Recent Bust?

[tlapinski]

Originally Posted by bobber

its time to make poaching penalties hurt a little more. and to get judges to take these kinda things seriously...

for instance- 3 guys in CT were caught with 40-something stripers a few years ago. cops sued fish-sniffing dogs to find them all. all were shorts. only 1 of them had a license.

total fine was $25 for fishing w/o license. they were all seen back fishing 1 week later

Several busts in CT were tossed out due to lack of evidence. Apparently some attorney came up with the great idea that if the cops didn't have physical proof (video/photographic evidence) of the suspect stashing fish in the woods nearby then they could have been placed there by anyone. Now they have to catch them on video to get the charges to stick.

[MakoMike]

Originally Posted by tlapinski

Several busts in CT were tossed out due to lack of evidence. Apparently some attorney came up with the great idea that if the cops didn't have physical proof (video/photographic evidence) of the suspect stashing fish in the woods nearby then they could have been placed there by anyone. Now they have to catch them on video to get the charges to stick.

You don't think its a good idea to have to prove beyond a reasonable doubt that someone is guilty?

[tlapinski]

Originally Posted by MakoMike

You don't think its a good idea to have to prove beyond a reasonable doubt that someone is guilty?

I find the need to provide video/photo evidence a bit much. Is the same required to prove possession in other infractions? To me a police officer saying he saw Joe Poacher stash 24 short striped bass in a burlap sack in the woods 20 feet from where he was seen fishing is evidence enough. I still trust the police, but perhaps that is because I live my life wholly above the law.

[bobber]

Originally Posted by tlapinski

I find the need to provide video/photo evidence a bit much. Is the same required to prove possession in other infractions? To me a police officer saying he saw Joe Poacher stash 24 short striped bass in a burlap sack in the woods 20 feet from where he was seen fishing is evidence enough. I still trust the police, but perhaps that is because I live my life wholly above the law.

I think its IS REASONABLE that guys who were caught fishing in the immediate vicinity where fish are stashed illegally were the ones doing the stashing

[MakoMike]

Originally Posted by tlapinski

I find the need to provide video/photo evidence a bit much. Is the same required to prove possession in other infractions? To me a police officer saying he saw Joe Poacher stash 24 short striped bass in a burlap sack in the woods 20 feet from where he was seen fishing is evidence enough. I still trust the police, but perhaps that is because I live my life wholly above the law.

I'm pretty sure you are misstating the issue. If a cop sees someone stashing a short, that's good enough. But its not good enough if he finds a burlap bag full of shorts 20 feet from a fisherman, without actually seeing said fishermen put a fish in the bag.

[Cool Beans]

Originally Posted by MakoMike

I'm pretty sure you are misstating the issue. If a cop sees someone stashing a short, that's good enough. But its not good enough if he finds a burlap bag full of shorts 20 feet from a fisherman, without actually seeing said fishermen put a fish in the bag.

Exactly, otherwise it would be way too easy to "set up" a guy you don't like. For instance, I know BillyBob is going fishing at his favorite spot right after work, so I head out there before him "plant" the bag of shorts and wait to see him start fishing and then call the EPO anonymously.