I had a similar experience pre 9/11. I was being harassed by a Birmingham, AL Police officer and after about 10 minutes of his rambling to others about an offense that he mistakenly thought was me, I kindly asked him to leave me alone. I was immediately put in handcuffs and detained for 10 hours in the Birmingham City Jail. Ironically, the same guy that actually carried out the offense in question had spilled beer on my left leg so I did smell of alcohol but I was not intoxicated. When I was being booked I pleaded with the officers to perform a breath test but since I was obviously not intoxicated, I was denied upon each request.

On top of that, at the time I was on medication that must be taken on a strict schedule and my requests for the medicine were ignored.

I firmly believe that if a majority of people in this country could feel the desperation that one feels after being locked up in jail for a crime they did not commit, they would understand just how important it is to have contact with a lawyer or family members after detainment.

In the end, I went to court and the judge would not even hear the case. He just demanded that I leave the courtroom and said the charges were dropped. The only question he asked was my name. It is sad that officials give the police the power to detain someone against their will when they have broken no laws at all.

If everyone could experience this firsthand, they would understand why some people are afraid to give more rights to agencies that have already taken too many rights away from us already.