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AR15.COM
3/31/2008 12:19:53 PM EDT
www.newsobserver.com/news/durham/durham/story/1014736.html

Geez.

3/31/2008 12:22:34 PM EDT
[#1]
In before....anything!
3/31/2008 12:25:08 PM EDT
[#2]
Durham is a third-world shithole with a police department to match.
3/31/2008 12:26:19 PM EDT
[#3]

DURHAM - A prosecutor has tossed out marijuana trafficking charges against a Duke University student, prompting criticism from a defense lawyer that police are doing their business backward.
Bill Thomas, a lawyer called in to help two Duke students facing drug charges, said he feared police were rushing to arrest first and waiting to conduct their investigations later.

"The power to arrest someone is a tremendous power," Thomas said Wednesday. "But with that power goes a tremendous responsibility to conduct a full and complete investigation. You investigate first, and you arrest after the investigation."

The most recent case to draw a rebuke from Thomas involved Eric Halperin, a senior honors student at Duke. Charges against him were dropped early this week.

Police had intercepted a package at a DHL delivery service station with 27 pounds of marijuana addressed to the off-campus fraternity house where Halperin lived.

As part of an undercover operation, an investigator posted a note on the fraternity house door. The note mentioned an attempt to deliver the package, according to court documents, and gave a phone number to call.

Halperin, according to his attorney, called the number. The undercover officer, according to court documents, said the package was addressed to a woman at that address.

Halperin, according to Thomas, said no one by that name lived at that address. But the package was delivered Feb. 27.

Shortly after that, Halperin was sitting on his couch next to the unopened package when a special police enforcement team rushed in with guns raised.

"He was handcuffed at gunpoint, strip-searched, taken to jail and placed under a $25,000 secured bond for a crime he did not commit," Thomas said. "Sadly, this is the third innocent Duke student who has had their good name tarnished for a crime they clearly did not participate in."

Jim Dornfried, the assistant district attorney who dismissed the charges against Halperin, said that he thought police had sufficient cause to levy the charges but evidence obtained after the arrest cast doubt on the case.

Dornfried said the State Bureau of Investigation had been called in to look into the evidence -- evidence that could incriminate someone else.

An SBI investigator assigned to the case declined to comment when contacted several weeks ago. The DHL hub, is not in Durham County.

The incident was the third of its kind in the past 11 months in which a Duke student was accused of trafficking drugs contained in a package intercepted from DHL, an express shipper with offices around the world.

"Whenever you have the drugs being delivered through a courier these are difficult cases to prove," Dornfried said.

In April 2007, Dornfried dismissed charges against Duke student Ryan Williams Packer after determining there was not enough evidence to proceed with police charges accusing him of trafficking 17 pounds of marijuana.

Thomas represented a female student who was taken to the police station at the same time, but she was not charged.

Thomas said he had hoped there would be procedural changes in the police department after the rush to prosecute in the Duke lacrosse case pointed out flaws with investigations.

"This case demonstrates without question that there's no change to investigative procedures," Thomas said. "I'm hopeful the new leadership will change that, but I see no indication of that occurring."
3/31/2008 12:26:48 PM EDT
[#4]
dont ship your weed threw DHL
3/31/2008 12:27:25 PM EDT
[#5]
I've signed for dozens of packages not addressed to me, but addressed to others in my office, or the clients of others in my office.

I'm trying to figure out their probable cause for trying to charge this guy with dealing, other than his signing for the package.

Seems like the police in that story would leave a bail of pot out of the sidewalk, and jump out of the bushes and arrest you for dealing when you walked by it.
3/31/2008 12:30:13 PM EDT
[#6]
So lets see...


Police had intercepted a package at a DHL delivery service station with 27 pounds of marijuana addressed to the off-campus fraternity house where Halperin lived.

As part of an undercover operation, an investigator posted a note on the fraternity house door. The note mentioned an attempt to deliver the package, according to court documents, and gave a phone number to call.

Halperin, according to his attorney, called the number. The undercover officer, according to court documents, said the package was addressed to a woman at that address.

Halperin, according to Thomas, said no one by that name lived at that address. But the package was delivered Feb. 27.

Shortly after that, Halperin was sitting on his couch next to the unopened package when a special police enforcement team rushed in with guns raised.

"He was handcuffed at gunpoint, strip-searched, taken to jail and placed under a $25,000 secured bond for a crime he did not commit," Thomas said. "Sadly, this is the third innocent Duke student who has had their good name tarnished for a crime they clearly did not participate in."


What the fuck?
Interesting other items...


Jim Dornfried, the assistant district attorney who dismissed the charges against Halperin, said that he thought police had sufficient cause to levy the charges but evidence obtained after the arrest cast doubt on the case.


Huh?


An SBI investigator assigned to the case declined to comment when contacted several weeks ago. The DHL hub, is not in Durham County.


Huh?


The incident was the third of its kind in the past 11 months in which a Duke student was accused of trafficking drugs contained in a package intercepted from DHL, an express shipper with offices around the world.


O Rly?



In April 2007, Dornfried dismissed charges against Duke student Ryan Williams Packer after determining there was not enough evidence to proceed with police charges accusing him of trafficking 17 pounds of marijuana.


Wait, what? Ok, who swiped ten pounds of evidence?
3/31/2008 12:32:41 PM EDT
[#7]
Sounds like a half assed investigation,  could have been a nice bust with a little more elbow grease.  As it stands, with the facts give in the article they don't have much of a case.
3/31/2008 12:34:18 PM EDT
[#8]
And they wonder why they get no respect.

3/31/2008 12:34:25 PM EDT
[#9]

Quoted:
So lets see...


In April 2007, Dornfried dismissed charges against Duke student Ryan Williams Packer after determining there was not enough evidence to proceed with police charges accusing him of trafficking 17 pounds of marijuana.


Wait, what? Ok, who swiped ten pounds of evidence?


Different case.  Different person.
3/31/2008 12:35:26 PM EDT
[#10]
Law enforcement in this country is a fucking mess.
3/31/2008 12:41:58 PM EDT
[#11]

Quoted:
Law enforcement in this country is a fucking mess.


I am all for privatizing and making them just as accountable as "we the citizens".
3/31/2008 12:44:11 PM EDT
[#12]

Quoted:

Quoted:
So lets see...


In April 2007, Dornfried dismissed charges against Duke student Ryan Williams Packer after determining there was not enough evidence to proceed with police charges accusing him of trafficking 17 pounds of marijuana.


Wait, what? Ok, who swiped ten pounds of evidence?


Different case.  Different person.



Oh, I see what they did there...

they got ten more pounds and recycled!!
Because if at first you don't succeed, try, try, try and fabricate cases again!
3/31/2008 12:45:06 PM EDT
[#13]

"The power to arrest someone is a tremendous power," Thomas said Wednesday. "But with that power goes a tremendous responsibility to conduct a full and complete investigation. You investigate first, and you arrest after the investigation."


How True!!!!!!
3/31/2008 12:51:39 PM EDT
[#14]
height=8
Quoted:
Law enforcement in this country is a fucking mess.


There seems to be an epidemic of corruption.  

However, we are led to believe each case (there seem to be daily instances) is an isolated incident.
3/31/2008 12:59:55 PM EDT
[#15]
Jack-Booted Thuggery!!!!!!!!!!!!!
3/31/2008 1:01:52 PM EDT
[#16]

Quoted:

Quoted:

Quoted:
So lets see...


In April 2007, Dornfried dismissed charges against Duke student Ryan Williams Packer after determining there was not enough evidence to proceed with police charges accusing him of trafficking 17 pounds of marijuana.


Wait, what? Ok, who swiped ten pounds of evidence?


Different case.  Different person.



Oh, I see what they did there...

they got ten more pounds and recycled!!
Because if at first you don't succeed, try, try, try and fabricate cases again!



What are you talking about....?   By my read the police did not box up and send the dope, rather they intercepted a box that had been mailed, then played out the delivery to find the recipient.  The guy they arrested may, or may not have been involved.  They jumped the gun on the warrant and acted before they could verify who was the owner / in possession of the package.  This guy could have been the dealer, the police just didnt make their case.  
3/31/2008 1:02:20 PM EDT
[#17]

Quoted:

Quoted:
Law enforcement in this country is a fucking mess.


There seems to be an epidemic of corruption.  

However, we are led to believe each case (there seem to be daily instances) is an isolated incident.


Where is the corruption in this....?
3/31/2008 1:02:52 PM EDT
[#18]
Whoah... guys, back up.

Let me make something clear:

Was there cause to investigate:  You bet.   27pounds of it.

I don't even think there'd be a problem talking with the guy and seeing if he would be interviewed or explain what the deal was.

But why send a SWAT team to a fraternity house?   I'll tell you why:   Because in many departments that have them, SWAT teams do drug warrant service, period.

This was a fraternity house.   What did they expect, John Belushi to come out and spit  cafeteria food at them?
3/31/2008 1:11:22 PM EDT
[#19]

Quoted:

Quoted:

Quoted:
Law enforcement in this country is a fucking mess.


There seems to be an epidemic of corruption.  

However, we are led to believe each case (there seem to be daily instances) is an isolated incident.


Where is the corruption in this....?


By trying to pin it on whoever signed for the box, whether it was his dope or not.  
3/31/2008 1:16:00 PM EDT
[#20]
No, that is not corruption, it is poor police work.  He may well have been the owner, they just did not make their case.
3/31/2008 1:40:42 PM EDT
[#21]

Quoted:
No, that is not corruption, it is poor police work.  He may well have been the owner, they just did not make their case.


The problem was that they appear to now KNOW that he was not the owner.   They did the investigation that led to that information AFTER they raided this kid's house, destroyed his stuff, hauled him in and destroyed his reputation.  

3/31/2008 1:44:54 PM EDT
[#22]
It's early for JBT Friday but still a good example of police incompetence.
3/31/2008 1:45:44 PM EDT
[#23]

Quoted:
No, that is not corruption, it is poor police work.  He may well have been the owner, they just did not make their case.


They had zero proof it was his, or that he knew anything about it. That is far beyond shitty police work.

I'd like to know if they were honest with the Judge when getting the warrant - if they lied, they need to go directly to jail after while being fired. If the judge signed off on the warrant with what they knew, he needs to be in the unimployment line right next to the JBTs.
3/31/2008 1:46:20 PM EDT
[#24]
Incompetence....YES....this should have been a nice bust that could have gone somewhere.
3/31/2008 1:48:29 PM EDT
[#25]
Dude, he could have had a frisbee.  Officer safety all the way.  
3/31/2008 1:55:38 PM EDT
[#26]

Quoted:

Quoted:
Law enforcement in this country is a fucking mess.


I am all for privatizing and making them just as accountable as "we the citizens".




Yeah, because private entities are more accountable to the public than the government is.

3/31/2008 2:06:28 PM EDT
[#27]

Quoted:

Quoted:

Quoted:

Quoted:
So lets see...


In April 2007, Dornfried dismissed charges against Duke student Ryan Williams Packer after determining there was not enough evidence to proceed with police charges accusing him of trafficking 17 pounds of marijuana.


Wait, what? Ok, who swiped ten pounds of evidence?


Different case.  Different person.



Oh, I see what they did there...

they got ten more pounds and recycled!!
Because if at first you don't succeed, try, try, try and fabricate cases again!



What are you talking about....?   By my read the police did not box up and send the dope, rather they intercepted a box that had been mailed, then played out the delivery to find the recipient.  The guy they arrested may, or may not have been involved.  They jumped the gun on the warrant and acted before they could verify who was the owner / in possession of the package.  This guy could have been the dealer, the police just didnt make their case.  


They didn't box it up?
The story says theres no hub over there
So how/where exactly did they "intercept" at?
Where is this "interception" point, manned with drug dogs and the like?

So they go after the recipient, despite not being anyone at that address matching that name... I got it! Why not go after the sender! You know, the supplier of 27 lbs of devil's weed. That would seem to make more sense, but alas, I'm not professional enough to understand the ways and methods of America's apparently finest.
3/31/2008 2:06:56 PM EDT
[#28]
Personally, I would make the whole dept go back and re-learn on how to conduct an investigation.  3 times in a year shows pretty sloppy work.
3/31/2008 2:07:51 PM EDT
[#29]

Quoted:
Durham is a third-world shithole with a police department to match.


I was just there in October of last year for a few weeks and the whole place wreaks of power corruption.

In fact, I've been all over the country and I don't think I can ever remember seeing so many cops w/scowls on their faces, nor have I seen so many people on the side of the road with a cop in their trunk searching the car.

It was like a bad movie, and I vowed to never live in a place where the citizens fear the police.
3/31/2008 2:08:39 PM EDT
[#30]

Quoted:

Quoted:
Durham is a third-world shithole with a police department to match.


I was just there in October of last year for a few weeks and the whole place wreaks of power corruption.

In fact, I've been all over the country and I don't think I can ever remember seeing so many cops w/scowls on their faces, nor have I seen so many people on the side of the road with a cop in their trunk searching the car.

It was like a bad movie, and I vowed to never live in a place where the citizens fear the police.



Sounds like Spitzer's kinda town!
3/31/2008 2:10:01 PM EDT
[#31]
Wow, talk about a wrong delivery.

No wonder folks have lost confidence in some police forces.

Max
3/31/2008 2:10:11 PM EDT
[#32]
shitty police work to say the least.  not that I give a shit about busting marijuana dealers...
3/31/2008 2:10:43 PM EDT
[#33]
Isolated incident.
3/31/2008 2:13:20 PM EDT
[#34]

Quoted:

Quoted:

Quoted:
Law enforcement in this country is a fucking mess.


I am all for privatizing and making them just as accountable as "we the citizens".




Yeah, because private entities are more accountable to the public than the government is.



I wouldn't necessarily argue for private police forces, but the idea is at least a private entity would have to compete and satisfy customers to make money and continue to exist.  governmental agencies have a guaranteed source of revenue regardless of performance.
3/31/2008 2:20:24 PM EDT
[#35]

Quoted:
And they wonder why they get no respect.



Yup
3/31/2008 2:21:04 PM EDT
[#36]
I think the real key here is that you should not use DHL. They combine the worst aspects of both FedEx and UPS and then add their own incompetence to the mix.

As for the cops, well damn, maybe they need some refresher courses on how this is done, cause right now it seems they are doing pretty poorly.
3/31/2008 2:24:41 PM EDT
[#37]

Quoted:

Quoted:

Quoted:
Law enforcement in this country is a fucking mess.


There seems to be an epidemic of corruption.  

However, we are led to believe each case (there seem to be daily instances) is an isolated incident.


Where is the corruption in this....?


3/31/2008 2:24:52 PM EDT
[#38]
Who was the package originaly addressed too?
3/31/2008 2:27:46 PM EDT
[#39]
Just another isolated incident.  Move along.
3/31/2008 2:27:46 PM EDT
[#40]

Quoted:
Who was the package originaly addressed too?


Someone who apparently doesn't exist, at least not at that frat house.
3/31/2008 2:29:25 PM EDT
[#41]

Quoted:

Quoted:

Quoted:

Quoted:

Quoted:
So lets see...


In April 2007, Dornfried dismissed charges against Duke student Ryan Williams Packer after determining there was not enough evidence to proceed with police charges accusing him of trafficking 17 pounds of marijuana.


Wait, what? Ok, who swiped ten pounds of evidence?


Different case.  Different person.



Oh, I see what they did there...

they got ten more pounds and recycled!!
Because if at first you don't succeed, try, try, try and fabricate cases again!



What are you talking about....?   By my read the police did not box up and send the dope, rather they intercepted a box that had been mailed, then played out the delivery to find the recipient.  The guy they arrested may, or may not have been involved.  They jumped the gun on the warrant and acted before they could verify who was the owner / in possession of the package.  This guy could have been the dealer, the police just didnt make their case.  


They didn't box it up?
The story says theres no hub over there
So how/where exactly did they "intercept" at?
Where is this "interception" point, manned with drug dogs and the like?

So they go after the recipient, despite not being anyone at that address matching that name... I got it! Why not go after the sender! You know, the supplier of 27 lbs of devil's weed. That would seem to make more sense, but alas, I'm not professional enough to understand the ways and methods of America's apparently finest.


They didn't box it up?
The story says theres no hub over there
So how/where exactly did they "intercept" at?
Where is this "interception" point, manned with drug dogs and the like?


Um, are you making this up as you go.....?   Maybe they need new recruits...you should apply.    

And yes they should have gone after the sender, but before you do that you turn whoever it is shipped to.  That is where they effed up.
3/31/2008 2:33:19 PM EDT
[#42]

Quoted:
dont ship your weed threw DHL


Maybe the potheads think DHL stands for Doobies, Hash, and Lids.
3/31/2008 2:35:04 PM EDT
[#43]

Quoted:
Who was the package originaly addressed too?


Since it was sent to a frat I'm going to go with one of the following:

1.  Amanda Huggenkiss;

2.   Mike Hunt;  

3.   Dick Peters.

3/31/2008 2:36:19 PM EDT
[#44]
Jeez.  

Some departments are a joke.
3/31/2008 2:38:59 PM EDT
[#45]

Quoted:
dont ship your weed threw DHL


That much weed is going to reek no matter how they package it.

3/31/2008 3:42:18 PM EDT
[#46]

Quoted:
Durham is a third-world shithole with a police department to match.


LOL!  www.ar15.com/forums/topic.html?b=1&f=5&t=693345
3/31/2008 4:34:09 PM EDT
[#47]
Gee, you guys don't think he might have had the shipper make up a phony name for the addressee so he could claim (weakly ) that it wasn't his?

Naw, a guy moving 27 pounds of drugs would never try THAT.