In light of Dalvin Cook's upcoming trial, this blog post from a former FSU law student and State Attorney intern seems relevant.
Willie Meggs: "I own this town"
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If you think that would have been handled any differently by any other prosecutor you are crazy. And of course Meggs would take a a personal interest. People in HIS office were accused and identified. It's not his fault the girls were wrong.
I have no issue criticizing the way these things are handled, but it's not a Meggs issue. It's an investigation/prosecution issue. It's why we tell people never, ever talk to the police or SA without a lawyer. Ever.
I have no issue criticizing the way these things are handled, but it's not a Meggs issue. It's an investigation/prosecution issue. It's why we tell people never, ever talk to the police or SA without a lawyer. Ever.
Yeah...Meggs seems above board. I mean he owns the town.
Just because everyone else does it shouldn't get Meggs off the hook. If there is a larger issue, he is part of it. But keep taking every opportunity to deflect from Willie.
Excellent post and counsel. Reading this makes me wonder how many lives has Willie ruined in his career by using these tactics. Looks like the "Saint" may be more like the sinner he's trying to prosecute.
I am not defending it. I am saying that when you guys point to things that are a routine part of being a prosecutor, you are ignoring reality.
I think there are a lot of reasons to criticize Meggs. I just don't think those reasons mean every single time he breathes it's a conspiracy.
Every time he breathes? You read the article. He's an ass that (according to the writer) said he "owns the town". Just let people rip him for that. It is deserved. Not sure why you bring up "every time he breathes" in this thread.
RELEVANT PORTION:
About two days after the investigator first pulled me into an office, I and my alleged accomplice were sent to see the State Attorney himself. He had a big corner office in the Leon County court house building, with windows looking out over part of downtown. We sat in front of his desk, with armed detectives standing in the back like an audience. William N. Meggs, State Attorney for the Second Judicial Circuit of Florida, who goes by Willie, glared at us. He stood up from behind his desk and told us we had taken this whole thing too far. He was going to nail us. He would make it his personal mission to make sure we paid the price. He looked out the window and said the exact words “I own this town” (and now I’m paraphrasing) “I walked a beat here as a police officer before you were born.” He made sure we knew that he was going to ruin our lives and our careers. He said he knew we were lying about everything when we denied what we did. And then he sent us out.
About two days after the investigator first pulled me into an office, I and my alleged accomplice were sent to see the State Attorney himself. He had a big corner office in the Leon County court house building, with windows looking out over part of downtown. We sat in front of his desk, with armed detectives standing in the back like an audience. William N. Meggs, State Attorney for the Second Judicial Circuit of Florida, who goes by Willie, glared at us. He stood up from behind his desk and told us we had taken this whole thing too far. He was going to nail us. He would make it his personal mission to make sure we paid the price. He looked out the window and said the exact words “I own this town” (and now I’m paraphrasing) “I walked a beat here as a police officer before you were born.” He made sure we knew that he was going to ruin our lives and our careers. He said he knew we were lying about everything when we denied what we did. And then he sent us out.
Sorry, but that is nonsense. Willie Meggs has a very..."unique" approach that isn't shared by other State Attorneys. Ask anyone who has encountered, worked with, or worked for the man. It is not normal to say "I own this town," and "I will ruin your career," to two of his own interns based on an absurd story from two very confused and unreliable women.
The second intern accused wasn't even at the game, he was watching TV and studying at home, and ran out to get takeout in the middle of the game. Had the receipts to prove it. I could give you a long list of the odd and questionable things he has done during his time in office. So spare me, and enjoy your Monday meeting with Willie.
Its absolutely a Meggs issue. Please never talk to my kids, they don't need to hear an adult say "its ok, everyone else does it".
The quicker Meggs leaves, the better for everyone else.
We know of his actions against our players. You wonder what Meggs has done to the people from around Tallahassee like French Town that aren't powerful or wealthy and don't have FSU helping them.
We know of his actions against our players. You wonder what Meggs has done to the people from around Tallahassee like French Town that aren't powerful or wealthy and don't have FSU helping them.
It's an embrassment, sorry but I've been involved in employee investigation for a company and that's a joke because you just lost 2 employees who are going to look for another job.
Btw, Meggs doesn't "own this town" nor does the Governor. They are ELECTED to SERVE the population not themselves.
The police are legally allowed to lie to suspects
Wait what?!? I had no idea about this! I swear the more i learn about our justice system (and then see on the news) the more I feel like they're an adversary trying to profit and build business off of us.
The italized text above, if actually true, should be taught in every 6th grade Civics class in America. Knowing your "rights" (if such a thing exists) is likely more important than much of the (also important) historical political/legal doctrine that's taught.
Hell I'd teach a whole damn class to 4th graders called "Know your Rights and Staying Alive"
Yes, idiocy abounds in all prosecutorial offices. They are dealing with tons of cases, and they generally have inexperienced, bottom-tier law school graduates working there. But Willie, personally, is a special breed of dumb. Even worse than that is the injection of his own revival-tent moral code on top of the law. This buffoon gets a 6-figure pension for the rest of his life, courtesy of "us." So, yes, we can fairly blame him for all mistakes made under his "leadership."
This x 1,000
I used to be one of those law and order types. I have come to realize that our police and justice system is very badly flawed.
Post these videos everywhere and send them to friends and family
Defense attorney - Never talk to the police (it is well worth the 40 mins or so)
Retired NYPD Detective on why never to talk to the police, even in casual conversation
I don't answer questions
It's quite clear to me that our legal system is designed to generate convictions--not to seek justice.
I did not say it's ok if everyone does it. I am saying it's the way the system works.
If it were up to me it would not work this way. And if you want to say Meggs is bad for not being better than most of them, wonderful. But to suggest he is an outlier simply is inaccurate.
and profit for the prison industrial complex
Allnoles is correct. Meggs is not an outlier. Here are some recent stories about a federal judge who wrote an article for Georgetown Law Review on the unfair advantages that prosecutors have in our so called justice system
http://blogs.wsj.com/law/2015/06/30/judge-kozinski-time-to-rein-in-prosecutors/
http://reason.com/archives/2015/07/24/is-the-criminal-justice-system-tilted-in
http://blogs.wsj.com/law/2015/06/30/judge-kozinski-time-to-rein-in-prosecutors/
http://reason.com/archives/2015/07/24/is-the-criminal-justice-system-tilted-in
Such a sad statement on the state of our 'justice system'. Without some real intervention from top levels of the federal justice department we'll continue to trick thousands into jail cells; ruining more lives, families and careers in the process -- and for what, so taxpayers can bare the cost of our so-called "corrections system". SMDH.
TX posted some good videos in this thread also, but disgracefully defending your rights can land you in a coffin because as a society we can't or won't police our police and prosecutors. #Merica
Let me tell you my little "incident" that happened just a couple weeks ago... First off, let me say I'm not anti-authority or anti-police. I respect the job they do, & I'd never want to do what they do, or put up with some of the things they have to put up with. I have friends that are officers, & they are outstanding guys.
I was headed to Chattanooga for the weekend, when I encountered a little bog down on the interstate. A guy had decided that 50-60 mph was fast enough for the left lane. With all the semi trucks on the road at the time, it took awhile for me to take my turn to get around this special person. A black Escalade saw his chance in front of me, & I followed right behind. Right under the exit ramp sat a small town cop. He popped me passing the guy at 96... I drive an off-road slightly modded 4WD. I was doing 60. I couldn't believe I could get to 96 in the short amount of time it took to pass the special person.
I was polite...yes sir...no sir...I apologize sir... He goes back to his car & 15 min later returns with a ticket. "Here's your ticket for Reckless Driving. Here's the court date." I'm stunned... I tell him I apologize again, what am I supposed to do? It's my word against his. I mean, I was speeding, but I may have gotten to 88 tops, but 96??? Not a chance... Even though I'm not a habitual speeder, & doesn't seem fair, speeding is speeding, regardless.
Here's the racket... Come to find out, the only ticket they can write on the interstate here is Reckless Driving, & that 96mph is the exact number it has to be. They're writing tickets for income knowing their exit is right after a steep mountain incline, so people are doing the same thing I did. If he would have clocked me another mile down the road, he would have gotten me doing maybe 74 tops in my gas guzzler. Plus, you HAVE to show up for the court date. If you just pay it & don't show up to dispute it (who would?) they get you for a FTA, then suspend your DL, then you have to go up there & give them more money. It's nothing more than a money generator for the rinky dink town.
I wasn't going to dispute it, but a buddy of mine is an ex-cop-now-lawyer. And not 2 days later, another guy told me the same thing happened to him in the same spot, & that he lost his DL over it, just like my lawyer buddy said would happen. He told me he thinks he can get me out of it, so my fingers are crossed.
I was headed to Chattanooga for the weekend, when I encountered a little bog down on the interstate. A guy had decided that 50-60 mph was fast enough for the left lane. With all the semi trucks on the road at the time, it took awhile for me to take my turn to get around this special person. A black Escalade saw his chance in front of me, & I followed right behind. Right under the exit ramp sat a small town cop. He popped me passing the guy at 96... I drive an off-road slightly modded 4WD. I was doing 60. I couldn't believe I could get to 96 in the short amount of time it took to pass the special person.
I was polite...yes sir...no sir...I apologize sir... He goes back to his car & 15 min later returns with a ticket. "Here's your ticket for Reckless Driving. Here's the court date." I'm stunned... I tell him I apologize again, what am I supposed to do? It's my word against his. I mean, I was speeding, but I may have gotten to 88 tops, but 96??? Not a chance... Even though I'm not a habitual speeder, & doesn't seem fair, speeding is speeding, regardless.
Here's the racket... Come to find out, the only ticket they can write on the interstate here is Reckless Driving, & that 96mph is the exact number it has to be. They're writing tickets for income knowing their exit is right after a steep mountain incline, so people are doing the same thing I did. If he would have clocked me another mile down the road, he would have gotten me doing maybe 74 tops in my gas guzzler. Plus, you HAVE to show up for the court date. If you just pay it & don't show up to dispute it (who would?) they get you for a FTA, then suspend your DL, then you have to go up there & give them more money. It's nothing more than a money generator for the rinky dink town.
I wasn't going to dispute it, but a buddy of mine is an ex-cop-now-lawyer. And not 2 days later, another guy told me the same thing happened to him in the same spot, & that he lost his DL over it, just like my lawyer buddy said would happen. He told me he thinks he can get me out of it, so my fingers are crossed.
I suspect that the aspect of law training that is about being a criminal defense attorney corrupts basic ethics.
police and prosecutes gain by winning, that is fundamentally corrupting!
Let me tell you my little "incident" that happened just a couple weeks ago... First off, let me say I'm not anti-authority or anti-police. I respect the job they do, & I'd never want to do what they do, or put up with some of the things they have to put up with. I have friends that are officers, & they are outstanding guys.
I was headed to Chattanooga for the weekend, when I encountered a little bog down on the interstate. A guy had decided that 50-60 mph was fast enough for the left lane. With all the semi trucks on the road at the time, it took awhile for me to take my turn to get around this special person. A black Escalade saw his chance in front of me, & I followed right behind. Right under the exit ramp sat a small town cop. He popped me passing the guy at 96... I drive an off-road slightly modded 4WD. I was doing 60. I couldn't believe I could get to 96 in the short amount of time it took to pass the special person.
I was polite...yes sir...no sir...I apologize sir... He goes back to his car & 15 min later returns with a ticket. "Here's your ticket for Reckless Driving. Here's the court date." I'm stunned... I tell him I apologize again, what am I supposed to do? It's my word against his. I mean, I was speeding, but I may have gotten to 88 tops, but 96??? Not a chance... Even though I'm not a habitual speeder, & doesn't seem fair, speeding is speeding, regardless.
Here's the racket... Come to find out, the only ticket they can write on the interstate here is Reckless Driving, & that 96mph is the exact number it has to be. They're writing tickets for income knowing their exit is right after a steep mountain incline, so people are doing the same thing I did. If he would have clocked me another mile down the road, he would have gotten me doing maybe 74 tops in my gas guzzler. Plus, you HAVE to show up for the court date. If you just pay it & don't show up to dispute it (who would?) they get you for a FTA, then suspend your DL, then you have to go up there & give them more money. It's nothing more than a money generator for the rinky dink town.
I wasn't going to dispute it, but a buddy of mine is an ex-cop-now-lawyer. And not 2 days later, another guy told me the same thing happened to him in the same spot, & that he lost his DL over it, just like my lawyer buddy said would happen. He told me he thinks he can get me out of it, so my fingers are crossed.
In North Carolina as a tourist you have to personally appear in court OR hire a local attorney, who do you pushed this law?
Does anyone here besides me watch First 48?
The way they show the story you WANT them to lie to the perps.
Here in Jax we've had an ongoing heartbreaker about a 21 month old baby who was murdered and the mama (stripper) is lying and covering for her boyfriend who killed that little guy. I HOPE the cops lie their asses off to get that guy the death penalty.
If you disagree I don't really care.
I admit every case is different but don't write off all LEO's.
if cops are going to make a practice of lying to gain testimony or confessions favorable to them, then we should all be educated at a very young age that a cops word is NOT to be trusted. our education system is not only teaching us the wrong thing, they're teaching us something that could land us in jail for nothing whatsoever - that itself is insane to me.
if a cop/prosecutor has done IMMENSE due diligence and fact gathering and they're certain (or almost certain) the individual they're going after is guilty, then perhaps a white lie is fine (which would appear to be the case you're talking about) -- but the question is do we trust this group of people (as a whole) who've proven to have more than a few bad apples among them to correctly wield this power? I do not. The OPs story would confirm that.
Our justice system was set up so that we'd let 10 guilty men go to avoid the chance of imprisoning one innocent man -- that seems to have been turned on its head by our LEO and DA offices.
it seems the people policing us are the very ones needing policing of their own. i have ADA friends, the stories of the crazy ish that goes on in the personal lives of their colleagues would make your head spin -- i have no trust in people of that type of moral fiber to uphold our laws. they are what amount to a jaded, out of control frat house - which would barely be okay if they were running a burger king franchise, but these people are capable of ruining innocent lives in the process.
A "personal interest" as you say it would have been him talking to the gentleman himself as soon as he heard about it, which is what a real leader would do, since it is HIS office. And after he did so it would have been settled for the man in question in 15 min.
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