After reading the story of the wrongfully convicted youth, it makes me wonder about the job the LP police did in this case. They spoke with the true suspect, then a completely different person was convicted in court?

Did they NOT notice a different human being standing before the Judge? Did they NOT take fingerprints of the true suspect while she was detained?

A suspect using someone else's name is not unusual. Once the innocent victim appeared in Court, it should have been over. She was CONVICTED. Now that's unusual. Weren't the arresting officers in the Courtroom?

I hope someone out there has the facts in this case. Anyone that knows anything about bookings and arraignments must be apalled at this story. (If true, I admit I read it in the local rag)

AND A BIG
to Sears for coming up with the evidence that the LP police must have overlooked. Thank goodness we have video! Too bad Sears isn't on the LP police payroll. Looks like they could use Sears' professionalism.

Any info out there?

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Accountability for all, big or small, is what's needed this fall.

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i dont have any info but i agree they should have looked in to this case before just grabbing the 1st person and putting her in jail jmo

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I was disgusted when this was brought up tonight. A resident came up and asked questions and no one would answer him. Fine. I can understand that. You don't want to talk when there is a lawsuit pending. Fine.

But then it came time for the council memebrs to give their closing comments. Brady, Murphy and DiSanto were more concerned with people knowing about the lawsuit than anything else. Brady said they need to make changes so that the newspapers don't get wind of lawsuits. Well, ya know what? All that means is that she wants to keep US from knowing about lawsuits against OUR city. And whose money will be used when these suiits are settled? OUR TAXPAYER DOLLARS. How dare she even slightly suggest that people shoudln't know about these things. If the council isn't willing to tell us about lawsuits, I'm happy that The News-Herald at least will tell us when lawsuits are filed.

We deserve to know. IT'S OUR MONEY AT STAKE.

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TheGirlNextDoor (08-23-05), jujitsu50 (08-23-05), RubberArm (08-26-05)

while i hate to see the city get sued, it sounds to me like this is a deserving case, if i were in that girls shoes i would sue everyone involved, and go for all i could get!

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TheGirlNextDoor (08-23-05)

I didn't get that from their comments, Wolverine. I understood it as them being concerned that stories were hitting the paper before the council was made aware of the incident. They were getting calls from residents...before the council every got wind of what was going on.

They were also concerned that the story being printed might have been biased. They couldn't get into specifics, but it sounds like there may have been more to the story than what was reported. And as one of the council members put it "It makes us (the city) look bad."

I didn't get that at all...that they were concerned with keeping lawsuits out of the public eye. I think they were more concerned with The News-Herald someone being privvy to information long before the council is...and that only part of the story was being printed.

Anyone who knows anything knows that it's not the first time The News-Herald was able to publish something that completely bypassed the council-at-large...and they know it's most certainly not the first time The News-Herald has sensationalized "news" without giving much regard to all of the facts and circumstances surrounding the story.

Above all, I believe they WERE looking out for the taxpayers. How often do attorneys use the media to influence a case? You saw that resident at the podium...he was appalled by the actions of our police. But the question is: Is that the full and accurate story that was being reported in the paper? It's beginning to sound like it might not be...which means that whoever released it to the media might be accomplishing their objective of shifting public sentiment towards the side of the victim.

Personally, from what I read, I'm appalled. But we don't know what we don't know yet. That was one of the issues the council addressed...the other being why they were not informed of something so serious...why they had to learn about it in a newspaper and from resident phone calls.

If you get the chance, try watching the council meeting rerun on Wednesday and see if you see it differently.

Or maybe you can point out what it was that was said that made you believe they were concerned about keeping lawsuits a secret?

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It was the part where she said that the council should change the way it gets notified of lawsuits. She said the suits shouldn't be a part of their council packet because that is the info given to the newspaper. I guess whatever is in their packet is given to the news-herald. She said that needed to be changed so that the newspaper didn't get copies of the lawsuits. When really all that says is that residents shouldn't get word of the lawsuits. And that just stinks. It's OUR money.

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TheGirlNextDoor (08-23-05), jujitsu50 (08-23-05)

Again, I think she was looking out for the taxpayers. The case is still in litigation, yet "facts" (that we don't know are true or accurate yet) are being reported in the media. I think she is saying that when something is pending in court, that all documents concerning the case should be kept out of the newspaper...in order to PROTECT the taxpayers. Let the courts determine guilt...not the media.

That's how I took it, at least.

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So anytime a lawsuit is filed, you never want to know about it until it's resolved?

So when Robin FOIA'd for information about Mr. Kaminski's lawsuit she shouldn't have since that case wasn't yet settled? That story was reported in the newes-herald and no one on here had bad things to say about that one. But that's because many people on this site LIKE the idea that a police officer is suing the city and the mayor beacuse they don't like Brown.

It's certainly a matter of which suits being talked about here that elicits different responses. I'm happy to know about ALL lawsuits, not just the ones I happen to think are correct.

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TheGirlNextDoor (08-23-05), jujitsu50 (08-23-05)

I'm not saying that. I'm saying that I think the council was attempting to address two issues:

1) They would rather learn of pertinent information (like lawsuits) before a newspaper is able to begin reporting "facts" about it.
2) They want to be sure that's what's being reported is accurate. If it's not accurate, it could jeapardize the case.

And I think it's safe to say that I speak for many here when I say: None of us like to see the city for sued anything...regardless of who or why. But at the same time, we're going to discuss whatever facts we are privvy to. Case in point: Do you see anyone here defending the police actions in the case with this little girl? I don't. We're outraged at WHAT WE KNOW. But the question is, do we know it all? We don't know what we don't know.

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Great. I agree. However, if Brady would have gotten what she wanted, we wouldn't know what we do. That's my problem with it. They were given the chance tonight to tell anything else if they wanted to. But they didn't. So until they do, I'm happy to know the little bit that we do. And that is what I hope doesn't change just because some people may be upset with the suit itself. Fight it in court, but don't fight to keep it away from us residents.

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TheGirlNextDoor (08-23-05), jujitsu50 (08-23-05)

I don't think they did have the chance to tell everything they wanted to. The case is pending litigation...mouths must be kept shut about it.

Except in the meantime, we have a newspaper reporting things that may or may not be true. That's my concern...and I think the concern of the council (including Brady).

I don't want to put words into anyones mouth...so if Brady reads this...maybe she can elaborate for us what her comments meant.

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Well, I don't know about 'must' be kept shut.

That may be how they do things, but they certainly CAN talk if they choose to. Read the story in question. Mr. Zelenek did talk, even tho he didnt' say much. If anything in the story was glaringly wrong, I would hope that he would have pointed it out, if for no other reason than making the city look bad. I've got to trust that what was written thus far is correct, at least according to the lawsuit. If someone can show otherwise, please do. We're all waiting to listen, and are hoping you have something good to say. No one wants to see more lawsuits coming. But no one wants to be blindsighted to them either.

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PERFECT WORLD: You can not file a Civil Law suit against the Police for more than $500,000.00... However, reality says IT's WIDEOPEN (the checkbook). Make NO MISTAKE...NO ONE.....Did anything wrong...yet "The News Herald" portayed those involved (Police Ofcs) as VILLANS. You know in Afghanistan and Iraq they drop leaflets similiar to "The NewsHerald.com". Either way, KNOWLEDGE IS POWER...Share yours.

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Do you honestly believe that Council didn't know about this suit before it hit the papers?

Instead of keeping their mouths shut, why don't they inform the community of the truth as they know it? I'd like to remind the Council just who they work for!

I worked in the PD for years. There is no excuse for LP police. I'll ask again: Was the arresting officer in Court? When the suspect showed up in Court, didn't they recognize it was not the same person? Does the arresting officer need glasses?

If the News Herald is wrong, tell us!!! Silence tells me that someone is not doing their job, or they have something to hide.

By the way, let me tell you about lawsuits. The City doesn't pay, the insurance company does.

ACCOUNTABILITY IS THE ANSWER!!! In Allen Park, the City violated the rights of many, and Council acted like they knew nothing. They did not represent their citizens, instead they hid their guilt.

If cities would stand up to their errors, lawsuits wouldn't be necessary. They have no one to blame but themselves. I wish politicians weren't so self-servant instead of being public servants.

Thats my opinion. I will be running for Council in Allen Park's next election. POLITICIANS BEWARE!!! This citizen wants ethics and morals back in my community, not lawsuits. I know of six lawsuits in Allen Park that could have been easily avoided. Admit error, apologize, and get back to work.

Too many games are played in local gov't. Council and the administration are too chummy in my book. They are supposed to represent the citzens, not their buds.

That's my opinion.

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Wolverine (08-23-05)

I'm so tired of hearing "pending litigation.....mouths must be kept shut about it". That line is lawyer talk for HOGWASH. Truth prevails over any litigation.

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Wolverine (08-23-05)

Absolutely. I get so sick and tired of people saying it's not true cuz it's in the news-herald. Well, ya know what .. if it's not true, SPEAK UP and tell us that. But instead they hide behind "we can't talk" and still want people to blindly believe them. Hogwash.

The truth will set you free.

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TheGirlNextDoor (08-23-05)

Before we form a decision regarding this lawsuit, we have to hear the other side of the story.

I read the article. Obviously there is more to the story.

I do not blame Jason Alley of the News Herald. His article was only reporting about the lawsuit. He was not forming an opinion as to guilt or responsibility, he was only stating what the lawsuit is all about.

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A Five Year Millage? Yes
A non-limited Millage? Never
Vote NO on Proposal R

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Wolverine (08-23-05)

You know what? I agree with you. I think it would be great if the true facts of a case could be freely discussed while the lawyers and courts battle it out.

But unfortunately, that's not how the world works. Lawyers use the media, who in turn use the public sentiment, to influence the outcome of a case.

In other words...don't shoot the messenger. I don't make the rules...but I do know how they work.

Why do you think so many large entities settle out of court? Because of the media. The media does not care to report all of the facts...only the facts that are "sensational" and that will sell papers or get advertisers to buy time slots. It's a sad, but true, fact.

Why do you think our incurance company paid a $1.8 million settlement to the family of a convicted criminal who not only fled from our police, but pulled a gun on them?! Because the insurance company knows that the facts of the case are not what drives the media...it is the sensationalism. Our officers were found innocent. The gun that everyone accused them of planting? It was proven to have been sold to the criminal weeks (or months) before the incident occurred. The facts of the case proved our officers innocent. But the media ran with so many "what ifs" that it shifted the public sentiment into thinking our officers were guilty...and hence our insurance company settled out of court.

Don't you think we tried to set the facts straight in the media after the case was settled while the investigation was occurring? Sure we did. But did it help? Not at all. The full and accurate truth doesn't always sell newspapers...you know that.

If you speak in public about the case, the media will pick up on it. If they don't put their own spin on it...then the opposing attorney is sure to pick up on it and use it to their advantage in court.

It's strategy. A football coach doesn't post their gameplan on the stadium big screen for the other team to see...even though the fans would like to know what's going on. No...instead...they play their game plan out and let the game unfold before the fans. The legal system and media are no different if you think about it.

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Exactly right, Magoo. I just hope the other side comes out. We deserve to know exactly what happened .. and even worse, if there's a chance it could happen again. That's kinda scary.

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TheGirlNextDoor (08-26-05)

I don't buy that one second. If the city's insurance company is settling a lawsuit because of the media coverage surrounding teh case, that firm needs to be fired. They have a job to do .. and that's to protect the city's financial and best interests. And I HIGHLY doubt when deciding that, that they thought for one second about what the media may say about it.

If that was the case, this latest surely backfired on them as the story about them settling the shooting lawsuit made the company itself look like the fool.

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TheGirlNextDoor (08-23-05)