Thank you for reaching out.
I recently bought a membership to AMC A-List which allows me to see up to 12 movies a month for only $21 monthly. I went to see "Last Christmas" last night at Mayfair Mall, which started at 7:20. I assume it let out about 9:30. It was sleeting on my way there and it was snowing on my way back.
I don't have a vehicle so take the busses. As of November 3rd, I live in the 5500 block of National Avenue, so there are several possible routes to and from the mall. The only bus at the Mayfair stop was the #21, so I got in it with the intention of transferring to the southbound #76 at 60th Street. Which is where I disembarked from the #21.
I checked my MCTS tracking app and found that the next #76 wasn't due for 23 minutes so I headed south to subsequent stops. I do that often because I like walking and it also warms me up. I had gone maybe 50 steps when a Wauwatosa squad car pulled up and three cops got out and approached me. I asked Officer Itnyre what was going on. Now please remember that I am always polite to everyone. She replied that, "someone called and reported that you were prowling too close to their property." I told her that it didn't happen, that I had been actively moving since I got off the bus, and that I had stayed on the sidewalk the whole time
Then the cop who had been on my right stepped in front of Intyre and demanded my ID. His name is Mills and he became physically and emotionally aggressive. "You have to show me an ID when I ask for it," he said. Note that he demanded that I hand it over. He didn't "ask." He didn't count on my next response, nor did he count on my ability to make him accountable.
I know my rights, and I know the laws:
"Writing for the Court in Florida v. Royer 460 U.S. 491 (1983), Justice White stated, The person approached, however, need not answer any question put to him; indeed, he may decline to listen to the questions at all and may go on his way. — 460 U.S. at 497–498"
---Wikipedia
I responded, "I will when you tell me what the charges are, and he said, "Because of that answer, it is now resisting an officer," and proceeded to handcuff me.
This is the exact stop where the cops accused me of peeing once before. Same opening line, "Someone called in..." Now that I think about it, they probably have a camera and someone monitors them, and when they see a money making opportunity, they phone dispatch. So it's not a lie that someone "called in."
Now that cuffing business was no picnic. I have arthritis in both wrists and I broke my left shoulder in May so riding to the police station was unbearable. When we got there, they handcuffed me to a hard metal bench. I complained about the pain and asked to be uncuffed. You're not going to believe the next part but it's absolutely true. Mills walked from the desk he was standing at and quick as lightning, HE CUT ME ABOVE MY LEFT EYEBROW WITH A RAZOR BLADE HE HAD HIDDEN IN HIS HAND!! He must practice the move because the laceration was precisely above the eyebrow and so covered by hair. Itnyre stepped in then, removing the cuffs, cleaning the wound, then dressing it. I wonder how many times she has witnessed the thug do this and hasn't said anything. It really upset her, though.
Relieved if the constraints, I asked Mills if that was his idea if "Protect & Serve." "My job is to protect the people of this city against people like you." Really? What kind of person am I to be such a threat? A disabled 62-year old veteran is bad for your community? He kept repeating it, like he had been practicing that, also.
The rest is anticlimactic. The third cop became friendly then and even first bumped me when I left. Mills drove me home and Itnyre sat in the front passenger seat.
Trial is scheduled for December 30, at 6 pm.