"Be The Change You Want To See In The World"
April 22, 2024

Police Encounters: Communication and De-escalation Strategies

Police Encounters: Communication and De-escalation Strategies

Communication is key during police interactions. This episode offers tips for de-escalation and effective communication to ensure a safer and more positive outcome.

Communication is key during police interactions. This episode offers tips for de-escalation and effective communication to ensure a safer and more positive outcome.

Transcript
1
00:00:00,210 --> 00:00:01,170
Dr William T. Choctaw: Uh, this is Dr.

2
00:00:01,170 --> 00:00:01,650
William T.

3
00:00:01,650 --> 00:00:06,649
Choctaw, and I will be your host today
to the Healthy, Wealth Wise podcast.

4
00:00:07,150 --> 00:00:10,240
Um, we always like to go over our beliefs.

5
00:00:10,240 --> 00:00:13,529
We believe life is about being
of service to other people.

6
00:00:13,540 --> 00:00:15,420
We believe knowledge is power.

7
00:00:15,790 --> 00:00:18,960
We believe leaders can change the world.

8
00:00:19,560 --> 00:00:23,299
And so, in essence, what we want
to do for you, our audience, is

9
00:00:23,300 --> 00:00:28,009
to empower you With knowledge to
make the world a better place.

10
00:00:28,389 --> 00:00:29,830
So welcome.

11
00:00:29,830 --> 00:00:30,400
Bernie.

12
00:00:30,819 --> 00:00:30,929
Bernie Brown, Esq: Hi.

13
00:00:31,289 --> 00:00:31,769
Hello there.

14
00:00:31,769 --> 00:00:32,949
How's it going?

15
00:00:33,349 --> 00:00:39,339
I want to talk to you today about what are
your rights when dealing with the police?

16
00:00:39,889 --> 00:00:43,539
And what are their rights
when dealing with you?

17
00:00:43,569 --> 00:00:45,580
Do I have the right to
refuse to answer questions?

18
00:00:45,580 --> 00:00:49,690
Obviously you can, but we
mentioned license registration.

19
00:00:49,690 --> 00:00:51,379
I'm going to start going
a little bit faster.

20
00:00:51,649 --> 00:00:51,969
Okay.

21
00:00:52,040 --> 00:00:54,440
Consent to allow them to search my car.

22
00:00:54,669 --> 00:00:57,140
Obviously the answer is generally no.

23
00:00:57,290 --> 00:00:58,470
You can if you want.

24
00:00:58,589 --> 00:00:59,410
There's nothing to say.

25
00:00:59,470 --> 00:01:00,979
You don't have to consent.

26
00:01:01,789 --> 00:01:03,070
You generally know.

27
00:01:03,510 --> 00:01:03,710
Yeah.

28
00:01:04,500 --> 00:01:07,790
Can the police keep me there
for a prolonged period of time?

29
00:01:08,080 --> 00:01:11,890
They stop you for a traffic violation,
and they want to keep you there, and

30
00:01:11,890 --> 00:01:15,009
they tell you, Oh, well, you know what?

31
00:01:15,100 --> 00:01:16,869
We have to bring the dogs.

32
00:01:17,290 --> 00:01:21,140
We're bringing a canine unit, and
they'll be here in about 20 minutes.

33
00:01:21,359 --> 00:01:24,230
But while we're waiting, we'll
just ask you a few questions.

34
00:01:24,230 --> 00:01:25,710
We can talk while we're waiting.

35
00:01:26,685 --> 00:01:27,425
Report it said.

36
00:01:27,425 --> 00:01:27,905
No, no, no.

37
00:01:27,905 --> 00:01:28,625
You cannot.

38
00:01:28,645 --> 00:01:33,125
You have a prolonged, uh, detention
while you're just citing a person.

39
00:01:33,215 --> 00:01:34,355
It has to be reasonable.

40
00:01:34,575 --> 00:01:38,225
You cite the person, you let
them go and be done with it.

41
00:01:38,365 --> 00:01:43,735
You can't use that as a ruse to,
uh, keep them there while you

42
00:01:43,885 --> 00:01:48,445
conduct other investigations to
get them to admit to anything.

43
00:01:49,205 --> 00:01:50,195
Okay, sure.

44
00:01:51,260 --> 00:01:52,170
Yes, quickly.

45
00:01:52,640 --> 00:01:54,200
Can they search my vehicle?

46
00:01:54,480 --> 00:01:57,420
Yes, they can search it, pursue it
to a warrant if they have a warrant

47
00:01:57,820 --> 00:02:00,450
to search and they can search it.

48
00:02:00,450 --> 00:02:03,800
If you give them consent,
they can search your vehicle.

49
00:02:03,800 --> 00:02:09,769
If there's probable cause, uh,
evidence of criminal activity

50
00:02:10,060 --> 00:02:11,930
that's inside the vehicle.

51
00:02:12,170 --> 00:02:15,120
If there's anything in plain
view that we discussed earlier.

52
00:02:15,765 --> 00:02:19,635
They can search it as we mentioned
earlier, pursue it to an arrest,

53
00:02:20,055 --> 00:02:23,525
because when they arrest you, if the
vehicle's there and they impound the

54
00:02:23,525 --> 00:02:27,395
vehicle, then when it gets to the
station, they do an inventory search and

55
00:02:27,395 --> 00:02:32,394
impound search and whatever they find,
boom, is admissible in the evidence.

56
00:02:32,435 --> 00:02:32,864
Got it.

57
00:02:33,065 --> 00:02:36,405
Now, they can search you if they
have some reasonable suspicion that

58
00:02:36,405 --> 00:02:37,885
there are weapons in the vehicle.

59
00:02:38,425 --> 00:02:43,305
They can search you for work, search the
vehicle if there's officer safety issues.

60
00:02:43,905 --> 00:02:47,750
Uh, As we mentioned earlier, they
can search the glove compartment

61
00:02:48,170 --> 00:02:50,000
for a license and registration.

62
00:02:50,649 --> 00:02:58,120
Uh, now, and as we said earlier, illegally
seized evidence may be thrown out.

63
00:02:58,730 --> 00:02:59,250
Okay?

64
00:02:59,590 --> 00:03:00,160
Dr William T. Choctaw: Okay.

65
00:03:00,260 --> 00:03:02,980
Bernie Brown, Esq: That's pretty
much it with regard to vehicles.

66
00:03:03,149 --> 00:03:06,990
We've discussed home,
vehicles, and in public place.

67
00:03:07,540 --> 00:03:13,355
Now, the one last area we're going to
talk about Is police use the force?

68
00:03:14,855 --> 00:03:16,415
Dr William T. Choctaw:
Will police use the force?

69
00:03:16,635 --> 00:03:17,115
Bernie Brown, Esq: Yes.

70
00:03:17,255 --> 00:03:19,805
When can they use force on a person?

71
00:03:19,805 --> 00:03:20,145
Okay,

72
00:03:20,195 --> 00:03:20,755
Dr William T. Choctaw: got it.

73
00:03:21,685 --> 00:03:25,315
Bernie Brown, Esq: The police can
use When can they use deadly force?

74
00:03:26,685 --> 00:03:29,415
Police can only use deadly force.

75
00:03:30,129 --> 00:03:37,760
When it is necessary in defense of
human life, where there is an imminent

76
00:03:37,880 --> 00:03:44,980
threat of death or serious bodily
injury to the officer or to others.

77
00:03:45,629 --> 00:03:48,959
And they must stop using deadly force.

78
00:03:49,329 --> 00:03:52,000
Once the danger has stopped.

79
00:03:52,769 --> 00:03:53,290
Okay.

80
00:03:54,640 --> 00:03:57,679
If somebody's coming at you with
a gun or that teenager we talked

81
00:03:57,690 --> 00:04:01,530
about had a gun turned out to be
a replica, but I didn't know that.

82
00:04:02,280 --> 00:04:07,300
And the standard is whether a
reasonable officer would in similar

83
00:04:07,300 --> 00:04:11,960
circumstances believe that he
was justified in using force.

84
00:04:12,410 --> 00:04:14,360
It's the reasonable person standard.

85
00:04:15,209 --> 00:04:19,449
So if the kid is coming at you with
a gun and you don't, it looks like

86
00:04:19,450 --> 00:04:23,310
a real gun, it turns out to be a
fake gun and he points it at you.

87
00:04:24,535 --> 00:04:29,055
Now, then theoretically, the officer
could theoretically shoot him.

88
00:04:29,555 --> 00:04:29,925
Dr William T. Choctaw: Right now,

89
00:04:29,925 --> 00:04:34,365
Bernie Brown, Esq: on the other hand,
in this particular video, when they

90
00:04:34,365 --> 00:04:39,015
showed it on the news, on the one you
were talking about, the kid was saying

91
00:04:39,025 --> 00:04:42,574
something like, uh, you could hear him
saying something like, it's not real.

92
00:04:42,575 --> 00:04:44,545
I'm going to, you know,
it's not real officer.

93
00:04:45,125 --> 00:04:48,575
So yeah, does it get to the
point where they, you're not

94
00:04:48,575 --> 00:04:51,305
justified in using deadly force?

95
00:04:52,425 --> 00:04:54,735
The question too becomes
what is deadly force?

96
00:04:55,275 --> 00:04:56,854
Well, gun is deadly force.

97
00:04:57,425 --> 00:04:59,035
A knife is deadly force.

98
00:04:59,585 --> 00:05:01,265
Can a stick be deadly force?

99
00:05:01,704 --> 00:05:03,375
It becomes an interesting question.

100
00:05:03,744 --> 00:05:08,414
In a particular situation where when I was
a young man and I saw the police officer

101
00:05:08,415 --> 00:05:14,045
shoot that, the guy, what happened was
he was, he was stealing a car in South.

102
00:05:14,465 --> 00:05:18,055
And so what happened was
he was drove his vehicle.

103
00:05:18,905 --> 00:05:21,065
They said at an officer.

104
00:05:21,604 --> 00:05:27,674
In which event, his car became a deadly
weapon, in which event they had, they

105
00:05:27,705 --> 00:05:31,394
contend we had the right to use deadly
force to defend ourselves, because he

106
00:05:31,394 --> 00:05:38,075
was driving his car at us, and if he had
hit us, he was using his car as a deadly

107
00:05:38,075 --> 00:05:38,505
Dr William T. Choctaw: weapon.

108
00:05:38,505 --> 00:05:43,215
What about the situations, um,
at least if I'm familiar, if I'm

109
00:05:43,215 --> 00:05:47,784
correct, where the person is running
away, they shoot him in the back.

110
00:05:48,330 --> 00:05:51,170
And say they were in fear of
their life, but but the person

111
00:05:51,170 --> 00:05:52,700
is running away from them.

112
00:05:53,100 --> 00:05:53,860
How is that?

113
00:05:56,160 --> 00:05:59,899
Bernie Brown, Esq: Acceptable there
are some jurisdictions where they take

114
00:05:59,899 --> 00:06:08,490
the position that a fleeing felon,
okay That they can apprehend a fleeing

115
00:06:08,490 --> 00:06:13,599
felon that they you can use deadly
force, uh against a free fleeing,

116
00:06:14,050 --> 00:06:21,414
uh However, that's generally not the
case that does not meet the standard

117
00:06:21,694 --> 00:06:26,894
of using uh, only that voice, which
is necessary under the circumstances.

118
00:06:27,145 --> 00:06:29,884
And so ordinarily, that's
what it's kind of embarrassing

119
00:06:29,884 --> 00:06:31,114
sometimes with the police officers.

120
00:06:31,114 --> 00:06:34,385
Cause a lot of times they're searching,
they're, they're chasing some guy

121
00:06:34,714 --> 00:06:36,745
and they can't shoot him legally.

122
00:06:36,745 --> 00:06:38,064
They cannot shoot him in the back.

123
00:06:38,064 --> 00:06:40,454
If they don't believe
he has a deadly weapon.

124
00:06:40,775 --> 00:06:46,495
Uh, And so then they chase him, chase
him and the officer is getting tired,

125
00:06:48,685 --> 00:06:50,145
but they can't shoot him in the back.

126
00:06:50,675 --> 00:06:54,035
If they do, Or shoot him
during the process if they

127
00:06:54,035 --> 00:06:55,185
don't believe he has a weapon.

128
00:06:55,575 --> 00:07:00,085
So they have to pursue him and they have
to use reasonable force to detain him.

129
00:07:00,365 --> 00:07:06,835
Reasonable force, which is just, you
control him so that they can handcuff him.

130
00:07:07,354 --> 00:07:10,055
And that does not include Deadly force.

131
00:07:10,845 --> 00:07:12,255
Dr William T. Choctaw: Well,
you know, I guess I, I've been

132
00:07:12,255 --> 00:07:13,845
watching too much law and order.

133
00:07:13,845 --> 00:07:18,105
I, I need to, I need to talk to
professionals like you because

134
00:07:18,164 --> 00:07:21,135
they, it seems like on law and
order, you know, you'll have this

135
00:07:21,135 --> 00:07:24,975
sort of chubby person who's chasing
this guy and he can't catch him.

136
00:07:25,005 --> 00:07:27,825
There's no way he's gonna catch
him, so he just shoots him

137
00:07:27,855 --> 00:07:29,115
because he can't catch him.

138
00:07:29,235 --> 00:07:32,720
I mean, he, he , I mean, guys go civil,

139
00:07:33,105 --> 00:07:35,355
Bernie Brown, Esq: civil rights
lawyers, jump all over those

140
00:07:35,745 --> 00:07:36,645
Dr William T. Choctaw: always that, right.

141
00:07:36,900 --> 00:07:37,520
Bernie Brown, Esq: If he's one.

142
00:07:39,070 --> 00:07:43,179
There are certain jurisdictions,
states, because these laws can

143
00:07:43,200 --> 00:07:45,799
vary on some of these laws.

144
00:07:46,349 --> 00:07:50,719
Some of them are nationwide,
but others are state to state.

145
00:07:51,059 --> 00:07:57,220
And there, there are certain states
where a fleeing felon, if he's, if he's

146
00:07:57,220 --> 00:08:03,419
wanted for a deadly type of offense, you
know, a serious and dangerous offense,

147
00:08:04,030 --> 00:08:06,270
they would allow the deadly force.

148
00:08:06,760 --> 00:08:11,685
But, uh, Ordinarily, that's not
the case, and certainly you're

149
00:08:11,705 --> 00:08:16,225
subjected to a suit if you start
shooting somebody in the back.

150
00:08:17,005 --> 00:08:17,875
Lawyers love that.

151
00:08:17,914 --> 00:08:19,905
They'll be suing, suing, suing.

152
00:08:23,235 --> 00:08:26,514
So, uh, we talked about fleeing.

153
00:08:26,705 --> 00:08:29,854
The interesting point is like we
mentioned earlier, you mentioned

154
00:08:30,034 --> 00:08:34,124
a fleeing suspect who's running
away and he throws something.

155
00:08:34,134 --> 00:08:34,164
Um, uh.

156
00:08:34,174 --> 00:08:38,630
Yeah, Throw something he he
discards the drugs the gun or

157
00:08:38,630 --> 00:08:43,169
whatever Well, he he loses all of
his rights when she throws it away

158
00:08:43,800 --> 00:08:44,210
Dr William T. Choctaw: Okay,

159
00:08:44,790 --> 00:08:49,760
Bernie Brown, Esq: it's no longer
in his basically in his control and

160
00:08:49,800 --> 00:08:54,840
discarded evidence is admissible
in a state in a court of law.

161
00:08:55,300 --> 00:08:59,240
Okay, he basically waves his
right to challenge the search once

162
00:08:59,240 --> 00:09:01,130
he throws the contraband away.

163
00:09:02,420 --> 00:09:06,450
And we actually saw cases I could never
believe this, but I actually saw these

164
00:09:06,450 --> 00:09:08,860
cases where the police report says.

165
00:09:09,170 --> 00:09:10,820
Well, we were standing right there.

166
00:09:10,820 --> 00:09:15,880
I detained him and he pulled a
drug packet out of his pocket

167
00:09:15,880 --> 00:09:16,920
and threw it on the ground.

168
00:09:18,070 --> 00:09:21,010
And I'm thinking, who would
be stupid enough to do that?

169
00:09:21,369 --> 00:09:23,770
But then they show you
the video and there it is.

170
00:09:25,180 --> 00:09:28,459
The guy reaches in his pocket
and tries to toss it to the side.

171
00:09:28,900 --> 00:09:29,890
Uh, uh.

172
00:09:31,945 --> 00:09:35,875
Dr William T. Choctaw: So how many years
were you in the prosecutor's office?

173
00:09:35,875 --> 00:09:36,515
I mean, I would say

174
00:09:36,575 --> 00:09:37,595
Bernie Brown, Esq: 29 years,

175
00:09:37,715 --> 00:09:39,485
Dr William T. Choctaw: 29
years, almost 30 years.

176
00:09:40,365 --> 00:09:41,855
I bet you saw everything.

177
00:09:42,115 --> 00:09:42,245
We

178
00:09:42,424 --> 00:09:43,195
Bernie Brown, Esq: saw a lot of stuff.

179
00:09:43,305 --> 00:09:45,544
We, you know, it's intriguing stuff.

180
00:09:45,975 --> 00:09:51,745
A lot of the things you see on television,
they really do happen in the courts.

181
00:09:51,805 --> 00:09:56,605
I mean, people, defendants going
crazy and trying to attack the judges.

182
00:09:57,065 --> 00:09:59,085
The only thing that doesn't really happen.

183
00:09:59,449 --> 00:10:00,600
Is that Perry Mason

184
00:10:00,600 --> 00:10:04,939
Dr William T. Choctaw: stuff?

185
00:10:04,939 --> 00:10:06,790
Bernie Brown, Esq: Don't the lawyer,
all the lawyer stuff happens.

186
00:10:06,790 --> 00:10:11,079
It's just the defendant all of a sudden
gets up and says, okay, I did it.

187
00:10:11,630 --> 00:10:11,910
Dr William T. Choctaw: Right.

188
00:10:13,150 --> 00:10:14,970
Bernie Brown, Esq: Every
episode of Perry Mason.

189
00:10:15,060 --> 00:10:15,570
Dr William T. Choctaw: That's right.

190
00:10:15,600 --> 00:10:16,590
By the end of the hour.

191
00:10:17,510 --> 00:10:17,790
Right.

192
00:10:19,499 --> 00:10:20,370
That doesn't happen.

193
00:10:20,370 --> 00:10:25,529
Interesting.

194
00:10:25,530 --> 00:10:27,510
Bernie Brown, Esq: We, I don't
know how we're doing on time.

195
00:10:27,879 --> 00:10:34,190
Uh, we actually had a case too,
where I mentioned earlier resisting

196
00:10:34,190 --> 00:10:35,894
delaying or obstructing an officer.

197
00:10:36,505 --> 00:10:41,645
And so we would see cases where, you
know, I'm your buddy, so I see the

198
00:10:41,645 --> 00:10:43,185
police chasing you and I want to help

199
00:10:44,015 --> 00:10:44,075
Dr William T. Choctaw: you.

200
00:10:44,435 --> 00:10:47,374
Bernie Brown, Esq: So what happens is
the police are chasing the guy and the

201
00:10:47,375 --> 00:10:52,964
guy, uh, his buddy runs up and bumps the
police officer down so that he, so that

202
00:10:52,965 --> 00:10:54,665
his friend can get away from the police.

203
00:10:55,224 --> 00:10:55,734
Dr William T. Choctaw: Right.

204
00:10:55,855 --> 00:10:56,905
Bernie Brown, Esq: Well,
guess what happened?

205
00:10:57,544 --> 00:10:59,254
He gets arrested for bumping into people.

206
00:10:59,254 --> 00:11:01,504
Dr William T. Choctaw: Of
course, he's interfering with the

207
00:11:03,464 --> 00:11:08,194
Bernie Brown, Esq: So, yeah, uh,
the question, now you didn't ask

208
00:11:08,235 --> 00:11:09,784
this question, but here it comes.

209
00:11:09,974 --> 00:11:10,444
Okay.

210
00:11:10,474 --> 00:11:12,384
Can you use profanity?

211
00:11:12,935 --> 00:11:13,874
Dr William T. Choctaw: Oh, okay.

212
00:11:14,274 --> 00:11:17,194
Bernie Brown, Esq: When you're
having an encounter with the police,

213
00:11:17,194 --> 00:11:19,005
can you give them the the finger?

214
00:11:19,949 --> 00:11:22,800
Well, you certainly common
sense says don't do it.

215
00:11:23,369 --> 00:11:26,300
Dr William T. Choctaw: Okay, so it
violates your common sense standards.

216
00:11:26,349 --> 00:11:28,060
Bernie Brown, Esq: Certainly don't do it.

217
00:11:28,270 --> 00:11:29,480
Now, is it legal?

218
00:11:29,669 --> 00:11:32,019
Can you give the police
officer the finger?

219
00:11:32,829 --> 00:11:37,319
Probably, you know, you say
free speech and free speech

220
00:11:37,319 --> 00:11:40,659
allow you to to use profanity.

221
00:11:40,660 --> 00:11:44,050
But you're gonna piss that officer off.

222
00:11:44,349 --> 00:11:50,139
And if you say something that Rises to
the level of what's called fighting words.

223
00:11:50,280 --> 00:11:51,810
Okay, gone too far.

224
00:11:52,089 --> 00:11:52,710
There's a way

225
00:11:53,150 --> 00:11:53,730
Dr William T. Choctaw: to do that.

226
00:11:53,770 --> 00:11:54,060
Yeah,

227
00:11:54,440 --> 00:11:57,990
Bernie Brown, Esq: there's certain
insults that are so inflammatory on

228
00:11:57,990 --> 00:11:58,520
Dr William T. Choctaw: this, uh,

229
00:11:58,639 --> 00:12:03,060
Bernie Brown, Esq: that, uh, they rise to
the level of what's called fighting words.

230
00:12:03,369 --> 00:12:06,449
In which event, uh, you've gone too far.

231
00:12:08,339 --> 00:12:11,710
So, uh, and then lastly,

232
00:12:12,060 --> 00:12:12,510
Dr William T. Choctaw: okay,

233
00:12:13,950 --> 00:12:15,959
Bernie Brown, Esq:
searches in security zone.

234
00:12:17,489 --> 00:12:23,229
There are certain areas where you do
not have virtually all these constant

235
00:12:23,319 --> 00:12:25,050
constitutionally protected rights.

236
00:12:25,479 --> 00:12:28,470
And one of those main
areas is, uh, an airport.

237
00:12:29,279 --> 00:12:29,649
Dr William T. Choctaw: Oh,

238
00:12:29,739 --> 00:12:29,979
Bernie Brown, Esq: okay.

239
00:12:29,979 --> 00:12:32,739
They don't have to have probable
cause, reasonable suspicion.

240
00:12:32,939 --> 00:12:33,989
Oh, makes sense.

241
00:12:34,099 --> 00:12:37,249
They can just, you know, you got
to go through that metal detector.

242
00:12:37,259 --> 00:12:38,319
You got to be searched.

243
00:12:38,319 --> 00:12:39,420
And if you don't like it, it's gone.

244
00:12:39,895 --> 00:12:42,295
And you have, you know,
don't go to the airport.

245
00:12:42,295 --> 00:12:45,245
Dr William T. Choctaw:
Okay, no, that makes sense.

246
00:12:45,525 --> 00:12:47,495
And then because it's a safety thing.

247
00:12:47,495 --> 00:12:49,314
I mean, it affects everybody.

248
00:12:49,455 --> 00:12:49,675
Bernie Brown, Esq: Yes,

249
00:12:49,925 --> 00:12:52,535
Dr William T. Choctaw: theoretically
in the airport or using the airport.

250
00:12:52,795 --> 00:12:53,295
Bernie Brown, Esq: Yes.

251
00:12:53,774 --> 00:12:54,244
Dr William T. Choctaw: Okay.

252
00:12:54,675 --> 00:12:54,795
Same

253
00:12:54,795 --> 00:12:58,424
Bernie Brown, Esq: thing is true for
courts in certain public buildings.

254
00:12:59,634 --> 00:13:00,514
Dr William T. Choctaw: Makes sense.

255
00:13:00,744 --> 00:13:01,044
Makes sense.

256
00:13:01,845 --> 00:13:04,535
Bernie Brown, Esq: I think
that's all we have for today.

257
00:13:04,785 --> 00:13:05,185
Okay.

258
00:13:05,335 --> 00:13:05,835
Okay.

259
00:13:06,535 --> 00:13:06,835
You know,

260
00:13:07,125 --> 00:13:09,635
Dr William T. Choctaw: I, I should, I
should tell our podcast viewers what

261
00:13:09,635 --> 00:13:11,314
I think that's unique about Bernie.

262
00:13:11,314 --> 00:13:17,774
And one of the reasons why we have him to,
to educate us is that he is a prosecutor.

263
00:13:17,785 --> 00:13:19,305
He's not a defense attorney.

264
00:13:19,335 --> 00:13:23,855
He, you know, he, he's the guy who's
trying to make sure that if you commit

265
00:13:23,855 --> 00:13:30,085
a crime, Or if you, uh, are guilty of
a transgression, that you pay for that.

266
00:13:30,365 --> 00:13:36,864
And I, I think, I think a lot of times
we, we don't get, this is my opinion, we

267
00:13:36,864 --> 00:13:39,275
don't get the prosecutor's perspective.

268
00:13:39,794 --> 00:13:43,284
Uh, and I think what makes Bernie unique
in my, in my judge, one, he's a good

269
00:13:43,284 --> 00:13:45,285
friend of mine and, and somebody I trust.

270
00:13:45,790 --> 00:13:50,560
But but he can give me a
balanced evaluation of something.

271
00:13:50,560 --> 00:13:53,460
I don't have to worry about,
you know, one side or the other.

272
00:13:53,460 --> 00:13:57,219
He's going to tell me yes or no, up
or down, black or white type thing.

273
00:13:57,230 --> 00:14:01,780
And so it allows us to look at the
data, look at the facts, look at the

274
00:14:01,780 --> 00:14:06,720
environment or the circumstances in
a balanced way and say, you know,

275
00:14:06,770 --> 00:14:08,560
you just didn't use common sense.

276
00:14:08,895 --> 00:14:12,865
When you were, when you were, you
know, using all these, these, these

277
00:14:12,865 --> 00:14:14,195
words, whatever, whatever, whatever.

278
00:14:14,525 --> 00:14:16,135
And that just makes sense to me.

279
00:14:16,145 --> 00:14:19,585
And, and so my point is, I think,
Bernie, that, that's, that's what you

280
00:14:19,585 --> 00:14:25,804
uniquely in my judgment bring to this
podcast is your, your reflection and your

281
00:14:25,805 --> 00:14:28,675
experience in addition to who you are.

282
00:14:29,155 --> 00:14:32,085
You know, because I think
that's that's that's important.

283
00:14:32,255 --> 00:14:32,625
Go ahead.

284
00:14:33,755 --> 00:14:36,415
Bernie Brown, Esq: Thank you for
that I really appreciate that and

285
00:14:36,415 --> 00:14:41,535
that brings to thought just a side
issue a lot of people Sometimes it's

286
00:14:41,535 --> 00:14:43,464
like all those prosecutors are evil.

287
00:14:43,464 --> 00:14:44,424
They're so bad.

288
00:14:44,455 --> 00:14:47,555
Uh, it's terrible terrible terrible
there against the people, you know

289
00:14:47,975 --> 00:14:51,535
There's a train of thought of that
One of the things that I really loved

290
00:14:51,535 --> 00:14:57,025
about being a prosecutor is when we we
get the cases And we review the cases.

291
00:14:57,205 --> 00:15:01,185
And many times, many times we
look at the case and say, Oh, no,

292
00:15:01,745 --> 00:15:03,245
we're not prosecuting this case.

293
00:15:03,995 --> 00:15:04,645
We're throwing it out.

294
00:15:05,245 --> 00:15:06,925
It's not going to go forward.

295
00:15:07,324 --> 00:15:09,385
That's the discretion
you have as a prosecutor.

296
00:15:09,704 --> 00:15:13,764
If you look at the case and you
don't believe that, uh, that's

297
00:15:13,864 --> 00:15:15,775
that all the evidence is there.

298
00:15:15,775 --> 00:15:19,295
If you believe that there's a
reasonable doubt, as to whether

299
00:15:19,295 --> 00:15:20,675
the person committed the crime.

300
00:15:21,065 --> 00:15:25,905
If you believe that there's any
dishonesty or irregularities,

301
00:15:26,105 --> 00:15:27,945
you can throw the case out.

302
00:15:28,405 --> 00:15:31,325
So, uh, that discretion
was a wonderful thing.

303
00:15:31,325 --> 00:15:32,195
I really enjoyed that.

304
00:15:32,595 --> 00:15:36,665
And I really thank you for
allowing me to be on your podcast.

305
00:15:36,685 --> 00:15:39,525
You like, I go back, you're the
most brilliant person I know.

306
00:15:39,525 --> 00:15:45,444
Dr William T. Choctaw: Thank, thank you
for sharing your valuable time with us.

307
00:15:45,864 --> 00:15:48,765
And I can tell you, and I'm going
to stop watching law and order.

308
00:15:49,054 --> 00:15:53,105
I can tell you because the
prosecutor is never the hero, you

309
00:15:53,105 --> 00:15:57,635
know, the defense attorney is the
hero, you know, about Tom Cruise.

310
00:15:57,635 --> 00:15:59,244
And I think about all the other.

311
00:15:59,485 --> 00:16:03,245
You know, defense attorneys to kill a
marking bird and whatever, whatever,

312
00:16:03,995 --> 00:16:06,165
no one glorifies the prosecutor.

313
00:16:08,255 --> 00:16:10,215
Bernie Brown, Esq: That's a terrible job.

314
00:16:11,824 --> 00:16:16,415
Dr William T. Choctaw: So I'm absolutely
delighted for you, uh, being willing

315
00:16:16,424 --> 00:16:21,805
to, uh, share your knowledge with us,
to educate us, um, you know, because

316
00:16:21,805 --> 00:16:26,065
knowledge is power and the more we know,
and the more we educated, then we know

317
00:16:26,065 --> 00:16:28,125
what to do and what, what, what not to do.

318
00:16:28,400 --> 00:16:30,930
to keep us healthy
mentally and spiritually.

319
00:16:31,209 --> 00:16:34,870
Um, uh, so, so thank you
again for all of this.

320
00:16:35,109 --> 00:16:38,410
Um, and, uh, any, any
other final comments?

321
00:16:38,670 --> 00:16:40,150
Bernie Brown, Esq: No,
thank you very much.

322
00:16:40,170 --> 00:16:41,039
God bless you.

323
00:16:41,599 --> 00:16:45,310
Keep the, keep the, keep doing what
you're doing because it's a great thing.

324
00:16:45,599 --> 00:16:46,640
It's very helpful.

325
00:16:48,715 --> 00:16:49,065
Dr William T. Choctaw: sir.

326
00:16:49,075 --> 00:16:49,835
Thank you, sir.

327
00:16:50,035 --> 00:16:54,875
And what we always like to say to
ourselves and to our audience, be the

328
00:16:54,875 --> 00:16:57,065
change that you want to see in the world.

329
00:16:57,635 --> 00:16:58,554
Have a great day.

330
00:16:59,165 --> 00:16:59,664
Thank you.