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Police Criminal Record

What if the Police Officer Who Arrested You Has a Criminal Record?

Believe it or not, now in Los Angeles County, in these criminal cases, prosecutors are actually turning over police officers' criminal records, and sometimes, this can be used to defend your client, especially if it's any type of criminal record that involves lying.

That's going to be relevant to impeach the officer at a preliminary hearing, trial, or any type of testimony at a motion—a California Penal Code 1538.5 PC motion to suppress the evidence.

It depends on the type of conviction the officer has, but I'm seeing cases get turned over all the time.  The prosecutors are trying to distance themselves, especially from police officers who are doing dishonest things.

Impeach Police Officer's Credibility

What if the Officer Who Arrested You Has a Criminal Record
Now with bodycam evidence, prosecutors are able to more easily reveal that police officers don't always handle cases correctly.

Now, with the advent of the bodycam, dashcam video, and some of these other technologies, prosecutors are realizing that the police are only sometimes truthful and honest in handling cases the right way.

So, they feel like they better tip the scales in the right direction to ensure that things are turned over to the defense that the defense might be able to use to impeach the officer.

Depending on the evidence, you can attack their credibility or assert some other legal argument, especially if the police officer in the case is the main witness against your criminal defendant. You're being given evidence that that police officer has committed a crime.

Case Example of Police Misconduct

I remember I had one case where a police officer had done something dishonest, and the judge on the case told the prosecutor, listen, if you're going to use that officer to prove the case against Mr. Hedding's client, I'm going to tell you right now you're going to lose.

It was a situation where they had purportedly searched my client, found different things about him, and he had made some incriminating statements.

My client indicated that, no, he did not make an incriminating statement. He wasn't stupid enough to do that, and the things they were claiming they found on him were not his.

That was a great example of them turning over good material I could use to defend the client.

Pitchess Motion

Los Angeles Criminal Defense Lawyer
We might be able to file a Pitchess Motion to get any prior complaints against a police officer involved with your criminal case.

So, suppose you or a loved one is charged with a crime, and you think you may have dirty police officers. In that case, there's also a Pitchess Motion that we could file, which is a motion to get the criminal past or any police reports or any complaints against a particular police officer(s) that are involved with your criminal case.

This is especially important if they're the main witnesses in the case. Pitchess Motion is a crucial motion that can be used to obtain good information, attack the officer's credibility, and possibly win the case if the officer is the main witness against you.

So, you've come to the right place.  I've been handling criminal cases in Los Angeles County for the past 27 years.  Pick up the phone.  Ask for a meeting with Ron Hedding.  I stand ready to help you.

Hedding Law Firm is a top-rated criminal defense law firm in  Los Angeles County at 16000 Ventura Blvd #1208 Encino, CA 91436.

We represent clients in all Southern California Courts, including LA County, Orange County, Ventura County, Hollywood, Riverside, and San Bernardino—call (213) 542-0979 for a free case evaluation.

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