Legal Question in Civil Litigation in Mississippi
I was falsely accused
A policeman falsely accused me of having a ''joint''. I was at the Sheriff's Dept. talking to other officers when a city policeman came up and said he found a joint that must of fell out of my cigarette pack. It was not mine. I volunteered to take a drug test, but he did not give me one. I was in the process of filing a claim against another person that he was friends with. He told me if I followed through with it, that he would bring up the joint in front of the judge. My mother gave me a drug test the following morning and it showed me ''clean''. What rights do I have now? Can I sue for defamation?
1 Answer from Attorneys
Re: I was falsely accused
The officer's statement may constitute defamation even though it is expressed as an opinion. Your injury may be emotional distress. Also consider filing a claim about this officer's misconduct. The fact that there are witnesses to the misconduct and the officer failed to take any action about your alleged crime will support your complaint. Additionally, contact the local district attorney for assistance and don't let the officer know that you have filed a complaint against him before the hearing on your other complaint. If he testifies, his inconsistent actions will be impeachment material. If you act responsibly about his misconduct, his efforts to impune your character should be of little effect.
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