NEWS: Did A Queens Judge Let A Suspect Escape Arrest?

NYC Queens Judge Laura Blackburne has been accused of helping a suspect to escape from the courtroom where he was to be arrested by police on charges stemming from a vicious robbery and beating.

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Story here:
abclocal.go.com...

This is not the first time that the judge has clashed with the NYPD. Two years ago, she threw out a case of a man accused of shooting a cop.

In this case, the judge helped the suspect escape through a back door in her courtroom. She did so because the suspect thought that he was there to be questioned by the police, when they actually were there to arrest him.

It is not a crime for the police to lie to a suspect. She stepped out of bounds when she objected to their tactics.


[edit on 6-12-2004 by Valhall]

I wonder if true, who appointed her..?.

I think it is time we held these rogue judges accountable for their terrible rulings and actions. the police have a hard enough time in this day and age (ACLU) and shouldn't have to deal with judges that are unsympathetic to the law of the land!

There is clearly more to the story than we've been told. The crux is in the detail. The judge is made to look evil by the news accounts of what happened. On the other hand, the NYPD have no right to use the court as the location for playing out their deceptions. If there is blame to be laid here it falls on both sides. Luring someone into a courtroom on false pretenses should be condemned much more strongly than you are condemning the judge. Her act, though it apparently let a suspected wrongdoer get back on the street, preserved the sanctity of the courtroom and sent a strong message to the police. Frankly, it was an act of integrity rather than the "act of evil" scenario that you are all so quick to side with. The court is not an arm of the police department. The fundamental problem here is that so few of you understand what America's justice system stands for and take little thought before throwing its protections away based on the characterization an event is given by the media. Wake up people! Or you'll soon be back in the USSR right here at home if we're not there already.

>It is not a crime for the police to lie to a suspect. She stepped out of bounds when she objected to their tactics.<

But it is a crime for a citizen to lie to the police! Rather one-sided, is it not? Officials can lie to us without consequence. If we lie to them we go to jail or prison. A rather skewed system. Those in power, including those in the NYPD, need not exercise the basic integrity of speaking truthfully. Do you have any conscept of what mindless pawn you've become?

Please spare me the criminal's rights crap...

You are shocked that a cop sometimes has to lie to a criminal when getting an arrest? You expect that a cop can just let the criminal know "Hi, I'm here to arrest you" or perhaps make an appointment? Schedule a meeting? Give me a break. Yes, many arrests happen as a result of getting a suspect to show up somewhere and getting the collar there. So what? Diversions are sometimes needed, sometimes it's necessary to mislead a criminal, trick them into thinking something else. How is this different than a scumbag who makes a living serving legal papers. Same thing. Bottom line is no one is going to voluntarily stroll in to face charges. This is a common tactic, it's not changing. And by no means is this joke of a "judge" going to bring about any change to this system.

As a side note this judge has been the laughing stock of the judicial community for YEARS. Why she's still around at all is beyond me. The only judge funnier than her and her pink couch is the one who wears long purple gloves during court sessions.

Another side note about this judge, she was deemed unqualified by the Queens Bar Association to serve as a judge quite some time ago.

[edit on 6-14-2004 by Djarums]

No, not necessarily true. Ask any cop how many drinks a DUI suspect will say that he had - "Two beers" is the standard answer. Nobody ever got arrested for giving that answer, as far as I know.

And cops use sting operations all the time to lure people with warrants. For example, calling or writing to them saying that they have won a color TV set..just come pick it up. Happens all the time.

Besides, you can lie to me, if you want to. SOME of the time. Like trying to convince me that you are serious about the criminal's rights over society's protection. But you can't lie to me if you sell me a house and tell me that the basement never flooded, if you know differently.