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Thursday, June 9, 2011

The Joe Collins case: yet another prosecutor breaking the law (and getting away with it)

The Tonya Craft case was full of illegal and immoral actions by prosecutors Chris Arnt and Len Gregor, along with the predations of "judge" brian outhouse, and it is hard to pinpoint any one low point, given the whole thing was in the gutter from the start. However, besides illegally (and knowingly) bringing false charges against Craft, Arnt also had private investigator Eric Echols indicted on false charges of "intimidating a witness."

While the charges against Echols ultimately were dismissed, it was yet another attempt by a lawless prosecutor to demonstrate to others that he indicted Echols -- because he could do it. Unfortunately, lawbreaking is not limited to Arnt; in fact, prosecutors all over the country are finding that they can indict any private investigator who manages to shoot holes in their flimsy cases.

Joe Collins, a successful private investigator in Minnesota goes on trial in Isanti County next week in what clearly is a contrived charge of felony bribery. The scenario is all-too-familiar.

In this case, a woman claimed that a man kidnapped her and raped her. (They left a party together and she spent the night and most of the next day with him. After that, she realized that her boyfriend might not like her sleeping around, so she then claimed rape.) The details of the story (like so many others) don't match the prosecution's line, especially given that the woman was not exactly anxious to flee from the home of her "rapist."

Collins was hired by the defendant's law firm and it did not take him long to start blowing holes in the woman's story, and he also found that the Isanti County Sheriff's Office had conducted a slapstick investigation, led by Det. Lisa Lovering, who moonlights as a real estate agent.

Furthermore, he found out that "the victim" had stolen something from an antique store in another county. He spoke to her about it, and she admitted stealing the item. She asked him if he could make the charges (no one had charged her with anything at that point) go away, and he agreed that he would, provided that she would tell the truth about the alleged rape.

You see, whether in Minnesota or Georgia or Washington, D.C., getting someone to tell the truth is a crime, while prosecutors are permitted -- indeed, encouraged -- to suborn perjury. The one thing that seems not to be tolerated by judges and prosecutors these days is the truth.

So, Isanti County County Attorney Jeffrey Edblad filed felony charges against Collins and that is where we stand. (Edblad, however, has recused himself from the case, citing a "conflict of interest.")

I'll be reporting on the trial next week.

9 comments:

Anonymous said...

I'm not a lawyer, but the excerpt "She asked him if he could make the charges (no one had charged her with anything at that point) go away, and he agreed that he would, provided that she would tell the truth about the alleged rape." strikes me as being open to various interpretations. I understand he was just trying to get her to tell the truth ... but possibly leading her to believe that THEFT charges would be brought against her unless she told the truth AS HE BELIEVED THE TRUTH TO BE is, frankly, probably on thin ice. (Which undoubtedly pales in comparison to the kinds of intimidation that prosecutors and police do to witnesses every day.)

dc

Anonymous said...

Another great blog, Mr Anderson.

Anonymous said...

I guess i am beyond confused. Where is the bribery? He is not a state actor. He did not offer he any money? Is it the offer to not bring theft charges? I don't see how that is bribery? This is almost as bad as arresting people for videotaping police brutality. Well, maybe its worse, I don't know.

streeeetwise

justiceseeker51 said...

Bill, KC or anyone interested....This is about Fulton Co. GA....all the way to the Supreme Court....Corruption and one mans fight to take it to the Grand Jury...
Very interesting to say the least!


http://www.lawlessamerica.com/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=395:fulton-county-georgia-grand-jury-effort-is-working-grand-jury-will-investigate-11-corrupt-federal-judges&catid=109:legal-options&Itemid=105

http://tinyurl.com/3cxt2xg
http://tinyurl.com/3kpydhf

Anonymous said...

I live in the neighboring county and know Joe slightly, I know the County Attorneys office in Isanti all too well. No I haven't been charged with anything but have obseved the over zealousness that county attorney Edblad brings to his job. This is not about Joe "bribing" someone, it is all about the fact that he frequently gets in Edblads way. He does that by investigating cases that are often badly (illegaly?) charged, and embaressing the Isanti Sheriff's Dept and Isanti County Attorneys office. The sad thing is that Isanti is by no means the worst county Attorney in East Central Minnesota. Sadly most prosecuors these days forget that their first duty is to be a Minister of Justice. They instead practice the philosphy of get someone, anyone and then win at all costs.

Anonymous said...

OK ... when in doubt ... GOOGLE :) ...

And I do admit, bribery appears to always be defined as offering someone something in exchange for their performance of something illegal and/or unethical.

So ... if anything, perhaps SHE was bribing HIM?? That is, in effect SHE was saying, "If you can make the theft charges go away, I will tell the truth" ... ???

dc

Anonymous said...

I was on the jury. I am not sure why the Prosecution even proceeded, there was no case! However.....11 to 1 not guilty. We went at it for several hours before we were considered a hung jury and a mistrial was declared. It was beyond frustrating.....

William L. Anderson said...

Thanks for that comment. I am making a new post to deal with the outcome. What was the lone holdout's reason for wanting to vote guilty?

Anonymous said...

Is this the same Joe Collins that does adoption searches?