THE "LEGAL JUSTICE SYSTEM" – WHAT A JOKE!!

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One of my favorite topics is the Legal Justice System.  An absolutely absurd name for one of the most corrupt branches of government I have ever seen.  It may be legal, but it certainly is not just.  It doesn’t even matter where you start when you’re looking to find the corruption.  They don’t even try to hide it.  

One of the things I never realized about being President of the United States – he is, for the most part above the law!!  What’s wrong with this picture?   

It’s like the policeman who goes driving by you on any public highway at speeds far exceeding any speed limits, driving at high rates of speed in busy traffic, potentially endangering anyone else on the road.  Why is the officer driving that way?  To catch some unsuspecting driver who broke the speed limit by 10 miles an hour?  Or to get back to the station because his shift is over?  Or to go on break?  Meanwhile, the officer in question exceeds the speed limits by double or more.  Where is the “oversight?”  Who gives police officers tickets for speeding?? 

Let’s talk about our wonderful police forces throughout the country.  If you expect fair treatment whenever you happen to become entangled in their midst, think again.  I was stopped by an officer late one evening after my band had finished playing a gig at a local nightclub in nearby Connecticut. (I was living in Charlestown, Rhode Island, 25 miles away.)  My girlfriend and I walked out of the club just after closing time (1:30 am in Connecticut) and got in my van, backed out into the street and proceeded to the traffic light  approximately 1,500 ft. ahead.  I approached the traffic signal and it turned red.  There were no other vehicles in front of me.  When the light turned green, I proceeded forward, but before I even got under the light, it turned yellow and immediately red.  Jim, you just ran a red light!! 

It turned out to be a trap to catch drunk drivers, who would unwittingly run a light that should remain green at least 1 full minute (one would think).  Needless to say - up ahead, sat a local police cruiser.  The officer stepped out into the street and motioned me over.

When I play music I never drink alcohol!   I’m getting paid well to perform a service and people are out spending hard-earned money, trying to have a good time.  They expect and deserve a good performance and drunks do perform – but badly!! 

So I knew I was OK to drive, because I was sober.  Well, the officer pulled me over and said, “Had a few cocktails tonight, huh?” I replied, “No officer, I’ve had nothing to drink.” He demanded I get out of my van and do a field sobriety test.  Of course, I passed with ease.  Then he decided to make me walk heel-to-toe to see if I would lose my balance. 

Now is a good time, to tell about my having been hit by a drunk driver as a pedestrian a few years earlier in the same town.  I was struck by a Nissan 280 Z which was a low-slung car.  Consequently, my injuries, which were major, resulted in my legs nearly being amputated.  Because of that, when I walk, (or lurch, as I call it) it would certainly appear that I am drunk. 

One would think a trained police officer could tell when someone is inebriated, but not that guy.  No – out came the handcuffs and into the police cruiser I went.  They towed my van and my girlfriend had to get a ride to the police station and wait for them to release me. 

The police officer began to ready the breathalyzer machine and he couldn’t get the machine to set up.  I happen to be an electrician who has dealt with many electronic devices and understand them very well.  I convinced him to turn off the machine, wait five minutes, and turn it back on.  Bingo!  It set right up. 

Now the officer administered the test and the numbers came back, 0.001%, needless to say, very low.  The legal limit is currently 0.08%, but back then it was 0.10%.  I said to the officer, “Pretty low, huh?”  He said, “Well, in an hour, when you take it again, we’ll both see it rise.”  He put me in a cell and I waited for the prescribed hour and we repeated the test. This time it came back 0.000%.  I said to the officer, “Do we need to see negative numbers before you’ll let me go home?”   To which he replied, “Don’t get smart with me!”  I said, “What are you going to do, lock me up?  You already did that and that’s not working out so well for you is it?”  Much to his dismay, he had to release me – only now,  I didn’t have my van because it had been impounded and I wouldn’t be able to get it back until Monday.  Perfect! 

Not only that, but I was also issued a ticket for DUI and would have to go to court over it, even though I was clearly not intoxicated.  I also had no ride home and had to call a buddy at 4:00 am to come to the police station and pick me up and drive me home.    

So, the court date came up and I took time off of work to go to court for the false drunk driving charge.  I was there in the court waiting area, and I approached a court prosecutor and showed him my ticket, with the breathalyzer report.  He said to me “I’m going to ask for a dismissal because you clearly were not intoxicated.” I said, “At least something is going right”. 

As I waited for the court room doors to open, I noticed a heavy-set older man, with a cane and obviously bad legs (he walked worse than I do!) go into a room and close the door behind him. The court room doors opened and everyone waiting went in. 

Out of the back room comes the judge – the same older gentleman with bad legs.  This is going to be beautiful, I said to myself.  They called me up before the bench, and the judge read the complaint and then said, “The prosecutor is asking for dismissal, so I will honor the prosecutor’s wishes”. 

The judge said to me, “Well, Mr. Magee, it’s obvious that you were not intoxicated, but the court has no way of knowing what other substances you might have been on.  Do you have anything you wish to say to the court?” To which I replied, “I’m glad you asked me that your honor.  A few years ago, in this very town, I was struck by a hit-and-run drunk driver.  So as a result, I don’t walk very well.  I noticed when you came into the court room that you don’t walk very well, either.  Wouldn’t it be interesting if you were pulled over in the middle of the night by one of these “stellar” officers, and because you can’t walk that well you’re assumed to be drunk and they lock you up - because that’s what happened to me.” He said,

 “Mr. Magee, the prosecutor has asked for dismissal and the court abides by his wishes.  If you want to bring a civil suit against the officer in question, that is certainly your right.  Have a good day, Mr. Magee.”  I was dismissed forthright and that was that!   

So again I say, the “LEGAL JUSTICE SYSTEM” – WHAT A JOKE!!   It might be legal, but it certainly is not just.  It’s always about who you are and who you know that can help you.  If you’ve got money, there’s not much you can’t accomplish. 

That was just one police station in one small city in Connecticut.  Think about the police stations across the country. No one watches them – hardly any oversight to speak of.  I repeat again – who gives police officers tickets for speeding, or for breaking the law, for that matter?  They do as they please.  Remember being in high school – there were always those guys who were simply jerks and did anything they pleased.  Those are the guys who now carry a gun and wear a badge and do things in the name of justice.  Not that there aren’t decent, hard working policemen and women, but one bad apple is all it takes to create a nightmare for an innocent citizen.  

 JUSTICE – BULLSH#T!!