What is up with that cop? Do we have laws that portect us from overzealous cops
By dunce002917
@dunce002917 (226)
United States
January 22, 2007 6:48pm CST
I know Dr House did Officer Trigger (sic) but does that justify the treatment/harrassment that House received under this Officer's investigation methods? To the extent of Dr Wilson and co might lose their Medical Practice all for some bully's satifaction. There has to be a law protecting us from this kind of treatment. Discuss.
6 responses
@sizzle3000 (3036)
• United States
23 Jan 07
I know that if Trigger did this in real life he would be up on charges himself. He did not have probable cause when he froze everyones bank accounts. Wilson could have gone to a judge and asked to have the harrasment stoped. However, this is television and we have to go by the script.
1 person likes this
@mkirby624 (1598)
• United States
28 Jan 07
I don't think that IS legal. Tritter had no proof that Wilson didn't sign those prescription forms if Wilson himself said he signed them. Like another poster said, due process was the legal way to go about this. A subpoena for his testimony at the trial...he can't get out of that. I'm pretty sure that suspending someone's medical license all because you're *supicious* about whether he's telling the truth or not can't be legal. Especially when people's lives are on the line in the case of a doctor who treats cancer patients. I'm pretty sure a judge would have done something about that, and, if nothing else, Wilson could easily sue the cop for freezing his assets and suspending his license considering it hindered his patient's welfare. I'm not really sure what freezing ANY of their accounts had to do with the case. Supsending the license, I might could see since Wilson was the one "writing" the prescriptions, but freezing his assets had nothing to do with House's case or investigation.
1 person likes this
@misskatonic (3723)
• United States
23 Jan 07
Tritter did have probably cause. Or enough probably cause to spin and get backing for. Hindering of an investigation is a pretty serious charge, and he could have made a convincing case for Wilson and the rest of the team. He'd spent enough time with them and had had enough conversations to be able to argue they were hiding something. Bullying and lying to people to get them to tell what they know is all perfectly legal.
2 people like this
@dunce002917 (226)
• United States
23 Jan 07
I agree with you. Freezing bank accounts without probable cause are still unacceptable even pot 9-11. Just like wire-tapping, freezing of accounts should require a court order. However, I agree that this would add depth to the story arc. but sometimes, too much drama could lose the credibility of the show.
1 person likes this
@dunce002917 (226)
• United States
29 Jan 07
I agree, House rocks!!! I certainly do hope that cops do not waste their time getting even with someone they had a grudge with. As you said, we pay the taxes that pay their salary.
@misskatonic (3723)
• United States
23 Jan 07
Everything Tritter did is all perfectly legal. It's not uncommon for cops to bully people they *know* are hindering an investigation to get them to help. Cops will do whatever they can to get their collar, basically. And to be fair, Tritter wasn't making baseless accusations. House *is* an addict, and Wilson *was* hindering an investigation.
1 person likes this
@dunce002917 (226)
• United States
26 Jan 07
Yeah, but Wilson could file for harrassment and whatever confession Tritter could get from Wilson would be inadmissible because the confession was given under extreme financial and career stress.
@Ariana17 (92)
• United States
23 Jan 07
I don't think the people from House reported Officer Trigger for his treatment of them. They just accepted his treatment of them to make the show more interesting. I don't know if an officer is allowed to treat people that way...I would guess they could if they were hindering an investigation~like with Wilson since the prescriptions were "signed" by him~ but I dont think he should have been able to lock everyone else's bank accounts but dont take my word on it
1 person likes this
@dunce002917 (226)
• United States
26 Jan 07
Even though they might be hindering the investigation, Tritter should have used due proccess to make the others cooperate. perhaps a warrant or a subpoena for their testimony.
@momokoseiya (453)
• United States
30 Jan 07
You know, this does bring up a good point. Cops are there to protect and defend us. But who is supposed to help us when it comes to the "crooked cops?" I'm sure that the police department is supposed to suspend any cops if they break the law. I don't know if they actually follow through on that, but it is worth looking into.
@msmonkeyfeet (789)
• United States
26 Jan 07
In moral terms, no, I don't think that what Tritter is doing to House is justifiable. But legally, it sure is. Technically House did break the law. And playing devil's advocate I must say this, that all House had to do in the very beginning was say he was sorry. So though Tritter is to blame for his bad treatment of House, House is also partially to blame for his stubborn pride.
I also must agree with a previous post that said if this were the real world, Tritter himself could have been brought up on charges by House and his colleagues for the things he put them through. But that wouldn't be nearly as interesting on TV now would it? :)
@dunce002917 (226)
• United States
26 Jan 07
True. And that makes interesting TV. However, can Tritter be responsible for the lives of the patients endangered by his harrassment of the other hospital staff?
