Anyone testify against someone then have them get out of jail years later?

wheelgun28

wheelgun28

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I have a friend that witnessed a bank robbery, he got a bit involved in following the bad guys as they fled. They even shot at him putting at least on 45 through his windshield. They did catch the guy, my friend was a witness helping put they guy away. Fast forward ten years to this week. The FBI calls my friend to set up a meeting to discuss the criminals release from prison.

Now my friend is worried that this guy will come after him or his family.

I am sure some of you must have been in a situation like this.

Should he worry?

Whats usual, criminal forgets my friend or holds a vendetta? I realize everyone and every case is different.

Thoughts?
 
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I can't go to the local Walmart without seeing an ex-inmate, sometimes several. I may not have testified against them, but I have written them up in the past and have had instances where I have found them with contraband or had other criminal stuff that has led to more jail time for them. I have had threats made before on me, if that person ever says anything or writes, no matter what call and get it documented. I know I have had inmates threaten me to come to my house, yada yada, and I always documented it, that way if any altercation no matter how small takes place, I have it somewhere so that I can prove their intent. In eight years I can count on one hand the issues I have had with ex-inmates on the outside, but I never take chances, and neither should you.
 
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I remember a guy back in Michigan who was going to testify. They found him months later in the woods by the river. Well first it was just his skull that was found. Bit later the rest of him turned up in the river. He had been cut up with a sawz-all and wrapped up in contractor bags.
 
This would concern me more today than 20 years ago. It is way too easy to find someone on the internet, even find where they work, pics of their house, info on family, etc.

As mentioned, have your friend document everything, even "wrong number" calls on the home phone.
 
What David LaPell said. Former LEO myself and had several death threats, a couple of which - they meant it - and I took very seriously. I documented them all, so if it came to trouble later, I had it on record those bozos had threatened me previously. I also learned that I wasn't as readily recognized in street clothes, and a quick duck out of the area by me often avoided that, "Hey, I know you..." and the mess that would have followed...
 
Once quite a few years ago, I interrupted a guy who was preoccupied with trying to unscrew the storm window to my basement apartment. He stuck me with a screwdriver and got away. I picked his photo out of a lineup, and testified against him in juvenile court. Her denied being there, and the judge acquitted him.

A couple of months later, I was walking the skyways in downtown St. Paul, and sensed a large presence behind me. It was the guy, going "heh, heh, heh". I said to him, "Eric, I thought you'd be in prison by now." Last time I looked, sure enough, he was on the inmate list at a MN prison. For all i know, he's still there, or back there again.
 
I can't count the number of people I've helped to send to prison in the last 43 years. I've never had any trouble with any of them after they got out. Most of them know that if you harm or try to harm an active or ex-leo you're gonna have a serious problem with those still on the job. I still "don't leave home without it" because nowadays you never know I can't remember any witnesses being harmed or threatened after a sentence has been served even though I've seen witness intimidation a few times before a trial. I'm sure it's happened some but I would think it would be a rare occassion.
 
I have sentenced many, many people to prison terms, some just a couple of years, some for several life terms. I've had a few threats both before and even during trials, but I've never had a problem with anyone that eventually got out. I've had contacts with a few, all of whom expressed one degree of gratitude or another - nearly all of them said that sending them away saved their lives. Doesn't mean I won't ever have a problem, and I would never assume that I won't. Like Charlie, I've also found that most people don't recognize me in "street clothes," and that has probably helped avoid some awkward conversations. Bottom line, it hasn't been the problem so far that I thought years ago that it might be.
 
"Like" isn't enough! What Charlie said.

I retired nearly 22 years ago (July 1) after nearly 21 years service. All the people I have met which I had arrested or testified against have always been quite cordial. It probably had a lot to do with treating them like humans inspite of the difficult situation which had brought us together in the first place! This is a problem much overplayed for theatrical effect in movies and television, virtually never happens.
 
I'm a professional locksmith and suprisingly enough I've been threatened many times because I did my job.

After a residential eviction, the renter drove by my house. I had seen him the day before. The property owner and a sheriffs deputy where their to serve the eviction papers and I was there to change the locks afterwards. He threatened all of us but I didn't think anything of it until he drove by my house. Since my company vehicle is parked in front of my house, I'm easy to find. He had the gall to roll down the window and curse me. I had a spare magazine in my pocket. So reached in and stripped off a 45 round and tossed it to him. He left in a hurry. I learned a week later that he went to jail for assaulting the property owner. I was called to testify a month or so later. He was released about a year later and I haven't seen him since. And thankfully I moved anyway.

I have been to court a few times and threatened even more times for opening safes and storage units so the cops could gather evidence. And I've been threatened by loser husbands/boyfriends that beat the hell out their wife/girlfriend. The beat up wife/girlfriend quite often call the cops followed by a call to us to change the locks. And quite often I arrive before the cops do. Crazy yes. But's it's part of the job.

Most recently I witnessed a DUI while working and was called to testify. The jerk was foolish enough to threatened me in the court room. Since I have a few friends that are cops and a few others that work in the jail and yet a few more in the parole system, he quickly got the message not to mess with me. It's nice to have friends in the right places. ;) I saw the guy once at the local casino but he didn't recognize me.

So if you ever wondered why your local, lovable locksmith would be armed on the job, you know why. :D
 
I have no idea how many times I have testified in court; Municipal, Superior, and Federal. I do know that 12 people are on death row, and the Nuestra Familia prison gang claims to have put a contract out on me. I have been accosted in the street, and I have received death threats. As far as I'm concerned, it is just a lot of hot air.
 
Vigilance.
I would ask the Dept of Corrections what sort of prisoner he has been, compliant or trouble maker, gang member or not, etc. Is he being released supervised or not?
And I would ask them for a fresh, pre-release mug shot of him too. It is possible you might even find one online, if the CT prison system posts this stuff, some States do.
 
Aren't they prohibited by law to come even close to the homes of cops, co's, witnesses, etc.? Even that would bring them in trouble...
 
The only way an ex-inmate would ever be prohibited from coming to the house of a LEO is with an order of protection which I think is the most worthless piece of paper a judge hands out seeing how many inmates over the years end up in jail for violating them. After hurricane Irene when we needed some trees cleaned up, one of the tree companies we were going to hire was now owned by a convicted felon several times over because his father left him the business. He and I had words before, but was very cordial over the phone, just too expensive. This is why LEO's that do this enough keep track of the one's that do make threats, and after a while you know when the threat is BS. All new CO's get the friendly "I know where you live" from an inmate when they first start because the inmate is trying to roust him. I learned two answers to that old phrase, one being "I know where you live too." or my favorite, "Good c'mon over. you can meet the twins, modified and full choke." Never any troubles after that!
 
I got into a fracus with a pair of guys years ago and both swore to me that "Once this is over they were going to find me, kill me and bury me in the dessert". I never worried about it. With just a little time to reflect I belive they knew they were in the wrong and only hate themselves over their stupidity.
In the incident I referred to these guys T boned me leaveing a bar and ran. I ran them down and boxed them up. They reapeatedly smashed their car into mine trying to get away. I ended up knocking one down and held both at gun point until the police came.
This was in los angeles about 40 years ago. Turned out they had warrents out for them.
I got off with no reprocussions after a couple hours. Even was given my gun and ammo back plus a ride etc. I sure wouldnt want to try it today though. They probley would jack the jail up, throw me in and let it down on me now!
 
While on the job I had a actual "contract hit" placed on me and my partner by several drug dealers. That was in the early 90s.
An informant tipped our S.I.D. guys off and I'm still here.
I've put several guys away who swore that they or their assocates were going to get even with me later, knew where my family lives, etc.
So far so good. Scarey thing is with todays technology it would not be too hard to find who ever you were looking for.
My family and I always stay aware as much as possible without being paranoid.
I know of at least one brother officer who had a guy get out of the pen who had threatened to get him or his family, and begain stalking the officer's wife, most likely to rape and kill her to get back at him for putting him away for the better part of 20 years.
That perp was found dead before things went any farther. No arrests were made in his death.
One has to do, what they have to do to stay safe. You can't count on the authorities or government to protect you.
I hope your friend stays safe.
 
30 years in law enforcement....vice/narcotics,investigations,patrol and supervision...no problems of this nature to date and know of no known examples
 
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