longmont wrote: The reason drugs get the blame for the ills of society is because they are illegal. Buy a bottle of hooch, you know what you get because the government has standards for alcohlic drinks. Buy any drug off the street and you never know what you get because of the lack of standards. The families of addicts suffer because the addict is forced to pay an inflated price for the substance. Legalize it and the price will go down just like alcohol and nicotine. Imagine what a package of cigarettes would cost if they were illegal. And the police would constantly be aressting nicotine addicts for using a drug that was illegal. 12/21/2008 4:43:50 PM Recommend(3) Report Abuse treymartin wrote: I'm NOT a proponent of legalization of ANY drug - I AM a proponent of my native, God given, American rights! For which my family has spilt blood protecting. I'm not sure where you have been the last couple of years or maybe you have chosen to see the world out of dim glasses. As I sure as heck hope that you, or your like, do not try and run for any type of public office. We have enough politicians without any real world experience, which is an obvious comparitive shared by both you and the out of touch. This kind of tyranny happens everyday. The local law enforcement do not have the right to LIE and abuse their power. 12/21/2008 4:22:28 PM Recommend(2) Report Abuse barrycooper wrote: mikemassey, In one post you claim to be some type of freedom writer opposing the War on Drugs and then in another post you support laws against the other drugs? You've got a screw loose. Then you claim the harder drugs hurts our children? This is propaganda fed to you by our government. The truth is, over 2 million children live without one or both parents because the parents are incarcerated for a NON VIOLENT drug crime. The War on Drugs causes much more harm than the drugs ever did. You are double minded. 12/21/2008 4:20:53 PM Recommend(5) Report Abuse barrycooper wrote: atexan, Are you suggesting that if I cut my hair short like all the lying and cheating politicians and kops, I will be more credible? Hmmmmmm. You are judgmental and not my demographic but my target. Barry 12/21/2008 4:13:05 PM Recommend(5) Report Abuse mikelmassey wrote: I am not a cop or related to any. Stop assuming stuff. If the illusion you created was simply an anonymous letter, why did you have more than one Christmas tree? If nothing could be seen from the outside of the house, why was that necessary? According to this story the police did investigate by legally examining the exterior of the house. Based on the story alone, this stinks. You need to get down off your 4th amendment high horse and sober up. I am not against pot, I am adamantly against meth, heroin and crack, only because of the children who suffer because of those drugs. If people who do those drugs would agree to be made sterile, I would agree to legalize those drugs too. This looks like a cheap stunt for monetary gain. Perfect for reality tv. I don't watch that stuff. 12/21/2008 4:06:34 PM Recommend(3) Report Abuse debluezzman wrote: There are some people in this world that you can put the end of your finger on there nose and they still can't see it, there mind or what they have of one is shallow and one track, Growing up I was taught that police men, pastors, etc were people you could trust.....did I ever find that out to be untrue, read, take a look around you, don't you know whats going on in this world. 12/21/2008 3:59:39 PM Recommend(4) Report Abuse treymartin wrote: MMassey - No! The issue is that with an Anonymous tip you are left with one option; more police work (I use the term loosely in Odessa; no offense Officer Travland)!! An Anonympus tip is not enough to "kick in the door". What if that was your family Mojo, how would you feel? Thats the problem. These "Blue Gang Bangers" have been doing this for decades but it didnt really matter, just so long as it goes on "across the tracks" and away from the upstanding, caucasin persuasions. What happened to real police work? What happened to taking pride in your duty? What happened to "Protect N Serve"? 12/21/2008 3:44:51 PM Recommend(3) Report Abuse mojo1989 wrote: Ok, Barry, I went to your site, saw the video. Mind not changed. But then again, I am a crazy person from "krooked" Odessa. I'm not saying that my mind cannot be changed, I'm just saying that that little snippet in the Albertson's parking lot didn't do it for me. Didn't see the rest of the traffic stop, just the first part, didn't see anyone but her dad and your journalist speaking out, so I'm going to have to see someone from the other side. You know, I'm not the enemy, Barry. Just a girl who researched something after wanting to learn more. I am even going to agree that the search in Odessa at the Christmas tree house could've been handled a bit differently. I know I surprised you there, didn't I?! I do think that you should require more than an anonymous letter, however people make anonymous tips all the time, and I trust Judge McCoy enough to think that he signed the warrant based upon the evidence he was presented with at the time. I also happen to think that when dealing with the criminal element, sometimes rules get bent. But for me to believe that Yolanda is falsely imprisoned or that the police officers of Odessa are truly an evil bunch, I'm going to have to see more concrete proof than a 6 minute video that is obviously biased. 12/21/2008 3:37:02 PM Recommend(1) Report Abuse mikelmassey wrote: Your claiming the OPD lied. I don't know. I think we live in a police state because of the "war" on drugs and the "war" on terror. Have written about it many times. I value my freedom as much or more than you and I am not going anywhere. I don't put faith in "you tube videos" cause I know how easy it is to doctor them up. You are never going to have a society where someone, who lies and creates an illusion, is not going to get someones' door kicked in by cops. Even in a free society, which we don't have anymore, the lie and illusion could just change to involve an emergency involving endangered women or children. Our freedoms need to be restored but part of the answer is to prosecute people who lie and cause other peoples' door to get kicked in. What you seem to be advocating is for any anonymous tip to be ignored. 12/21/2008 3:34:56 PM Recommend(1) Report Abuse atexan wrote: If you go to 'kopbusters.com' you're automatically redirected to 'Nevergetbusted.com' where's they're selling copies of "Kopbusters Episode 1 - Free Yolanda ' for only $19.95 hmmmmm Also, just a suggestion Mr Cooper; you might seem more credible if you didn't look so much like a prolific letter writer to High Times. Not being judgmental, just offering a suggestion. 12/21/2008 3:32:17 PM Recommend(3) longmont wrote: Anyone that believes that the police do not regularly violate peoples civil rights is simply naive. This is especially true when the public opinion is against a particular thing, in this case people making a choice to use a drug. Wanna bet that there wouldn't have been an arrest if there had been anybody in the house when the christmas trees got busted. ladydeath want a constitution contact the Cato Institute. I carry one in my truck 24-7. 12/21/2008 3:24:57 PM Recommend(2) Report Abuse atexan wrote: I agree with M/Massey. I fail to see how any of this translates to Mr. Maddens' daughter being in prison. The video was kinda lame. Seems like a big waste of tax dollars and time to me. Maybe I missed it somewhere, but does Yolanda have a previous history of drug related or other criminal acts? 12/21/2008 3:24:34 PM Recommend(1) Report Abuse treymartin wrote: Massey - Waste of time, Not at all. If anything it has shown that Odessa municipal or Ector county only require an Anonymous letter to violate your 4th Amendment rights. If that's a waste of time....**INPUT HERE** INBRED Arkansas joke about Massey's heritage.... Go watch Cops or something or you can just simply wait till your 7pm shift to go and bash some minorities head in... 12/21/2008 3:11:14 PM Recommend(4) Report Abuse barrycooper wrote: mojo, That is the third time you dodged the question. Why won't you take a look at the actual police video proving the officer lied on the report. The traffic stop clearly shows Yolanda NEVER admitted to having meth in the car and that she refused consent. The police reports say she exited the car and blurted out, "It's in the car and please don't show my daughter." This is not on the video. The kops lied and we are going to continue our fight to Free Yolanda. What say you about this mojo? 12/21/2008 3:09:40 PM Recommend(4) Report Abuse barrycooper wrote: mikemassey, I don't know how more real you can get. The police lied on a government document claiming a preacher dropped off the letter when the preacher said he didn't. That is a felony committed by the officers. KopBusters showed Odessa P.D.'s willingness to conduct an illegal raid. This may not be a big deal in Russia, but we live in America. Illegal raids must be stopped and you defending them shows you have no idea what our constitution is about...you should move out of this country. 12/21/2008 3:04:14 PM Recommend(4) Report Abuse mikelmassey wrote: hey Trey, I have often spoken out against the so called war on drugs as being a war on our personal freedom. Don't assume you know anything about me. This stunt did not prove a single thing. It was a failure and waste of time. If the OPD had not responded you would have made a big deal out of that sooner or later. I am sure there are some corrupt cops, Cooper may have been one, I don't know. Find them and get real evidence that will stand up in court and I will support your efforts. This was a failure. If you want to be sensational, thats cool, just keep it real. 12/22/2008 2:59:17 AM Recommend(1) Report Abuse ladydeath wrote: as i see it, in texas, this means that if i don't like my neighbor i can write an anonymous letter accusing him/her of having contraband, drop it off at the nearest police department and my problem is solved? just as long as my description of the outside of a home matches the observable details of that same outside that's probable cause? whoa...i need a constitution! 12/22/2008 2:43:56 AM Recommend(4) Report Abuse treymartin wrote: Mojo- This is a serious problem. You feel that a system without checks and balances is appropriate? What planet are you residing on? Attn: We need to implement a Drug Test prior to posting because "Mojo" is OBVIOUSLY freakin' WASTED! Our tax money, of which very little is contributed by your ilk, is hard at work housing, feeding and re-erroneously-educating Thousands of people right now as we sit here typing away. You should feel proud that you opted to take on a hefty burden like this...I however am disgusted by the etihics in Odessa and Ector county. Please drive drunk Mojo - You need to see this inside of jail cell, for just once in your "Ward Clever" life. 12/22/2008 2:42:29 AM Recommend(3) Report Abuse mojo1989 wrote: Barry, You are right. I am wrong. I AM crazy. The "kops" are "krooked" (so clever). Drugs are harmless. Pranks are fun. Taxpayer dollars are ours for the spending. Thank you for showing me the light. 12/22/2008 2:36:03 AM Recommend(1) Report Abuse malkemus wrote: legalize it now. if ever body that smoked a joint today would doit on the couthouse steps the system bould break down. stupid laws that don;t do anygood. prisons are full of people that are busted illegally and should be home instead of jail. 12/22/2008 2:32:14 AM Recommend(3) treymartin wrote: mikelmassey - I hereby decree you the same treatment you prescribe as being fair and just. I'd like you to awake, drive to your Coffee shop, the whole time being followed and then subesquently pulled over and searched prior to arriving to your destination. I mean, seriously all we need is an anonymous letter to Legallty kick in your door at 3am. The hell with the kids having school tomorrow, after all we have an "anonymous" letter. No worries if the search happens in your Church of Christ parking lot this lovely Sunday morning, much to your Church parishners dismay - because after all, "Massey", we DO have an Anonymous letter! Odessa Christians and Law Abiding Citizens! WAKE UP We are in Texas, in case you New Yorkers have forgotten. We're not in Beijing being persecuted by the Chinese government and nor shall we be on my watch. Maybe ya'll up north have heard of the Bill of Rights, or that onscure document called the US Constitution? 12/22/2008 2:31:38 AM Recommend(6) Report Abuse barrycooper wrote: mojo, You are crazy. Why won't you comment on the actual police video proving she did not admit to having meth in the auto like the police said? Is it because you would then have to admit the officers lied on the police report? 12/22/2008 2:28:54 AM Recommend(3) Report Abuse mojo1989 wrote: Why are you calling me crazy and getting so upset at the other posters that dont agree with you? I can guarantee you that I would never have googled Yolanda Madden if your group hadn't thrust her into the spotlight. It made me want to know why the police officers that we have so recently lauded as our heroes are suddenly conspiritorial thugs. I researched it. And what I found was a court document stating those facts, so I do tend to believe that over a guy who likes to stage theatrical plays for repeat on YouTube. I do not believe I am crazy, I did research it to a point that my curiousity was satisified. I do believe that she was guilty, and I do believe that your group specializes in looking for loopholes to get the convicted out of hot water while sensationalizing your celebrity on the internet. I don't know what made you turn from being a drug task cop to a Kopbuster, and quite frankly, I don't care. You've obviously got an axe to grind, but don't call me crazy for being satisfied that a drug dealer is being incarcerated. 12/22/2008 2:23:33 AM Recommend(2) Report Abuse treymartin wrote: Crime Pays for US Prison Companies Financiers, real-estate agents and car salesmen might be suffering from America's economic malaise, but bulging jails have triggered a profit boom for corrections companies. This is an awful truth but it's one worth review. We have way too much money vested in non-violent drug cases here in Texas. I am raising a family and I'm happily married. But even I know that when you take a drug addict and stow him/her away in State institution along side burglars, murderers and rapists that you have created a product worse off than when that person was incarcerated. You people from the 1940's-1960's might not be around when this psycopath prisoner is parolled from prison but we WILL be. In our Lone Star State alone, there are 100's of cases overturned annually due to municipal and county "korruption", similar to the ilk of OPD Officer Travland. These people are corrupt and it shouldn't take the Madden case for you, God fearing people in Permian Basin to wake up and oust these Gangster Style, Boyz N Blue. 12/22/2008 2:19:50 AM Recommend(4) Report Abuse barrycooper wrote: ilovejolie86, Sorry bout that. I did not mean to classify you with the other AUTHORITY WORSHIPPERS in this thread. It was an accident. Barry 12/22/2008 2:19:17 AM Recommend(0) Report Abuse mikelmassey wrote: Barrycooper, Is the best you can claim from this that the "OPD said a preacher delivered the letter" ? So if I understand this correctly, you guys rent a house, cover the windows, put in grow lights and plants, put together a letter describing specific illegal activity along with vehicle descriptions and other misleading information, deliver the letter and then sit back and wait. If the OPD had done nothing you could claim they were incompetent for not responding to obvious illegal activity. Looks like your dog and pony show put them into a lose-lose situation. I think you should be sued by the City. If you are going to set up law enforcement why don't you get them on video planting evidence or otherwise breaking the law? That would give you some very much needed credibility. For the record I have spoken out against the so called war on drugs as a war on personal freedom, but you have wasted a lot of energy here for nothing. Show authorities seizing a car (that is paid for), while not seizing one (that is financed), thus pointing out the unfair practice of additional punishment for those who are financially responsible. There are plenty of things wrong with our war on drugs. Dude, do something meaningful with your time. 12/22/2008 2:16:32 AM Recommend(2) Report Abuse barrycooper wrote: mojo, You are absolutely crazy. The kops did claim she admitted to having meth in the auto but that was a LIE. We know that was a LIE because the video of the traffic stop is on youtube and Yolanda NEVER said anything about meth and she can be heard refusing consent. You only researched the parts of the case you wanted and not the entire thing. Also, there was NEVER a wire tap on any phone and the kops failed to record the conversation. The informant answered "no" and passed the polygraph when asked if he and Yolanda talked about meth on the phone. The kops lied about that phone conversation. Yolanda never "blurted" anything out. Go watch the traffic stop for yourself then comment. The police lied on that report and the video tape was discovered much later which proved they lied. Barry 12/22/2008 2:10:27 AM Recommend(3) Report Abuse mojo1989 wrote: She executed a waiver and waived her right to a jury trial. How is that being railroaded into a bench trial? This information is per the below referenced court document. Did she not have legal representation who could advise her in the execution of waivers? Surely she has some accountability in her trial. She just cant claim she didnt mean to say what she said, she didnt mean to waive her rights to a jury trial, she didnt mean to agree to meet the informant to sell him drugs...she was a drug dealer, plain and sim,ple, they took her off the streets. Tax dollars well spent in my opinion. 12/22/2008 2:04:57 AM Recommend(2) Report Abuse longmont wrote: Who knows how much money would be saved in the State of Texas if ALL illegal drugs were treated like alcohol and nicotine? The war on drugs is a mis-nomer, it is actually a war on Americans that chose to use drugs, just the same as the war on alcohol 80 years ago was actually a war on Americans that chose to use alcohol. 12/22/2008 2:00:36 AM Recommend(6) Report Abuse mojo1989 wrote: http://www.ca5.uscourts.gov/opinions%5Cunpub%5C06/06-50428.0.wpd.pdf I looked it up just because I was curious why she would be convicted if someone admitted to planting marijuana on her. The above document states that she admitted that she had methamphetamine in her vehicle when confronted by police. She wanted that deemed an illegal search because they had no warrant, they said they didnt need a warrant because she told them she had it which led to probable cause. They confronted her as the result of a wire-tapped phone call between she and the informant in which she agreed to meet him to sell him meth. She wanted her admission that she had meth in her vehicle thrown out due to her not being Mirandized, the police rebutted and said of course she was not Mirandized, she wasn't under arrest at that point, and they had no way of knowing she was going to "blurt that out". She wanted the charge of being close to the school/park thrown out because she claimed the police/informant lured her there, entrapping her. The wire tapped phone calls prove that she chose the location. These are all documented facts, so I really dont know what the issue is, looks guilty to me, but by all means read it for yourself and decide. And it bears repeating, Kopbusters is a group dedicated to helping people avoid prosecution for drug related offenses. Is that the kind of environment we would like to foster in Odessa? Or do we want police officers who aggressively pursue those that bring drugs and immorality to our city and our children? 12/21/2008 1:52:51 PM Recommend(4) barrycooper wrote: Some of you here are absolutely crazy if you can't understand the significance of this operation. They planted drugs on Yolanda Madden! Visit our Kopbusters website and review the evidence. You will find Yolanda's polygraph results...she passed. You will find the informant's polygraph results...he passed. You will find Yolanda's drug test results...she passed. You will also find jail records altered by Officer Traveland to cover a false statement. And Mojo and ilovejollie defend them? Please. Get a life and show some patriotism by standing up to bad government. You sound like you are one of the Krooked Kops. Barry Cooper 12/21/2008 1:47:33 PM Recommend(3) Report Abuse westtexasmom wrote: Did Ms Madden have a jury trial? If so she was convicted by a jury of her peers, is Mr Madden going to go after those people, I guess the jury did not believe his witness that said he "planted the evidence". as far as Mr.Cooper he is a disgrace by using his expertise to teach druggies how to beat the system. Drugs is a MAJOR problem in our society and he is part of the problem. I hope they can charge these guys with making a false report. 12/21/2008 1:36:22 PM Recommend(3) Report Abuse barrycooper wrote: According to this article, the police lied on the affidavit claiming a preacher delivered the letter. Lying on an affidavit is a felony in the State of Texas. The KopBuster sting shows Odessa P.D.'s willingness to lie on official government documents and the judge's willingness to violate constitutional law by signing a warrant with insufficient probable cause. I use to work with some of the officers involved and know first hand their illegal tactics regarding law enforcement. Police should be better than this! Barry N. Cooper VP/KopBusters 12/21/2008 1:34:48 PM Recommend(4) Report Abuse mojo1989 wrote: So they used police manpower at a time when the OPD is already understaffed? At a time when we have rampant burglaries and other real crimes that could've been solved. The OPD is funded by our tax dollars, the same tax dollars we just voted on to raise to give our officers a competetive salary. Basically says to me that Kopbusters, aided by Mr Madden, stole from the taxpayers by executing this theatrical stunt. These same officers that we are to believe are all in on this conspiracy are the same guys we saluted and prayed for not too long ago when we lost 3 of them. And what exactly are we supposed to be mad about? That they are aggressive on drug related crime? Isn't that their job? I think Kopbusters and Ray Madden owe the taxpayers of the city an apology and compensation for the oh-so-clever stunt that taught us nothing about Yolanda's actual crime (didn't she plead guilty, by the way?). 12/21/2008 1:17:27 PM Recommend(4) Report Abuse ilovejolie86 wrote: I really don't how he could think that this would help his daughter. It does show a lot about OPD, however. The chief himself said they based the raid on one anonymous letter and two surveillance DRIVE-BY'S - I hardly think that driving by a house two times gives them enough of a confirmation to raid a home. It's been said that anybody can write an anonymous letter - including a disgruntled ex-spouse or a neighbor you annoyed with loud music. I believe the anonymous letter gave probable cause for surveillance, not a search. 12/21/2008 12:43:39 AM Recommend(3) Report Abuse rogerdat wrote: Hey westtxmom you got it all wrong. The corruption does not go up the ladder in Odessa. It starts at the top and goes down the ladder. Been there and saw it for myself for a few years. 12/21/2008 12:15:05 AM Recommend(2) Report Abuse mikelmassey wrote: Why can't the OPD (taxpayers) sue these people for the time and expense of investigating this fake drug house? As a tax payer I think we should be reimbursed. After reading this entire article, I cannot understand how this ruse translates to this guys daughter in jail. Having said all this, I am against many aspects of our so called "war" on drugs. But the OPD operated in good faith, within the legal system they are required to work in. There was no allegation that they misrepresented any evidence. These people have openly admitted to wasting the police departments time and the taxpayers money. The "war" on drugs has its problems but this was a stupid publicity stunt. There should be some accountability. 12/21/2008 10:05:24 AM Recommend(5) Report Abuse oldodessan wrote: Let's see, we have a man who advocates drugs and makes a living showing people how to break the law. He's going to sue? How? He doesn't own the property; he didn't rent the property. No one was arrested, including him. He hasn't been harmed in any way, nor anyone else, so far as I can detect, in any monetary way. So yes, he can file, but I can file a claim for green cheese on the moon. It will be thrown out as soon as it gets in front of a court. Anyone who thinks meth is okay should be made to go to school and see the uncared for children in dirty clothes who desperately are trying to get beyond their meth parents with no resources but their own grit and in the face of great indifference from the public, from many teachers and administrators, and their own families. Looks to me like if any crime was committed here, it would be the person who impersonated the preacher falsely for purposes of deception. If any money was made from that fraudulent act, there's your criminal activity. Truth is, this town has always had a huge drug and alcohol problem. The boom and bust cycles here periodically put too much money in the hands of the undereducated and then takes it away, making them desperate. Because they have no life of the mind, they use drugs and alcohol to "have fun" or to escape misery when times are bad. Burglary, theft, armed robbery, family violence, and so on ensue. Police here are severely undermanned, and I don't see how setting up an elaborate hoax helps in any way to solve real problems with crime here. Like OJ, these Kopbuster folks are looking for the "real" druggies. No, wait, they make money showing the real druggies how to break the law. That's right, they're the GOOD guys. Wow. 12/21/2008 9:01:28 AM Recommend(9) Report Abuse westtxmom43 wrote: The cops ARE crooked in Odessa. They protect the guilty. They have their own set of rules and use them and it's not just the cops. The corruption goes right up the ladder. God help them if they have a family member mistreated by our justice system and their family member is sitting in Ector County jail for a crime they didn't commit. While the guilty party (their drug informant) is running around free. How would they feel about doing their job "by the book"!!!! 12/21/2008 8:19:37 AM