A day in the life of Vermont’s legal system!!!

Posted by J.King. on December 10, 2003 at 11:57:29:

A day in the life of Vermont’s legal system!!!
By J.King.
Edited By Jeremy Rousse.
10/15/2003

First off I need to give you some back ground info. It was June 15th 2003 – Fathers Day. My wife and I made our way down the back roads of [undisclosed small town in Vermont] heading to meet a couple friends for a great day of gun shopping. I was driving my Jeep (God, I love that vehicle) and upon coming to a very sharp corner that led steeply up a hill. I accelerated my usual five or six extra miles per hour to make it to the top of the hill with out having to drop down into second gear. As I made my way around the corner I noticed a [undisclosed small town in Vermont] police officer careering toward me from the opposite direction. He was coming pretty fast and came over the yellow line a few inches, causing me to come more toward the guard rail than usual. At once I took a look at my speed gauge and noticed it was at roughly 43, and thought to myself due to his high speed, “For sure, he was on the hunt for someone!” I was wrong. At the nearest driveway, he turned into and right away sped up toward us lights flashing and all. Well I, being the average American Joe, did the right thing. I threw my blinker on and pulled to the side of the road. Here we are in good ole [small undisclosed town in Vermont] and up comes officer ‘so and so’, hand on his gun.

Having my window down already, I at once greeted the officer, only to get questioned in return, “Where are you heading?” Not that it is any of his business, being the polite person I am I answered him very friendly-like. He then asked me if I noticed how fast I was going, to which I replied that I had been going roughly around 40 miles an hour, At that point I told him why. He asked me for my papers and upon giving them up he went to his vehicle. There my wife and I sat for what seemed to be almost a half an hour. We thought for sure he couldn’t be writing a ticket for seven miles over the speed limit…. Or was he? We soon found out, as he approached the Jeep’s door stating that he was going to give me a break today! ‘That’s right, Mr. King, today is your lucky day!!!!’ He proceeded to tell me that I had a brake light failing in the rear and that my license did not have the correct address on it. (The license issue was due to the fact that we were in the process of moving within the year and I hated to give up on another $25.00 for a change of address on my license that would have been done anyhow in a few months) He said that for those two items he was going to let me go, then he handed me the break of the day…. Or so I thought. With the warning for the two items was a 130.00 speeding ticket and 3 points against my flawless driving record! In astonishment, I gasped and then looked at the speed he supposedly got me at. 52 mph. He nodded and said, “Have a nice day.” And he was gone. My readers, please note that for the following hour or so with in my Jeep there was a storm brewing, my face was redder and hotter than the sun and at that point I vowed to fight what I thought was an unjust and incorrect speeding ticket.

That brings me to today. October 15, 2003. My court date. After spending the night before taking pictures of the turn and following steep hill, and this morning writing an explanation and reason why I had thought the officer had made a mistake, I dressed in my Black pants and nicely pressed white shirt and black tie and made my way to the courthouse. Upon entering through the three or four guards with their assorted metal detectors and having the dang things go off at waist level in front of twenty or so onlookers and thinking, “Why me, God?”… (I swear officer, it’s my belt buckle…) I went on my way to the courtroom. It wasn’t long before we were seated and in front of me were three cases and then it was my turn. The first case was an Indian gentleman who had been fined for selling a Budweiser to a 20 year old narc who was turning 21 in two weeks. He pled his case and got his fine reduced from the very high amount it was to 50 bucks. I felt bad for the guy because he hardly knew English and went on and on about his two kids and his wife. Don’t get me even started on the drinking limit and the absurdity of 18 year olds being old enough to die fighting for freedom but not being able to be old enough to taste the sweet taste of a Sam Adams! What a crock. That is a whole other issue though.

The next guy wasn’t so lucky and was to blame for the Judge’s ultimate bad attitude following. He was a 20 year old who had been busted with a Budweiser. He was fined a large sum and he was there to contest the high price of the fine. His defense was that he had spent his entire life from the age of seventeen on his own, He had put him self through school and that he was working a full time job. He then went on about how he was enjoying a beer when he was caught, although not being rowdy nor warranting a search he was surrounded and then busted. The judge got irate that he had the gall to ask for a smaller fine even though he was admitting to the charge. She asked if he was paying financial aid for school, he replied no that’s why he needed the charge made smaller, she replied that because he was not paying financial aid he was not destitute and he would be responsible for the entire amount of the fine.

Next!!!!

Up comes a sixty year old farmer. There he sat as the officer (The same one who popped me) explained that he had seen this farm vehicle driving down the road and pulled it over due to it not having an inspection sticker. The farmer then went to explain that he had two farms within ten miles between each. He explained that he was driving his farm vehicle in between them making the living he could. The officer after pulling him over ran this mans license and found out it was revoked. From the conversation with in the court I found out that this gentleman’s license was revoked for a second warning on his farm vehicle’s tail light. (Now for non Vermonters a farm vehicle is a truck of some sort used to haul all types of farm stuff between places and the laws regarding its condition are more lenient than with regular vehicles.)

Well here this farmer was trying to defend himself with what he knew and guess what… adios… Pay the fine.. See you later. Yet before leaving what looked like almost in frustrated tears, he stated something that stuck in my mind. He said to the judge, “You revoke my License, you take my car, I work on a farm. How am I to ever get back to living if you’ve taken all I have? This is freedom? I tell you, this is oppression!” I fought the urge to clap and nodded toward him as he walked out instead.

I knew at this point though that I was done. The judge was not happy with the past two and by the track record of the morning I was about to go down. I took my seat after swearing (no longer on the Bible) that I would tell the truth so help me…. (What a joke.)

The officer barely remembered the incident. He fumbled as he spoke about the stop months ago not remembering all the happenings. He went on to say he had scene me and gave a guess estimate at my speed prior to hitting me with his radar. The judge looked at me and asked, “Is there anything you would like to add?” She didn’t ask, “Can we have your side of the story?” or “Is this what happened?” It was like the judge had already made her mind up and was waiting to get me out. Not so fast ma'm. I handed my photos and busted out my pre written letter of explanation and so I began. I went on about how I believe the radar did not have the chance to get me due to the mere second I had in the officers sight. I also used my flawless driving record of over ten years in the state to back up my innocence. I thought I had them to the wall and the officer even looked over like well maybe I didn’t have the definite speed.

Then it happened. The judge threw the book at me. “Forget about your flawless record, forget about your word, forget about any evidence you have; pay up sonny!” She ranted about how radars and guesstimates are flawless. She didn’t know I had trained for many years for the State Police. I know how to guess estimate speed and unless the tactic has changed in the five years sense I had attended my studies there I would think that it’s the same. You need a few seconds of sight with the oncoming vehicle and the placement of an on the road object or your vehicle. This officer had a second at the most. I also know the guess is in a range of five to seven miles either way.

This did not impress the judge nor make things easier once I notified the court of this. My end was short and sweet. She signed her name to my ticket and said, “You must pay with in 30 days. Adios. Good bye.”

As I walked out a man from the back ran up to me and said, “Hey man, Tell them it’s faulty equipment, It’s worked for me every time…”

I shook my head and thought, “Yeah I guess the honest way doesn’t work anymore.”

Depressing?

To say the least.

As I exited the building my face was as red as the day I was originally issued the ticket. I thought back to my quick prayer to God I had given before the court took session, I remember telling God, “No matter what happens, your will be done.” Well maybe this is it. Maybe I wouldn’t have written about this ordeal if the ticket had been rescinded. Maybe then no one would have known of Mr. Farmer whose livelihood is now all but over. Or the kid who is weeks from being 21 and on his own who has to pay an ungodly amount of money to the state?! Who knows?!?

What I do know is that there are some really stupid laws that are destroying people like the two people in front of me that got hosed! God has blessed me. I will come out of this ok. Pride dampened a bit because I know the truth about my speed, but those two people in front of me, especially Mr. Farmer… where is his future now? 63 and no vehicle, no license, not legally able to take care of his animals and land because he did not meet state requirements! Would our forefathers have put up with that? Yeah, right! I could see people in 1700s Lexington checking themselves into a home because their wagons no longer met British regulations for farm use!

And people want to know why this country is lost?!

Between all the pride dampening and witnessing of two people who’s lives were made just a tad bit harder by the state that rules them, I did learn one thing, No matter if you’re in the right and you know you are, and you get a speeding ticket... Tell em it’s faulty equipment. As my messenger in the court said, “It works every time.”

God and Country.
J.King.

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: A day in the life of Vermont’s legal system!!! : By J.King. : Edited By Jeremy Rousse. : 10/15/2003 : First off I need to give you some back ground info. It was June 15th 2003 – Fathers Day. My wife and I made our way down the back roads of [undisclosed small town in Vermont] heading to meet a couple friends for a great day of gun shopping. I was driving my Jeep (God, I love that vehicle) and upon coming to a very sharp corner that led steeply up a hill. I accelerated my usual five or six extra miles per hour to make it to the top of the hill with out having to drop down into second gear. As I made my way around the corner I noticed a [undisclosed small town in Vermont] police officer careering toward me from the opposite direction. He was coming pretty fast and came over the yellow line a few inches, causing me to come more toward the guard rail than usual. At once I took a look at my speed gauge and noticed it was at roughly 43, and thought to myself due to his high speed, “For sure, he was on the hunt for someone!” I was wrong. At the nearest driveway, he turned into and right away sped up toward us lights flashing and all. Well I, being the average American Joe, did the right thing. I threw my blinker on and pulled to the side of the road. Here we are in good ole [small undisclosed town in Vermont] and up comes officer ‘so and so’, hand on his gun. : Having my window down already, I at once greeted the officer, only to get questioned in return, “Where are you heading?” Not that it is any of his business, being the polite person I am I answered him very friendly-like. He then asked me if I noticed how fast I was going, to which I replied that I had been going roughly around 40 miles an hour, At that point I told him why. He asked me for my papers and upon giving them up he went to his vehicle. There my wife and I sat for what seemed to be almost a half an hour. We thought for sure he couldn’t be writing a ticket for seven miles over the speed limit…. Or was he? We soon found out, as he approached the Jeep’s door stating that he was going to give me a break today! ‘That’s right, Mr. King, today is your lucky day!!!!’ He proceeded to tell me that I had a brake light failing in the rear and that my license did not have the correct address on it. (The license issue was due to the fact that we were in the process of moving within the year and I hated to give up on another $25.00 for a change of address on my license that would have been done anyhow in a few months) He said that for those two items he was going to let me go, then he handed me the break of the day…. Or so I thought. With the warning for the two items was a 130.00 speeding ticket and 3 points against my flawless driving record! In astonishment, I gasped and then looked at the speed he supposedly got me at. 52 mph. He nodded and said, “Have a nice day.” And he was gone. My readers, please note that for the following hour or so with in my Jeep there was a storm brewing, my face was redder and hotter than the sun and at that point I vowed to fight what I thought was an unjust and incorrect speeding ticket. : That brings me to today. October 15, 2003. My court date. After spending the night before taking pictures of the turn and following steep hill, and this morning writing an explanation and reason why I had thought the officer had made a mistake, I dressed in my Black pants and nicely pressed white shirt and black tie and made my way to the courthouse. Upon entering through the three or four guards with their assorted metal detectors and having the dang things go off at waist level in front of twenty or so onlookers and thinking, “Why me, God?”… (I swear officer, it’s my belt buckle…) I went on my way to the courtroom. It wasn’t long before we were seated and in front of me were three cases and then it was my turn. The first case was an Indian gentleman who had been fined for selling a Budweiser to a 20 year old narc who was turning 21 in two weeks. He pled his case and got his fine reduced from the very high amount it was to 50 bucks. I felt bad for the guy because he hardly knew English and went on and on about his two kids and his wife. Don’t get me even started on the drinking limit and the absurdity of 18 year olds being old enough to die fighting for freedom but not being able to be old enough to taste the sweet taste of a Sam Adams! What a crock. That is a whole other issue though. : The next guy wasn’t so lucky and was to blame for the Judge’s ultimate bad attitude following. He was a 20 year old who had been busted with a Budweiser. He was fined a large sum and he was there to contest the high price of the fine. His defense was that he had spent his entire life from the age of seventeen on his own, He had put him self through school and that he was working a full time job. He then went on about how he was enjoying a beer when he was caught, although not being rowdy nor warranting a search he was surrounded and then busted. The judge got irate that he had the gall to ask for a smaller fine even though he was admitting to the charge. She asked if he was paying financial aid for school, he replied no that’s why he needed the charge made smaller, she replied that because he was not paying financial aid he was not destitute and he would be responsible for the entire amount of the fine. : Next!!!! : Up comes a sixty year old farmer. There he sat as the officer (The same one who popped me) explained that he had seen this farm vehicle driving down the road and pulled it over due to it not having an inspection sticker. The farmer then went to explain that he had two farms within ten miles between each. He explained that he was driving his farm vehicle in between them making the living he could. The officer after pulling him over ran this mans license and found out it was revoked. From the conversation with in the court I found out that this gentleman’s license was revoked for a second warning on his farm vehicle’s tail light. (Now for non Vermonters a farm vehicle is a truck of some sort used to haul all types of farm stuff between places and the laws regarding its condition are more lenient than with regular vehicles.) : Well here this farmer was trying to defend himself with what he knew and guess what… adios… Pay the fine.. See you later. Yet before leaving what looked like almost in frustrated tears, he stated something that stuck in my mind. He said to the judge, “You revoke my License, you take my car, I work on a farm. How am I to ever get back to living if you’ve taken all I have? This is freedom? I tell you, this is oppression!” I fought the urge to clap and nodded toward him as he walked out instead. : I knew at this point though that I was done. The judge was not happy with the past two and by the track record of the morning I was about to go down. I took my seat after swearing (no longer on the Bible) that I would tell the truth so help me…. (What a joke.) : The officer barely remembered the incident. He fumbled as he spoke about the stop months ago not remembering all the happenings. He went on to say he had scene me and gave a guess estimate at my speed prior to hitting me with his radar. The judge looked at me and asked, “Is there anything you would like to add?” She didn’t ask, “Can we have your side of the story?” or “Is this what happened?” It was like the judge had already made her mind up and was waiting to get me out. Not so fast ma'm. I handed my photos and busted out my pre written letter of explanation and so I began. I went on about how I believe the radar did not have the chance to get me due to the mere second I had in the officers sight. I also used my flawless driving record of over ten years in the state to back up my innocence. I thought I had them to the wall and the officer even looked over like well maybe I didn’t have the definite speed. : Then it happened. The judge threw the book at me. “Forget about your flawless record, forget about your word, forget about any evidence you have; pay up sonny!” She ranted about how radars and guesstimates are flawless. She didn’t know I had trained for many years for the State Police. I know how to guess estimate speed and unless the tactic has changed in the five years sense I had attended my studies there I would think that it’s the same. You need a few seconds of sight with the oncoming vehicle and the placement of an on the road object or your vehicle. This officer had a second at the most. I also know the guess is in a range of five to seven miles either way. : This did not impress the judge nor make things easier once I notified the court of this. My end was short and sweet. She signed her name to my ticket and said, “You must pay with in 30 days. Adios. Good bye.” : As I walked out a man from the back ran up to me and said, “Hey man, Tell them it’s faulty equipment, It’s worked for me every time…” : I shook my head and thought, “Yeah I guess the honest way doesn’t work anymore.” : Depressing? : To say the least. : As I exited the building my face was as red as the day I was originally issued the ticket. I thought back to my quick prayer to God I had given before the court took session, I remember telling God, “No matter what happens, your will be done.” Well maybe this is it. Maybe I wouldn’t have written about this ordeal if the ticket had been rescinded. Maybe then no one would have known of Mr. Farmer whose livelihood is now all but over. Or the kid who is weeks from being 21 and on his own who has to pay an ungodly amount of money to the state?! Who knows?!? : What I do know is that there are some really stupid laws that are destroying people like the two people in front of me that got hosed! God has blessed me. I will come out of this ok. Pride dampened a bit because I know the truth about my speed, but those two people in front of me, especially Mr. Farmer… where is his future now? 63 and no vehicle, no license, not legally able to take care of his animals and land because he did not meet state requirements! Would our forefathers have put up with that? Yeah, right! I could see people in 1700s Lexington checking themselves into a home because their wagons no longer met British regulations for farm use! : And people want to know why this country is lost?! : Between all the pride dampening and witnessing of two people who’s lives were made just a tad bit harder by the state that rules them, I did learn one thing, No matter if you’re in the right and you know you are, and you get a speeding ticket... Tell em it’s faulty equipment. As my messenger in the court said, “It works every time.” : God and Country. : J.King.