On Thursday, October 18, 2001, at 05:59 PM, [EMAIL PROTECTED] wrote: > In 1983 I was questioned by a (New York) police officer, who interrupted > my quite open and obvious dictation into a hand held microcassette > recorder to do it. Since he saw the thing in my hand, and did not ask > me > to turn it off, I let it run during what was essentially a "Terry Stop". > > When the Terry stop escalated, and I was ordered to follow the officer > for > more questioning, I asked him, while holding out the recorder for the > answer, whether I was under arrest. Answer: no. Followed by "Am I free > to go?". Answer no. "Sir, I believe these two conditions are mutually > exclusive: either I am under arrest, or I am free to go. As I have > things > to do, I need to know which it is, so that I may either go do them, or > call my attorney to join us". > > My reward was a crushed microcassette recorder, a "missing" cassette (he > claimed the recorder was both damaged and empty at the time he first > encountered it), and an arrest (and conviction no less!). > > On the way to central booking, he helped himself to my pocket change to > pay for the coffee and doughnuts for him and his three buddies (they > actually stopped en-route, leaving me cuffed in the car alone for about > 20 minutes).
He earned killing. You would be justified in arranging his death, if this really happened. If this really happened and you have not yet taken him out with a good rifle, why not? (I realize you cannot say one way or the other whether you delivered justice to this (alleged) miscreant, but my point remains.) Personally, I doubt your story. Someone who does what you say was done to you has clearly earned killing. --Tim May
