Justin Bieber Vs. Prosecutors Vs. The Media

 

BY SAM FIELDS

sam fields

 

You could almost hear Broward State Attorney Mike Satz’s sigh of relief through the courthouse last week when he learned teen bad boy Justin Bieber was busted in Miami-Dade County

What prosecutor would want to handle that case with the world looking over their shoulder?

Over the next few months, Bieber’s drunk driving case will be watched, weighed and analyzed by everyone from his millions of fans to the international media. Think “Inside Edition,”  “National Enquirer” and Nancy Grace squared many times over.

That’s Dade States Attorney Katherine Fernandez-Rundle cross to bear.

Her toughest job will be to show to the media and the public that Bieber is not getting special treatment.

She has already promised that the 19-year-old singer will be treated no different than any of the other 9000 or so DUI’s she prosecutes every year. Really?

I guarantee that she has already met with her Chief Assistant, the head of the DUI prosecutions and the senior division prosecutor to make sure they can document dotting every “i” and crossing every “t”.

How often do you think that happens?

The media has already asked why Miami-Dade County detention deputies blocked their cameras when Beiber entered the jail, rather than giving the star the usual perp walk? They are already asking why he was released in record time after posting bond?

None of that was lost on Fernandez-Rundle.

We’ve all read how the little schmuck was accused of Driving Under the Influence and drag racing.

Guess what?  He was not arrested for drag racing.

The accusations are that Bieber commited: DUI, Resisting Without Violence and Driving With a License Expired More Than Six Months. Three misdemeanors.

Notwithstanding the lack of drag racing arrest, the police Probable Cause Affidavit (called an A-Form in Dade) lists drag racing as the Reasonable Suspicion for the stop.  The law upholds a stop based on Reasonable Suspicion that leads to other charges even if the original Reasonable Suspicion charge (drag racing) does not pan out for arrest and/or prosecution.

By the way, don’t look for the DUI video.

In Broward, just about every Police Department videos just about every DUI arrest.

In Miami-Dade, Miami Beach and just about every other department avoids videotaping DUI’s and just about anything else. Not hard to guess what that’s all about.

Here something else you need to know.  Beginning last year, Dade has offered a diversion program for DUI first offenders.

The defendant must complete the conditions for DUI probation and then the DUI charge will be reduced to a withheld adjudication for Reckless Driving.

But what of the two remaining accusations?

With a lesser known defendant, those other accusations might be dropped.

This case may be different.

Notwithstanding that Bieber has hired Roy “Lawyer to the Stars” Black, I can’t image Fernandez-Rundle taking a political hit by dismissing what Bieber is accused of…especially when the singer was a jerk with the cops, who will have something to say about the final disposition.

If Bieber does do the diversion program, it will be interesting if he can do the requirements without being violated.  That includes 50 hours of community service.  Let him screw up probation and it won’t be a Lindsey Lohan with repeated “do-overs”.

Frankly, I think the kid is such an arrogant asshole he will violate the conditions with a failed urine test.

Bieber does have one big thing going for him that probably counts the most in the American court system. A punk who plunks down $75,000 in one dollar bills during a few hours at a Miami strip bar can buy the best legal defense in the world.

At this point in Bieber’s life, a good defense lawyer is worth their weight in gold records.

 



10 Responses to “Justin Bieber Vs. Prosecutors Vs. The Media”

  1. 90% this goes nowhere says:

    Sam:

    If some of the reports coming out and the videos of the “drag race” are all true, I wonder of KFR even files charges on this.

    According to some media reports, GPS from the vehicle shows Bieber was not more than 4-5 miles over the limit (not driving 50 in a 30, which would be the lamest drag race in history). If that’s the case, the supposed PC for the stop goes out the window.

    Similarly, the “strong smell of alcholic beverage” nonsense would also appear to be bogus as well if Bieber wound up blowing a .014.

    While the media is going to make a huge stink over all of this, I just don’t know if this even gets filed. If these things are true, Black is going to run circles around the SAO on this.

    The story will be “overzealous/lying cops frame pop star” when he’s through.

  2. henry says:

    Another shakedown by the police with no probable cause. Typical police harassment, we expect in South Florida, Dade or Broward.
    The ones who should be embarrassed at this point are the police who are going to have to pull a BS excuse out of their ass for pulling him over since surveillance shows he was clearly not drag racing.

  3. Duke says:

    I heard on the news this morning that The kid was set-up. The report said that Roy Black has already had the black box from the car pulled and it indicates that at the time he was stopped, he was driving 27 mph. I do not know the validity of this report. I heard it at about 8:30 on Big 105.9. But if it can be shown that the car never exceeded a particular speed, doesn’t that make the traffic stop itself unlawful, and anything that transpired after that meaningless? It would also explain why the kid kept asking the cop why he pulled him over. I have no doubt that Justin Bieber was acting stupid. But now I’m wondering if the police acted more stupid. I’ll just wait to see how it all plays out.

    FROM BUDDY:

    Actually Perez Hilton had this on Saturday. Here is the link to his story: http://perezhilton.com/2014-01-25-justin-bieber-drag-racing-arrest-police-false-facts#sthash.by3zX7oq.dpbs

  4. Mr. Courthouse says:

    The GPS indications that Bieber was not speeding gives Fernandez-Rundle an opportunity to dump the case without enduring any but the most uninformed criticisms. Even you would agree with that, Mr. Fields.

  5. Duke says:

    I look forward to the day when all of us will be furnished with the capability to easily pull the information off a black box and bring it to traffic court. A few folks are already using the GPS application from their cellphone to beat speeding tickets.

    FROM BUDDY:

    Actually, many new cards have so-called “black boxes” today. I am not sure they are user friendly, unless the user is the auto insurance company.

  6. City activist Robert Walsh says:

    First of all the “Biebs” here passed the breath test. He was not impaired. Also witness’ say he was in the lane he was suppose to be in. As far as him being disrespectful to the police. He is 19, and being questioned, searched etc. by star struck police officers down in Miami Beach. Remember this is the same police dept. that were partying w/ bar patrons on the beach, to driving around on an ATV, while drinking on the job. Also did you here State Att. Rundle. Wow. Lousy memory lady. It wasn’t to long ago “your son being arrested for even more severe charges. Huh. Rundle stated that “Beiber” was rude etc, but it was ok for your son to shoot your name around when he got arrested to the cops. Along w/ using every provanity known to man. That was ok ? Take care of your own kids before you bash other people’s children Att.Katherine Rundle. Reckless driving-next. Work your magic Roy Black……..

  7. Duke says:

    I recall a story several years ago about the Dade State Attorney being at the airport getting ready to leave on a family vacation and her then minor son was caught with a pipe and some weed while going through security. The pipe was metal and so was the tin foil that he wrapped the weed in.

    Are any of those Miami Beach cops the ones “Little Tony” Ferrari had picking up wads of cash at his office over on Lincoln Ave before Little Tony went to the big house. Just when is Miami Beach PD going to open up an internal affairs investigation concerning Dwayne Nicholson’s testimony at the Ferrari trail.

  8. City Activist Robert walsh says:

    Also to point out to sustain a lot of these comments. One Officer is being written up for misconduct for trying to take the ‘Biebs” picture-see what I mean. Ok he had Xanaz in his system. Who knows when he popped it into his mouth. Benzo’s can stay in your system 24-72 hours after digestion. I also heard that he was not speeding. I think he smokes a lot of pot. I mean the reaction from again this Att.Rundle was sooo over the top. Meanwhile her kid is ten(10) times worse than the “Biebs” ever thought of being. Just as bad as this Dr.(closest case) Drew. I mean sure Doctor profit to the max to treat patients addictions. I think he needs to dump his dad and all these free loaders etc and move on. Go back w/ “slow down the song(I’ll say)Selena Gomez. Too cute..

  9. I found something out says:

    I found out if they got the medicine from a Canadian doctor. Their medince has trace amount of weed component of THC.The THC reading came from his depression medicine.I got a feeling he going to get out of these charges. The case will either get dismissed or Katherine Fernandez Rundle will dropped. The charged.

  10. I found something out says:

    What would happen if the judge rules and the traffic stop illegal and unlawful and if none of noticed the police officer on his cell phone texting someone. While he is to be paying attention to the field Sobriety test. Could that test be tainted