Legal Question in Civil Rights Law in Pennsylvania
There was a murder 100 yards from my apartment, my bother in law was outside at the time. 10 mins after the gun shots, my brother in law called me asking I come unlock the door for him, I did. I actually run down the steps because I was scared he had been hit... He was fine, but I was on camera running down the steps to let him in. The next day detectives knocked on my door, they asked to question me about the murder, they also insisted they heard someone run up my steps when they knocked... They asked me if anyone was hiding in my house. I nicely said no, it's just me and my daughter. They still did not believe me.. I said, fine go look.. They did and they found nothing. While question I mg me, they really felt that I knew something, I kept telling them I knew nothing.. They then proceeded to bring up my brother in laws criminal past, which I an no part of, they said "you wouldn't assume he had anything to do with this murder"... I couldn't believe he used the word "assume".. I wanted to know if this is how detectives ate to treat me? I mean it was obvious no one ran up my steps but they used that line to search my home.. Um so embarrassed, is there anything I can do about this?
1 Answer from Attorneys
The police are investigating a crime. They are allowed to do that and to question any parties who may be witnesses or suspects. Where is the violation here? If your brother has a criminal past, in the minds of some police, once a criminal always a criminal. I don't know what your brother has done - but if he hangs out with criminal types then its more likely than not that he may well have been involved. If you were the police, what would you think? You admit your brother was outside. It would be logical for them to assume that your brother was involved or an eyewitness to what transpired.
The police are not your friends. They are not obligated to be nice. Some are and some are not. But rudeness does not rise to a constitutional violation.
Maybe they were trying to provoke you thinking that if they did, it may lead to some incriminating or even just useful information? Who knows?
If I were you, I would not be posting any more about this on a public message board as it may either incriminate yourself or your brother. If you believe you have been wronged.in some way, then go and see an attorney specializing in police abuse type of case.
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