In January NOPD officers arrested 42 year old parolee Alvin Bean for possession of crack cocaine. Bean accused the officers of planting the drugs on him, which might be a common claim among arrestees, except this time a judge agreed. [caption id="attachment_2119" align="alignright" width="300"] Photo Courtesy of nola.com[/caption] Bean says he was walking down Garden Oaks Drive when a passing officer, Samuel Birks, handcuffed him and put him in the back of the police cruiser. Birks then drove to a dentist’s office to pick up his partner Joshua Hunt. Then both officers questioned Bean about criminal activity in a nearby by neighborhood. After he repeatedly denied knowing of any criminal activity, Bean saw one of the officers take a single rock of crack, wrap it in cellophane, and plant it in his jacket pocket. As a previous offender, Bean, who was walking home from a temporary job agency when he was arrested, would have faced a minimum of 20 years in prison for crack possession. Luckily his attorney, Heather Hendrix, was able to prove the officers were lying. The official police report said that both officers were present during the arrest, but paperwork from Hunt’s dentist proved that he was not on duty at the time of the arrest. The charges against Bean have been dropped, but as of yet no charges have been filed against either policeman. Hunt promptly resigned once the story first broke in the news, and Birks has been assigned to desk duty. If you or anyone you know has been charged with drug possession, Bloom Legal specializes in criminal defense and will fight for your freedom. Contact us at 504-599-9997 for a case evaluation.
GET YOUR FREE CONSULTATION
Available 24/7 for immediate help. Call: 504-599-9997
