Shat terd

Many times an individual is helpless in the face of tyranny. At times the only weapon a victim of such injustice has is to pass along their story so that the world knows what has been done to them.

One of the functions of the Equal Justice Foundation is to help its members get their stories told in the hope that someday such injustices might be stopped.

The abominable behavior of the Aurora, Colorado, Police Department in this holiday season has earned all mankind's disgust. The actions of a contemptible few have brought dishonor on the many in that force.

Monday, December 29, 2003 - Today I waited for my ex to drop off my two children for my holiday week with them as is written in the court-approved parenting-time stipulation that my ex and I follow, at least I thought we did. My calls to my sons haven't been returned for a day and when I called the house today nobody picked up the phone.

I figured that my ex was probably playing games but thought maybe something had happened to them, or they had left Colorado without telling me. I decided to stop by the house, where I found a police car waiting.

I knocked on the door and a very rude, obnoxious female officer told me I couldn't have the kids even though she had a copy of the court order right in her hands.

The whole time this was happening I was on my cell phone with my attorney. I was very polite to the officer and explained why I should have the kids and pointed out to her the words in the agreement that allow me to have my children for a week at Christmas.

Before I knew it there were three police officers there, brandishing their billy clubs, treating me like a criminal. The focus for the police, of course, was not that my ex had my children in contempt of the court order, but that I had been harassing her by making repeated phone calls to her.

When I told the police I was worried that something might have happened to them, or they might have left Colorado, they responded contemptuously, "Yeah, you were worried all right."

Despite being on my best behavior, police accused me of being belligerent and threatening to them. They told me to leave, which I had intended to as soon as I met the first officer, but was not allowed to by her. The policewoman also told me to get a criminal attorney.

Later that day I went to the Aurora Police Station to speak to a supervisor there, since I felt that the officer handled the situation incorrectly, and had violated my human rights as a father. In effect the police allowed my ex to violate the court order, and the law, thereby making her a party to a criminal act.

Of course the female police sergeant did not agree and told me that the officer acted appropriately. I brought further evidence to substantiate why I should be allowed to have the children and asked if they would assist me in picking the kids up. Her response was that the police do not get involved in civil matters.

The police supervisor then told me that they were called to the scene because my ex had told them I was harassing her by making repeated phone calls to her. The fact that none of my calls to my children were returned by them, the fact that I was worried that they might have been involved in an accident, or taken out of the area by my ex seemed irrelevant to the police. And of course the fact that I had a court order giving me a legal right to have the children that day was worthless in their opinion.

When I asked the sergeant at the desk if I could call my children, she responded I could, but I might face criminal charges of harassment. When I asked why, she told me that according to Colorado laws calling someone more than three times the same day is grounds for harassment and criminal charges [Apparently the female police officer misinterpreted C.R.S. § 18-9-111 to fit her misandrist agenda].

I feel that I was the one harassed, of course, and have been on numerous occasions with similar problems. But hey, I'm a guy, so tough luck for me. She [the police sergeant] told me don't blame them, blame the state legislators [ignoring the fact that the female officer misinterpreted or was ignorant of the law].

I gave up and left the station knowing I had just wasted my time arguing with a ridiculous group of people. I'm leaving out some details, of course, but please know that this did in fact happen, that I truly did, and still do have a right to my children as I sit here alone.

What type of society do we live in where a father risks his personal freedom and all he has worked for just because he wants to, and is entitled to spend one week of Christmas time with his children. I took a weeks vacation to be with my sons, I purchased tickets to take them to an Avalanche game, and had the presents I gave them for Christmas all set up ready for them the minute they would have walked through the door.

My attorney is filing contempt of court charges but that will take months to resolve and cost me money I could have spent on my children. Colorado might have nice views, mountain peaks, and great skiing, but its a lousy place to be a father in.

I guess things could be worse, I could be in jail like Dr. Emerson, all my life's work ruined with little hope for the future but now, more than before, I realize that at any time my freedom can be taken from me for the most ridiculous of reasons, that my life can be instantly destroyed by the state simply by some obscure words written by legislators.

The Equal Justice Foundation is a member-supported, non-profit 501(c)(3) corporation.

Contributions are tax deductible and can be made on the Web at http://www.ejfi.org/Join.htm

Charles E. Corry, Ph.D., F.G.S.A.
President, Equal Justice Foundation http://www.ejfi.org/
455 Bear Creek Road
Colorado Springs, Colorado 80906-5820
Telephone: (719) 520-1089
Domestic violence against men: http://www.dvmen.org
Personal home page: http://corry.ws

Curriculum vitae: http://www.marquiswhoswho.net/charleselmocorry/Default.aspx