Cotter deserves credit for doing the right thing
Editor,
Congratulations to Berrien County Prosecutor Art Cotter in following up on crimes allegedly committed in the Benton Harbor Police Department's narcotics unit.
THE LAST THING COTTER SHOULD BE IS CONGRATULATED. HE WAS THE ONE WHO PROSECUTED ALL THESE PEOPLE. HE IS DISMISSING CHARGES ONLY BECAUSE THE FEDS ARE FORCING HIM TO. IN THE END, IT WILL INVOLVE OVER 100 PEOPLE.
Also, hats off to the state and local police who cooperated in the drug-trafficking investigation.
YES, HATS OFF TO THE POLICE FOR SPENDING THEIR WORK HOURS AND OUR TAX MONEY ARRESTING PEOPLE WHO HAD DRUGS PLANTED ON THEM.
Hopefully, this is a start in improving on the consequences of laws involving narcotics.
ARE YOU REFERRING TO NARCOTICS PLANTED BY OFFICERS?
[FOR CURRENT INFORMATION ON "THE DRUG WAR", SEE:
http://bhbanco.blogspot.com/2008/12/drug-laws-are-ravaging-constitution.html
Drug Laws Are Ravaging the Constitution, Dec. 26, 08
The Bill of Rights: Killed in Action, By Michael Dee, http://www.ursm.us/]
In discussing narcotics and the prison population with a college professor friend recently, I agreed with him that the prison population should be reduced by less reliance on such tactics as: the use of jailhouse informants in trials; the use of cross-culture eye-witnesses in trials; poor public defense by court-appointed attorneys. AGREED.
According to Michigancampaignforjustice.org, Michigan is failing our public defense system. Our judges have shown interest in ideas that can improve justice in our midst. BERRIEN COUNTY JUDGES HAVE NOT SHOWN AN INTEREST IN ANYTHING BUT SENDING PEOPLE TO PRISON FOR ANY REASON AT ALL - THEY KNEW ABOUT THE DRUG PLANTING ALL ALONG. IN FACT, IT'S AGAINST BERRIEN COUNTY "LAW" FOR JUDGES TO TRY TO IMPROVE JUSTICE. THEIR ONLY JOB IS TO SEND PEOPLE TO JAIL OR PRISON, ESPECIALLY BLACK PEOPLE.
Thanks to the officers and Cotter for making things right for the accused, and saving taxpayers many thousands of dollars. IF COTTER HAD BEEN AN HONEST PUBLIC SERVANT, HE WOULD NOT BE COSTING TAXPAYERS ANY MONEY AT ALL. NOT ONLY DID COTTER KNOW ABOUT ANDREW COLLINS PLANTING DRUGS ON INNOCENT CITIZENS FOR A NUMBER OF YEARS, BUT THIS PRACTICE IS GOING ON TODAY, ESPECIALLY IN SHERIFF BAILEY'S DEPARTMENT. WILL FAIR-MINDED BERRIEN COUNTY CITIZENS GET INVOLVED?
Milt Zoschke
Benton Harbor
MORE BACKGROUND ON THIS SORRY SITUATION: County Prosecutor Art Cotter was point man for years for B.C. Courthouse and Whirlpool for arresting (AND REMOVING) Benton Harbor residents. Regarding the most prolific drug planter, Andrew Collins, he had a fight in St. Joe - police arrested him. He resigned and they abandoned their normal procedure of allowing an officer to clean out their locker, and did it for him. Such a huge amount of drugs was found that the chief had no choice but to report this to the Feds.
Meanwhile, the investigation into two other city police officers is ongoing.
