Wrongly Jailed Man Told to Pay Room & Board - Ep. 7.435

[@avi8r66]

I don't agree that it's appropriate to bill someone for jail time. This creates a financial motivation to keep cells maxed out.

[@MikinessAnalog]

So do privately ran jails and prisons. It also creates motivation to go out and arrest people for anything, including planting evidence.

[@Tathanic]

motivation to throw poor people out of jail ;)

[@SnarkNSass]

Zactly...

[@brianm.595]

I'll take you one step further. There should be no such thing as "for profit, jails and prisons. " there's zero incentive to rehabilitate people in that scenario. If corporations continue to be allowed to run private jails and prisons, they should only make money for the people that stay out of jail for a year after release, incentives for those released getting jobs post release. It would be a totally different society.

[@SnarkNSass]

@@brianm.595 Yep yep

[@dashy9482]

Jailed and life ruined, now heres a bill for our service to do that.

[@3_up_moon]

A bill you can't pay because you cant get a job

[@consaka1]

Insult to injury.

[@Ryan_DeWitt]

Yes. I swear sometimes when I watch this channel now I think this must be some kind of satire some of the stuff like this and the civil forfeiture stuff is that ridiculous.

[@leothenomad5675]

@@3_up_moon Also once that charge of CP is put on you some people will always be convinced that you are guilty.

[@dashy9482]

@@leothenomad5675 I bet he could sue the city for defamation and win

[@mothertruckersparadise3260]

He should sue for loss of wages, and other damages. Millions bare minimum, his reputation is damaged

[@robertmcnearny9222]

Kentucky supreme court ruled in his favor

[@axer3515]

I was once told by a DA that they will do things to people they can't to convict to drive up the cost of the offence. I consider this extra-judicial punishment. It should be a crime.

[@TheRealScooterGuy]

Along the same lines, when I worked in a convenience store several decades ago, during company training with an officer from the local PD, he mentioned that if we catch shoplifters, we rarely end up testifying because they charge them with the misdemeanor for shoplifting and the felony for entering the building with the intent to commit any theft (burglary, in my state), and they inevitably take the plea bargain on the shoplifting charge to get the felony dismissed.

[@nerys71]

IT IS A CRIME. its just not enforced.

[@jon9103]

@@nerys71 funny how the prosecutor doesn't prosecute themselves or their coworkers.

[@EnthalpyAndEntropy]

@@jon9103 that's what the 2nd amendment is for if you were wondering. Start snuffing crooked DAs and you might see a change.

[@eugeniujosanu279]

Of course they can .. otherwise they can turn around and sue the city ... they all eat from same piggy bank

[@wtyrrel]

My personal favorite is when I get a traffic ticket dismissed by the prosecutor, and, for the privilege of having the charges dropped, I get to pay 'court costs' (despite never being in a court) that are roughly equivalent to the ticket's fine in the first place. The whole thing is rigged to generate money.

[@kebertxela941]

Where is this happening?

[@martinlutherkingjr.5582]

Move somewhere that has minimal penalties for not having a license plate.

[@wtyrrel]

@@kebertxela941 I don't remember exactly which court.. but somewhere in the greater Kansas City, MO area... I think it was either Jackson County or one of KC's suburbs.

[@My-Pal-Hal]

It Happens Everywhere 🤬

[@Sauce_Doc]

@@kebertxela941 At least in California most traffic tickets are a $25 ticket plus $500+ in fees. If you get the $25 ticket dismissed the court waives the $500+ fees but you have to pay a $25 dismissal fee, which is conveniently the same cost as the $25 ticket in the first place, minus all the added fees.

[@tonyblake7569]

"It's the cost of services." Sweet, I'm going to open a pizza shop and deliver pizza to people that didn't order it and demand they pay for something they didn't want because hey that's the cost of my service.

[@mainegardenguy703]

Reminds me of some building contractors I've run across. One guy came out to place a bid on a reno of mine. Dude didn't have paper, pencil, pen, tape measure, nothing but a bad attitude. I told him i wouldnt be calling. He tried to send me a bill for work done. Luckily I had the whole thing on video, showed it to the cops and pursed a fraud charge. He ran and I don't think he's been caught...

[@juanitadudley4788]

The geniuses who say this isn't punitive should have their homes seized by the police for 14 months, then forced to pay the eviction and maintenance costs.

[@taleladar]

That's a good analogy. But even worse for the guy in jail because the whole experience was devastating to his life. So it's like you delivered pizzas made of dung and rat poison or something and then forced people to eat it and then pay for it! In no way is the jail stay a "service" to any inmates, regardless. It's a punitive charge to the convicted, and if anything, generally a "service" to the public. Any innocent people spending time in jail should only have their living costs financed as a social/collective effort, in other words, through taxes.

[@croiners4166]

@@juanitadudley4788 and a restocking fee!

[@thevocatiousunspeakables709]

This kind of stuff happens more than you might think

[@spikey2740]

I was arrested, booked, spent a few days in jail in Phoenix AZ. Upon release, there were two cops presenting everyone with a form paper entitled something like "Unconditional Release". They were telling everyone they had to sign the paper as a condition of being released. I read it and therein it stated the soon to be released prisoner waived all rights to sue the Phoenix Police Department. I told them "go to hell, I'm not signing anything" and left.

[@ceoatcrystalsoft4942]

Almost guaranteed it wasn't legal

[@gabriel7664]

Good decision.

[@stonep11]

If a person asking you to sign something has a gun, 99% of the time it’s not something you should sign.

[@spikey2740]

@@jsmith-u5i You're absolutely correct.

[@ed9492]

Were you guilty?

[@The-KP]

The state frames the fees as "services to the inmate," when in fact it's services to the state. The state is prosecuting the accused, wanted him jailed or bonded out, and therefore it is the state that should be paying the fees for jailing the presumed innocent.

[@NSResponder]

The victim should be billing the state $500/hour for the entire time he was falsely imprisoned.

[@alanjames5387]

I I had been incarcerated on a false charge, I would be inclined to sue the authorities for loss of income, illegal kidnapping and damage to my reputation.

[@deejayyy1681]

Qualified immunity. Can't.

[@jeffkoehne4852]

Killdozers do exist

[@gblargg]

@@jeffkoehne4852 In MimeCraft...

[@johndorian4078]

I think the argument would be that they didn't prove the charges false, they just didn't prove them true. You'd only win if you could prove they knew you were innocent and had negligence (in my opinion not a lawyer) Like if you were in prison cause a cop planted evidence then you'd have a case.

[@TheRealScooterGuy]

@@deejayyy1681 -- Qualified immunity protects the officers personally, but their department can still be sued. I think.

[@melanatedmtb]

He was in jail that long bc the prosecutor thought they could force him to take a plea which increased the cost. That’s not only punitive, it’s Coercion!

[@Akisame-LuigI-O]

Essentially they destroyed his life this way.... In Europe he would be able to get damaged paid by the state....

[@timdowney6721]

@@Akisame-LuigI-O Many states in the US, the majority in the South, are filled with uneducated, religious nutcases. You have to expect Bronze and Iron Age “thinking.”

[@Akisame-LuigI-O]

@@timdowney6721 yeah... The basic education in the states is really really bad. I've noticed that. Naturally with an exception if you have enough spare money to afford better education... I live in one of the most non-religious countries in the world, so that was a bit of a culture shock when I went to visit as well... Very weird to see 30 meter tall Jesus statues by the side of the highway... Also, omg... The potholes....

[@ArtBear88]

@The Silenced good job proving their point, rube.

[@OmniscientlyMe]

@The Silenced In my experience, the people making such complaints are always in a region controlled by the right. I'll never figure out how you people get convinced to blame local issues on the side that isn't running your locale. Like all those people from red states that complain about their health insurance skyrocketing after their states blocked as many provisions of the ACA as they could. Or calling public schools leftist indoctrination centers when you vote for your local school boards. Y'all are literally being stabbed in the back and told it was the guy across the room and accepting it.

[@vociferon-heraldofthewinte7763]

It took 14 months to search his stuff to determine they had nothing? 14 days maybe but 14 months? Malicious prosecution and incompetence.

[@gregGould]

There's always a backlog of devices to be searched by the police. It took about the same amount of time (1 year) to search my brother's PC and find the nasty stuff he put on his harddrive. My brother was sentenced to 23 years to life in prison!!

[@Beeznitchio]

At the hospital if you are inpatient we get you testing and diagnostics within days where as if you do it outpatient it takes weeks or months. If you are sitting in jail, your case should get precedence in investigation.

[@ericwsmith7722]

A 14 month investigation.... almost sounds like when they investigate cops caugh red handed on video

[@roryross3878]

@@ericwsmith7722 you forgot the air quotes around "investigate"

[@kurtwetzel154]

14 days is more than enough time. His case should have been settled in days to maybe a week. Does not take that long to go thru a computer or computers.

[@drpinky504]

The whole reputation being ruined reinforces my belief that the identities of suspects arrested should not be released and the police should not parade suspects for the media when they make an arrest. All they accomplish by doing so is perpetuate the guilty until proven innocent mentality.

[@Peter-V_00]

Sounds like an extortion racket especially if you don't "ask" to be put in jail.

[@stephenrussell9545]

The state want this man to pay room and board, are they going to pay him for lost wages and assets? I didn't think so! This is embarrassing to our justice system!

[@gregGould]

He said that there is a separate lawsuit for the malicious prosecution. I hope he wins a big settlement.

[@stephenrussell9545]

@@gregGould You're right, he did say that. I typed my comment before watching the entire video, that was my mistake. I hope he wins big too! It is hard to come back from even just the allegation of something like that! How can keep someone in jail for over a year without any charges? I know it is common here, but it's not right. The longer someone is locked away like that also the more harm done to his reputation.

[@sittingindetroit9204]

Wonder if they will send him to jail if he doesn't pay

[@stephenrussell9545]

@@sittingindetroit9204 They do that with people that get out on probation and parole, but since this man is neither, that is an excellent question! If the guy has no job/income and no assets, it's not like they can put a lien against anything he owns. What if he just said screw you, I'm not paying! I hope he hasn't had to fork out all of his money to take this to the Supreme Court. The State should have to incur his legal fees for this, but they won't I'm sure!

[@7heRedBaron]

Welcome to the Trumpublican states of America.

[@bigolerednek2905]

The $4000 bill should be sent to the prosecutors office. IMHO

[@MikinessAnalog]

I thought defendants had a right to a "speedy" trial in your nation Mr. Lehto. 14 months doesn't sound like they were in any kind of hurry.

[@mrpete2405]

That is insane to charge someone you imprison and can't prosecute for the time you imprisoned him. Our country has gone nuts.

[@briancobb3907]

We do, but dragging out cases help the defense.

[@Dave-ty2qp]

That is about as true as innocent until proven guilty. Just legal gibberish that looks good on paper, but never actually exist.

[@joshuagibson2520]

Nothing speedy about anything in our court / justice system. Nothing.

[@jonathandetrow1077]

They kept looking despite not finding anything, tends to drag it out I suppose. Probably due to the subject of his arrest, were I to hazard a guess. I recall a similar story, involving an apartment complex right next to a busy wharf. The entire thing was on a single WiFi setup. They finally determined that someone used a sort of range extender from the area of the wharf to connect to the WiFi and upload such material. Can't remember how long that one went though, its been too long since I read the story.

[@marcelgaddis9319]

He should charge them a appearance fee of $4M!

[@jasonpinnegar8065]

This happened to my sister in laws brother. Almost the exact same thing in California. He tried getting out many times on bail but the prosecutor wouldn't allow it almost 18mo in jail for something he never did and they sent him a bill for it. The girl that accused him was discovered to have made many false accusations against men to black mail them that was why it was dropped. She never got in trouble for it.

[@gamer749]

That is why the guy needs to turn around a sue her for the costs and loss or reputation. If the criminal system will not punish her, the civil courts will.

[@dougjones9493]

14 months to check his devices for evidence of a crime. Is this complete incompetence of the police department???.

[@bmanagement4657]

This is the usa.

[@gregGould]

Absolutely YES!!!

[@juanio7036]

Police state

[@r3conwoo]

in the USA when the police dont have enough evidence to convict they leave you in prison until you confess for crimes you didnt do so then at least that way you can get released someday.

[@martinlutherkingjr.5582]

There is an IQ limit in the profession, you know right? Not saying all cops are dumb but it probably means the distribution will be abnormally weighted toward dumb people.

[@jamesdaniel4207]

I was once jailed in Jefferson Co. WA on a charge that was later overturned in state supreme court. I went back to court (pro se of course) and asked for my booking fees back. I got a court order and went back to the jail...the jail's superintendent (who was also a Steve) was gobsmacked to see me back at the jail through the front doors. I told him I had a court order for the return of my booking fees and he sent a deputy out to "deal with me". The deputy said they had no way to return my fees...I said, "sure you do...you just open that checkbook from the jail inmates trust account that you have from confiscating all the inmates funds and drawing interest on them while they are incarcerated, and cut me a check." Since it had never been done before, they balked. I told them that as I was feeling especially gracious that day and the sheriff "wasn't available" I'd wait to talk to him. The next day, the sheriff cut me the check and sent me on my way. I still have a copy of that check on my "wall of shame".

[@mojavedesertsonorandesert9531]

🍻👌

[@mandolinic]

I hope you got the bank to cash the check before putting it on your wall of shame ;-)

[@davidhunt7249]

Right on pal! Fantastic! I knew JEFFCO for as long as it took me to travel through it. BIG WIN!

[@gigamut11b86]

Yep...that sounds like JeffCo to me. At least it was not Kidnap County...lol I hope you have a great day & be safe. :)

[@roryross3878]

Amazing work.

[@mikezupancic2182]

This is beyond crazy. The words of the law clearly describe those who have been convicted. Why on earth does it need to be before the state supreme court and not just a lower court.

[@MyTube4Utoo]

"....with Liberty, and Justice for -all- those that can afford it."

[@ickster23]

He wasn't incarcerated for 14 months, he was kidnapped for 14 months. I'm actually surprised more people haven't gone "falling down" style in these situations. Here's a guy who has lost everything and the perpetrators of his misfortune are still persecuting him, but this time through administration, which can be worse than incarceration. It shows remarkable restraint that these people haven't sought violent revenge, followed by self annihilation, against as many people involved in ruining his life as he could.

[@turtleinashirt]

I’m sorry, but if you’re in jail for 14 months, you’ve already been convicted, even if you’ve never stepped foot in a court room. 14 months is as long as many criminal sentences. That’s nuts!

[@juanio7036]

It’s ridiculous!

[@Cheepchipsable]

It's because he couldn't make bail. Had he made bail he would have been out for that period. I think it's the basis for plea bargaining in many cases.

[@turtleinashirt]

@@Cheepchipsable he was arrested on Oct 13th, 2013 and bail was set at $15,000. Even if he couldn’t afford bail, that is no reason to keep him in prison for 14 months while they look for something to charge him with. Not only did they arrest someone with no evidence of wrong doing, confiscate his money and fail to give him a speedy trial to defend himself, they straight up ruined this guy’s life by accusing him of trafficking in child pornography. Not only should they not bill him for his 4 month stay, they (by they I don’t mean the tax payers, I mean the individuals responsible for this travesty of justice) should pay him restitution. If they can just accuse you, jail you, confiscate his money, and hold you for more than a year while they try and find evidence of the accusation, and when you get out hand you a bill for $4000, literally no one is safe. They could accuse you of the same thing tomorrow and you can either pay $15,000 to get out and endure the accusation in public, or sit in prison for a year and be billed $4,000? All for a crime you did not commit. How is that a “justice system”?

[@roncafelterfish9357]

There's people in cook county jail for over 10 years still awaiting trial

[@turtleinashirt]

@@roncafelterfish9357 that’s insane!

[@STANSTAN42]

It is definitely punitive. They already cost the man everything he had which is way more than $4000. How about they reimburse him for what he lost because of being in jail for 14 months.

[@MrBoricua10]

Not just the jail time. His life is ruined and many, if not all, of his cohorts want nothing to do with him even in the face of evidence or, in this case, lack thereof. A crying shame to be so ready to flip the switch without evidence to support; much less be so dishonestly ignorant to shun someone at the drop of a hat.

[@doncarlin9081]

Considering the charges, it's even worse for him.

[@earlscheib7754]

Yet when the cops mess up and kill somebody the cops are crying that they're going to lose their job. Cops jobs>your job

[@commonsenseisnt2dimesandan729]

Steve, even found guilty you may still be innocent. It bothers me how frequently it happens, and I'm devastated when a person is put to death and evidence is on hand during the trial, or very shortly before or after their death.

[@funnyfarm5555]

I too am amazed at how many time they find the prosecutor had evidence that would have cleared the defendant but even though required by law to give it to the defense, they don't and nothing happens to the prosecutors.

[@mudpuddle8805]

Steve Lehto for US Attorney General! I really appreciate your common sense approach to the awful cases.

[@Bob-Lob-Law]

All it takes for Evil to win Is for innocent men to do nothing

[@normastone1044]

The only thing necessary for the triumph of evil is for good men to do nothing. -- Edmund Burke

[@doorlocke8009]

I'd also say that charging someone money while rendering them incapable of earning any money would constitute cruel and unusual punishment. You're essentially forcing them to lose their job, then racking them with a debt they could possibly be unable to pay for.

[@spikespa5208]

Not to mention a home, if renting. Or even if owning, not paying mortgage for 14 months.

[@KeithDouglass-r9i]

almost sounds like slavery or a form of imdemptured(sp) servitude

[@bigdogbandal]

What I find even more disturbing is that he was arrested and held for 14 months when he did nothing wrong. If there isn't enough evidence to charge him, there wasn't enough evidence to arrest him. They could have used a warrant to seize his electronic devices and gone through them without locking him up.

[@gregGould]

Excellent point!!

[@kurtwetzel154]

I can see arresting the man and putting him in jail but not long. Maybe 7-14 days if not less. It doesn't take that long to look for evidence on a computer especially with technology these days. Talk about being incompetent and destroying a innocents mans life.

[@gorkyd7912]

Poor people follow different rules.

[@allanwidner9276]

Investigation before arrest is apparently a concept law enforcement and their toadies don't understand.

[@bigdogbandal]

@@kurtwetzel154 why arrest him at all? Even if the allegations had been true, it would appear that he would have been a consumer, not a producer. He also likely didn't have the means (and since he was innocent, the motivation) to flee.

[@kcidmil]

It has been my experience both personally and in acquaintances that when it comes to minors you are guilty until proven innocent. I watched a guy lose all his electronic devices, arrested, interrogated (the cops claimed they had everything they needed already), and almost lost his job. All because a minor lied about being raped. After medical examination showed no signs and a camera at work places him there during the supposed timeframe, the minor admitted to lying. He got no apologies from the cops or DA, and had to sue the city to get his stuff back because quote "if we dig long enough we'll find something else on your laptop or phone."

[@bretthamelin8974]

How do you keep someone in jail for 14 months and then realize you don't have any evidence?

[@AZFlyingCook]

The most telling statement is "It's the cost of doing business". When the correctional system became a business, things went from bad to worst [sic].

[@myd0gr3x]

the United States became a business in 1789 by-way-of CONstitution... read Hamilton's private letters to G Washington NOT Hamilton's public Federalist lies...

[@DLHappens]

Taxes are covering all of this. What they are doing is paying themselves all the money we pay in taxes then asking us to pay for services our tax dollars already pay for.

[@Mavendow]

@@myd0gr3x You're wrong, but that's not the problem here. The problem is that the U.S. IS in fact becoming a corporatocracy and you're giving it justification. Stop that.

[@andredeketeleastutecomplex]

@@Mavendow weirdo

[@pauls5745]

yes and privately-owned prisons are a growing business sector in many states

[@blake102989]

Kentucky tried to charge me $70 for being in jail for 4 hours. I called them and said I'm not going to pay it unless they give me the $2000 worth of things stolen out of my truck by the sheriffs

[@martinrascon1350]

What did they tell after you said you wherent goin to pay the 70 bucks

[@jamuraisack5503]

@@martinrascon1350 he's probably under tha jail on charges based on planted evidence and gatbage affidavits.

[@sittingindetroit9204]

People don't realize some of the crazy laws around. In Kentucky, again, if a sheriff doesn't spend all the money allocated for feeding the prisoners, he gets to keep it. This was highlighted a few years ago when the sheriff of a small town bought a $750,000 vacation home with the proceeds of not using the money to feed prisoners. Peanut butter and bread for prisoners, a super vacation home for the sheriff. What could go wrong with a system like that...

[@garyzimmerman62]

Wow.... all kinds of grounds to sue! I would sue for wrongful imprisonment, ruined reputation, emotional distress and more!

[@percivalgooglyeyes6178]

Why charge him just $4000, and not 40,000? After all it is an all-inclusive dwelling with very substantial security. Charging room & board for the private prison system this could be another profit center to maximize stockholder's equity.

[@peterresetz1960]

Adding insult to injury. Pour salt into the wound. The depths of injustice is unfathomable.

[@Verifiedbyme]

This is Asset Forfeiture by another name taking money from totally innocent people is what it is , a legal crime

[@ehrichweiss]

I'm right down the road from Winchester. This story doesn't surprise me in the least. They used to have a sheriff that ended up being convicted of running a jewelry heist ring. He'd act like he got a call and send all his deputies to one side of town while his buddies robbed a jewelry store on the other side.

[@uttcftptid4481]

I'm not trying to offend or anything, but is there anything good about living in Kentucky? I've only heard these kinds of stories about the state, and much much worse, but I've never heard anyone say anything good about the state. Even from people who live there or have lived there. So I'm genuinely curious : )

[@louisjantzen7141]

@@uttcftptid4481 Fried chicken maybe?

[@uttcftptid4481]

@@louisjantzen7141 oh, and bourbon and whiskey I suppose. Although I'm not a drinker myself, my vice is something a bit greener and stickier, if you catch my drift : ) But I imagine fried chicken and booze are great ways of dealing with living in Kentucky haha. But I can't speak from personal experience since I haven't been there, so I really can't say too many bad things about a place I haven't experienced for myself. I try not to do that.

[@xiaoka]

Mitch’s paradise!

[@JoeGraves24]

@@uttcftptid4481 I live here. It’s as good a place to live as any other. People are as corrupt or good as anywhere else. Hot in the summer and cold in the winter. Life is what you make of it for the most part. We do have some of the most diverse geography of any a state. Lakes, rivers, plains, mountains, plateaus and rolling hills. And yes, fried chicken, horse racing and bourbon (but those are everywhere now).

[@AZ-JKUR-HR]

I know someone in Wisconsin that was on a p.o. hold that he was found innocent of and charged over 1000 dollars. A lawyer from Chicago is looking at taking the jail to court. Hope it pans out.

[@cecilbdemento7736]

This is insane. Wrongfully jailed then asked to pay for his confinement. The jail system is out of control.

[@Steven-ud8kz]

I don't see how this is ok. Jail is not a hotel. It is being held against your will. Why would you have to pay for being held against your will? How about he sue the city for the false imprisonment, and have them pay for all his attorney fee's and his "room & board".

[@dank8865]

This all started in South Florida in the late 80s early 90s (same place/time/people/reason civil asset forfeiture came into being) in the Broward County Lockup run by The Broward Sheriff's Office, or BSO. They told the same old fairytale they spun to get Asset Forfeiture off the ground: "CornerDrugBoys© we're arresting are coming into The Jail with their wifebeaters & their dungerees hanging down below their behinds so's their boxers is all out where you can see em and they ALL got a roll of bills thick enough to choke a horse. Then they snigger & smirk at us while we gotta feed em and clothe em and provide em with a nice soft bed and a TV. Well - not only should we be able to keep that roll of bills, but we oughta be able to charge em room & board too." And so it was when it came to pass that The Broward County Sheriff was kind enough to put me up for a few days (8) back in 1996, The BSO also charged me $2.85 a day for sundries including the use of the tan scrubs they insisted I wear. See, as far as The BSO saw it, their jail *was* all but a hotel. Just one with really, really shitty room service. Welcome to Florida. 🤩😍😆♥️🇺🇸🏴‍☠️

[@dank8865]

@Walter White I wasn't. 🤩☣️💸🖕🖤🏴‍☠️👍

[@dank8865]

@Walter White Gotchya. I meant my friend too. 👍

[@lanmarknetworking3034]

"Paying money against your will IS punitive." - S.L. Only in 2021 do we need to tell people a fine = a punishment.

[@kylebutte503]

any fine, when ur poor is punishment. cause if you cant pay you go to jail. keep the poor stupid and in jail so they never know what rights they are taking from u.

[@Jester-Riddle]

Taxes ... !???

[@ronabitz5156]

So you can be jailed for 14 month based off just an accusation with no evidence.

[@fs127]

Land of the fee, home of the slave.

[@ValerieBailey-y9u]

Surely if you are detained against your will, you have not entered a consensual contract to pay for 'hotel' accommodation in jail. If the detention was unlawful, add it to the damages for costs you have put in that claim.

[@DirtPoorWargamer]

And here I thought wrongful imprisonment typically ended in a *_PAYMENT_* to the wronged party.

[@yomommaahotoo264]

Wonder if that local newspaper and television reported this with the same vigor they reported the alleged man's crimes?

[@MrTrailerman2]

Doubtful.

[@fredflintstone8048]

The world loves a guilty sinner, it makes us feel better about ourselves.

[@benjaminjwilson6694]

I moved into a place that had been raided by the authorities for child porn. One person in the complex was sharing their wifi to the whole building. When I moved in the previous tenet showed up to warn me of this and how important it was to never share your wifi.

[@crimsonhalo13]

Jesus Christ, it's 2021. Who shares their wifi connection with strangers anymore?

[@BrianFullerton]

@@crimsonhalo13 Pedophiles looking for plausible deniability is one possible answer. My grandmother (straight as an arrow) is another.

[@kerfluffle3781]

@@crimsonhalo13 A lot more people than you might think. Lots of people still don't have much experience with the internet and not all of them are older. In areas where access is limited proper network hygiene isn't taught. Even in big cities there are neighborhoods where internet is a luxury.

[@jackdanson2]

@@BrianFullerton Your grandma just wants plausible deniability for her dark web drug empire!

[@stevebabiak6997]

Comcast hotspots ...

[@thelonelypamphleteer5722]

Paying for incarceration while you're already paying rent or mortgage is most definitely punishment. If something is crooked and unethical, the government will discover and implement it themselves.

[@Eric-kg5sn]

The more that l learn about the US justice system. The more that l believe how deeply immoral it is.

[@cesaravegah3787]

I can't imagine how things like that don't end on major scandal and law reform.

[@shawnhamm2998]

If they want to call this a reimbursement, then we should be able to call what the state did to that man kidnapping.

[@ianbattles7290]

It IS kidnapping! It's not magically NOT kidapping just because the kidnappers were state employees!!!

[@matthewhoover6154]

There's no way I'd pay for my false imprisonment. This is beyond insane.

[@crazychick]

I'm in rural Oklahoma and my nephew was in jail. He paid for a burrito at the gas station kept the receipt and was thrown in jail walking to friends house for stealing the burrito. They refused to check his pocket for the receipt until the judge got involved. They let him go but charged him room and board hes on SSI so he paid $25 a month for almost 3 years. It was terrible

[@jayr6637]

Sorry to be so blunt, but is your nephew black? I'm curious to understand if the cops were being racist assholes or if they're assholes to everyone :)

[@icemancometh1621]

I'm somewhat inclined to say he deserved it for buying a burrito from a gas station. At least it wasn't sushi from a street vendor though!

[@swatkins9391]

@@jayr6637 Does not matter because in some rural areas of Oklahoma they treat everyone like crap unless your ancestors were the original white folks that stole the land from the Indians back in 1889.

[@jayr6637]

@@swatkins9391 Hmmm... so they like people who went big and stole land... but everyone else is fair game for the Cops. Sounds like a shithole :)

[@starwish2467]

@@jayr6637 That's a fair question. We need to know, too.

[@-Katastrophe]

Just in case anyone was wondering (and I'm not reading through 2700 comments) This story does have a decent ending. He made his case and the Kentucky supreme court unanimously agreed that charging the man for his stay was hella sus. Notice I didn't say "happy" ending, as I don't know if he then sued for wrongful imprisonment or whatever. But as far as this matter is concerned, he's good.

[@curtisblanco4029]

Years ago, a long distance company switched me without my permission and then sent us a huge long distance bill for calls my wife made to her home country. Needless to say I didn't pay.

[@trog.lodyte]

If they can charge you for room and board then you can sue them for lost income opportunity due to the incarceration. Seems right to me.

[@Tathanic]

and reputation

[@laurielewis6746]

Yes. But no, I'm pretty sure it doesn't work like that. Why fear communism? We're already there.

[@Dave-ty2qp]

Sadly being right and being lawful are two different things if I got this story right. Sad time in America when this has become the norm.

[@laurielewis6746]

@@paul.van.santvoord1232 lockdown orders for healthy people, a justice system run amuck, employers demanding your medical record? And on and on...

[@laurielewis6746]

@@icecold9511 Fair enough. We all die. May as well do it fighting.

[@SpiritualStuntman]

It’s stories like this that have made me stop saying the pledge of allegiance when I am at various functions where it is recited by groups. I just can’t say “liberty and justice for all” with a straight face anymore.

[@MonkeyJedi99]

Since about the sixth grade, I would stay silent on the "under God" part. For similar reasons.

[@gunsandpolitics5510]

@@MonkeyJedi99 Me too.

[@fredflintstone8048]

It just goes to show that societies even those that we thought were the most free in the world fall into tyranny and corruption over time and must constantly be policed by the vigilant, but that will only do a certain amount of good and thwart this only to a degree. I'm glad there are voices like Steve's who bring these things to the public eye.. Being able to do these things in secret is one of the biggest things that sustains this kind of behavior.

[@MonkeyJedi99]

@@fredflintstone8048 Yabba dabba damn right!

[@starwish2467]

You shouldn't disregard all the good stuff, just because of the occasional bad stuff. Other countries have it WAY worse, believe me!

[@monkfoobar]

And so much for a speedy trial. Seems like 14 months in jail waiting for the prosecution, who has nothing, is unconstitutional.

[@metricsplash]

Just when I thought the US court and jail system couldn’t be more corrupt

[@hankogle6858]

Seems like he could sue them for wrongful imprisonment. Speaking as a citizen and not a law expert

[@rachelguyer8447]

Calling the jail a business. 🤨 Wow. They are bold.

[@uttcftptid4481]

But that's what it is though. Most jails and prisons in America are privately owned and run, and contracted by the state or city or county they are in. Most of them even have contracts with the jurisdiction saying "you must keep this jail/prison at 90+% capacity, or else you are liable for the costs of the empty beds/cells." That creates a real motive for police and prosecutors to create criminals to keep the jails full so that the "criminals" are the ones on the hook for the bill and not the city/county/state.

[@andrewkent650]

@@uttcftptid4481 Your comment was essentially what I came here to say. Jails (or gaols depending where in the world you are) are run as businesses. The government are willing to pay the extra to have the bureaucratic burden of running incarceration themselves. With only a teensy bit of urging by lobbyists of course.

[@mranonymous7183]

@@uttcftptid4481 No, most aren't. I hate private jails, but it's not the majority. From the ACLU website: "According to the Bureau of Justice Statistics, for-profit companies were responsible for approximately 7 percent of state prisoners and 18 percent of federal prisoners in 2015 (the most recent numbers currently available). U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement reported that in 2016, private prisons held nearly three-quarters of federal immigration detainees. Private prisons also hold an unknown percentage of people held in local jails in Texas, Louisiana, and a handful of other states." A map of states with and without private prisons. www.sentencingproject.org/publications/private-prisons-united-states/

[@thetechgenie7374]

Technically they are. Granted he sure take legal action against them as he can get money for time spend in jail and for damages as a result.

[@rachelguyer8447]

I understand that they are but that is not what they are to be. If they are a business then there is incentive to put more people in jails. It should not be like that. But I am aware that's currently how they are.

[@cf4337]

I was arrested in VA. The charges were dismissed because of lack of evidence. *I truly didn't do it.* What the jail did was take $3 a day out of my commissary. The jail said the same thing, I'm not entitled to the money back.

[@mrwess1927]

@@zeronpeat3407 the apples are so rotten they’ve turned into compost

[@mediator_of_oaths]

@@mrwess1927 turned into apple cider that the cops, lawyers, and judges stay drunk off of

[@TheRantingCabbie]

Prosecutors, sheriffs, prisons all expect you to pay into an industry. But in this case, they feel they're not going to get their payment from this person so they get maliciously vindictive. As if to say "we were suppose to convict you and you pay, now we'll get you back and make you pay because we're losing money". Almost like they're saying "you weren't suppose to be proven innocent".

[@Akisame-LuigI-O]

Running innocent people up on cost. Making them lose their job (and be unable to get a new job because let's be honest... Just the allegation of CP destroys any prospects of getting a job in the future). Incarceration for over a year... In Europe he would be able to sue for damages. I don't see that happening in the US. Especially with systems where they charge you regardless of if you are innocent or not

[@georgepurdyiii307]

Guess I'll never drive through KY ever again!

[@jimstewart3283]

I learned that I had a warrant on me went to the police station to find out why. Told me I had failed to turn over a title to a car I had sold. I proved I had. Asked if I could bring false charges on them? They said no and if I would pay court cost I could leave. What court I had proven it right there. Just looked at him, turned around and left.

[@blackjug]

If you refuse to pay, do they throw you out, like a hotel would? This loophole would do away for the need for criminal defense lawyers.

[@Dave-ty2qp]

Can't type much now, still laughing rotflmao!

[@chaosryans]

We were reviewing your case, it says you were arrested trying to find second hand cigarettes? -yes I can't afford a pack of new ones Well, i guess you're free to go.

[@Carahan]

Nah. Now you get sent to the SUPER JAIL. Don't do it again or you'll find out if there is a SUPER SUPER JAIL.

[@turtleinashirt]

Boom! Brilliant

[@cf4337]

What they do, is if you have commissary money, they take it out of there first.

[@auntlouise]

"We need more money for the county coffers. Go arrest some people, then drop the charges and we will charge them money for their incarceration to make up our budget deficit."

[@jameswalker3729]

If all the police stations weren't trying to go paramilitary, they wouldn't have to get 'creative' with charges. Expensive habits equals exhorbitant charges. Some expensive habits make a person a criminal.

[@adiinbar993]

That really is exactly how it works. Along with handing out bogus traffic tickets, or pulling people over on false pretexts to see if they have any cash they can seize as "drug money".

[@MrAustrokiwi]

I know this probably doesn't apply in the USA: My immediate reaction is charging a prisoner for their stay is a breach of the principles of the UN Human rights convention. I may well be wrong completely but, it was just my first reaction.

[@kenmelrac]

Wonder if the feds are charging the illegal immigrants for their housing??

[@MrAustrokiwi]

@@kenmelrac I don't want to create a war of words.. but while I have difficulty with charging prisoners for their stay( reeks of double punishment). I do think illegal immigrants should be billed for their stay.

[@jupitercyclops6521]

US citizens don't enjoy rights provided by un or any other organization, document, treaty, contract, or other agreement or such.

[@andre0baskin]

@@jupitercyclops6521 Domestically, treaties to which the United States is a party are equivalent in status to Federal legislation, forming part of what the Constitution calls "the supreme Law of the Land." However there is a long history of the US ignoring treaties when it is convenient.

[@AlmightyCRJ]

Pretty much EVERYTHING Mr Lehto reads is a breach of UDHR.

[@daveponder2754]

Absolutely atrocious. Remove judges who support this type of abuse. Remove legislators who fail rectify this nonsense.

[@ianbattles7290]

"Innocent until proven guilty" is a myth *if you can spend 14 months in jail without a trial or a conviction.* Not only would I refuse to pay this bill, I would respond with a $50M wrongful arrest/incarceration lawsuit.

[@bitsnpieces11]

I would sue them for every penny I MIGHT have been able to earn during that time AND the lost revenue from the lost friendships.

[@reginaschellhaas1395]

Yes, but this costs money. This might have been a "less mentally able" or less educated person, with few resources. A victim, in short. Otherwise, I agree with you, totally.

[@GNpatent]

This sort of ruthless injustice is worth a good watering.

[@Robocline]

The tree is parched my friend.

[@jeffkoehne4852]

Do not forget to dot the i's,because they're worth it.

[@TheCollabCurator]

In general, it is a bad idea to charge inmates for jail costs. We should not create barriers for them to successfully re-enter our communities.

[@HealingEagle2]

I think that misses the point that the system NEEDS a permanent underclass of people who cycle in and out of prisons. We have a for profit prison system, and an entire industry built on arresting, prosecuting, and warehousing people. They don't care or even want people to successfully reintegrate into society

[@absalomdraconis]

The federal Supreme Court regretfully hasn't struck this stuff down yet, but they at least have started muttering about it, on the basis of the unconstitutionality of debtor's prisons..

[@kurtwetzel154]

Having people pay for there stay in jail is a reason to put people in jail and keep them in jail.

[@Lowlightt]

@@HealingEagle2 People seem to be confusing Prison and Jail. This man was in Jail not Prison. Prisons are a for profit industry. Jail is run locally by the city. Having people pay for there stay in jail happens because people don't want to pay tax dollars to run jails properly so the city looks for ways to offset the cost. This of course doesn't change how shitty this is, however lets not conflate two different issues. For profit Prisons are a terrible blight but a different problem entirely to forcing innocent people from paying there own jail time.

[@Mavendow]

@@Lowlightt If the jail is profiting from labor and assets while simultaneously covering their costs with fines, then what, pray tell, is the difference?

[@JChalant]

how long can someone be held like that without being due compensation for wrongful confinement?

[@moocow6189]

Your commentary are a blast enjoy having morning Coffee you have the Gift of the Gab, you must be interesting to see in action at Court . THANKS

[@derekheeps1244]

That is completely crazy . Do guilty prisoners have to pay for their keep whilst in jail ? Then why should the not guilty ? Here in Scotland , if someone is wrongly jailed they are paid compensation according to the length of time there were wrongly incarcerated . The person in your story should be pursuing a claim of wrongful incarceration and be compensated for his loss of liberty , which will be worth a lot more than some very basic accommodation . He may also have a claim for loss of earnings over the period he was wrongfully incarcerated .

[@admthrawnuru]

"the government can't punish people unless or until the are found guilty of the crimes they are alleged to have committed" Sure sure, but then how can you coerce innocent people to take plea deals and make life easier for the DA's office? Isn't that really the main goal of the justice system?

[@martinlutherkingjr.5582]

I’m surprised they didn’t pretend they found evidence.

[@ThomasFerrugia]

Too hard to fake digital evidence.

[@lostbutfreesoul]

@@ThomasFerrugia , The evidence isn't faked, the chain-o-custardy is... and yes, I deliberately spell it that way. Copy digital data from an active case and then write the paperwork to say it came from the site in question. Unlikely the defense team, the guy is poor so it would be public defender, is going to do the steps needed to figure out what is going on even if that is all the police department does. If the police are really concerned they can easily corrupt the meta-data so it can't be determined where it came from, then it becomes Defendant's word vs the Police's. Just whom wins that debate the vast, vast, VAST, majority of the time?

[@ThomasFerrugia]

@@lostbutfreesoul : Not sure who you imagine you're replying to, but it isn't me. I never suggested anything was faked. Another commented (Jerome's Bowell movements) said that they are surprised the cops didn't fake/plant evidence, and I said it would be too difficult (even if they wanted to). Your comment goes off on some tangent that has nothing to do with my point.

[@doctorkdsify]

@Thomas Ferrugia Actually taking digital evidence is not that hard. You can easily copy hard drives, cellphones, etc. They could have looked at all of his devices probably in 8 hours. His running a WiFi with no password was unfortunately a dumb move.

[@ThomasFerrugia]

@@doctorkdsify : You’re giving the cops FAR too much credit. You think this arrest is important enough to go through all that trouble? Nope.

[@ronaldhorne5106]

The real tragedy in this story is that this guy could not pay the bail and evidently did not know anyone that would pay it to get him out of jail.

[@a2cryss]

Imagine if someone had bailed him out. The court would find a way to just keep it since they already had it and "he could afford it". At least he could have worked though.

[@gregnulik1975]

How many other people are alone in conditions like this ?

[@SoloRenegade]

@@gregnulik1975 Probably more than you think

[@jamuraisack5503]

Given the charges, most likely shunned him. We're guilty until proven innocent here, despite the bs they spread.

[@bernadettelovespie4734]

@@jamuraisack5503 that’s because most everyone jumps to conclusions of guilt based on “news” reports. If you’re arrested especially for that kind of serious charge you’re deemed guilty immediately by the masses. Some of these same commenters throughout this video (not necessarily this specific thread) would have vilified this guy if his arrest would have been splashed all across the news back then and they saw it. Then it would be “he should rot in jail, he’s guilty as charged”.

[@deannordlundii5713]

I'd say holding someone for 14 months while awaiting trial or evidence is a presumption of guilt before innocence. They state should be responsible for reimbursing their lost wages, including future wages until they can find equal employment.

[@terrybritton1355]

Take it out of the officers, judge and prosecutors pay checks. The tax payers shouldn’t be stuck with it. Many private companies will take damages or lost tools out of paychecks. It makes for a more professional employees.

[@danieljones317]

Never charged, means unlawful detainment. He can sue them for untold amounts.

[@MeFreeBee]

He was charged but charges were later dropped: 1:12

[@prunabluepepper]

He also has the right to a speedy trial.

[@antonhromadka9079]

@@MeFreeBee They charged him with no proof. I am pretty sure you have to have some sort of evidence to charge someone and they never had any so I would think that would mean unlawful detainment.

[@gorkyd7912]

@@antonhromadka9079 It's generally not considered unlawful to detain someone but later drop charges. This sounds bad but the alternative is worse; dangerous criminals, flight risks etc who are held in jail MUST be charged otherwise the authorities are breaking the law, which will force frivolous charges.

[@antonhromadka9079]

@@gorkyd7912 for 14 months? I am not a lawyer, I am just an IT person, but how can they possibly justify this? I understand what you are trying to say but they didn't have anything to charge him with, where was there any evidence to begin with?

[@colinbottoms3303]

In Germany if a person is wrongly imprisoned or held in custody, especially for such a long time, they'd be automatically entitled to compensation from the state and certainly wouldn't be invoiced for board and lodging!

[@GreenLarsen]

same in denmark

[@robertphelan1657]

The State of Texas pays wrongfully incarcerated inmates $80,000 USD for each year of wrongful incarceration. The State of Kentucky is a seriously ass-backwards state in many regards including issues like this.

[@TheGuruStud]

But if you ask the state he wasn't imprisoned wrongfully, b/c he was never sentenced. They have a loophole for everything. Also, it didn't take them that long to know there's no evidence. It was done intentionally to ruin his life. He was convicted off the books. No job, no house, no friends, half of his family probably disowned him, and he's flat broke other than whatever might be left in bank account.

[@jamesharrison6201]

There's a life ruined whether truly guilty or not. This man should be able to become the sole owner of the town and county. If this rule is allowed to stand, this type action will become common place

[@gregGould]

These policies are already common place, and NOT just in Kentucky.

[@willdwyer6782]

Many years ago I went to jail for misdemeanor possession of marijuana. I served my time, and a few days after I was released from jail I received a bill in the mail from the county sheriff dept. to the tune of $30 for every day that I was incarcerated. I sent the bill back unpaid with a letter via certified mail telling them that their extrajudicial shenanigans were in violation of the United States Constitution, as they were attempting to collect a fine not imposed by the court, in violation of the 8th amendment (excessive fine) and attempting to continue punishing me beyond the court imposed sentence I had already served, in violation of the fifth amendment (double jeopardy). I never received a reply to that letter, never paid the bill, and never saw anything show up on my credit report.

[@Voltaic_Fire]

Was there ever an update to this story?

[@warsurplus]

I feel like I'm listening to stories of criminal justice from the Bizarro World of Superman comics.

[@andrewkent650]

I hope he's asking for his costs in bringing the suit. Not for punitive reasons of course, just to reimburse him for his costs. They would seem to agree it's a fair argument.

[@roryross3878]

Indeed, rapier riposte sir

[@jeffpiatt3879]

This is a great example of everything we have come to expect from government.

[@PeterShipley1]

charging people for the stay in jail can end up incentivizing sheriff department's to hold people longer if their jails are empty.

[@HealingSwordsman]

Multiple searches of his apartment? How long could you maintain your apartment if you're in jail for 14 months? Like to me all the searches would of been done quite early and it's weird he would be there for so long.

[@JKArcade]

Steve, I thought there was a federal statute limiting the time the state has to press charges or release the alleged suspect? Being held for 14 months seems excessive.

[@rodgemic]

Constitutional right to fair and speedy trial

[@danielserene4532]

But he didn't have a lawyer to press for a speedy trial. If he had had a paid attorney he would have be freed a lot sooner, but probably paying a lot more for attorney fees.

[@dseelman1984]

You have to file a writ of habeas corpus for that. It's not automatic. Just like you have to declare your right to remain silent.

[@gregodify]

How does someone incarcerated pay for their incarceration, especially if they are indigent to begin with? This seems somewhat Dickensian.

[@MikinessAnalog]

Debtor's prison like in "A Christmas Carol"

[@alvaroakatico9188]

This one sounds like it could go all the way to the US Supreme Court.

[@brandonpurdy7658]

Most people don't have the financial ability to pay for a case to go to the Supreme Court.

[@billkaline5072]

@@brandonpurdy7658 The high courts are also getting paid off, you can't win.

[@kennethwilson6119]

@@brandonpurdy7658 $100,000+

[@BlackJesus8463]

@@kennethwilson6119 Someone would do it pro bono. It's a big deal.

[@gregjames2684]

I hope so , I hope he gets a lawyer to sue the gavel away from the fake judges !

[@razrramonel4077]

I don’t think he should have to pay, it should be paid by the Department of Corrections, because it is unlawful and illegal in any state because of falsified arrest and imprisonment.

[@roryross3878]

Life ruined by "child porn" charge, 14 months without trial, charges dropped for no evidence and then charged $4000 for jail costs! Outrageous for the guilty of an actual crime with a victim, unimaginable for the innocent of a thought crime.