Legal Question in Criminal Law in California

Harassment?

I have a question about whether I was handled in a manner that was illegal, or otherwise ought to merit a consequence.

Yesterday, I was riding my bike to a local store in Pasadena, California. I was just riding along when all of a sudden a police officer stops me by putting a flashlight in my face, telling me that I fit the description of somebody they were searching for: ''a white male, on a black bike'' who had committed some crime.

Even though the officer said I was probably not the right suspect (because I don't have a pony-tail, which he told me the suspect did), I was kept there for a few minutes while other officers came to the scene.

In total, 4 officers were on scene before I was finally allowed to leave. I was even told that I was ID'ed by a helicopter flying overhead, which I didn't see. An officer eventually came and verified that I was not the person they were after).

I realize the police were just ''doing their job,'' but I felt a bit harassed because even after the officer realized I probably wasn't the right person, they still questioned me suspiciously, asking for my ID, current address, phone number, etc.

Is there anything I can do about this situation? Or was everything legal?


Asked on 6/29/07, 4:15 am

1 Answer from Attorneys

Edward Hoffman Law Offices of Edward A. Hoffman

Re: Harassment?

It sounds perfectly legal to me. The police don't have to let you go just because one officer believes you probably aren't the right person; they can hold you for a reasonable amount of time in order to better assess the odds that you are the person they're after. Asking you for your ID, etc. is a reasonable way to accomplish this and it seems that they detained you only briefly, so I don't think your rights have been violated.

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Answered on 7/02/07, 8:08 pm


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