Post by KNOWTHIS on Oct 23, 2006 17:32:53 GMT -5
www.wpcva.com/articles/2006/10/19/chatham/opinion/opinion01.txt
I am a local farmer; my wife teaches elementary school; our three children are well-adjusted, “A” students.
We go to church, work hard, and pay our bills and taxes.
We are law-abiding, responsible members of society; we have never had reason to fear the law.
On Saturday morning, Sept. 23, 2006, many police vehicles appeared in our driveway. Men in black with flak jackets ran to and around our house.
My wife was at home alone. I drove up and asked, “What's going on?”
Men ran at me, dropped into shooting position, double-handed semi-automatic pistols pointed at me, and made me put my hands against my truck.
I was held at gunpoint, searched, taunted, and led into the house. I had no idea what this was about. I was scared beyond description. I feared there had been a murder and I was a suspect.
My wife and I were interrogated about Internet crime. We are not avid computer users; we do not even e-mail. We knew nothing of what they were speaking.
After seemingly convincing them of our computer “illiteracy,” we were questioned about our children and made to doubt their innocence.
Our home was searched by a para-military search-and-seizure team.
Our computers, digital camera, disposable cameras, DVD's, and VHS tapes were seized.
We were held in our home under guard for five hours.
Our children came home and were also interrogated.
It was awful. We were accused of horrible crimes, crimes that even the mention of would ruin our reputations.
The investigation was to be complete within six to nine months. We were in shock.
At 5:30 p.m. on Monday, Oct. 2, the chief investigator of Pittsylvania County returned our possessions and said that the wrong IP (computer) address had been identified. We would not be charged.
Pittsylvania County Sheriff's Department, Bedford County Sheriff's Department and Blue Ridge Thunder invaded our peaceful lives with military force based on one piece of wrong digital information.
The investigators did not do their jobs. They did not even know that we had children.
Incompetence? Apathy? Do these computer police have too much power?
No innocent United States citizen should be subjected to this based on so little evidence.
Inexcusable. Civil rights laws have been established to protect the innocent. Our ancestors fought and died for these rights.
The Fourth Amendment of the United States Constitution states: “The right of the people to be secure in their persons, houses, papers and effects, against unreasonable searches and seizures, shall not be violated, and no warrant shall issue but upon probable cause...”
Invading our home with one bit of incorrect evidence was totally unreasonable.
I support the police and their efforts, but I believe every United States citizen should fear and be angry about these tactics.
I will not rest until I know what went wrong in this investigation. I pray that you will not either.
A.J. Nuckols
Gretna
I am a local farmer; my wife teaches elementary school; our three children are well-adjusted, “A” students.
We go to church, work hard, and pay our bills and taxes.
We are law-abiding, responsible members of society; we have never had reason to fear the law.
On Saturday morning, Sept. 23, 2006, many police vehicles appeared in our driveway. Men in black with flak jackets ran to and around our house.
My wife was at home alone. I drove up and asked, “What's going on?”
Men ran at me, dropped into shooting position, double-handed semi-automatic pistols pointed at me, and made me put my hands against my truck.
I was held at gunpoint, searched, taunted, and led into the house. I had no idea what this was about. I was scared beyond description. I feared there had been a murder and I was a suspect.
My wife and I were interrogated about Internet crime. We are not avid computer users; we do not even e-mail. We knew nothing of what they were speaking.
After seemingly convincing them of our computer “illiteracy,” we were questioned about our children and made to doubt their innocence.
Our home was searched by a para-military search-and-seizure team.
Our computers, digital camera, disposable cameras, DVD's, and VHS tapes were seized.
We were held in our home under guard for five hours.
Our children came home and were also interrogated.
It was awful. We were accused of horrible crimes, crimes that even the mention of would ruin our reputations.
The investigation was to be complete within six to nine months. We were in shock.
At 5:30 p.m. on Monday, Oct. 2, the chief investigator of Pittsylvania County returned our possessions and said that the wrong IP (computer) address had been identified. We would not be charged.
Pittsylvania County Sheriff's Department, Bedford County Sheriff's Department and Blue Ridge Thunder invaded our peaceful lives with military force based on one piece of wrong digital information.
The investigators did not do their jobs. They did not even know that we had children.
Incompetence? Apathy? Do these computer police have too much power?
No innocent United States citizen should be subjected to this based on so little evidence.
Inexcusable. Civil rights laws have been established to protect the innocent. Our ancestors fought and died for these rights.
The Fourth Amendment of the United States Constitution states: “The right of the people to be secure in their persons, houses, papers and effects, against unreasonable searches and seizures, shall not be violated, and no warrant shall issue but upon probable cause...”
Invading our home with one bit of incorrect evidence was totally unreasonable.
I support the police and their efforts, but I believe every United States citizen should fear and be angry about these tactics.
I will not rest until I know what went wrong in this investigation. I pray that you will not either.
A.J. Nuckols
Gretna
