KEEP YOUR FRIENDS CLOSE!!

The most perversely corrupt area of law enforcement today is the informant system. Picture this. You are a low level street dealer, or, in order to cast a wider net, we'll say that you have just been pulled over for speeding, and there was a half empty bottle of wine in the rear seat. Let's say that the penalty for this type of violation is a $5,000.00 fine, and 1 year in jail. Even though this is your first offense, those are the minimum acceptable sentences for this offense. The judge presiding over the trial does not have the discretion to deviate from the minimum sentencing guidelines, because that's the way the law was written. Now, here are your options. You go to trial, and risk a guilty verdict because, the jury agrees with the prosecutions assertions. Speeding with an open container in the vehicle. After all, you were going 70mph in a 55mph zone, and there was in fact half of a bottle of Merlot in the back seat, leftover from a dinner at mom's house a couple of day's ago. GUILTY! That's one scenario, as so vividly explained to you by the arresting officer, with a couple of his comrades on hand to reaffirm his claims. Now that you have painted a picture of yourself behind bars for the next 12 month's, while your teen age son or daughter graduates from High School, and your mother or father suffer from a life threatening ailment, and are badly in need of support from their only child. Then, hold on a minute. "I have another idea" says Officer Jones. "Would you happen to know of anyone else who has a tendency to drive a little faster than the law allows?" "Would this individual bring a bottle of wine to your house, and then agree to take the unused wine with them when they leave, at your insistence?" "If this is something that may be possible, then maybe we can work something out. As your trial draws near, and your anxiety level spikes, the DA, or the US attorney chimes in with the same offer. " What do you do? What do you do? Do you have the personal fortitude to stand and face the charges that are before you, along with the consequences? Or, do you figure that Marge, or Tony would probably go for the wine thing. After all they are friends of yours, and this is a scenario that has occurred on more than one occasion in the past. Sure, they have children too. Sure, their parents are getting up there in age. Sure, they are good friends, and they trust you, but then again, if they weren't such good friends, and they didn't trust you so much, this would never work. Screw it! Screw Tony and Marge! Better them than me, right, after all they can just turn around and do the same thing to someone else. Yes, that's it! Sorry Tony and Marge. And so the vicious cycle begins.

This very same set of circumstances is played out hundreds, probably thousands of times every day across this country. The only difference is it's not $5,000.00, it's $2.000,000.00, and it's not 1 year, it's 10 to 20, or more. I'm talking about first offense-non violent-crimes. In many, many, cases the only victim is the one who got set up. I say that because criminal informants, are exactly that. Criminals, with information, that may or may not be true. Criminals, who would do anything to save their own ass. Criminals, that lie, threaten, coerce, and abuse the system of justice in every way imaginable, in order to get a pass. The question that needs to be asked of every informant is-"Suppose there was no pass involved. Would you be pointing the finger at those who are closest to you, who you know are not pre-disposed to commit these types of acts? Or, would you provide information on those who you are certain are the perpetrators of this type of activity? People who you are afraid of. People who are capable of doing bad things to you, and yours. Or would you just keep your cowardly mouth shut altogether? Probably the latter. Either way, the number of first time offenders, who have been incarcerated for exorbitant lengths of time, for non-violent offenses, because they were underhandedly set up, is staggering, and it has got to stop. Just remember, and be very weary. These types of deals are taking place all around us, in our every day lives. Absolutely no one should have to go through what I've been going through for the past 30 months or so, on account of a supposed friend who used lies, coercion, and threats, etc. in an act of self-preservation. The old saying is reversed when it comes to this: Keep your enemies close-and your friends closer!