The following is an arraignment report from the Police Department, written by Christopher Lundberg
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On 5/4/2013, I observed a F250 Ford pickup truck wth CT Combination Reg. _______________ traveling west on Church St. I observed the passenger of said vehicle yell out the window to a group of female Wesleyan students walking along Church St. I could hear the passenger yell "ass." I observed that said vehicle's front license plate was improperly displayed in the front windshield. Also, the rear license plate was not illuminated. I stopped said vehicle as it turned from Washington St. onto Jackson St.
I identified the operator as _______________ through his state of CT operator's license with a photograph. _______________ said "I just got stopped yesterday by a Middletown Cop for my emission ... I asked a Portland Cop if you could see my emissions on your computer and he said no so that means the Middletown Cop was just being a jerk ... He yelled at me for nothing." I asked if the Middletown Officer had yelled at him or spoken in a normal manner like the way I was presently speaking and he replied "well, he didn't yell."
_______________ failed to produce an insurance card when I asked for one. said "I know I have insurance but its not in here."
I explained to _______________ that his emissions had expired and pointed out the license plate violations on the vehicle. I asked the passenger for identification and he state he had none. I explained to the passenger that I was detaining him for yelling out the window (53a-181a creating a public disturbance) and he did not respond. I asked the passenger what his name was and he replied "_______________" I asked the passenger if he had ever had an CT identification card or driver's license and he said "no...I have never had an ID and I do nothing." The passenger had missed a few letters when spelling out his last name and had to repeat the entire name to me.
Central dispatch ran _______________ and discovered that he had a valid state of CT driver's license. I asked the passenger again if he has or has ever had a CT driver's license and he said "no." I asked the passenger to step out of the vehicle and he complied. I told him that _______________ has a driver's license and that my intention was to obtain a photograph of him. The passenger stated that _______________ was not his real name and that his CT identification card was in his wallet inside the truck. I identified the passenger as Matthew J. Cogswell through his state of CT identification card with a photograph. Cogswell stated that _______________ was his cousin and he lied about his identity because he "probably has a warrant for an unpaid ticket."
Central dispatch ran Matthew Cogswell and received "no hits." I informed Cogswell that he did not have any outstanding warrants. I handcuffed and placed Cogswell under arrest for the crime of 53a-167a interfering with an officer. Cogswell then began yelling at Officer DiMassa claiming he had "powerful lawyers" that have "more juice than you!" Cogswell was detained in the rear of my cruiser.
Ofc. DiMassa located a plastic bag with marijuana residue when he retrieved Cogswell's wallet from the passenger seat of the vehicle. I also observed a metal grinder with the confederate flag log sitting in plain view on the driver's dash. A search of the vehicle produced a blue glass pipe with burnt marijuana residue from the pocket behind the passenger (Cogswell) seat. I asked Jurczak if the blue glass pipe was his and he said "no." Inside the metal grinder I recovered less than 0.1 grams of marijuana. The marijuana tested positive for THC using a NARK#8 test kit. All items seized from the scene were photographed and later secured in an evidence locker at the Middletown police station.
_______________ continued with his poor attitude and was issued an infraction for 14-18(c) plate violations, 14-164cn expired emissions, 13-213 failure to carry insurance card, 21a-279(d)(1) possession of less than 1/2 ounces of marijuana, and 21a-267(d)(1) possession of marijuana related drug paraphernalia. I issued _______________ his infraction and he crumpled it up and threw it in the bed of his pickup truck. I asked he wanted to wait for his friend Cogswell and he replied "fuck him." _______________ spun his tires as he sped away from the stop, an unsafe movement 14-243(a) violation.
I issued Cogswell a misdemeanor summons for the crime of 531-167a interfering with an officer and 21a-267(d)(1) possession of marijuana related drug paraphernalia. Cogswell has a Middletown Superior Court date of 5/15/2013.
I thought possession was decriminalized last summer. Did the cops not get the memo?
ReplyDeletePossession of small amounts of pot was decriminalized, not legalized. The statute referenced in the story provides for a fine for possession of less than one half ounce of pot. Possession of paraphernalia is an infraction subject to a fine.
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