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jrhmobile
of Portland, ME
How can police radio transmissions, which are on the public airwaves and can be monitored in real time by anyone with a scanner, possibly be considered confidential information? And for that matter, how can a police investigation of the incident be sealed?
The Cumberland County Sheriff's Department is a public agency, paid for by tax dollars and responsible to the citizens of the county. Beyond the question of whether the department is trying to hide something or not, this is a public agency and these should be public records. I can't believe there are legally valid reasons to seal them.
If nothing else, I hope they can sue the department to turn over those records.report abuse
Jan 6, 2009 8:05 PM
I've see another issue here:
How can police radio transmissions, which are on the public airwaves and can be monitored in real time by anyone with a scanner, possibly be considered confidential information? And for that matter, how can a police investigation of the incident be sealed?
The Cumberland County Sheriff's Department is a public agency, paid for by tax dollars and responsible to the citizens of the county. Beyond the question of whether the department is trying to hide something or not, this is a public agency and these should be public records. I can't believe there are legally valid reasons to seal them.
If nothing else, I hope they can sue the department to turn over those records.report abuse
therehere
of portland, ME
Jan 6, 2009 7:29 PM
He should have stopped,Instead he was to afraid, probably has other OUI, He could have killed another person(s) If he decided to stop for a swim somewhere and drowned who would his family be suing. Did not any of his FRIENDS he was drinking with notice he was not in any condition to drive? Maybe they were to drunk themselves. To bad this was the way this guy ended up not being a danger to anyone else because of his bad choice.report abuseBill Gamble
of Westbrook, ME
It's pathetic however that his greedy family sees his death as an opportunity for a payday. Bottom line, he's dead because of his own irresponsible and illegal acts. The real shame is that the county will probably end up paying them off just to make them go away. If it went to court the county would probably win but it's cheaper to settle out of court and just pay off the money grubbing relatives.report abuse
Jan 6, 2009 7:21 PM
OK, it's too bad the guy died.
It's pathetic however that his greedy family sees his death as an opportunity for a payday. Bottom line, he's dead because of his own irresponsible and illegal acts. The real shame is that the county will probably end up paying them off just to make them go away. If it went to court the county would probably win but it's cheaper to settle out of court and just pay off the money grubbing relatives.report abuse
Chris
of Brunswick, ME
PS: Driving in the wrong lane would seem a minor offense compared to what some of the daredevils do around here - like driving on their rear wheel down a frequently travelled highway.report abuse
Jan 6, 2009 6:37 PM
The original story said Smith was driving his motorcycle in the wrong lane, so the officer pursued but lost sight of him. After out-running the officer, Smith then crashed in a ditch but somehow survived for a few days even though he wasn't wearing a helmet: http://news.mainetoday.com/updates/030178.html
PS: Driving in the wrong lane would seem a minor offense compared to what some of the daredevils do around here - like driving on their rear wheel down a frequently travelled highway.report abuse
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