Mother of two freed after her arrest on drug trafficking, counterfeiting charges

Birmingham News

Charges against 28-year-old dropped
Tuesday, April 08, 2008
VAL WALTON News staff writer

It was shortly before 7 a.m. March 5 when the nightmare began. Lardrea Campbell's 8-year-old daughter alerted her that men with guns were at the door of their Hueytown home.

The men were law enforcement officers who made Campbell dress in front of male officers and took her to jail where she was held without bond on drug charges that could have put her in federal prison for at least 10 years.

The 30-day bad dream ended Thursday when the U.S. Attorney's Office dismissed the charges and a federal magistrate ordered her released.

Her attorney, Everett Wess, said Monday that Campbell, who has no criminal record, was freed after his research revealed Campbell was not the person heard on audio recordings used in the investigation of a cocaine trafficking and counterfeit ring.

The U.S. attorney's office declined to comment Monday.

Wess began digging through documents and, on March 18, started listening to recordings he received from prosecutors during the pre-trial discovery process.

Wess said his curiosity was piqued when the woman captured on the recordings, which were marked as recorded in October 2007, could be heard saying she celebrated her 30th birthday in October.

"I knew my client was 28 years old from looking at her personal information," Wess said. "I knew my client's birthday would have been in the month of May, not October. There were other things that didn't add up."

On Thursday prosecutors filed a motion that the charges against Campbell be dismissed without prejudice, which means she could be charged again.

Well, isn't that nice? They arrest, charge and imprison a young mother of two, incarcerate her for 30 days with NO BOND and then when they learn they have made a mistake they release her from jail and file a motion that says they can charge her again.

What the hell for? They are still holding on to her money from a business that she manages and her gun, which she had a permit for. They didn't say "We're so sorry for this awful mistake", or "Let us call you a cab and pickup the fare", or even "Kiss our raunchy government asses." Nothing...except "We reserve the right to charge you again."

And they wonder why the public hates and mistrusts them.....

You know...if it were me... I think I'd tell them to SUCK MY DICK! In fact, I would make that part of the terms of any settlement agreement. I'd have to buy a strap-on, of course, but they are cheap and easy to come by, and well worth the minimal expense for what would be a priceless experience.

Hats off to Attorney Everett Wess, who was court appointed in this case, and did excellent work in defending his client. This man needs some sort of award. If only all court appointed attorney's worked as hard for their clients....





del.icio.us
Google
Yahoo