Phoenix Police Raid Blogger's Home

In April, 2008, an anonymous blogger started a website, Bad Phoenix Cops, and a companion blog,  Bad Phoenix Cops:

We intend to share all the ineptitude and lies within the Phoenix Police Department under Chief Jack Harris and his management team.

This is where you will able to post messages and read the posts of citizens and even fellow Phoenix PD.

It was eventually revealed that the blog owner was Jeff Pataky.  After Pataky filed a suit against the PD,  the Phoenix PD raided the blogger's house while he was away, handcuffing a guest who was there, and removing files and computer equipment. Pataky said,

"They took everything," said Pataky, 41, a Phoenix software consultant. "They even took my personal photos and iTunes music. Since when does a citizen's home get raided for something like this?"

According to the search warrant issued on Mar. 9 by Maricopa County Judge Gary E. Donahue, there was probable cause to support that Pataky allegedly committed the following public offenses:

- "computer tampering, a class 5 felony"

- "theft, controls property of another knowing or having reason to know that the property was stolen, a class 1 misdemeanor."

Phoenix Assistant Chief Andy Anderson said the harassment case [against Pataky] is unique because of the connection to an unaccredited grassroots Web site. He said the blog is one part of the case, though he did not provide specifics of the ongoing investigation.

"This isn't about the blog," Anderson said. "That's just where the investigation led."

Chain of events:

• 2006: Mrs. Pataky files for divorce.  The process was acrimonious.
• 2007:  As part of the divorce proceedings, Mr. Pataky was investigated by the Phoenix Police Department (PPD), following charges filed by Mrs. Pataky.
• April, 2008: Pataky begins the blog Bad Phoenix Cops
• May 2008: Mr. Pataky's trial, stemming from Mrs. Pataky's complaints,  begins.  The charges against Pataky are dismissed "with prejudice".
• Sometime between May 2008 to September 2008, Pataky files a complaint against the Phoenix PD,Jeffrey Pataky v. City of Phoenix, et. al, CV 09-534-PHX-DKD
• September 30 2008: Bad Phoenix Cops submits a Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) request for email records
• Sometime before October 9, 2008, the office nameplates of two officers are removed from their cubicles and the Phoenix PD makes investigating this "crime" a high priority.
• Sergeant Mike Polombo goes on "stress leave", citing the "harassment" from Bad Phoenix Cops.
• March 9 2009: Phoenix PD obtains a search warrent for Pataky's house
• March 12, 2009: PPD searches Pataky's house, removing many files and computer equipment
• March 18, 2009: Pataky amends his suit against the PD.

Sources and Commentators

• March 19, 2009: Arizona Republic
• March 25, 2009: Injustice in Seattle
• April 2, 2009: Photography Is Not Illegal
• April 3, 2009: Racism in the Phoenix PD and More Civil Rights Violations – The True Story of Phoenix Police Officers Mike Polombo (#4696) and Heather Polombo (#6237)
• April 3, 2009: Civil Liberties Examiner
• April 4, 2009: South Carolina's Criminal Defense Blog
• April 4, 2009: Simple Justice: A New York Criminal Defense Blog
• April , 2009: Jeff Pataky's Comment at Photography is Not Illegal
• April 7, 2009: Altermedia
• April 7, 2009: Tis Nobler in the Mind
• April 7, 2009: TPM
• April 8, 2009: Jeff Pataky's Comment at Photography is Not Illegal
• April 8, 2009: Associated Content:
• April 9, 2009: Citizen Media Law Project
• April 7, 2009: Dispatches from the Culture Wars

Comments

[Judy]

It's amazing how people only believe Pataky's side of the story without waiting for the truth to be heard.

[Liz D]

It's amazing how people only believe Pataky's side of the story without waiting for the truth to be heard.

Odd construction, Judy.

I would think that someone associated with the Writers Guild of America would be pretty fierce about protecting the free-speech rights of another.

How does this sit with you?

Article 19 of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights:

Everyone has the right to freedom of opinion and expression; this right includes freedom to hold opinions without interference and to seek, receive and impart information and ideas through any media and regardless of frontiers.

[arizona bankruptcy attorney]

This case will more than likely end up in court. It will be interesting to see where it goes.

[Bankruptcy Lawyer]

it would be interesting to see what the judge has to say about case if he doesn't throw it out in the first place. Either way it will be bad publicity for PPD

[lafePaurf]

Hey - I am certainly delighted to discover this. Good job!