes of searching we were instructed to return to the vehicle. We were left there for another 10 min during which I was convinced my fiancés stress was going to cause her to explode. Officer Service returned to the car and said, “I guess you saw this coming,” and handed me a ticket for going 92 in a 70. Obviously I didn’t see ANY OF THIS coming. At this point I was of course not going to press the speeding issue again because it really didn’t go well the first time.
And here is where I dive further into the twilight zone…
I contested the ticket and was given a court date during which I met with a representative from the prosecutors office. She offered me a plea of 75 in a 70 and asked me to sign. I asked if the fine would change and she said she didn’t know. I told her I was unwilling to sign a plea bargain if I didn’t know what I was agreeing to. She left the room stating that she would ask. When she returned she claimed that the there was no guarantees and ultimately it was left up to the Magistrate. I told her I wanted to know how the fine would be affected prior to signing anything and that I would like to have an audience with the judge because I didn’t do anything wrong…I WASN’T SPEEDING! To this she replied that I wouldn’t be allowed to go before the judge, that they would schedule a hearing. So the drive up was so that I could wait two hours, have a 5-minute conversation with a rep from the prosecutor’s office, and leave again. Once our meeting was over I walked over the magistrate and asked about how the fine would be affected if I took a plea bargain… there response. “100% of the time it stays the same.” So it seems she never really asked. Upon leaving the court house I called the State Police office and tried to file a complaint about Officer Service. Sgt. High, I swear that is his name, was courteous but said he could not take a complaint while the case was still open,
I received a letter summoning me to appear for the next court date. At this point I knew the fine would remain the same so I made several attempts to contact the prosecutors office so I could take the deal and be done with this madness. Each time I was told they would not take calls from me because I was not an attorney. I informed them that I was representing myself and had the legal right to do so and they that therefore they are obligated to speak to me. No luck.
So the date of the formal hearing…I woke up bright and early at 5am to get out the door by 5:30 so I could make the court date taking into account the time change. I walked out my door and noticed an old blue pickup blocking the exit from our parking lot into he alley. I found out that this scrap metal hunter, very common in Chicago alleys, had broken down and a tow truck was on its way. The tow truck ended up being 5 guys all coming to work on the car. I called the courthouse and was able to get in touch with the prosecutor; I guess she suddenly had no problem talking to me on the phone. I tried to explain that I had been trying to get in touch with her for weeks to finalize the plea bargain and of my transportation problems. She said that due to her and the officer being “inconvenienced” by having to come to court they would go forward with a default decision of guilty because I did not arrive. So driving from Chicago at 5 am cannot be classified as an inconvenience I guess. But not before telling me that had she heard from me sooner she could have still given me the plea bargain.
When I received notice that I had been found guilty by default I filed an appeal stating that nothing about the incident had even been discussed, that I had called the prosecutor morning of, everything. A few days later I received the prosecutors response recommending that my appeal be denied, and commented on several of my statements that, “they did not have any information on that portion.” So literally they wanted the case closed without going over the facts of the case. True Justice. My appeal was granted by Judge Wiley and a formal hearing was set for today.
I arrived on time to my hearing and then waited two hours before being called. Judge Wiley seemed to have only granted my appeal for he could berate me about missing my previous court date. At no point was Officer Service of myself asked any questions about the ticket and any time I tried to bring it up Judge Wiley would cut me off. “You should have been here!” was for the most part all that came out of his mouth. When I asked if he had ever had something unexpected happen that didn’t go well at all. He immediately signed something in my court file and put it on the “case closed” pile, ignoring me all I had to say. As I was walking out of the courtroom I mentioned to another defendant, “I guess I can file my complaint with the State Police now because the case is close.” You wont believe what happened next….
Right outside the door was standing Officer Service and he came right up to me and said, “if you have something to say, say it to my face I’m right here!” I said, “no that’s alright I have nothing to say to you,” and kept walking. He followed me into the lobby.. “Come on Justin, you’ve got nothing to worry about say it to my face!” I kept walking. He followed me into the parking lot. “What’s wrong with you? Can’t you say it to my face?!” I got in my car and smoked the most wonderful cigarette of my life.
I immediately called the State Police Office again and got on a call with another Sgt. He spent the next 10 minutes trying to convince me that I didn’t need to file a complaint, that Officer Service probably was just trying to make sure I was ok and understood why I had been issued a ticket. I eventually said, “never mind, thanks for your help.”

And here I am. I don’t know if this has something to do with my last name being Alvarez, which I hadn’t even considered until I read your article about Rev. Pinkney, but let me just say… the only other Hispanic in the court this morning and I had a rough ride today. I hope I didn’t bore you!

Best,
Justin Alvarez
312-286-2769

This country is chock full of boneheads.

Second, I am surprised that the Court of Appeals in Michigan overturned a lower court especially for a criminal conviction. That in of its self is an amazing thing.

Third, just because you are and play on the team does not mean that you are not playing blind. I suspect that even people that work in the world of education have that same problem. Ivory Towers do cost but surly not as much as the tusk of an elephant. In one a life is given up…well it could be in both.

Fourth, Benton Harbor, Michigan has had its level of unemployment for years. It is the home of whirlpool or maytag something along those lines. I am betting that the judge was betting that the man would not have enough money to fight the appeal. If a Court Appointed Lawyer won this I am amazed.

Fifth. Its almost gone….