View from the cop: Crime & punishment
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AJC.com > Metro > View from the cop > Archives > 2007 > August > 03 > Entry
Spot the Einsteins
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
No over-arching theme this week on the arrest report, just a number of Einsteins at work. See if you can spot them.
Burglary
Two men came to a home on North Hampton Drive, unsolicited, and talked to the homeowner, age 85, about doing some work on the home. One “repairman” asked the man and his wife to walk around the house while they talked, which left the other “repairman” unattended . The victim noted that the first “repairman” had a two-way radio and talked in code while they were walking. When they went back in the house, they saw the other “repairman” inside. The men then left. Lo and behold, later on the homeowners found that three guns and some jewelry were missing. We had a similar case to this about a month and a half ago.
Theft
Jared Michael Cain, age 23, from Atlanta was arrested for Entering Auto and Theft by Taking after officers were called to a fight. The complainant was Cain’s ex-girlfriend, who said that although he had not lived there in three months, he was going through her car. She said that he took items including her work ID and her security gate card, credit cards, and her license. The officer called Cain who came back to the location and returned the items.
Tiffany Shepard Smith, 34, from Doraville, and Richard Lewis Smith, 33, from Stone Mountain were arrested for Theft by Receiving Stolen Property (vehicle) after a patrol officer found them driving a stolen car in the parking lot of the Hilton Hotel. The car had been rented by Smith but was due back last March.
Felix Ramirez, age 22, from Sandy Springs was arrested after he was stopped by Kroger employees after placing several food items in a plastic bag and then attempting to leave without paying for the items. The officer asked Ramirez why he took the items, and he replied “Why not?”
Fraud
A woman desposited a check for more than $133,000 at a Wachovia Bank on Roswell Rod. It turned out to be a bad check. Police have a suspect under investigation.
A man said that he received a money order for $5,000 in the mail. He called the bank in question, First Western Bank of South Dakota, and learned the money order was fraudulent. The man was contacted on his business e-mail by someone from England, urging him to deposit the money order in his (the victim’s) bank account. This sounds like a variation of the con where the victim deposits the fake check into the account and immediately sends the bad guy a percentage of that amount before finding out the check was fake. Moral of the story: Always verify the check ASAP.
Arrests
Barbara Price Payne of Decatur was arrested for Possession of Cocaine after being stopped because the car tag on her Ford Focus was registered to a Dodge Ram truck. She said she put the tag on the car to conceal the expired tag on the Ford.
20-year old Montay D. Marshall of Roswell and 21-year old Brandon Cook, also from Roswell, were arrested for Disorderly Conduct-Loitering and Carrying a Concealed Weapon after a patrol officer found them loitering in front of a “No Loitering” sign in an area known for drug activity. The officers watched them for several minutes, then approached them and told them to stay where they were. One did, but the other one suddenly needed to go to the bathroom. He went into a nearby bathroom and discarded a BB gun.
Comments
Commenting is now closed for this entry.
By Mike
August 3, 2007 11:56 AM | Link to this
Steve,
We enjoy your columns and insight. We appreciate you being a stand up guy and apologizing about the serious screw up earlier this week regarding the kid from Woodward. However, the SS police dept. is gaining quite a reputation (not a good one) regarding traffic citations and fines. The kid from Woodward was fined how much for running a stop sign? Did I see $175.00? Numerous other mentions lately about SS tickets and fines that easily suggest a hell of a money making machine in operation.
By Amy
August 3, 2007 12:09 PM | Link to this
The Sandy Springs police have every right to stop someone who is breaking the law and give them a ticket. I think its good that they are out in force stopping speeders and traffic violaters, it at least deters other crime. I’m sure I’ll get stopped one of these days flying down 400 or 285 in Sandy Springs. And I’ll have to pay the ticket. But you can’t blame them, they are a new city and need revenue. I live in newly formed Milton (work in Sandy Springs). I wave to the policemen everyday as they sit on Deerfield to catch speeders coming over the hill. I laugh at the speeders because the police are there everyday and some people just don’t get it. I go 35 and giggle as they radar me (You can’t pull me over, I’m doing the speed limit!)
By Lee
August 3, 2007 12:20 PM | Link to this
Am I the only one who sees the irony of posting a column on criminal Einsteins while at the same time, the SS police screwed up resulting in some guy having to spend the night in jail over a traffic ticket that HE PAID.
$175 for rolling through a STOP sign. Geezus Christ, with all that revenue rolling in, ya’lls property tax must be nearly $0.
Carrying around a BB gun will get you a concealed weapons charge? Damn. what communist country is Sandy Springs in, anyway?
Stand back boys while I whip out the ‘ol Red Ryder.
By Kia
August 3, 2007 12:35 PM | Link to this
Lt. Steve,
I like your columns and missed them while you were on vacation.
Welcome home.
By ron
August 3, 2007 12:46 PM | Link to this
See the value of going to school?You learn to read and then you won’t be hanging around under a ‘no loitering’sign.
By Al
August 3, 2007 12:59 PM | Link to this
They thought they were safe standing by the sign as long as they didn’t throw trash on the sidewalk.
By Shannon
August 3, 2007 1:11 PM | Link to this
Actually, the P.D. only issues citations, it’s up to Sandy Springs court services to close the ticket out when its paid. If they don’t they swear out a warrant for your arrest and send it to the P.D. to be entered on GCIC so the next time you get stopped it results in a Hit. The P.D. has no way of knowing if you paid or not, they go on court services word and the fact that court services issued a warrant. If court doesn’t send a clearance letter then the warrent stays until the person is arrested or it’s cleared. So, actually, Sandy Springs Court messed up not the officer.
By Shannon
August 3, 2007 1:13 PM | Link to this
Actually, the P.D. only issues citations, it’s up to Sandy Springs court services to close the ticket out when its paid. If they don’t they swear out a warrant for your arrest and send it to the P.D. to be entered on GCIC so the next time you get stopped it results in a Hit. The P.D. has no way of knowing if you paid or not, they go on court services word and the fact that court services issued a warrant. If court doesn’t send a clearance letter then the warrent stays until the person is arrested or it’s cleared. So, actually, Sandy Springs Court messed up not the officer.
By Lee
August 3, 2007 1:15 PM | Link to this
Lee here… Sorry folks, I’m so ignorant I did not realize that BB guns can be extremely dangerous. I was too quick to judge and later realized that there are actually BB guns (air rifles) which have power equivalent to a .22 caliber rifle. While Mr. Rose and all police across the nation may occasionally collect less powerful BB guns from suspects, it can be very hard to judge at a quick glance which BB guns shoot at .22 caliber strength and which BB guns shoot with lesser power. Silly me, I probably belong in the same IQ category as the rest of these criminals.
By Shannon
August 3, 2007 1:15 PM | Link to this
Actually, the P.D. only issues citations, it’s up to Sandy Springs court services to close the ticket out when its paid. If they don’t they swear out a warrant for your arrest and send it to the P.D. to be entered on GCIC so the next time you get stopped it results in a Hit. The P.D. has no way of knowing if you paid or not, they go on court services word and the fact that court services issued a warrant. If court doesn’t send a clearance letter then the warrent stays until the person is arrested or it’s cleared. So, actually, Sandy Springs Court messed up not the officer.
By can anyone explain this?
August 3, 2007 1:39 PM | Link to this
What is wrong with our criminal justice system? Did anyone else see this story? Anybody else think maybe our sentencing guidelines are a little out of whack when our prisons are full of non-violent drug offenders when guys like this get the revolving door treatment.
http://www.ajc.com/metro/content/metro/atlanta/stories/2007/08/02/rapist0803web.html
Before he was convicted of raping and nearly killing and threatening to kill yet another woman, which finally gets him life in prison, he was a busy guy. Look at the descriptions of his previous crimes and their sentences.
*Nelson was convicted of robbery in 1988 and 1999.
In 1995, he was convicted of a similar rape and assault. The victim told police he beat, raped and stabbed her in the back of her neck in Renaissance Park in downtown Atlanta. She later needed reconstructive facial surgery. He served four years for that crime.
Again in 2004, Nelson was charged with raping, sodomizing and assaulting two homeless women on Flat Shoals Road. Lyn Vaughn, public information officer for Fulton County, said the women could not be located before the trial and the case was dismissed.
Early this year, he was convicted of assaulting an 86-year-old woman with the intent to rape and is serving a six-year sentence in the DeKalb County jail.*
By El Bubba
August 3, 2007 2:03 PM | Link to this
I’d like to see the Cop’s view about the Tasers they are about to get. Who paid for them? And wouldn’t it prudent to use tranquilizer darts instead? (Less lethal?)
By try this link instead for full story...
August 3, 2007 2:19 PM | Link to this
http://www.ajc.com/metro/content/metro/atlanta/stories/2007/08/02/rapist0803web.html
What a sorry state of affairs…this is for post about rapist..
By Sam
August 3, 2007 2:42 PM | Link to this
These Einsteins are no worse than the geniuses running the Sandy Springs Police Department whose actions that resulted in an innocent teenager being held overnight in Fulton County jail are inexcusable.
One mistake like this is one too many.
By momofa studentdriver
August 3, 2007 4:34 PM | Link to this
What happened to the 17 year old boy was an unfortunate experience. It’s done, though. Accountability was taken. Hopefully, it will never happen again. I think that kid’s experience is something that all teenagers should be aware of. It can happen anywhere, anytime, and to anyone. The best lesson is to obey the traffic laws in order to avoid getting a traffic ticket, because you just never know how it’s going to end. That kid saw an entirely different side of life. Yuk.
By El Bubba
August 3, 2007 11:07 PM | Link to this
Officer Steve,
Like others here I’m also a fan. I realize your column is basically humor but I’d really like to know what you think about Tasers vs. tranquilizer darts. As a citizen I’m concerned because it all looks like a bad science-fiction novel to me. I also think we should know who is buying the Tasers for the Sandy Springs Police Department. El Bubba
By Christi
August 3, 2007 11:39 PM | Link to this
Steve, I read about the snafu with the paid ticket and the bad warrant. It was so refreshing to hear a spokesperson for a government say, “We goofed”. Bravo. That showed integrity, backbone, and gumption in addition to setting an example for all to follow. This Sandy Springs thing might work, ya know. From a legal perspective, it was probably better damage control than a PA lawyer would have come up with.
By Analchord
August 4, 2007 9:50 AM | Link to this
We shall oversteer. We shall oversteer. We shall oversteer.
Future prediction: We will have remote control cars where you can drive your car from the comfort of your home computer in your living room.
By Fall Line
August 4, 2007 10:46 AM | Link to this
Why is that all the recent southern implants have such trouble with the word “y’all?” They never know where to put the apostrophe. “Y’all” is a contraction for “you all” just as “don’t” is a contraction for “do not.” Easy, ain’t it?
By J.H Brooks
August 4, 2007 11:17 AM | Link to this
I would like to make a comment about the Police Officer who was aloud to keep his job after the DUI arrest that involved a accident.I think upon his conviction he should have bee fired immediately. How can someone enforce the laws fairly when he is a violator of those same laws.A police officer is supposed to be a step above not two steps below the average citizen.I think you would be surprised at how many convicted drunk drivers a working for law enforcement agencies throughout the state. This does not say much for GA POST oversees police certifications.
By J.H Brooks
August 4, 2007 11:19 AM | Link to this
I would like to make a comment about the police officer who was allowed to keep his job after the DUI arrest that involved a accident.I think upon his conviction he should have bee fired immediately. How can someone enforce the laws fairly when he is a violator of those same laws.A police officer is supposed to be a step above not two steps below the average citizen.I think you would be surprised at how many convicted drunk drivers a working for law enforcement agencies throughout the state. This does not say much for GA POST which oversees police certifications.
By J.H Brooks
August 4, 2007 11:21 AM | Link to this
I would like to make a comment about the police officer who was allowed to keep his job after the DUI arrest that involved a accident.I think upon his conviction he should have be fired immediately. How can someone enforce the laws fairly when he is a violator of those same laws.A police officer is supposed to be a step above not two steps below the average citizen.I think you would be surprised at how many convicted drunk drivers are working for law enforcement agencies throughout the state. This does not say much for GA POST which oversees police certifications.
By loflyer
August 4, 2007 12:00 PM | Link to this
Many counties and local governments earn significant revenue from Traffic citations. DeKalb county government reported pulls in 200 plus grand a day from traffic court. Thats a million a week or 54 million a year. Thats some significant cash and illustrates how these steep fines and associated “fees” can significantly enhance revenue for a local government. The issue is that the fines do not match the severity of the offense. This is not punishment but theft of personal cash. I no longer travel during Memorial day, July 4th, or Labor day due to the extensive roadblocks and “safety check points”. Last labor day weekend I went through three road blocks, two in one day, one at nine in the morning. Not many drunks at 9 in the morning. Even when you are legal, they try to find something to pin on you like the tinted windows or no proof of insurance. These holiday road blocks do keep down the drunk drivers, but for the rest of us, it is like open season by the cops, and a cash cow for the locals. It makes the cops look bad when the object of the exercise goes way past getting drunks off the road to involuntary funding local governments. This is usually not the cops ideas, but the local governments and the cops end up looking like cash hounds. Then the Georgia legislature adds on a 1/3 service fee that pays for a cushy retirement fund for judges, breast cancer research, and other miscellaneous projects that the Georgia legislature believes is important enough to fund through fines, but not important enough to tax citizens for. The Georgia traffic court is a racket that is best defined as theft by law.
By All American
August 4, 2007 1:24 PM | Link to this
Hey Steve, I understand Sandy Springs will soon be named after the kid, Sandy Springs caused to be falsely arrested and illegally detained when he wins his civil rights lawsuit against the city.
By J
August 4, 2007 2:00 PM | Link to this
The Sandy Springs Police are getting out of controll. I was pulled over turning into my home for no aparent reason. The officer looked at an empty cream soda bottle and asked me if it was a beer. I explained it was not he then proceeded to ask me if there was anything in my car he should know about. I replied no sir the officer then said he would write me a ticket for having an incrt address on my license. Turns out I had the crt address the officer was wrong I then asked him why I was pulled over turning into my home and obeying all traffic laws. The officer then stated my window tint was too dark and he wrote me a ticked for $150. This guy went through every possible avenue to see if there was something he could write me a ticket for. This man was determined I was doing something wrong. Way to go crime fighther. Was I pulled over because it was late and I am a young man in my 20’s who knows but I am a law abiding citizen harrased by SANDYSPRINGS POLICE for no apparent reason. I miss the good old days when FUlTON COUNTY cops fought real crime not petty bs.
By Lee
August 5, 2007 11:44 AM | Link to this
Oh, good grief. Yes, there are BB RIFLES that come close to a low velocity 22 caliber load. You, too, can have one if you’re willing to fork over a couple hundred dollars, or more. The reason for the law is that there are BB pistols which closely resemble the real thing. There have been numerous cases where people have used these bb guns to rob people.
Big deal.
No, what this is about is that our politicians and police want to criminalize EVERYTHING. Personally, I would rather a thug robbed someone at BB gun point rather than use the real thing. Hopefully, the victim is carrying and we will have a real life example of Darwin’s Law.
J - when SS first started up their police department and I read about all the new equipment and the number of officers they hired, I said back then that it will get to the point that you could not drive through that place without getting harrassed with a ticket. Sadly, it seems like my prediction is coming true.
Like I said before, roll through a STOP sign at 3mph, and that’s $175 in the bank. Illegal alien, what’s that. We can arrest no illegal alien, there ain’t no money in that.
By netskip
August 5, 2007 12:45 PM | Link to this
Maybe I’m crazy but I like living in a city that enforces laws, even when I had to pay a $250 speeding fine. Yes, cops and traffic courts make mistakes; so do you.
I bet some of the people who want cops to catch murderers, not speeders (as if one comes at the expense of the other) are also the people who want to expel 12M people because they break the law.
Discipline is a good thing. If you’re going to speed, run red lights, etc. you have to be willing to accept the consequences.
By Beth
August 5, 2007 7:09 PM | Link to this
I’ll bet you my butt slows down in Sandy Springs and in Cobb County. Why? It’s a little thing called Police Presence [which is, yeah, why I fly through the City of Atlanta. I’ll try slowing it down some, though, just on principle. Where’s the fire, you know?]
Hey, Lee, way to correct yourself on the BB gun info. I like the folks that comment on this blog; they tend to have some semblance of integrity [not unlike the blogger himself.]
By Lee
August 5, 2007 8:41 PM | Link to this
Beth, my first post about the bb gun was meant to be sarcastic. Unfortunately, it’s hard for sarcasm to come across in printed text. I don’t know who posted as Lee in the bold text.
Bottom line, I think charging someone for carrying a bb gun with a concealed weapons charge is Bullsh1t.
Netskip, we all want to live in a lawful, orderly society. It’s just that I find great hypocrisy when the cops can fine me $175 for rolling through a STOP sign at 3mph, but turn a blind eye to TENS OF MILLIONS of ILLEGAL ALIENS. I’ve been around the small town political arena and have been friends with cops enough to know that there is a real pressure put on them to generate revenue.
Maybe if the towns and counties were forced to turn over traffic ticket revenue to the state, you reckon that would reduce the pressure at the local level?
And yes, for every hour that they are sitting on the side of the road trying to write traffic tickets is an hour that they are not patroling my neighborhood, watching for someone breaking in houses, etc.
By Mark
August 6, 2007 4:40 AM | Link to this
Some of you people amuse me. That’s why I love this blog.. Makes me feel better about myself each time I read it.
El Bubba: Tranquilizer darts? Are you kidding me? Why not use bow and arrows with rubber tips? For that matter, why not sling shots with pepper balls?
JH Brooks: Your post doesn’t say much about today’s teachers, either. If you’re the best and the brightest in today’s world, we’re all in trouble. My 2 year old could write a post with a better argument and less mistakes.
Lee: I’m waiting for the day when you are the victim of an armed robbery. Maybe you even shoot back. Great! Except.. It was just a BB gun, which (following your logic) means you can’t claim self defense. Who’s in hot water now?
People, if you don’t like the time (or fine), don’t do the crime. Simple enough. I don’t speed or run red lights, and haven’t been stopped once. Not hard to figure out the reason behind that one, is it?
By Lex Luthor
August 6, 2007 10:27 AM | Link to this
I don’t know if this is where it happened, but its funny the number of people who get a ticket at the 4-way stop on Pitts road. They do it while there is a patrol car sitting right there.
From someone who got one: “Hey, don’t roll through that stop sign. They will really ticket you.”
Me: “Was that cop car sitting right there?”
Person: “Yes”
By Mike
August 6, 2007 11:05 AM | Link to this
I started this blog on Friday. From the number of people who went on about SS police matters I certainly think I was on to something. I want all police depts. to enforce the laws, I just want them to do it correctly, get the paperwork correct, administer the process with handoffs correctly, and not be lurking at a 4 way stop ALL THE TIME just to make money. That would be fair I think and none of us would have to go thru customs terrified that we might be the next to get embarrassed, possibly lose our job, and have to visit with the wonderful folks at the Fulton County jail. There is no room for mistakes in the police business and no room for ego’s or ulterior motives.
By huckleberry
August 6, 2007 11:12 AM | Link to this
Lt. Steve,
This is admittedly pretty random or ‘out there. ’ There were some recent tv programs about psychics supposedly successfully assisting detectives in then-current or cold case murder investigations. Have you ever come across that on the job here in real life? Just curious, thanks.
By Cubby
August 6, 2007 12:13 PM | Link to this
It’s true. $175.00 for rolling through a stop sign. A good friend of mine received the same ticket off of Glenridge Connector.
As my mom found out after going to traffic court, it’s not a stop if the wheels of your car do not stop.
By Akagi
August 6, 2007 1:34 PM | Link to this
Yes Amy, I can blame them. If a city is using its police to act as highwaymen to extort revenue then that is a city that needs its charter revoked.
By Analchord
August 6, 2007 7:41 PM | Link to this
BB guns R not toys!
Radar guns R not Toys!
Cops R not Boy-Toys!
We must respect all of these things and peoples and stuff.
If not, our society is finished.