Another Maryland State Trooper Blown Up By His Video

It only took this Maryland State Trooper about one month from his hire to write his police report and then less than a year to testify  inconsistently with HIS video.  He became a trooper in August 2011 and arrested my client in September 2012.  His report was printed four days after the arrest, so it was written sometime in between.  The trooper’s report and testimony was that my client swerved into a lane and the trooper got become him AND ACTIVATED HIS CAMERA.  On cross-examination he admitted he hit the start button ONCE that evening.  While following my client WITH THE CAMERA ROLLING, he decides to come alongside and look at my client’s large digital speedometer.  He sees a speed and then drops behind him.  The travela total of 3 miles before the stop is made.  Do I even have to finish this story, or do you know what is not on the tape…………………………………………… HE NEVER PULLS UP NEXT TO HIM AND SEES HIS SPEEDOMETER!!!!!  He is behind him the whole way.  BUT WAIT protests the Trooper,  I thought the camera turned on when I pushed the button.  It must not have.   DUH…. how in the hell did the rest of the tape get created if it did not turn on???  DUH…..  maybe I thought I turned it on, and did so later.  The easy way out was there was no testimony of the speed limit and the Trooper had no documents concerning the calibration of his speedometer.  The Judge did not have to make a credibility finding.  The prosecutor to his credit was disgusted and made no effort to rehabilitate this fool.  This same trooper failed to appear for the first trial because he told the then prosecutor that he got an e-mail from the State’s Attorney’s Office telling him he did not have to appear.  According to the prosecutor, THEY DO NOT SEND E-MAILS AND THIS GUY NEVER GOT ONE telling him to stay in bed that morning and sleep.  This guy has been a trooper less than a year, and this is what we get as taxpayers.  Veteran troopers are disgusted by the behavior of the trooper I previously blogged about, and who has been around for a while.  I know when they read this, they are going to wonder what standards are being used to hire new troopers.  Are the MSP going to turn in the Baltimore City Police Department, where the running joke is, “If the case gets postponed enough times, the officers will probably get indicted.”  Sad, but true.  While trying to get a felony courtroom in Baltimore City two weeks ago, I listened as the State dropped a case because the officer had been indicted for a felony.  I know one State’s Attorney’s Office turns these problems over to the command of the MSP where it apparently ignored.  A total lack of leadership, and the results today reinforce that honesty and integrity are not present employment characteristics for the MSP.  My apologies to the honest troopers, but really the apology should come from Pikesville where the command staff is located and where the decisions to run an agency like this are made.  Don’t hold your breath, because they don’t give a damn.