Legal Question in Criminal Law in Pennsylvania

child threatened........

Hello. My son was stopped by police offers for poaching deer. It was in season however after hours. He was questioned by police and had vehicle searched and all was done without me even knowing anything was going on until they were ready to release him to come home. He was also threatened and told that had that deer been a buck instead of a doe he would not have been there at that moment that he would have been drug down in the woods and beaten and tied to a tree. My other son was with him who happens to be 18 but he is in no way his guardian or a parent. How is this right? they were never even read their rights but were questioned and taken to look for evidence. There were several more threats made by the officer. call me crazy but I believe this officer was way out of line and my kids were nothing but respectful to them what shall i do?


Asked on 10/22/07, 1:02 am

1 Answer from Attorneys
John Gibson John W. Gibson, Esquire

Re: child threatened........

It sounds like you have a cause of action against the police under a civil rights statute 42 U.S.C. section 1983. Such a suit is expensive, though, and is hard fought, and there doesn't seem to be any damages. You may want to contact the American Civil Liberties Union to see if they are interested in the case but I doubt that they would be.

I would be concerned about doing nothing, however, when police threaten beating a teenager it's not an empty threat. You may want to contact your local elected officials about the situation.

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Answered on 10/28/07, 1:36 pm


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