Nothing else is. At least one city is tatted-ass friendly.
This appeared on an escort blog, and it's absolutely heartrending. Does anybody know Submissive Ophelia (Empress Michelle)? Is this on the up and up? I've corrected some of the line spacing problems. The email given at the end of the blog doesn't work. Not unbelievable that yahoo would have kicked her. The blog also gives her contact information and her real name, apparently.
"Empress M Needs Your Help!
"This is an important bulletin! A Mistress in the lifestyle rights' were violated. Any assistance is greatly appreciated, since we are all affected by this.
"Our rights were violated
"On Wednesday, November 16th, 2005 at 2pm my business and home was raided by the CT local and
state police. The door bell rang, “I asked who it is?” Before I could open the door, THEY
pushed the door in yelling, “POLICE, SEARCH WARRANT!” Over a dozen officers entered. We were
ordered to sit on the couch. We asked to see the warrant and they refused to show it to us.
"They told us they were looking for something specific and told us not to worry about it,
we would get to look at it when they finished the search.( WE NEVER SAW THE WARRANT) We were
terrified because there were over 30 officers ripping apart my home and business confiscating
everything they deemed as unusual such as my leathers, BDSM furniture, personal effects such as
collars, entire inventory to my on-line store, fetish novelties, expensive snake skin hand made
whips and floggers, all my fetish toys and many more items. While they packed the stuff in to
boxes they were making remarks about how unusual it was to possess these strange items. They
told us they did not know anything about BDSM.
"At this point I noticed there were two, possibly three dozen officers in the house. They were
making degrading and humiliating comments about the things they were taking. At the same time
we were being questioned by the officer who was guarding us, about our fetish lifestyle. He
picked up a fetish magazine and in a sarcastic tone asked me, “Did you make the cover?” He
then discovered my pictures in the magazine and then shouted, “Hey, they are in this magazine!”
To which several officers began passing it around, making jokes and discriminating comments
about our lifestyle tastes. I asked him if we were being arrested and he said no. We asked him
why they were taking our things. The officer replied, “I’ll bet if we looked, 95 percent of the
homes in town here would not look like this inside.” He added, “That makes it contraband and
that is why we can take it during a search.” (These toys are legal in CT and can be found at
a store right near our house).
"They began asking questions regarding my adult based business claiming that I did not have a
permit to run it. I told them that I had a permit from the town and was approved to run my
adult BDSM and fetish websites as my business. I also have two rooms in which I shoot content
for my sites. This is all documented and filed as an Adult based website with my town. We are
also 2257 compliant. I explained that I am in bankruptcy and have proven in court to the judge
and the trustee the legitimacy of my business and all income from it. I have all the proper
paper work as well as being approved to run my business.
"No one was arrested. All my computers, two rooms of BDSM furniture and all my equipment for a
total of 20,000 dollars worth of items were seized at the time. I did not get an itemized list
for any of the items that were taken. They left without showing us the warrant, without telling
us what they were looking for. I believe my rights have been violated.
"(Again, to summarize):
"They entered without showing me the warrant. Never left a copy or showed me what was on it when they finished their search.
"Made harassing comments about my lifestyle and degraded us for it.
"When we asked to use the phone with the intent to call a lawyer we were denied.
"They did not ask if we had any medical problems that would be affected by not allowing us to
eat drink or if we took any medication.
"I asked to take my migraine medication after the whole incident started and was allowed to
because it was prescribed to take every 4 hrs by my doctor.
"They told us that we could not eat or drink because we could claim that it caused a reaction
from them giving it to us.
"For 5 hrs we were ordered to sit on the couch, while being denied water or food.
"They all got bottled water and some even had food while here.
"No one asked us if we needed a drink.
"I needed to use the bathroom and was told that there were no woman officers here so they would
call one. AFTER waiting another 30 minutes, I asked again to use the bathroom and was escorted
by a male officer upstairs to the bathroom. He stood outside the door and told me that I could
not close it all the way. To keep it half open. And I should not be embarrassed because I'm
used to it because of my BDSM lifestyle. He laughed and said I hope you’re not going to charge
me a tribute. This happened twice.
"They looked at fetish magazines and made comments about the fact I was on the cover of one and
passed it around to others showing me on the inside. They teased us saying that our TV would
look good down at the station and that they only took stuff that's not junk.
"They continued to raid and invade my home but complained that it was getting late and that they
wanted to go home. Dozens and dozens of police carried out all of our possessions for our
business and personal life.
"I also have a dog that has a medical condition and takes medication for nerves. They did not
take him out at all, or give him fresh water or food. They kept him in the bathroom the whole
time.
"No charges were made or arrest but I lost everything and will now lose my home due to not
being able to make my trustee payment and my mortgage and bills.
"I called the attorney that the Free Speech Coalition told me to call and I have a meeting set
up with him on Monday at 4pm. He said that there would be a retainer and that we could talk in
detail on Monday.
"I need to raise money for legal defense and get my computers and things back. This is urgent
as my business is my sole source of income. What can I do to fight this? How do I move on?
"Where do I raise money for legal and living expenses? How do I get my stuff back? I still don't know why they picked my business to destroy. Originally the town approved it, we are now in
fear of them entering our home again without cause.
"Please let us know what I would need to do to get help with my case before anyone else's rights
are violated. We have hired a First Amendment attorney to fight this case. We need to be heard
so that we can protect others from this type of invasion of their rights."
-- Modified on 12/9/2005 11:05:19 AM
-- Modified on 12/9/2005 11:15:06 AM
Nothing else is. At least one city is tatted-ass friendly.
One day I will get my ass down to the big apple and see for myself. Until then the site was what kept me going.
...at one time I felt, in a spurt of self-importance bordering on megalomania, that you were heading across the country to see me.
This is pretty much the way arrests go down, and this is a fair example of the situation that suspects are left in, EXCEPT THAT there's usually also arrests which make things MUCH WORSE, and lots of people don't have a social network to help them post their bond, etc, and that sort of pressure puts A LOT of pressure to roll over or plead out even where there isn't any sort of case. Lawyers are expensive, like she'll need mid 4 figures $$ just to get started, and that's because they face DAs with virtually unlimited budgets from your taxes.
Criminal sanctions and security are absoloutely essential to keep order and protect people, but can too easily be turned against people who either don't seem just like the Bushes, or think that they know better than the building inspectors (sometimes they do).
On top of that, there's often wide open forfeiture statutes brought into play so that proceedings are against the property, not the individual, which amounts to, well, robbery. And there's usually no practical recourse when a person is acquitted.
But I'm sure glad we finally have our priorities in order - who cares about murdering terrorists when we can make fun of bondage folks instead!!
And now, they literally loot you, in the original sense of the term. A lot of those cops probably helped themselves to the "souvenirs." She will never get most of that back. It's why there were about 30 of them in there. It's 3rd-world police time.
Poor woman. 
The Shield is starting up again on FX in January. I guess I should start paying more attention, as it looks like the Shield's fictionalized 'busts' are looking more like the real thing.
I agree that the property seized is probably a lost cause. It will cost far more in attorney's fees to recover - even if it were possible.
On the other hand, maybe there's a bright side with our cops degenerating into the U.S. version of federales. Perhaps they'll start accepting bribes (mordida).
the problem is predictability, and transparency.
It's essential to democracy AND ALSO efficiency. No commercial enterprise can be managed without some predictability.
Unpredictable government is a parasite, not necessary infrastructure, and gives us the economic handicap that the 3rd world deals with.
How long before we can run the Bushites out of town on a rail?
I always thought the ACLU was organized for just such a cause. The woman involved should definitely look into that, before shelling out for a private lawyer. We seemingly are becoming Nazi Germany with the police forces serving as the Gestapo and SS. Who's home is next on the hit parade?
to handle 99.44% of even appropriate cases. We don't even know what the charges are.
BEst bet is to hook up with the right lawyer, ie., somebody who is hooked up with the local ACLU and knows their limits.
ANY lawyer, a public defender, is a good start. The important thing is get somebody on it ASAP, and remember that it's your ass, not the lawyer's, and if he doesn't have time to work on it, get somebody who can.
Lawyering is like Edison said of genius, 99% perspiration, 1% inspiration.
http://www.ynot.com/modules.php?op=modload&name=News&file=news_article&sid=9986
Looks like this was 3 weeks ago, and some lawyers are on it, though of course money never hurts...
Let's not forget the Murdering Clintonites who were resonsible for Ruby Ridge and Waco....Common Now Janet Reno had children murdered to cover up an attempt to sway the Assult weapons ban in congress by staging a media moment.
Yeah, we know Janet went out there and shot those lil kids all by herself - took her own 6-gun and murdered them.
just like the wicked witch in Hansel & Gretel - you know, she played that part in the movie, don't ya?
Wanted to roast and eat them little kiddies, and if ya look close at her pitchers, ya can see the little kiddie grease on the corners of her mouf.
or I'll have you on the Senate floor going & fucking yourself.
I think he left his brain in an Atlanta brothel or was that in Las Vegas
JF & RF came back long enough to plot with Teddy, and it was them who drove those airplanes into the WTC, and it was Bill Clinton who bombed that Feddle building in OKC. I have it all on videotape. And it was Bill Clinton who murdered those soldiers at Malmedy, too. Hillary was busy radioing the Japs at Pearl Harbor.
Remember, my faithful Republican locusts, I mean grasshoppers, "If you lie it, it is so". "Facts don't matter if you're a Republican".
Abe Lincoln guy who set all them darkies loose running around the streets setting fire to everything - now there's a guy the Republicans sure didn't need!! Closet Democrat, I'm sure!!
Now that you mention it, that King George guy was a GODDAM TRAITOR DEMOCRAT TOO!!!!!!! And he murdered all them children, too!!! And don't forget Pope Sixtus the 17th - that m'fr was a Democrat, too!! He was the guy who nailed Jesus on the cross, and it's all in the Democratic by-laws!
I think you're answering a different thread on a different board. Try the politics board. I'm sure you'll find a thread in which this pre-fabricated post fits.
Out of curiosity, which talk show host are you channeling? Or do you even know anymore?
If she was so "violated," why did it take her three weeks to post this on her website. As to her statement about the warrant, unless there are national security issues, the warrant MUST be given to an adult in the premises. Given, not loaned for a few minutes.
Also, an inventory of the property must be provided within a reasonable period of time.
She starts by saying the house was entered by a dozen cops, and then in the next paragraph 12 has morphed into 30, to be followed by 36 a couple of sentences later. Later it becomes "dozens and dozens."
She was never in custody, and could do anything she wanted as long as it did not interfere with the search. In short, she could have called her attorney at any time.
Sounds to me as if this is a woman who not only has deep emotional baggage and problems, but has spent her life into bankruptcy. She just wants some freebies from people who might believe this rubbish.
It might have taken her three weeks to get to another computer. The story of the number of police was questionable, and I would have chalked it up to shock-- except then it occured to me that this is three weeks after the event.
I'll put it like this: right now, the only thing I'm certain of about this story is that she was raided, and they took her toys and equipment so she can't make a living by her usual means. All else is questionable.
-- Modified on 12/10/2005 9:31:26 AM
Facts
1) She didn't keep a low profile. Neighbors turned her in.
2) She apparently filed for bankruptcy in 2004 and owes out over $200K.
3) She filed for a business permit for a home office but was conducting trade out of that office.
Her story sounds like it's exaggerated. Enfield ain't that big a place and I doubt they have more than 50 Police officers. 30 for one raid? I don't think so. Her plea sounds like a fishing expedition for money.
Now that all said, it still pisses me off that the Police can just confiscate your shit without so much as a please. But hell, it's evidence and if she did committ the violations they accuse her of, well, she wasn't real smart about it.
I'm split down the middle about this whether I should feel sorry for her or contempt for being such a putz.
Now I'm split down the middle too. I knew there had to be something more to the story than what she was telling; I just couldn't see what. Yes, she sounds like she exaggerated.
That forfeiture practice is at least as big of an abuse as the latest eminent domain rules. The two need to be tied together.
I can't feel too bad about her pet having nerves.
What's interesting is there's no discussion of charges, and it could be connected to bankruptcy fraud - most people manage to get a discharge the 1st time around.
All of you helped me put this in a rational perspective. You answered my main question: how much of this could be true? I've heard nightmare stories about raids before, including raiding and trashing the wrong house.
I much appreciate this.
Going by only what you have told me of the situation and taking that at face value I would hire an attorney immediately.....and, a good one.
You can go to the OPD or the ACLU.......that's not going to do much. But, it might give them some knowledge.
They had a warrant to search for something. They need a really good attorney to get the entire search thrown out of court due to the fact that hopefully they searched for more than they should have. This is going to be the fastest, cheapest and most efficient way to kill this right away. Once they have done that then they need to take further actions depending on what was being searched for. My best advice would be to move jurisdictions so that they get this local vice off of their backs. It's one thing to win a battle with them but a full on war that it will create is not worth the grief.
IE......Get it thrown out on a bad search (I'm not sure that they should have said anything at all but I think that it may not be held against them if the search was bad (you'll have to ask a legal guy on that), get the stuff back, and relocate.
This is all really inconvenient but it sure beats the hell out of jail time. Chances are that the locals just want them out of there anyway......not a battle to take on.
She talks about needing money for a legal defense or to move on..........I can not stress enough how girls need to not live hand to mouth in this business. If they took 20K of stuff then that should have been 10K worth of stuff with another 10K sitting in an investment account for such situations as this, or a car wreck, or just basic rainy day money when the chips fall. We do not work in a business that allows us sick time or that pays us a salary when we need some down time. If we don't plan ahead this is where we end up. Most of us have been there and all of us know someone who has been there. I apologize to take this time to preach on that subject but when are girls going to understand that they need to be more responsible (at least try to be).
If she really has no where to go then she can still advertise and rent a hotel and just work from the ground up until she can pull everything back together which should only take a few weeks. She can work at a ranch for a few weeks just to get away from there and be able to pay the bills.........I'm just trying to offer some solutions to her immediate cash flow issue.
I'm not sure where this home is but if she were running other girls from there they can really try to make something from this.
IF I were totally innocent of any wrong doing I would go straight to the public defender to hear his take on it and I would boldy walk into the DA's office to get his take on it. Be very polite state your legal buiness and ask what you did wrong or if they just want you out of the area in which case you will take your things and leave. I will say though that what ever is on those computers is something that she needs to be aware that they will know. That's what they want. And, be careful who your friends are because someone made that complaint.
X's Summer
Well, they were saying it was the neighbors who filed the complaint because of strange looking people frequenting the residence. She shouldve chosen a place other than her home to conduct her sessions, preferably a building on a back street of a more industrial or business area. I know that I would feel suspcious if someone lived around me and had a bunch of people coming and going and they looked questionable. Sure, we can preach about being PC but at the same time..this was Connecticut, right? Location, location, location....Also, yes, her bankruptcy history probably has her on surveillance anyways so it didn't help matters. I like the suggestions you made, Summer..for helping her get back on her feet.
A back building location would certainly be more appropriate.
I bought a great home in a great family neighborhood with a fabulous pool thinking that I would just see one or 2 clients a day from it. It was perfect.......How wrong I was!
People that live in a neighborhood of any kind are going to notice even 3 or 4 different cars parked in my driveway over the course of a week. I ended up very quickly finding a new location and still having to foot the bill for a house that I spent no time in.
If I were my neighbors I would have been calling the police.
We really have to take great care in thinking outside of our own reality and in the reality of those that we choose to surround ourselves with.
Even a highly college type of apartment complex or a complex where people are divorced, young, and working all day would be better than a neighborhood.
X's Summer
Hi,
I just want to let folks know:
I posted the blog on Escort Blogs . It was EMPRESS M WHO GOT BUSTED. It was NOT me. I posted the blog so that folks can help her out and be aware of her situation.
I am submissive ophelia. i posted because i know Empress M from the online boards.
i just wanted to clarify this.
thank You.