Rochester, NY Cop Before Charging
Woman who Video Recorded Him.
For years I've exposed just how corrupt our American "justice" system is, especially when it comes to enabling rogue police officers, while at the same time railroading innocent victims of those same rogue cops.
That's exactly what happened in the case of a Rochester, NY couple who were detained and then falsely arrested by RPD cops as the couple were on their way to work, waiting for a bus in downtown Rochester last week.
Not only were Shelise Colon and her boyfriend Lawrence falsely arrested, but as a video that Shelise sent me Tuesday night shows, an irate Rochester, NY Police officer also violated her first amendment protected right to record, by attacking her and snatching her phone from her after she began video recording the officer who was threatening to tase her boyfriend.
According to Shelise, the incident took place on December 16th, after her and her boyfriend Lawrence, mindful and respectful of the fact that smoking out front of the RTS bus station is frowned upon by staff, decided to walk a short distance away from the station, for a quick smoke before their bus came.
"We were standing by the corner store which is literally next to the bus station because the workers don't like people smoking in front," Shelise said, adding,
"We weren't doing anything wrong, just standing there and talking with each other, when a Rochester Police officer pulled up next to us and told us that we couldn't stand there."
"So we said ok, and as we proceeded to walk away, two officers jumped out of their cruiser and attacked my boyfriend, yelling at him to show the his id."
"I began asking them what we did wrong, and they wouldn't tell us, then they became more aggressive and that's when one of the officers took out his taser and pointed it right at my boyfriend who was against the wall."
Shelise told me that this is when she took out her phone and began recording.
"I was afraid that they were going to shoot my boyfriend," Shelise said.
"And as soon as the officer saw me recording, that's when he charged at me yelling at me to give him my phone."
The :23 second video which I've posted the link to below, shows the Rochester, NY Police officer holding a taser, pointing it at Lawrence.
The officer then looks over at Shelise and when he sees her video recording him, charges at her, yelling, "Give me your phone! Give me that!"
Both Shelise and Lawrence were arrested and charged with trespassing, even though they were standing on a public sidewalk.
They were both taken to jail, where Shelise, a mother of a infant, spent the night in jail.
Now here's where our American "justice" system, which is supposed to protect us, doesn't.
At his first court appearance, the Monroe County, NY District Attorney's office offered Lawrence an "ACD", which is short for an Adjournment in Contemplation of Dismissal."
Basically it means that the court will in essence, think about (contemplate) dismissing any charges against you (including false charges levied against you by rogue police officers who violate the U.S Constitution) IF, and only IF you "stay out of trouble" (better said, if you manage not to get falsely charged again), for the period of time that the court determines.
As an activist who has been exposing not only police misconduct and corruption for the past 20 plus years, but also a corrupt "justice" system which preys on citizens while turning a blind eye to dirty cops, I always warn people about the trap of ACD's.
Especially in a city as corrupt as Rochester, NY.
A city with a long history of civil rights violations, including racial profiling on behalf of the RPD.
Late Tuesday night I spoke with Lawrence.
I asked him what if anything the police officers told him after they took him to jail.
"They told me I looked like someone who they were looking for, but that the guy they were after had tattoos on his neck."
"Except for a small tattoo on my wrist, I don't have any tattoos anywhere else."
I will be updating this piece.
Rochester, NY Cop Charges Woman Who Video Recorded Him; "Give Me That Phone! Give Me That!"
CLICK LINK BELOW TO WATCH VIDEO
Follow me on twitter
