Officer says he was demoted for Mel Gibson arrest

[kskiska]

First he was subjected to an anti-semitic tirade from a Tequila-fuelled Hollywood star on a California highway. Now the police officer who booked Mel Gibson in Tinsel Town's most notorious drink-drive incident of the year says he is being hounded by his superiors for making the arrest.

Sheriff's deputy James Mee alleges his home was raided by officials who believe he leaked details of Gibson's expletive-laden rant to the media, and says he has been demoted from his job patrolling the streets of the popular celebrity hangout of Malibu. "His life and career would be a lot different had he not made that arrest," said his lawyer, Richard Shinee.

Mr Mee's employers, the Los Angeles County Sheriff's Department, at first said Gibson's arrest in July was "without incident". But that provoked accusations of a cover-up and special treatment for celebrities after the arrest report appeared on an entertainment website. Gibson was said to have asked if Mr Mee was "a fucking Jew" and shouted "the Jews are responsible for all the wars in the world". The director of The Passion of the Christ and Apocalypto later apologised and received three years' probation for drunk driving.

After the arrest, Mr Mee was subjected to a four-hour interrogation demanding to know if he was the source of the leak, Mr Shinee said. He said Mr Mee's computer and phone records were seized and he was reassigned to a different area.

more…
http://www.guardian.co.uk/usa/story/0,,1979712,00.html

[ThomCat]

1. They want a scape goat,

and anyone who diligently does their job is a good scapegoat. x(

[Vidar]

2. A corrupt sheriff department? I'm shocked, I tell you.

[raccoon]

5. Oh, not, here of course. Just in Mexico. (sarcasm) nt

[anitar1]

18. Me too--Shocked to find that any police

department is corrupt , not. Aren't they all ? And even worse since King shrub has been in power. anyone noticed ? Only one thing counts--Money/Power.

[freefall]

3. Interesting that this is appearing in foreign press. Does anyone know

if it is being covered by the LA Times? Doing the right thing shouldn't get people into trouble but that appears to be happening far too often lately.

K&R

Peace,

freefall

[Freddie Stubbs]

6. Yes, it was in yesterday's LA Times:

Deputy says he's focus of leak inquiry

James Mee says he's being harassed by officials probing release of the report on Mel Gibson's drunk driving arrest. Officials deny it.

By Andrew Blankstein, Times Staff Writer
December 28, 2006


Six months after he arrested Mel Gibson on suspicion of drunk driving in Malibu, a Los Angeles County sheriff's deputy alleges he is being harassed for his action by officials who question whether he leaked a report detailing the actor's anti-Semitic rant to the news media.

Deputy James Mee's attorney said Wednesday that his client was abruptly transferred from patrolling Malibu to another assignment in Agoura Hills and unfairly singled out for scrutiny by his supervisors.

more: http://www.latimes.com/entertainment/news/celebrity/la-me-gibson28dec28,1,5595049.story?ctrack=1&cset=true

[freefall]

10. Thanks for info and link, Freddie. n/t

[Javaman]

4. It's truly amazing the kind of power celebs have out there...

Having lived and worked in the hollywood film grinder, I can tell you this, celebs AREN'T like other people.

The system is set up that they can virtually do no wrong. Just take Robert Downey Jr. for example. if that was anyone else, he would have never seen the light of day years ago.

[teryang]

11. It's amazing the power the rich have.

If you've got the millions or billions, celebrity is irrelevant. The money is the source of power.

[Javaman]

15. True. nt

[pitohui]

7. good, sounds like he should have been

would you like details of, say, your mom's drunk driving arrests to be shared w. the public?

he violated the privacy of the perp to get himself in the news, he belongs in a different job, frankly if it hadn't been a hollywood star he'd blabbed about, he would have been fired for airing this in the press before a trial or should have been anyway

two wrongs don't make a right

and mel gibson being a jerk doesn't make this jerk not a jerk

they both deserve each other if you ask me

[pop goes the weasel]

8. sounds like?

Hey, there is nothing in the article to indicate that Mee was in any way responsible for the leak. Being accused and investigated is not the same as being indicted and found guilty. Indeed, accusation and investigation is often used by people in power to punish individuals and send broad messages demanding compliance without having to go through the trouble of indictment and trial.

[ckramer]

9. Lesson learned - thou shall not mess with any celebrities!

They will only bring you bad luck.

[Kingshakabobo]

12. Wow! Mel DOES own Malibu! n/t

[Neshanic]

13. He's the king! It's good to be Mel. Of course Mel would never intercede...

you know since that Anti-semite rant was considered a no harm,no foul by the media and Disney.

Would be a classy move for Mel to ask about this, but then again we are talking about Mel.

[ShortnFiery]

14. It's even more pathetic that we hear of this from the UK media

Our chicken-sh*t USA Main$tream Corporate Media is too busy feeding us bread and circuses. Oh, plus the burial of "The Accidental President." :thumbsdown:

[Freddie Stubbs]

16. The LA Times isn't mainstream media?

http://www.latimes.com/entertainment/news/celebrity/la-me-gibson28dec28,1,5595049.story?ctrack=1&cset=true

[ShortnFiery]

17. OK, a second source to confirm this information.

Sometimes the LA Times does get it right but note the deafening silence in the TV News M$M? ;)

[ChoralScholar]

19. Why SURE!

He arrested Martin Riggs, every police officer's wet dream!