A 61 year old Atlanta woman was speaking with some acquaintances when they were told to move by police officers. When she turned and asked “Why?” she was reportedly placed in cuffs and taken to the police station. Charged with disorderly conduct, the woman and her friends state that police presence in their community has gone from one of peace makers to trouble makers.
According to the Atlanta Journal Constitution, the Citizen Review Board sustained 61-year old Minnie Carey’s accusation of false arrest by the officer Brandy Dolson. Though punishment has not yet been determined, it will be a matter for the review board and the Atlanta Police Department to resolve, not a criminal court.
Carey, on the other hand, did have to go through the court for her charges of disorderly conduct. It wasn’t until her third court appearance that the charges against her were dropped. On the date of her arrest, she was cuffed, transported in a police van, and then held in jail for 9 hours before being released.
According to her account, Carey was only guilty of questioning the officer. The officer, on the other hand, claimed she was disruptive and “loud” when asked to move. One member of the board states “There’s no basis to arrest someone for talking loudly.”
Unfortunately, there are many cases that are brought before judges in our state that must be dismissed for a variety of reasons, including lack of evidence. While it can’t always be considered a false arrest, there are situations when police make mistakes, arresting people on charges they simply didn’t commit.
This is particularly common for disorderly conduct arrests, where the interpretation of the facts are often very subjective.
As your attorney it’s my job to ensure that if the charges against you deserve to be dropped, that point is made abundantly clear in court. We can work together to have evidence suppressed if appropriate or work with the prosecution to come to a plea agreement.
The potential outcome from your case, whether its charges of disorderly conduct or even assault, can vary greatly depending on the specific circumstances of your case.
If you are facing criminal charges and want to be sure someone has your back in court, call me today. Let’s discuss the details of your case and I can provide you with some free legal advice.