DISCUSSIONS ON POLITICS, CIVIL RIGHTS, PROPERTY RIGHTS, AND ANYTHING THAT TICKLES OUR FANCY "HOST BOB JOHNSON" CONTACT Us at A_DEMOCRACY@YAHOO.COM Please stay on topic and no personal attacks.
posted by Bob at Sunday, January 18, 2009
A DEMOCRACY TOWN HALL HOME
Do you have a topic you want to discuss at the Town Hall? Email your request to A_Democracy@yahoo.com
“A DEMOCRACY” Disclaimer- While the administrators and moderators of this forum will attempt to remove or edit any generally objectionable material as quickly as possible, it is impossible to review every message. Therefore you acknowledge that all posts made to this forum express the views and opinions of the author and not the administrators, moderators (except for posts by these people) and hence will not be held liable.
You agree not to post any abusive, obscene, vulgar, slanderous, hateful, threatening, sexually-oriented or any other material that may violate any applicable laws. Doing so may lead to you being immediately and permanently banned
THE ROOF GUYS
Mickey's Diner 1950 7th Street West, St Paul, MN
(651) 698-8387
AX-MAN SURPLUS
1639 University Ave.
St. Paul, MN 55104
Tel:(651)646-8653
LANDLORD.COM LINK HERE
SHHHH! While we listen to words of wisdom from a wise man.
Conscience is the light of the Soul that burns within the chambers of our psychological heart. It is as real as life is. It raises the voice in protest whenever anything is thought of or done contrary to the righteousness. Conscience is a form of truth that has been transferred through our genetic stock in the form of the knowledge of our own acts and feelings as right or wrong. A virtuous and courageous person can alone use the instrument of conscience. He or she can alone hear the inner voice of the soul clearly. In a wicked person this faculty is absent. The sensitive nature of his / her conscience has been destroyed by sin or corruption. Hence he or she is unable to discriminate right from wrong. Those who are leading organizations, business enterprises, institutions and governments should develop this virtue of the ability to use their own conscience. This wisdom of using the clean conscience will enable them to enjoy the freedom.
Dr APJ Kalam, President of India given during the inauguration of the seminar on “THE EFFECTS OF CORRUPTION ON GOOD GOVERNANCE AND HUMAN RIGHTS
31 Comments:
There maybe copy errors.
DONNA GOODE,
having been first duly sworn, was examined and testified as follows:
EXAMINATION
BY MR. ENGEL:
Q. Good morning. My name is Matt Engel and I'm an attorney for some plaintiffs in a lawsuit that we're involved with. One of my clients is Jeff Kubitschek whom I believe is your landlord, and then some other landlords who are also my
clients. For the record here today are Joe Collins, plaintiff in the third lawsuit with the City of St. Paul, as well as Jeff Kubitschek. Jim, do you want to go ahead and
note your appearance
MR. JERSKEY: Yes. James Jerskey,
J-e-r-s-k-e-y, St. Paul City Attorney.
EXAMINATION
BY MR. ENGEL:
Q. Donna, how do you pronounce your last name?
A. Goode.
Q. Goode. It's spelled good with an "e" on the end?
A. The "e's" silent, yeah.
Q. Okay. Just for the record I'll have you spell your first and last name.
A. D-o-n-n-a, Donna Goode, G-o-o-d-e.
Q. Today's proceeding is called a deposition. And we spoke I believe briefly on Monday. And I just kind of gave you some background on what was going to happen today. Do you recall that?
A. Yes.
Q. So here with us today is the court reporter.
The court reporter is recording everything we say, so it's important for her that when we
speak we only speak one at a time. So when I ask a question I'll wait to hear your answers and I'll wait till you're finished before I continue on.
In addition, it's important that
when I do ask a question if there's a "yes" or "no" answer that you say "yes" or "no." It's
easy to get into the mode of nodding or saying "uh-huh," but for the court reporter we need
"yes" and "no" answers and verbal responses.Have you ever had your deposition taken before?
A. No, I haven't.
Q. Basically what I'm going to do today, and this shouldn't take too long, is ask you a few questions. I'll ask about your backgrounds and places you've lived, your education, where you grew up, those sorts of things. And then I'll ask about your tenancy and the Kubitscheks as your landlord. And then Jim may have a couple
of questions for you at the end. And we should be able to get this taken care of fairly quickly.
What is your current address?
A. 750 DeSoto.
Q. And are you married or single?
A. Single.
Q. Any kids?
A. Yes.
Q. How many
A. Three.
Q. And what are their ages?
A. My oldest is Derrick, he's 17. And then I have a 13-year-old and a 10-year-old.
Q.And is the 13-year-old a boy or girl?
A. She's a girl, her name is Denice. And then I have another son Devan, the 10-year-old.
MR. JERSKEY: What was the son's
name, ma'am?
THE WITNESS: Which one?
MR. JERSKEY: The 10-year-old?
THE WITNESS: Devan.
BY MR. ENGEL:
Q. And how long have you lived at 750 DeSoto?
A. Four or five years.
Q. And Jeff and Sara Kubitschek, are they your landlords?
A.Yes.
Q.Have they been your landlords the whole time?
A.Yes.
Q.Prior to DeSoto do you recall where you lived?
A.8-something, 800 Sims, and they were also my landlords.
Q.Could that have been 883 or 885 Sims?
A.885.
Q.And do you recall how long you lived at 885 --
A.-- about a year.
Q.-- Sims? And were they your landlords during that period as well?
A.Yes.
Q.Were they your landlord the whole time at Sims or did someone else own Sims?
A. Someone else owned it, it was a different owner and Jeff bought it.
Q. So he bought Sims when you lived there?
A. Yes.
Q. And then he took over as your landlord?
A. Yes.
Q. Do you recall what the other landlord's name was?
A. No.
Q. So overall you've been a tenant of Jeff and Sara Kubitschek for five-plus years?
A. Yeah.
Q. Where did you live prior to Sims, do you recall?
A. Apartment complex on Central Avenue called Jamestown, B & V Properties.
Q. I'm sorry, what did you say after Jamestown?
A. B & V Properties.
Q. So was it a property management company that was your landlord --
A. Yeah.
Q. -- at the apartment? Have you ever lived in any other type of rental property, either
another house or another apartment other than DeSoto, Sims or B & V Properties?
A. Yes, I lived in an apartment complex on the
east side of St. Paul, I can't remember the name 'cuz they tore them down and rebuild them and everything. It's been over 13, 14 years ago.
Q. Are you from the Twin Cities area originally?
A. Yes, I am.
Q. Where did you grow up?
A. Maplewood.
Q. Did you attend high school in Maplewood?
A. Yes, I did.
Q. Was it Maplewood High School, is that what it's called?
A. It was at Tartan High School.
Q. Tartan?
A. And Maplewood Junior High.
Q. Did you graduate from Maplewood?
A. No, I graduated from Central High School my senior year.
Q. In St. Paul?
A. Yes.
Q. What year was that?
A. '86.
Q. What did you do after you graduated?
A. Not much, worked little odd jobs and --
Q. What's the first job that you remember having?
A. Jimmy Lee Recreation Center.
Q. Did you say Jimmy Dean?
A. Jimmy Lee.
Q. Jimmy Lee. Is that in St. Paul?
A. Yes, it is.
Q. What did you do for the rec. center?
A. I worked in the snack bar.
Q. Do you recall what you did after that?
A. McDonald's.
Q. Anything else?
A. I worked in a lot of hotels throughout the Twin
Cities doing housekeeping.
Q. Do you currently work for a hotel or do any housekeeping?
A. No.
Q. No? Any jobs right now
A. No.
Q. How would you describe Jeff and Sara as your landlords, are you happy with them?
A. Oh, yeah.
Q. Have you had landlords in the past that you hadn't been happy with or a bad landlord?
A. Just the one at B & V Properties when I was in the apartment complex but --
Q. Okay. What makes a good landlord or what makes you happy with Jeff and Sara?
A. Because I don't have to call them for nothing, I mean if anything breaks down in my unit he's there, Johnny-on-the-spot to repair it. I don't have to worry about the cutting the grass, the shoveling or just nothing. My unit always passes inspection, there's really nothing wrong with it.
Q. Is it fair to say he's been responsive when you've had needs with the property?
A. Oh, yeah.
Q. Would you say he maintains the property well?
A. Yes, he does.
Q. Was he the same way at 885 --
A. Sims? Yes.
Q. -- Sims? I'm going to ask you about any dealings or correspondence or conversations or
anything you've had to do with the City of St. Paul. Do you recall any situations you've had
with the City, whether it be a letter or in person or any type of dealings with the City?
Can you tell me about that?
A. No.
Q. Do you recall, have you ever received a letter from the City on anything that related to
DeSoto or Sims?
A. Just a letter for someone actually dumping trash on Jeff's property in the back where I was living, furniture and stuff, people do it and stuff. And they dumped it in my backyard.
Q. Now DeSoto is a duplex, correct?
A. Yes.
Q. And you live on the 750 side?
A. Yes.
Q. And so then there's also a 748 side?
A. Yes.
(Frank Steinhauser enters conference room.)
BY MR. ENGEL:
Q. Do you recall a situation at DeSoto where there was an issue with one of your neighbors, I'm
trying to recall her name right now. Who have been your neighbors at DeSoto, do you recall?
A. Emma Prior, and I don't know the lady's name next door.
Q. Yeah, that's what I meant, the 748 side. Were there ever any issues with the police coming to
DeSoto with respect to either you or Ms. Prior?
A. No.
Q. Did you have any issues with Ms. Prior?
A. No.
Q. Do you recall talking with either Jeff or Sara Kubitschek about the City requesting you to
move out of the property, do you recall anything with respect to that?
A. Yes.
Q. What do you recall about that?
A. After there was I suppose a drug raid next door Jeff came over and talked to me and said that
they wanted her to vacate the premises and also me too and I didn't understand why.
Q. And what was the result of that, you ended up staying in your property, right?
A. Yes, I did.
Q. Was that raid at Emma Prior's unit?
A. Yes.
Q. Do you recall anything about that raid, were you there at that time?
A. Yes.
Q. What do you recall about it?
A. I was sitting on my front steps and we were sitting out there and it was just, they just
came out of nowhere and jumped out of vans and SUVs and said it was a raid. But then a few of the officers were saying that, 'cuz they got call because of someone spanking a child. And then another officer said they were called because of noise ordinance. And then another one said it was a raid. And they were ordering me back in my unit and I just didn't understand why
Q. Did you end up going back into your unit?
A. Yes, I went and stood on my porch.
Q. Did they go into your unit?
A. Well, they tried.
Q. The police officers did?
A. Yes.
Q. And you didn't allow them?
A. Huh-uh, no. No, no.
Q. Was Emma Prior there at the time?
A. Yes, she was.
Q. Did they go inside Ms. Prior's unit?
A. Yes, they were front and her back door.
Q. Did you see them go in?
A. Yes.
Q. How did they go in?
A. A few went through the front and when I went to
my back door there were some going in the back.
Q. Did she let them in or did they --
A. No, they barged their way in.
Q. Do you recall how they barged in?
A. She was on the front step and they pushed her out of the way 'cuz she was, she was kind of
handicapped. And they pushed her out of the way and they went in. Some went through the back and some went through the front
(indicating).
Q. How did you feel when all this was going on?
A. I didn't know what was going on. I was scared.
I said, "What, what are they doing?" And they just kept yelling at me telling me to, you
know, "Stay in, stay in, stay in your house, stay in your house."
Q. Do you have any idea what they were looking for at Emma's place?
A. No.
Q. Would you know if they found anything, do you know that or no?
A. No, they didn't find anything.
Q. How would you describe Emma as a neighbor at that point
A. She was a pretty good lady. I had no problems with her.
Q. Were there any problems with noise or --
A. No.
Q. Do you know if she was dealing drugs?
A. No, she wasn't.
Q. Did Emma have any children?
A. She had a 16-year-old son.
Q. And did he live with her?
A. Yes, he did.
Q. How often would you talk to Emma?
A. Just about every day.
Q. Do you know if Emma was on any type of assistance, rental assistance?
A. I'm not sure.
Q. Are you on any type of rental assistance?
A. Yes, I am.
Q. Do you know what that's called?
A. Section 8.
Q. Were you on Section 8 at Sims as well?
A. Yes.
Q. Do you know what happened to Emma at the raid, was she arrested or --
A. Yes.
Q. -- did they just leave?
A. No, they took a few, they took her and her sister to jail and her son, I don't know why.
And the other, there were kids involved too and they, a police officer made the kids just walk
up the street, the sidewalk. And it was pretty ugly.
Q. What do you mean by "it was pretty ugly"?
A. Because they didn't have shoes on, they were knocking them down. It was just unnecessary.
And there was a gang of them, there was a whole lot of them.
Q. Of kids or of police?
A. Police officers swarming the property.
Q. Now you said Emma had a handicap. Can you describe that?
A. Something was wrong with her arm, one of her arms were longer than the other.
Q. So she had a disabled arm?
A. Right.
Q. Do you know if they, did they handcuff her or what did they do with her while they were
conducting the raid?
A. They pushed Emma out of the way and ran into the front. And then some was -- when I went, when I went through my back door they were running, some were running through the back. I didn't see Emma until the officer kept telling me to stay on my porch. And then I seen them throw her in the police car along with her
niece.
Q. Did you see her place after the raid, did you see what it looked like?
A. You mean in the inside?
Q. The inside?
A. Oh, no.
Q. You didn't see the inside?
A. No, but she, when they released her from jail she said that they tore her unit up. But I
wouldn't go look at it I mean.
Q. So what happened after the raid, did Emma end up coming back?
A. Yeah, a few hours prior to that she ended up coming back. And we just sat on the steps and
talked. And I said, "What happened?" And she said, "I don't know," she didn't even know. I
said, "Why were they running all through your house and carrying on like that?" I said, "Why
was there so many of them?" She said, "I don't know." And that's what she said, "Oh, because
her daughter-in-law," or whoever it was -- this
is what they said, that they were called because someone was spanking a child out back.
Then another officer stated that it was a noise ordinance. So I mean to this very day I don't
now.
Q. So did Emma then clean up her place?
A. I'm sure she did.
Q. Do you know if there was, as part of the raid do you recall seeing anyone other than police
officers at the property like a code enforcement officer or something, or anyone else other than the police?
A. Not to my knowledge.
Q. Did the police or anyone from the City have any contact with you after the raid?
A. No.
Q. So your only contact after the raid was with Jeff and Sara with respect to --
A. Mm-hmm.
Q. -- the issue with the City wanting you to move?
A. Yep.
Q. But then you ended up not moving, right?
A. Right.
Q. Do you know where Emma ended up moving to?
A. No, I don't.
Q. Have you had any contact with her since she moved?
A. I've seen her around in the grocery store twice, maybe three times.
MR. ENGEL: Okay. I'm going to
take five minutes, Jim.
MR. JERSKEY: That's fine.
MR. ENGEL: I'll take a five-minute break and then I'll come in and finish up.
The WITNESS: Okay.
(Whereupon, a brief recess was
taken.)
MR. ENGEL: Okay. We are back on
the record.
BY MR. ENGEL:
Q. Ms. Goode, do you recall when the raid happened at DeSoto did any of the police officers show you a warrant to get into your unit?
A. No, 'cuz I wouldn't let them in.
Q. Do you know if they had a warrant for Ms. Prior's unit?
A. No.
Q. You don't know if they did or they didn't?
A. I never seen them show one to her. And I was standing -- I was sitting out there on my porch
when they kept ordering me back in.
Q. Were your kids around when this happened?
A. Yes, they were, my two younger kids were.
Q. How did they react or what was their feeling after all this?
A. They were scared, they wanted me to stay because they heard the officers kept yelling,
"Get back in your F'ing house." And my daughter said, "Mom, just stay in here before they kill you," 'cuz, you know, they had their guns drawn. And so she said, "Mom, just please
stay in before they kill you," she just kept saying it and kept saying it and saying it.
Q. How did you feel while it was going on?
A. I just knew something wasn't right.
Q. And how did you feel --
A. I felt something wasn't right.
Q. How did you feel after the fact once everything was all done or what's your feeling now?
A. I'm scared.
Q. Do you look at the police any different because of what happened?
A. Sometimes.
Q. And did it change your attitude or outlook on having to call the police if you were to have to call the police?
A. I don't know, I might.
Q. Are you familiar with the term PHA or Public Housing Agency?
A. Yes.
Q. Do you know anyone who lives in a PHA property,
have any acquaintances or friends who might live in a --
A. No.
Q. -- Public Housing Agency unit? Have you ever been to a PHA property or development, like
visited someone at a --
A. Yeah.
Q. -- PHA unit? Do you recall what unit you went to or the address?
A. No, it was Mt. Airy Housing.
MR. JERSKEY: I can't hear you,
ma'am. I'm sorry.
The WITNESS: Mt. Airy Housing
Development I think it's called.
BY MR. ENGEL:
Q. Is it a friend you had living at Mr. Airy or --
A. Yeah.
Q. Do you recall anything about the conditions of the property at Mt. Airy, either the exterior or the interior or anything that sticks out to you?
A. No.
Q. Do you feel like it was well maintained?
A. Oh, yeah.
Q. Do you recall your friend's name who lives at Mt. Airy?
A. Lisa Barrett. I don't know if she's no longer living there, I'm not sure, I haven't seen her
in some years.
Q. Had Lisa ever talked to you at all about maintenance issues at her property or not getting things fixed when she wanted or anything like that?
A. No.
MR. ENGEL: I think that's all I
have, Jim, if you want to go ahead and ask any questions
EXAMINATION
BY MR. JERSKEY:
Q. Ms. Goode, I'm going to ask you a few questions to follow up if you don't mind. And it's
basically about what we've already been talking about. I just need some clarification.You have been at 750 DeSoto for about four or five years?
A. Yes.
Q. Just so I can complete my notes here. When did the raid occur?
A. I don't recall the date or the day.
Q. Might it have been, I'm just wondering in terms
of year-wise, was it this year, last year?
A. The year before that -- no, last year. It was summer months, it was hot.
Q. So it wasn't this past summer?
A. No.
Q. Okay. The summer before then?
A. Right.
Q. So if this past summer was 2006 you're thinking maybe the summer of 2005?
A. Basically.
Q. Is that about right? Okay. Let me write that down.
You haven't had any problems with
the police, have you, ma'am?
A. No, I haven't.
Q. The police never came to your house to raid it?
A. No.
Q. Now you live in a side-by-side on DeSoto, right?
A. Right.
Q. And the night that the police came and raided that building --
A. It wasn't night, it was daytime.
Q. Day?
A. Yes.
Q. Okay. The day that they came to raid the building it was on the other side that they were interested in?
A. Yes.
Q. Is that the deal?
A. Yes.
Q. And you knew Emma Prior pretty well, did you?
A. I knew her as a neighbor.
Q. Okay. How long had she been living there prior, prior -- how long had she been living
there prior to the police raid?
A. About four, five months.
Q. Okay. So she was fairly new around there at the time?
A. Right.
Q. Okay. Did she have anyone other than her family living with her?
A. No.
Q. You said she's got a 16-year-old son?
A. She had a 16-year-old son and she had two grandchildren. They were with her a lot. I
don't know if they were living there but they were there a lot.
Q. Okay. Ma'am, you don't have problems with the
police, do you, just in terms of I'm not talking about you getting in run-ins with the law but I'm wondering you don't have any issues ith the St. Paul Police Department, do you?
A. No.
Q. You don't think that they're bad or anything
like that, do you?
A. Hmm --
Q. I'm sorry, because we're taking it down by the court reporter.
A. Do I think they're bad?
Q. Yeah.
A. I don't know, they're just police.
Q. Okay. Do you have a problem with them coming and doing drug raids on homes if they believe that there might be drugs there to get the drugs out of your neighborhood? You don't have
a problem with that, do you?
A. No, I don't.
Q. Okay. If there are drugs in your neighborhood would it be a good idea for the police to get
them out of there?
A. Yes.
Q. Now as far as getting letters from the City of St. Paul you've only received apparently one letter?
A. Yeah, I just recall one letter.
Q. And my notes indicate that the letter was related to some trash being dumped in your
yard, is that it?
A. Yes.
Q. So the letter was basically saying, "Please get the trash out of the yard"?
A. Yeah, it was from someone dumping furniture by the alley.
Q. Were you able to get the furniture out of the yard
A. Jeff came and picked it up and dumped it.
Q. Jeff took care of it?
A. Oh, yeah.
Q. Never got another letter from the City?
A. No.
Q. Do you know why that they send these letters out when people have furniture like that in
their yards?
A. Isn't it illegal?
Q. Apparently, apparently. You don't have a problem with City codes that are meant to keep
properties looking good --
A. Right.
Q. -- right? You don't have a problem with that?
A. No.
Q. Do you feel like you were hassled by the City when you got that letter, did you feel hassled
by them or, you know, yeah, it's a fact there is furniture there and it needs to be taken care of?
A. No, I wasn't hassled, they was just doing their job.
MR. JERSKEY: Okay. Fair enough.
Nothing further
MR. ENGEL: Thank you, Ms. Goode.
THE WITNESS: Thank you.
MR. ENGEL: We are finished.
MR. JERSKEY: Thanks a lot.
(Whereupon, the deposition was
concluded at 10:52 a.m.)
Hi All,
To new readers here. The Fair Housing law suit complaints are linked on the front page. Scroll down to the "Scales of Justices".
Well well well.....after hearing all this shit about slumlords and people burned alive for cash money, what have we here? Another tenant stepping up to say that the landlords were actually good people? How can that be? They're all bad right Chuck?
Way to go Bobbo! I believe you have them on the run now.
Q. Are you on any type of rental assistance?
A. Yes, I am.
Q. Do you know what that's called?
A. Section 8.
Q. Were you on Section 8 at Sims as well?
A. Yes.
There you have it Repke....they're trying to void the voucher and call her back to the reservation so the city can collect the Fed money at the projects. Motive and benifet Chuck! I'm afraid they're finished now for sure.
The police were so concerned about the "safety" of these children living in this house they hurried them along without shoes and knocking them down to the ground to get them away.
You should b real proud of your city Chuck the way they bully women and kids.
One of the cases have filed for an appeal to the 8 circuit.Looks like Chuck and the bottom feeders at city hall popped the cork alittle to quick.Its not over just yet.
Ralph
One of the cases? What about the others? How many are there anyways?
OK you are crazy! Right above your issue with the kids is this Bob...
"they took her and her sister to jail and her son, I don't know why."
Its a drug raid Bob!! The cops are worried that they could get shot! They aren't going to sit down and put booties on the Kiddies while someone puts a hole in their head!
...what planet do you live on???
AS to the section 8 stuff - There are more people living on section 8 not in PHA than in PHA. That is why there is no benefit to anyone anywhere in the government real or imagined by having someone lose their living residence. PHA needs good landlords, wants good landlords and assists good landlords.
JMONTOMEPPOF
Chuck Repke
But Chuck.....they have the reservations all over town and they need to keep the money flowing. One snatched out from a lrivate landman is extra money for the city when the homeless guy moves into the city slums.
Chuck, you comment and we have to open the windows in the town hall to clear the air.
These tenants were suspected of criminal activity no doubt. The police get a warrant and for the raid they bring along a housing code inspector who has every intention of condemning the property before he has even seen the inside of it, just to get the tenants out of the neighborhood.
The tenants innocent and criminally inclined, usually move to some other part of the city with their issues,
spreading crime around like cancer.
What happened here is common. It was a pre-court punishment compliments of the commie pigs of the city. The residents of the building suspect and "innocent" are deprived of their home. The landlord is deprived of his or her rental income and made to spend all kinds of money on repairs, performance bonds and other city fees. All of this before any due process of law.
To many innocent folks are being effected by the current crime/housing strategy. The housing/crime strategy policies are festering hatred and a disdain for local government. IF, changes aren't made I am afraid we will have more than law suits to deal with in the future. The city is literally going to fuck with the wrong citizen over housing and well we know what happened in the past. The odds are violence will happen again if changes aren't made.
Our government is suppose to set an example of up holding the law for the safety of all of us. When they cross the line of ethical behavior they lose trust, respect and confidence from the citizens.
If the law exploits you rather than protect you, then why follow it?
Bob, once again you avoid the issue and run off in an entirely different direction. Which is the way these "cases" are argued all of the time.
The police are making an arrest because they believe they have a case. The have probable cause and some evidence. So, when they go into make an arrest they don't stop and let the bad guys shoot them while they tie the children's shoesies. That was your first issue. Once you have to actually think about it, and see how reasonable it was to not worry about the kiddies shoes, now you have another issue instead.
Now you think that the housing strategy is based on playing musical chairs with people suspected of criminal activity. It is your assumption that the reason the inspector comes along is to force an eviction so that the bad guys have to move somewhere else.
It is an interesting idea, but you have no facts to support it and no rational reason for the police to be a part of it. From a criminal justice stand point, if someone is going to come out on bail, you would rather have them where you knew where they were. So, it makes no sense for the cops to want to lose track of where someone was and have them move to places unknown.
The reason why the inspectors end up looking at the units on drug bust is that METH HEADS OFTEN HAVE VERY DANGEROUS LIVING CONDITIONS. And, those little children that you were so worried about that didn't have shoesies on were just inside the house LIVING WITH A CRACK HEAD!!! - at least as far as the evidence is in front of the police.
So, you are funny Bob, it concerns you that when the police raid a house of potential drug dealers that may be armed and dangerous they should not worry about their personal safety about getting shot from some wild eyed Meth head and stop and tie the kids shoes, BUT at that same house it would be a terrible crime and a sinful act of the City if they should actually inspect the house to see if it was safe enough for those same little children to live.
Wow.
JMONTOMEPPOF
Chuck Repke
The Police make arrests all the time as a harrassment tool Chcuk. Ask your buddy Carroll how many convictions they get in a year as a result of these Search Warrants they execute. If it's more than 25, I'll buy you lunch.
Chuck, you are trying to mislead folks here again as usual. Why are you calling Ms. Prior a crackhead and suggesting she may of had a meth house? Maybe one of those "UNRELIABLE" dope head snitches NIC-ED this woman. Even if she was a drug addict, does she and her innocent children deserve housing Chuck?
Attorney Matt Engel
Q. Would you know if they found anything, do you know that or no?
A. No, they didn't find anything.
Q. How would you describe Emma as a neighbor at that point
A. She was a pretty good lady. I had no problems with her.
Q. Were there any problems with noise or --
A. No.
Q. Do you know if she was dealing drugs?
A. No, she wasn't.
CHUCK, here once again you try to mislead others concerning the police treating these children badly. Here is the truth.
Attorney Matt Engel
Q. Do you know what happened to Emma at the raid, was she arrested or --
A. Yes.
Q. -- did they just leave?
SEE CHUCK--->A. No, they took a few, <----SEE CHUCK they took her and her sister to jail and her son, I don't know why.
And the other, there were kids involved too and they, a police officer made the kids just walk
up the street, the sidewalk. And it was pretty ugly.
Q. What do you mean by "it was pretty ugly"?
A. Because they didn't have shoes on, they were knocking them down. It was just unnecessary.
And there was a gang of them, there was a whole lot of them.
CHUCK, these were Emma's grand children being roughed up by Saint Pauls finest and sent packing because there was nobody left in the house to watch them.
You can play that good intention crap concerning a code enforcement officer going along on a raid, but the truth is in the repetivnist of the actions of this city. The truth is also in testimony from multiple citizens who don't even know each other telling the same stories.
Example- A raid on Forest st. a couple months back, were a dime bag of weed was the only drug found. Jennifer Windish of Forest St, said; the police were kicking holes in the wall and saying they were going to make sure this place stays condemned. I have a lot of stories like this to tell.
By the way Chuck, I spoke with 3 witness's concerning the Forest St. raid. ALL, of the witnesse's have the same story.
Bob, I wasn't there, I haven't read any of the reports and even if I did without hearing both sides I would have no idea what the truth is, but you know the truth. For you anyone who was arrested for drugs was innocent and the cops are out there arresting people just to make the waiting list longer for PHA. Right Bob, it makes perfect sense...
What I try and give you is an idea of what the other side was thinking. I know cops. I use to work in corrections with parolees. Cops go into these arrest situations with one priority making sure they and their partner come out of the building alive. Yes there are times when they go into these places and there are people who never did nothing to nobody, but it is much more likely that they are going into a situation where some meth head would be as likely to blow their brains out..
But in your little world the entire point of the police force is to harras 12 landlords.
Perfect sense Bob.
JMONTOMEPPOF
Chuck Repke
But in your little world the entire point of the police force is to harras 12 landlords.
Perfect sense Bob.
JMONTOMEPPOF
Chuck Repke
My response;
I wish all of this was a bad dream. But, it isn't and I have made it my responsibility to see to it changes are made to respect individuals rights. And NO I do not believe the police force is out to harass 12 landlords. This story is far more complex than that and you know it Chuck.
I said;
Example- A raid on Forest st. a couple months back, were a dime bag of weed was the only drug found. Jennifer Windish of Forest St, said; the police were kicking holes in the wall and saying they were going to make sure this place stays condemned. I have a lot of stories like this to tell.
CORRECTION, the name is JENNIFER TIETZ. You may know of her Chuck. She was burnt over 80% of her body in a fire on Sidney years ago. Jennifer lost her brother Daniel age 5 and her first cousin Shane Windish age 3 in this fire. Jennifer was saved from the fire by a relative who braved the intense heat and black smoke from plastics burning. The smoke detectors weren't working.
Now here is a gal that isn't to fond of landlords, but, one thing she dislikes even more is the policies of housing/crime.
O'Boy, this fire was in the late 80's. My husband and I prayed for Jennifers recovery. We donated money to Jennifer and heard her parents wasted it. Is this true Bob? What is the young man's name who saved her? He is a hero.
May the Lord bless you and bring you happiness Jennifer.
Shelly
Bob asked Chuck this question and Chuck avoided an answer.....
Even if she was a drug addict, does she and her innocent children deserve housing Chuck?
What's up Chuckie?
Shelly, welcome aboard!
The hero in Jennifer's life is Rick Martin. I have no knowledge of what became of the donations Jennifer's family received. I assume some of the moneys may have been spent on the two boys funeral.
Bob, I have not seen the story, I do not know the case, and nothing I have ever said was meant to be directed at anyone in any particular situation.
But, you are the one, who takes an incident where you have one side of the story and then generalize it into some kind of bazaar housing policy of the city to assault all of its residents and throw them all into the streets.
I was simply trying to tell you what is going on in the cops heads when they go in on a bust. They are worried that they are going to get killed. That is the starting point. Everything that happens, every move or twist or sound that comes from the house is a potential moment where they may be killed and they deal with every bust with that understanding.
Why any cop would do what you said they did makes no sense to me and has nothing to do with any approved policy of the City. Do cops do things they weren't supposed to? At times...
As to the question, does everyone deserve a safe place to live, even if they are a drug addict? of course they do. That is why the City/county spends millions on supportive housing. There are hundreds of people living in chemical dependency half-way houses in the West Seventh Street neighborhood alone. But, does that mean that people have the right to use drugs in their own house? Not an F'ing chance. It doesn't matter if its a bag of pot or a bag of crack its against the law.
As to this particular family, I may know them better than you think, my best friend in high school was a Windish on Sidney, this could be his niece for all I know.
Do I want them treated fairly and humanly of course I do. I wouldn't have spent fifteen years working in corrections if I didn't think people could turn their lives around. I believe in second chances, I believe that people can change their lives.
But I don't excuse any knuckle head making their neighbors lives miserable by running a drug house, or a party house, or constant fights or....
JMONTOMEPPOF
Chuck Repke
Chuck said speaking of me;
But, you are the one, who takes an incident where you have one side of the story and then generalize it into some kind of bazaar housing policy of the city to assault all of its residents and throw them all into the streets.
My response;
My conclusions are based on the volumes of information I have researched. The testimonies I have read and the citizens I have interviewed. There are hundreds of citizens with the same story and they don't even know each other. Where did I say the housing policy's were atacking all of Saint Pauls citizens? The city only attacks those the elitis deem undesirable. Mostly low income minorities.
Chuck said;
There are hundreds of people living in chemical dependency half-way houses in the West Seventh Street neighborhood alone. But, does that mean that people have the right to use drugs in their own house? Not an F'ing chance. It doesn't matter if its a bag of pot or a bag of crack its against the law.
my response;
I have often thought of an intriguing social experiment.
I would like to spend a summer investigating white collar drug users and having them busted. Wouldn't it be interesting to see the social effects of the Saint Paul Police busting down the doors of prominent citizens in the city and hauling them off for drug possession. I wonder if they would condemn their homes and throw them out on the street.
My guess is for the raid the police would walk up and knock at the door and kindly introduce themselves and state why they were there. Nobody would be thrown to the floor. The home wouldn't be torn apart during the search. NOBODY would be demanding the residence leave the neighborhood.
I neglected to say.
It has been many years since the Sidney fire, Jennifer has recovered well. She is a confident attractive woman.
Bob said:
my response;
I have often thought of an intriguing social experiment.
I would like to spend a summer investigating white collar drug users and having them busted. Wouldn't it be interesting to see the social effects of the Saint Paul Police busting down the doors of prominent citizens in the city and hauling them off for drug possession. I wonder if they would condemn their homes and throw them out on the street.
Ralph- The drug war is against the poor. Show me someplace the police are investigating drug use by wealthy people. If that day ever comes the courts would be in grid lock with private attorneys.
And off we go merrily away Bob believing that the drug war is a war on the poor and code inspections are a war on the poor.
On Bob's planet if Bob were king, he wouldn't play Caesar and give the masses Circuses and Bread, he would know how to give the poor what they truly want Slums and Drugs.
Yes Bob, the current government is evil. It desires that people should not use certain mood altering chemicals and it believes it has an obligation to require properties meet minimum living standards. Evil, corrupt...
Bob knows what the masses want...their crack pipe loaded and their rats well fed.
I have no doubt Bob that when the cops busted that lawyer the other day on coke they didn't feel obliged to pull a gun on him. But, then again, they didn't think he was armed and dangerous.
People kill people every day over drugs and drug money. And, usually it is minority on minority members. Also, all of that violence happens far more often than not in communities with higher minority populations. Some of us still think that that cops ought to be out their busting them...
Bob, knows better, what they need is to be left alone to kill each other.... as long as they pay the rent and preferably in cash.
JMONTOMEPPOF
Chuck Repke
Chuck, I have heard these same kinds of comments from you stated in different ways over the years. It all amounts to one thing. Attack and discredit the messenger anyway possible.
Nobody has EVER advocated against having building codes. Nobody from this group has ever been in support of criminals or crime.
All any of us here with a bitch has ever wanted is fair and equal protection under the law.. Citizens aren't getting that now. We have a city government that is eroding trust in government with it's rouge policies.
Bob, in fifteen years of working in corrections I mostly met people who would swear to you that they were innocent, that they were mislead, that the cops were out to get them, that some snitch was the reason they were in... if they hurt someone it was because the other guy deserved it, that they were just defending themselves.
I grew up on the streets Bob, I know what goes on.
I can't believe that you are naive enough to believe half of the stories that you print here as the gospel.
All I am saying is that you continue to take random stories and make a perverted twist to them that somehow all of the people in authority in the City of Saint Paul, in police, inspections and elected officials, who are doing the exact same things that every responsible government in every City in this country is trying to do to fight crime and improve living conditions is somehow involved in a criminal conspiracy to get a dozen landlords and rid itself of 40% of its citizens.
It makes no sense.
JMONTOMEPPOF
Chuck Repke
Chuck, name another city for us that brings along a code inspector on a raid?
Post a Comment
<< Home