When the Law is on Your Side

[pure_doxyk]

U.S. Federal Statue

Title 18, U.S.C., Section 242
Deprivation of Rights Under Color of Law

This statute makes it a crime for any person acting under color of law, statute, ordinance, regulation, or custom to willfully deprive or cause to be deprived from any person those rights, privileges, or immunities secured or protected by the Constitution

Comments

[en_ki]

Does your character have a prosecutor who cares to prosecute? There's the rub.

[zentiger]

Two thoughts:

One, no, I wouldn't have thought you were writing a story with an anarchist; the rampant police misconduct in this country is... well, um, rampant.

Two, remember that "the laws on the books" are not coextensive with "the laws that are enforced". And when the people who enforce the laws are the same people to whom an innocent enforcee must appeal for redress of wrong, well, ... yeah.

The world is pretty depressing sometimes. Also, and this is a third thought, I think I might be overusing ... you know, ellipses.

[pure_doxyk]

...Really? I didn't notice... ;)

And I agree; having access to a law like this doesn't help if the people who are supposed to be helping you enforce it are themselves corrupt. But that corruption is also affected by people's knowledge of, and willingness to use, the law -- it's much easier to be lax about enforcing laws no-one cares about.

[madwolf]

Thanks for that, now, if only we could get the DA's to actually do their jobs we might be on to something.