fandomhigh | L&O: Interdimensional Edition: Friday, March 26

When Alex entered the classroom, she had a German shepherd with her. No worries, he was housebroken. In fact, he was possibly better behaved as a dog than he ever had been as a human, but saying that out loud would probably earn you a head-slap.

"Afternoon," Alex said. "I've got a different perspective on law enforcement than most of my fellow teachers, because I sit in a different place in the process. I was a prosecutor with the District Attorney's office. I take all the evidence that cops gathered, and I make sure the defendant goes to jail for a very long time. But I can't do that if you've cut corners along the way.

"You, as a future police officer, need to be crystal-clear on your rights and powers, and not overstep them. I'm often seen as the enemy, by my team. I'm the one who has to tell them that that search was invalid, and that now the evidence can't be used. I'm not the enemy. You have to follow the rules. Not because I say so, and not even because it's the right thing to do, ethically. But because, if you don't, then we're not just back to square one. We're into the negative. We can never use the evidence you obtained, illegally."

She lifted her shoulders. "Conversely, if you're ever in an unpleasant situation yourself? A lawyer should be your first call. Even if you're just a witness to the events. Even if the cops insist you're only wanted for background information, and someone else is their prime suspect. Some people want to appear helpful, and are worried that seeming uncooperative is going to make the police think they're guilty. What the police think of you is a lot less worrisome than what evidence they might have. And if you walk into that police station, and answer their questions, you could incriminate yourself without even knowing you've done so. If you had had a lawyer present, he or she could have advised you on any potential legal pitfalls. In the US system, you always have the right to stop proceedings and ask for a lawyer. If the cops tell you that you don't have that right, and continue to ask you questions? Then anything you say is inadmissible in court. It's that ironclad."

She then cued up a (relatively) short program on the TV. "This is a talk given by a law professor, on why he is proud to not speak to the police. You may not agree with everything he says, but he makes some very compelling points. Once he's finished, we'll get to today's activity."

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Standing mute.

Rose Hathaway

Ben Skywalker

Hoshi Sato

Naomi Wildman

Dinah Lance

Rebakah Cooper

Gwen Cooper

Jaina Solo

Jennifer Walters

Charles Gunn

Watch the video (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=i8z7NC5sgik). Take notes. Or pass notes. Or suspect your classmates of being monkey-ponies. (They probably aren't really monkey-ponies.)

Ben had a very fashionable, really, just ask him, rebreather with him that stopped the fog's hallucinatory effects on him.

Besides, he'd never skip out on this class. He was ~~a nerd~~ dedicated that way.

Neither rain nor snow nor sleet nor toxic fog would keep Hoshi from missing class, especially when she had friends who could teleport.

But when she saw the German shepherd accompanying the teacher, she was glad she'd stashed Porthos in the journalism classroom until she returned for the newspaper meeting.

Dinah was taking a lot of notes. Both as a potential law enforcer, and, let's face it, a habitual law-breaker. It was dismaying to realize how easily testimony could go all the wrong way.

Gunn didn't have anything better to do. So he thought he'd check out the class his boss/teacher was moonlighting in.

Of course being a giant black panther and watching people stare at him had some sort of appeal. He gave Alex a little nod of his cat head as if to say "What's up?" and settles down to watch the video.

"Pair off with one of your neighbors," Alex said. "One of you will be interrogating the other. Interrogation continues until one of you says something that the other can consider to be incriminating, either for the offense in question or an unrelated charge. Then you'll switch. After that, we'll have a short discussion."

"From a police officer's perspective," Alex said, "if nothing else, you should have seen how easily suspects will hand themselves to you on a silver platter -- and, conversely, how easy it is to twist anything into seeming like a confession. The former is a gift, but the latter is a warning. So. What did you make of the video? Did your opinions change after our activity? If a suspect insisted on having a lawyer present, would you assume he or she was guilty? Would you, personally, speak to the police if contacted as a suspect of a crime?"

Do not interrogate them, please!

Dinah was sipping her coffee and trying not to yawn. Also, considering how best to get back out and fight effectively.

Beka was frowning at the lecture, wondering how she'd do her work if all witnesses refused to talk. There was sommat wrong with this world's system if they had to fear their police.

You can try to interrogate them, but it probably won't work.

Momoko was poking her head into the classroom before the lecture, looking for Professor Gibbs... or at least one of the professors? She wanted to let them know she was gonna miss class due to, well, you know, helping to restore law and order in a town gone ugly monkey pony monster mad?

Firstly: sorry for having Real Class(TM) during a BDE. I didn't realize it'd be this week when I signed up, and I didn't want to waste my turn. Feel free to have your character not attend if there is BDE-ing afoot.

Secondly:

I plead the fifth! I plead the fifth!
Five! One, two, three four, FIFTH!
Anything you say, FIFTH!
Go ahead, ask me a question [Did you --] FIFTH!

Dave Chappelle (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rissm5YHJQg) had a much catchier tune than Alex did.

...

In the criminal justice system, monster based offenses are considered especially troublesome. On Fandom, one of the dedicated superheros of justice who pursues these monsters is Momoko, also known as the Blossom. This is her excuse for missing class.

donk!donk

L&O: Interdimensional Edition: Friday, March 26

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