If any of you were arrested by the CHP in the Ventura area, it might be worth your while to ask your lawyer to give you a copy of the police report and check out the police report. This is especially true if you think that the cop was lying in your report about some of the facts in your case.
Recently, a local Ventura County CHP officer was convicted of a hate crime for yelling racial epithets at a group of people and pretending to use a gun. Do you think this is going to be relevant in cases where the defense is that the cop is lying? You’re darn right it is.
Why would a police officer’s conviction for a hate crime be relevant? Well, if you can show that the officer is biased towards a group of people and the defendant happens to fall in that category of people, there is a very big issue of credibility that a jury must consider.
In the case featured in the story below, Officer Seth Taylor of the California Highway Patrol was convicted of misdemeanor disturbing the peace. Apparently he challenged a couple of Latino men to fight at a CHP function and directed ethnic slurs at the men. In another incident, the officer again used ethnic slurs and told the other victims that he was “going to put a cap in them.”
In a conservative county like Ventura, this story might help dispel myth that Officers have no underlying motives when making official decisions.
It is important to contact a criminal defense attorney who can provide the best defense possible. If you or someone you love has been accused of a crime in California contact the experienced Southern California criminal defense attorneys at Wallin & Klarich today at 1-888-280-6839 or www.wklaw.com for a consultation of your case. We can help you.
Check out the story: http://www.venturacountystar.com/news/2009/sep/18/chp-officer-pleads-guilty-in-hate-crime/