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About Darrin Bell
Expertise
i am well versed on search and seizure, self-defense, domestic violence, 4th & 5th amendments, drugs, jails and conditions, tasers, raids.
Experience
i am currently the domestic violence coordinator for my department. i am a field training officer and i have been teaching self-defense, drugs, and search warrants and affidavits at the local academy for the past 10 years, and domestic violence for the past 3 years. i was the assitant to the federal monitor while our jail was under a consent decree, which we successfully came from under.
Education/Credentials
graduated from the police academy in 1989. successfully passed a consent decree. worked undercover for 5 years, narcotics for 6. over 1200 hours of training in specialized areas. certified defensive tactics instructor, taser instructor, completed management and superivision modules, senior deputy modules.
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You are here: Experts > Arts/Humanities > Social Science > Crime & Law Enforcement Issues & Death Penalty > invasion of privacy
Expert: Darrin Bell - 11/4/2009
Question
QUESTION: Today US Marshals came and took me out of work to ask me questions about a fugitive uncle. I have no information on his whereabouts, etc. but they believe my mom does and asked me to search her house when she is not home for any evidence of contact with me and to try and search her cell phone and email for any information. They said if I did not help that they were going to indict my mother. To save her I need to find them answers. Is this a violation of mine or my mother's rights?
ANSWER: rob,
do you live with your mother? what are they going to indict your mother for? if they have enough for an indictment, then they should have enough for a search warrant. it is not a violation to tell you what they want you to hear and since they have not threatened to lock you up, they are not violating your rights. they want you to do the dirty work for them. you should talk to your mom and ask her about your uncle.
darrin
---------- FOLLOW-UP ----------
QUESTION: I do not live with my mother, I moved out more than a yr ago. My uncle has been on the run for 4-5 yrs. They believe my mother is sending him money and getting his prescriptions for him and they said they know my mother has his cell phone number somewhere and thats what they want me to find. They never said what they were going to indict her for, they just said they are going to federally indict her and she won't walk. The more I think about it the more I realize that I have nothing to fear because I know absolutely nothing and like you said I think they are just using me to do their dirty work. If they do threaten to lock me up for not helping, then that would be a violation of my rights correct?
ANSWER: rob,
if you do not live there, you cannot even give them consent to search. if they try to arrest you, its lawsuit time.
darrin
---------- FOLLOW-UP ----------
QUESTION: Hi Darrin,
I talked to the Marshal again today and he brought up my employer was wondering whether I was cooperating in the investigation. I do not see how it is my employers business as I am not being investigated, my mother is. He said that since it is a Federal investigation my employer has a right to know whether I am cooperating or not. I did look around but did not find anything at all at my mother's house to suggest she is talking to my uncle. I talked to my mother and she said she does not know anything, hasnt talked to my uncle in years and would not lie to me about something like this. I have no reason not to believe her. I told the Marshal this and of course he is not happy and thinks im lying to him and that I should look deeper. I am uncomfortable doing anything further. Am I under obligation to continue looking since I looked already? Is this investigation any of my employers business and is this something i can lose my job over? I voluntarily helped their investigation because I felt I had no choice but to help to help my mother. If I stop helping now can they claim I am impeding an investigation or anything like that?
Answer
rob,
ask your mom if she wants to talk to the marshal. the marshal's don't have the right to involve your employer, its another bluff. ask him if he has ever heard of the constitution. give him a lawyers name and tell him thats who he needs to refer all his questions too and ask him for his supervisors name and number. you are not under obligation to do his work period. its not your employers business and if you are on good terms with them, give them a heads up and tell them they are trying to railroad you. you are impeding their 'investigation' as much as you are stopping me from going to the bathroom. you dont have anything to do with it...period.
darrin
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