"Lawyering At The Pumps"
Darrell and George are taking a coffee break at a convenience store. It’s a quiet night and the clerk is always glad to have a police car parked out front. That discourages would-be robbers.
An SUV pulls onto the property and parks at a weird angle to the pumps. The driver gets out of the car, stops to light a cigarette next to one of the pumps, then heads for the store.
"Glad there weren’t too many gas fumes out there," says Darrell, "“we’d all be airborne right about now."
The man goes directly to beer cooler, picks up two six-packs and brings them to the clerk.
"Greetings, officers. It’s a lovely night out," says the stranger.
"You’ve got that right," says George. "That your SUV parked out there?"
"That’s me, all right," says the guy as he strides out the door.
Darrell and George follow the guy to the SUV and just as he gets behind the wheel and turns on the switch they challenge him. "We think you’ve had a little too much to drink, sir," says Darrell.
The man seems insulted. "Too much to drink!" he says. "I’m a lawyer and I’ve been to a little party with some of my associates. Believe me, I know how this thing works. You’re not framing me. I order you to give me a roadside sobriety test."
"Very well, since you insist," says Darrell, who then gives the suspect the standard roadside sobriety test. The guy fails the test on every count. "Sir, you are under arrest for driving under the influence," says Darrell.
The lawyer glares at the two cops and laughs. "I gotcha! Your field sobriety test is not valid. You gave me the test at my own request, therefore, you can’t use it against me in a court of law. Sorry, you lose."
Humoring the man, Darrell cuffs him and puts him in the back of his patrol car. "Four hours from now, counselor, when you’re sober, you can take this to the Supreme Court, if it’ll make you happy."
Copyright-Bob Ford 2003
|