Two Houston Police Officers Fired for Nude Download



ASSOCIATED PRESS



HOUSTON (AP) -- Two Houston police officers were fired after they were accused of downloading nude photographs of a suspected drunken driver from her camera phone.

Officers Christopher Green, 34, and George Miller, 38, were indefinitely suspended late last week, tantamount to firing in the department.

A search warrant for Green's home accused him of transferring nude photos from the college student's cellular phone to his personal digital assistant. The warrant also alleged that Miller left the woman a message suggesting they meet at an Italian cafe.

The woman's attorney, Ned Gill, has said he has no idea why she had nude photos of herself, or why the officers examined the phone. The woman is from China and speaks little English, Gill said.

Prosecutor Edward Porter, who is leading a criminal investigation, did not immediately return a call for comment Thursday, but another prosecutor said he did not believe there would be charges. State law forbids accessing a computer system without consent from the owner.

The officers' union attorney didn't immediately return a call Thursday.

Green and Miller were assigned to the department's drunken-driving task force, and the firings could affect other drunken-driving cases, officials said.

They should be fired.

see what porn made them do?

Quoted: /snip State law forbids accessing a computer system without consent from the owner. /snip

I clearly remember LEO members here commenting that they routinely check cell-phones and lap-top computers at stops/arrests and thought they were perfectly legal in doing so without consent, some bable about "containers".

Quoted: see what porn made them do?

Porn, or donuts???

I smell a donut thread coming....

I wanna see the pictures!

Quoted: see what porn made them do?

Quoted: Quoted: /snip State law forbids accessing a computer system without consent from the owner. /snip I clearly remember LEO members here commenting that they routinely check cell-phones and lap-top computers at stops/arrests and thought they were perfectly legal in doing so without consent, some bable about "containers".

I am a LEO and can attest to the fact that we do search the vehicles of people we arrest.  This is done for officer safety, for contraband, and for valuables.  During the search we log what we find on an inventory form.  This way the individual has some assurance that what is in the car will still be there when its out of impound.  We also have some protection when the guy we arrested tells us he wants the 10,000 dollar diamond necklace he had in the glove box of his beat up 100 dollar 1979 station wagon.  While we can look into containers (weapons, valuables, contraband, etc) I can't see anyone reasonably looking through someones cell phone or laptop - for any reason - in a standard impound inventory.  Otherwise we would need a warrant.  What these guys did was totally wrong and I would hope that she can seek compensation for damages from the officers.  

"Indefinitely suspended" is a little different from being fired.  It means Houston will not relinquish their license/certification, and they can never get a job with another agency.   Essentially, out of the career.  A good thing in this instance.

As for searching laptops etc, I have never heard anyone here say they did,  that would require a warrant.  I CAN and do run the serial numbers for stolen.

 Now,  I have answered cell phones at the owner's request, I've set up some good drug buys that way.

I want to see the pics too.

Whoops!  

They asked her out, guess she was hot!  Where's the pics?  

No, you do not get to take the drug dealers gun home with you for the weekend, and that goes for those pictures of the drunk girl.

What these guys did was totally wrong and I would hope that she can seek compensation for damages from the officers...

Just what was damaged and what is wrong with trying to score a POA?

+1 for wanna see the pics!

Quoted: see what porn made them do?

Quoted: I found her pic:

I'd hit it

This isn't a bread thread in the making....is it?  

Quoted: This isn't a bread thread in the making....is it?

Nope this is all about pie

So...are they made to return the pay they received will sitting at home and this was being investigated?

If not...why not?

Sgat1r5

Woman Asks Judge To Drop DWI Case After Officers Fired
Officers Fired For Downloading Nude Photos Off Suspect's Cell Phone

POSTED: 12:41 p.m. CDT May 20, 2005
UPDATED: 12:45 p.m. CDT May 20, 2005


Story by Click2Houston

HOUSTON -- A college student accused of driving while intoxicated asked a judge Friday to drop her case after the Houston Police Department fired tthe arresting officers for downloading nude pictures off her cell phone and onto a personal digital assistant, Local 2 reported.


The 26-year-old Houston Community College student and her attorney convinced a judge to subpoena officers Christopher Green and George Miller for a court hearing next Wednesday. The judge said he wants the officers to explain what happened and who saw the woman's nude pictures.

"I received five names, which included the two officers. But, there are many other officers that work for HPD (in the DWI task force) who I suspect may have seen these photos. Now, I don't know. This is all speculation on my part," the woman's attorney Ned Gill said.

Late last week, Christopher Green and George Miller were indefinitely suspended, which is tantamount to firing at the department, after a four-month investigation into the allegations.

According to a search warrant for Green's home, he transferred nude photos of the woman from her cellular phone to his PDA. The warrant also alleged that Miller left the woman a voice-mail message suggesting that they meet at an Italian cafe.

The officers have appealed their termination to the city Civil Service Commission, union attorney Aaron Suder said. A hearing is expected within 60 days.



Gill has said he has no idea why his client, a native of China who is in the United States on a student visa and speaks little English, had nude photos of herself on her cell phone, or why the officers examined the phone.

"I feel very sad about those things that happened because it is unfair to me," the woman, who asked not to be identified, said.

The attorney said he is disappointed that the district attorney's office has not thrown out her DWI case since her arresting officers were fired.

The district attorney's office told Local 2 they have not thrown out the case because they have other evidence, which includes a Breathalyzer test, blood work and video from the patrol unit's dashboard camera.

However, the firings could affect dozens of drunken-driving cases awaiting court dates. Green and Miller were assigned to the department's drunken-driving task force.

If the woman's case is not thrown out, it could go to trial in June.

Why would the DA throw out the case?  The men can still be ordered into court to testify.