Our fine police force

[bsasuper]

20/20 story on the guy who tried to steal 2 light bulbs, and our fine police force who relentlessly persuied the case and tried stop the story going on air, then contacted 20/20 telling them they are now under criminal investigation.Appalling behaviour from NZ police, especially when it was senior officers trying to cover it up.

[Maha]

I did watch that, and while Ari should not have been there in the first place (using his condition as a cop out does not wash with me, his partner was also there in the building and does not have the same mental condition) ...the ongoing pursuit to convict him of anything is bullshit and a waste of the Courts time.

He did 11 days and got a black eye for his wrong doings...time served.

[Scuba_Steve]

[shrub]

I did watch that, and while Ari should not have been there in the first place (using his condition as a cop out does not wash with me, his partner was also there in the building and does not have the same mental condition) ...the ongoing pursuit to convict him of anything is bullshit and a waste of the Courts time.

He did 11 days and got a black eye for his wrong doings...time served.

The cops were taking the extreme position to stop looting before it started, and that's probably a good idea, but they needed to be a little more flexible. I have a mate who has asbergers, and they get completely and irrationally obsessed with shit to the point where they do really stupid stuff. I agreed with the building owners - give him a major rarking for entering a dangerous place and placing others in danger, give him his lighbulbs so he can put them on his mantlepiece to impress his friends and send him on his way. His partner was trying to get him out so didn't deserve prison.

I agree, he has served 11 days inside and that is plenty and then some. Send him on his way and focus on preventing crime. A workmate of my partner was living in a house that had been red stickered and she and her husband had packed all their possessions up and were waiting for the trucks when their house was torched. The husband had a lifetime collection of baseball memorabilia that went up in smoke.

[Banditbandit]

The cops are in the shit because they clearly beat him up .. now they need to prove their "tough" approach was "right" ...

When was the last time you heard cops admit they were wrong? never going to happen ...

[bsasuper]

The thing that raised my eyebrows was the senior police calling the building owners asking them to not do the story, then calling 20/20 to tell them they are under criminal investigation, for what?, reporting the truth?.his sort of behaviour borders on intimidation.No wonder the junior officers who have contact with the public act like they are god when the senior officers act like this.

[Banditbandit]

The thing that raised my eyebrows was the senior police calling the building owners asking them to not do the story, then calling 20/20 to tell them they are under criminal investigation, for what?, reporting the truth?.his sort of behaviour borders on intimidation.No wonder the junior officers who have contact with the public act like they are god when the senior officers act like this.

Hmmmm .. if this goes to a trial, possibly a jury trial .. there is an argument that says 20/20 are trying to influence a jury - which is illegal ... and the police could be investigating that. It's a difficult argument to sustain .. and difficult to prove in court.

They are in the shit and trying to protect their arses!

[Maha]

Hmmmm .. if this goes to a trial, possibly a jury trial .. there is an argument that says 20/20 are trying to influence a jury - which is illegal ... and the police could be investigating that. It's a difficult argument to sustain .. and difficult to prove in court.

They are in the shit and trying to protect their arses!

He took two light bulbs...the owners of the building dont give a shit and were only notified about two weeks ago that someone was caught inside thier crap building that is going to be pulled down.
Trial by Jury?....

[Banditbandit]

He took two light bulbs...the owners of the building dont give a shit and were only notified about two weeks ago that someone was caught inside thier crap building that is going to be pulled down.
Trial by Jury?....

I'm not sure of the legal situation with the charge - but if he's facing some jail time then he is basically entitled to a trial by jury - it's his choice, not the cops of the prosecution ... it's his legal right ... sure it's a waste of money - the cops could have given him diversion ... saved money - saved their faces ...

Shit in his position I'd take trial by jury - better chance of a Not Guilty verdict ..

[JMemonic]

There was a way diversion could have been achieved.

Inspector Erasmus says Police have also followed correct procedures in
opposing diversion for the alleged offender. Strict criteria must be met in
order for diversion to be an option.


"We have reviewed our decision against the diversion policy and we are
confident we have been entirely consistent with it."


"One of the fundamental requirements of the diversion process is that the
offender needs to be able to make an informed admission of guilt"


Inspector Erasmus says under the Police Adult Diversion Policy the defendant
had the right to have the decision reviewed. This was done at a district
level and later confirmed by Police Prosecution Service, at National
Headquarters and the decision stands.

An admission of guilt would have been a start, next question, demonstrate how as described in the programme whilst laying on the ground he could have been elbowed in the side of the head, its not an easy task without the person doing the elbowing to be laying on the ground as well.

[Banditbandit]

There was a way diversion could have been achieved.



An admission of guilt would have been a start, next question demonstrate how as described in the programme whilst laying on the ground he could have been elbowed in the side of the head, its not an easy task without the person doing the elbowing to be laying on the ground as well.

I thought he had admitted it ... his actions are not the issue ... his state of mind and resulting understanding of the law is the issue ..

[Maha]

There was a way diversion could have been achieved.



An admission of guilt would have been a start, next question, demonstrate how as described in the programme whilst laying on the ground he could have been elbowed in the side of the head, its not an easy task without the person doing the elbowing to be laying on the ground as well.

Richard Low did it to Paul Corozza without any problem...

[Paul in NZ]

God - all that effort chasing this poor bugger when real crooks are out there having a bloody field day all over ChCh..... I mean the media even finds one street person living in the condemed hotel and having a high old time.... He was living there....

sigh....

[JMemonic]

I thought he had admitted it ... his actions are not the issue ... his state of mind and resulting understanding of the law is the issue ..

Ah, he has admitted he was on the premises, but not theft, his lawyer is claiming not guilty by reason of mental disability, which would be a problem in the way diversion is set up, I would guess they are claiming mens rea, which would rule out the option for the prosecution to grant diversion.

This is use of the media for the defence, funny isn't it when the shoe is on the other foot there is an outcry from the legal eagles about trial by media.

Of course I am not and never will be a lawyer, but during the state of emergency, theft from a abandoned building is looting, and really should it matter who the offender is? I would suggest there is more to this than is being told by both parties.

[Littleman]

Classic. All you guys know fuck all.

Finally some Police bosse/s who have some balls. Can't imagine it will last though as they begin to worry about their Helen appointed careers.