Fields: Cops Need To Make Meaningful Apology
BY SAM FIELDS
Guest Columnist
There are not enough words in the English language to apologize for what the judicial system did to Tyler Weinman.
I owe Weinman an apology for assuming that the police arrested a future serial killer.
In June 2009, he was arrested for torturing and killing 19 cats in his South Dade neighborhood.
Every amateur psychiatrist, taking it for granted he was guilty, saw him as a youthful Ted Bundy. Tyler Weinman was the next Jeffrey Dahmer.
Oops! After 18 months of pretrial house arrest it is now clear that he didn’t do it. He is INNOCENT!
So why can’t the police just admit they made a terrible mistake.
If you go to Metro Dade news releases you will still find the June 14th 2009 Press Release cheering Tyler’s arrest. Along with it are huzzahs from Mayor Carlos Alvarez and States Attorney Katherine Rundle-Fernandez. You can still find Tyler’s arrest photo.
There is no new press release admitting they were wrong.
To her credit Rundle-Fernandez has ‘fessed up to her error. Not a word from Mayor Alvarez.
Most embarrassing is the list of weasel words from the police.
On Wednesday, spokespersons for the department said that it still stood by the evidence that Weinman did it.
They maintained this position notwithstanding that the scientific evidence made it unequivocally clear that the cats were killed by other animals and not by Tyler or any human.
Even the government’s animal experts now admit they were wrong.
Enter Miami-Dade Police Director James Loftus. Announcing that no one speaks for the Department except him, he offered his own weasel words: “It’s not a viable casewhy push forward?
Hey Loftus! Why don’t you man up and admit you were wrong?
Why not invite the kid to a press conference and publicly apologize. Give the kid back his good name.
Or are you, Loftus, just another bureaucratic bullshitter whose primary goal is to protect the bureaucracy and not the public?
It’s days like this that makes me think that we should adopt the Japanese traditions of public apology and seppuku.
Hey Loftus! Maybe we can find the knife that you and are department are sure Tyler used to kill the cats.
If it did not kill 19 cats at least it would take out one big fat pussyyou!
XXXXX
Original news release:
Topic: | Animal Cruelty |
Case #: | PD090510206765 |
Date & Time of Occurrence: | 04/15/2009 |
Address of Occurrence: | Cutler Bay, Palmetto Bay and Kendall District |
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(Miami-Dade County, FL) —
The Miami-Dade Police Department, in cooperation with the Town of Cutler Bay and Town of Palmetto Bay, detectives conducted an intensive investigation into an animal cruelty case. The reports consisted of cats being found mutilated in these communities. Between May 13, 2009 and June 11, 2009, 18 of the reported cases were confirmed to be the result of animal cruelty through extensive investigative means. The investigation further revealed that due to the totality of the circumstances, Tyler Hayes Weinman was responsible for these cruel acts.
On June 13, 2009, a surveillance was conducted on Weinman’s residence and he was located and apprehended without incident.
Statement from State Attorney Katherine Fernandez Rundle: “Our communities of Palmetto Bay and Cutler Bay have been on edge for many weeks now because of the horrific and unspeakable slaughtering of many of their beloved feline pets. These are highly disturbing crimes. Cruelty against animals always deeply touches our hearts. I sincerely hope that with this arrest, the residents will feel relieved and their cats will be safe once again. It is expected that the vicious crimes that have plagued these communities will not be repeated. I commend the police officers of the Miami-Dade Police Department and Senior Trial Counsel Michael Von Zamft who worked tirelessly and exhaustively day in and day out in order to put an end to these acts of cruelty. My heart goes out to the pet owners who have suffered such a great loss. Let it be known that although these innocent creatures were not able to express their unexpected suffering, we will, without a doubt, defend their short lives by prosecuting these cases to the full extent of the law.”
“Cat owners can breathe a sigh of relief today,” said Miami-Dade County Mayor Carlos Alvarez. “I want to commend the Miami-Dade Police Department for working around the clock to solve these cases and put a suspect behind bars. Animal cruelty in our community will not be tolerated.”
November 26th, 2010 at 4:04 pm
How come there have been no more cat killings if he is innocent?
November 26th, 2010 at 4:27 pm
Question,
Because at the same time they arrested him they caught the two wild dogs that were doing the killings. All the animal experts were clear that the marks on the cats came from animals and not knives. Dade’s animal experts have recanted their original statements and agreed with the second opinions.
November 27th, 2010 at 9:03 am
EVERYONE makes mistakes. “Dade’s animal experts have recanted their original statements and agreed …”
From their invesigation and “Dade’s animal experts” statements, the police made an obvious “good faith” arrest. Now that other animal experts have said otherwise, the charges have been dropped. It’s how our justice system works.
Your negative comments toward Director Loftus (warranted or not) shows readers you obviously have something against him.
November 27th, 2010 at 11:40 am
Sam Fields is a defense attorney who frequently attacks the police. Anything he writes should be viewed with that in mind.
November 27th, 2010 at 11:57 pm
why does what Fields does having anything to do with his comment…I thought enlightened people no longer shoot the messenger
November 28th, 2010 at 5:25 pm
It proves that Mr. Fields is not as “enlightened” as some may think.
November 29th, 2010 at 7:57 am
Sam-
Why did the kid confess then? As a seasoned attorney you should know that just because the State’s case falls apart, doesn’t necessarily mean the Defendant did not commit the crime, rather the State can’t prove that he did or not. He very well may have killed the cats and gotten away with it. A botched investigation and a great defense expert can sink almost anything. You ask any ASA in the SAO11 and I bet they would agree.
November 29th, 2010 at 7:40 pm
This kid had some connection to killing. Why would the police pick on him? He got off on the kind of technicalities that Sam Fields has made a living on.
Fields defends guilty rapists, murderers, perverts. Why give him a forum, Nevins?
We will run into Weinman again. I hope it is not when he carves up a woman.
Don’t worry Weinman. Fields will defend you.
November 30th, 2010 at 6:48 am
TYLER DID NOT CONFESS.
EXACTLY WHEN DID UNDISPUUTED SCIENTIFIC EVIDENCE BECOME A “TECHNICALITY.�???
November 30th, 2010 at 1:40 pm
Once again Sam fights for the last and final word! NO ONE on-line tries as hard to control reaction to what he writes like Sam does. God forbid you should disagree with him, and then find yourself skewered by him for stating your opinion. He always says he is just trying to stimulate a discussion, but invariably annihilates anyone who joins in. What a complete and total phony and hypocrite.
November 30th, 2010 at 4:02 pm
I saw Tyler’s interview on TV where he admits responsibility for the cats! That kid is a psyco and will be back in the system in the next five years. Mark my words.
December 1st, 2010 at 7:32 am
dear mewow —you must be into the catnip. it never happened