# How the cops tried to frame my best friend for murder. **URL:** \ **Category:** The BBQ Pit\ **Created:** [January 13, 2009, 10:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-the-cops-tried-to-frame-my-best-friend-for-murder/481160 "2009-01-13T22:18:45Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 4
**Author:** ![Cervaise](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cervaise/32/16693_2.png) [@Cervaise](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cervaise)\ **Post date:** [January 13, 2009, 11:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-the-cops-tried-to-frame-my-best-friend-for-murder/481160/61 "2009-01-13T23:17:18Z")
> [@Stan\_Shmenge](#): > > Yes, but if the cops think you did it, however wrong they may be, it will do. Do Not Feed the Tool. ---
**Author:** ![wring](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/838e76/32.png) [@wring](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/wring)\ **Post date:** [January 13, 2009, 11:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-the-cops-tried-to-frame-my-best-friend-for-murder/481160/62 "2009-01-13T23:17:37Z")
> [@faithfool](#): > > **Stan** , surely her obituary is online? Obits often are online. However, not always accessible years after the fact IME, and obits don’t always give a cause of death. ---
**Author:** ![Stan\_Shmenge](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/94ad74/32.png) [@Stan\_Shmenge](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Stan_Shmenge)\ **Post date:** [January 13, 2009, 11:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-the-cops-tried-to-frame-my-best-friend-for-murder/481160/63 "2009-01-13T23:20:15Z")
> [@Fish](#): > > I understand that it’s a traumatic situation to be in, both for your friend and for you. > > However, I have never understood it to be the job of the police to determine which evidence is or is not exculpatory; that’s what we have courts for. The police are there to gather every shred of evidence, including statements by the relatives and friends of the victim, without bias. The district attorney reviews the evidence and decides whether or not to press charges. (I am not a lawyer, so I may have missed some finer points of the law, but this is my general understanding.) > > It may feel hurtful, but I submit that _we are safer_ as a society when the police _do not make judgments of guilt._ The police should not be saying to themselves, “Gosh, the guy’s friend says he’s innocent. Let’s pack it up and head back to the precinct, boys.” The police should not be saying, “We thought the guy is guilty, but after searching his car for blood, we’ve decided that there’s no reason to investigate further. Case closed.” In all seriousness, do you think the police should be entrusted with the authority to make such on-the-spot judgments? > > Furthermore, mouthing off at the police probably didn’t help your friend. It could have made him look _even more_ guilty: to a certain kind of suspicious mind, it could look like the killer’s best friend saying, in essence, “that’s not the car he murdered her with.” Put yourself into the shoes of an officer: how would you react to some meddling person accusing _you_ of incompetence? You don’t react to confromtation very well even on a message board. > > If I had been in that situation, I would have told the police about her previous suicide threats and given the number of that therapist as confirmation. That might have saved your friend some questioning … mouthing off at cops, I’m not sure was helpful. You are certainly correct in a lot of what you say. The therapist would have certainly been very exculpatory, I guess. Had I been in a rational state, I probably would have played it your way. Certainly smarter, I admit. But after what happened, I was viewing the cops and our flawed justice system as a threat to Danny and I just wanted them to end the whole thing and leave us the fuck alone. And it is not like nobody has ever been convicted of crimes they did not commit. District Attorneys don’t give a damn about guilt or innocence, they care about their “conviction rate” because that is the stat they print on the mailings, come election time. Not waving my below average penis here, but mess with me or mine, and you got trouble. Just stating fact. ---
**Author:** ![Long\_Time\_Lurker](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/2bfe46/32.png) [@Long\_Time\_Lurker](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Long_Time_Lurker)\ **Post date:** [January 13, 2009, 11:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-the-cops-tried-to-frame-my-best-friend-for-murder/481160/64 "2009-01-13T23:22:43Z")
> [@kidchameleon](#): > > Man, you must not be popular in the bowling leagues. You’re in for a world of pain! Mark it zero! ---
**Author:** ![treis](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/bc79bd/32.png) [@treis](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/treis)\ **Post date:** [January 13, 2009, 11:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-the-cops-tried-to-frame-my-best-friend-for-murder/481160/65 "2009-01-13T23:23:51Z")
> [@Stan\_Shmenge](#): > > Her name was Kelly Cortes. She looked a lot like Angelina Jolie. She had a SAG card. She existed. I was a pall bearer at her funeral. Her mother comes and visits Deja all the time. EABOD. That name does not come up in the SS death index. ---
**Author:** ![Ed\_Zotti](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/fbc32d/32.png) [@Ed\_Zotti](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ed_Zotti)\ **Post date:** [January 13, 2009, 11:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-the-cops-tried-to-frame-my-best-friend-for-murder/481160/66 "2009-01-13T23:24:00Z")
> [@Stan\_Shmenge](#): > > Just making a point about the utility of police in my life. Just make it a point never to mess up around me, because I WILL make sure that you regret it. **Mod note:** Not sure exactly how you meant this, **Stan** ; maybe you were just making a general observation. However, it’s not that hard to read this comment as a threat against the guy you were quoting. “No threats” is one of our cardinal rules on the SDMB. Be a little more careful about this kind of thing. ---
**Author:** ![Stan\_Shmenge](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/94ad74/32.png) [@Stan\_Shmenge](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Stan_Shmenge)\ **Post date:** [January 13, 2009, 11:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-the-cops-tried-to-frame-my-best-friend-for-murder/481160/67 "2009-01-13T23:24:41Z")
> [@HelloNinja](#): > > Why did Danny flee the area to hide at your studio? And why wouldn’t this make the cops more suspicious of him as a person of interest? It doesn’t seem like the type of behavior one would exhibit if your SO was just killed. Did he have time to go get his car washed before they found him in the morning? I explained that already. He had slept there before when she was causing drama. They found him asleep, the engine cold, and no blood. If he had run her over, a preposterous theory to begin with, there would have been blood all over the undercarriage. Or evidence of a carwash. They found neither. ---
**Author:** ![Miller](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/miller/32/481_2.png) [@Miller](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Miller)\ **Post date:** [January 13, 2009, 11:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-the-cops-tried-to-frame-my-best-friend-for-murder/481160/68 "2009-01-13T23:30:26Z")
> [@](#): > > They continued to try and extract a confession after there was exculpatory evidence. > [@](#): > > All’s well that end’s well is not exculpatory of the treatment he received at the hands of the Burbank Police. > [@](#): > > The therapist would have certainly been very exculpatory, I guess. Anyone want to guess what today’s word is on **Stan** ’s Word-a-Day calendar? ---
**Author:** ![Stan\_Shmenge](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/94ad74/32.png) [@Stan\_Shmenge](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Stan_Shmenge)\ **Post date:** [January 13, 2009, 11:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-the-cops-tried-to-frame-my-best-friend-for-murder/481160/69 "2009-01-13T23:33:52Z")
> [@PunditLisa](#): > > So a young woman is dead and the police question her husband? Even after you, Stan Shmenge, personally assured them that he was a stand-up guy, not to mention your bestest friend in the whole world? And then they had the audacity to _inspect his vehicle_?? > > If this isn’t a case for Amnesty International, I don’t know what is. Actually, this is very close to the argument I made to the cops. I know the man as well as I know myself, and he is simply not capable of such an act. I told them to look elsewhere, and indeed they should have. Not that I blame the poor soul who ran her over. Not his fault either. In fact, I am somewhat pissed at Kelly. If you want to do yourself in, you shouldn’t involve an innocent third party. But, like many women, she was a drama queen, so whatever. If I ever choose to go, it will be a pill OD, or something clean like that. Don’t want anybody cleaning up my blood. ---
**Author:** ![Stan\_Shmenge](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/94ad74/32.png) [@Stan\_Shmenge](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Stan_Shmenge)\ **Post date:** [January 13, 2009, 11:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-the-cops-tried-to-frame-my-best-friend-for-murder/481160/70 "2009-01-13T23:34:52Z")
> [@Miller](#): > > Anyone want to guess what today’s word is on **Stan** ’s Word-a-Day calendar? Flippancy? ---
**Author:** ![Algorithm](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/algorithm/32/12204_2.png) [@Algorithm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Algorithm)\ **Post date:** [January 13, 2009, 11:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-the-cops-tried-to-frame-my-best-friend-for-murder/481160/71 "2009-01-13T23:35:39Z")
[http://www.wordle.net/gallery/wrdl/435898/Untitled](http://www.wordle.net/gallery/wrdl/435898/Untitled) ---
**Author:** ![Stan\_Shmenge](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/94ad74/32.png) [@Stan\_Shmenge](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Stan_Shmenge)\ **Post date:** [January 13, 2009, 11:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-the-cops-tried-to-frame-my-best-friend-for-murder/481160/72 "2009-01-13T23:36:24Z")
In fact, I told them that whatever evidence they thought they had, must be wrong. Of course they had none at all. ---
**Author:** ![RedFury](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/ec9cab/32.png) [@RedFury](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RedFury)\ **Post date:** [January 13, 2009, 11:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-the-cops-tried-to-frame-my-best-friend-for-murder/481160/73 "2009-01-13T23:36:53Z")
> [@DigitalC](#): > > Your book must be called “how to be a dumbass on the internet for dummys”. Trying to find the guilty party is not framing, the fact that in something over 95% of cases Gary would have very likely been the murderer is the reason why they went after him. Hold **The Logic**! Dude’s weeping. We need go easy on him. Like this: > [@RedFury](#): > > Yo assclown! Here’s the [world’s smallest violin](http://bp0.blogger.com/_Xn_O-mM2sFk/R7o0VExct6I/AAAAAAAABME/ZXpZSy-KdVU/s400/tinyviolin.jpg) – and learn how play “You’re So Vain” with it. That ought to cheer you up. > > There there, all better now? Glad I could help. Well, some credit to Carly and the the Little Musical Gadget in you hands. Notice the subtlety? ~Sig line for rent. Be clever, I’m not in it for the money. ---
**Author:** ![Stan\_Shmenge](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/94ad74/32.png) [@Stan\_Shmenge](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Stan_Shmenge)\ **Post date:** [January 13, 2009, 11:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-the-cops-tried-to-frame-my-best-friend-for-murder/481160/74 "2009-01-13T23:37:31Z")
> [@Algorithm](#): > > [http://www.wordle.net/gallery/wrdl/435898/Untitled](http://www.wordle.net/gallery/wrdl/435898/Untitled) So tasteful. Why don’t you crawl back under your rock. ---
**Author:** ![BlueOhio](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/439d5e/32.png) [@BlueOhio](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BlueOhio)\ **Post date:** [January 13, 2009, 11:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-the-cops-tried-to-frame-my-best-friend-for-murder/481160/75 "2009-01-13T23:41:51Z")
[http://www.thefreelibrary.com/GLENDALE+AND+BURBANK+BRIEFLY+TOURS+TO+BE+HELD+AT+CITY+POWER+PLANT.-a079079644](http://www.thefreelibrary.com/GLENDALE+AND+BURBANK+BRIEFLY+TOURS+TO+BE+HELD+AT+CITY+POWER+PLANT.-a079079644) huh - well there’s something out there anyway. ---
**Author:** ![Duke](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/e8c25b/32.png) [@Duke](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Duke)\ **Post date:** [January 13, 2009, 11:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-the-cops-tried-to-frame-my-best-friend-for-murder/481160/76 "2009-01-13T23:44:03Z")
Forget it, **BlueOhio**. The jackals who are always right have spoken–despite what you found, Kelly Cortes did not kill herself, never existed, and all of what **Stan** said is a lie. Because nobody on the Dope ever admits they’re wrong, you see. It wouldn’t square with our image. Edit: I had no trouble finding the same story on Lexis-Nexis. 15 seconds, it took. ---
**Author:** ![Stan\_Shmenge](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/94ad74/32.png) [@Stan\_Shmenge](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Stan_Shmenge)\ **Post date:** [January 13, 2009, 11:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-the-cops-tried-to-frame-my-best-friend-for-murder/481160/77 "2009-01-13T23:48:02Z")
> [@Ed\_Zotti](#): > > **Mod note:** Not sure exactly how you meant this, **Stan** ; maybe you were just making a general observation. However, it’s not that hard to read this comment as a threat against the guy you were quoting. “No threats” is one of our cardinal rules on the SDMB. Be a little more careful about this kind of thing. Sorry, Ed. I doubt that this poster will be “around me”. The fact is that my location, besides being listed as Burbank, CA, is pretty much anonymous, as is the location of the poster. And the comment was a general comment. If you, or Cecil or anyone else were to somehow show up on my doorstep and start making trouble, I would not think to myself, “Is that the dude I was disagreeing with on the SDMB?” I would treat the person as any other stranger. My comment was strictly a statement of general principles. For the record, I have never harmed anyone, and hope that I never will have to, although I have thrown a few rascals in the hoosegow. ---
**Author:** ![joyfool](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/df788c/32.png) [@joyfool](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/joyfool)\ **Post date:** [January 13, 2009, 11:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-the-cops-tried-to-frame-my-best-friend-for-murder/481160/78 "2009-01-13T23:49:47Z")
I’m glad something was found… that’s why I asked about an obituary. I have no comment on the rest except to say to **Stan** that I’m sorry for his loss. ---
**Author:** ![Algorithm](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/algorithm/32/12204_2.png) [@Algorithm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Algorithm)\ **Post date:** [January 13, 2009, 11:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-the-cops-tried-to-frame-my-best-friend-for-murder/481160/79 "2009-01-13T23:50:15Z")
> [@Stan\_Shmenge](#): > > So tasteful. Why don’t you crawl back under your rock. My apologies. I did not intend to antagonize! ---
**Author:** ![Stan\_Shmenge](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/94ad74/32.png) [@Stan\_Shmenge](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Stan_Shmenge)\ **Post date:** [January 13, 2009, 11:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-the-cops-tried-to-frame-my-best-friend-for-murder/481160/80 "2009-01-13T23:51:10Z")
> [@BlueOhio](#): > > [http://www.thefreelibrary.com/GLENDALE+AND+BURBANK+BRIEFLY+TOURS+TO+BE+HELD+AT+CITY+POWER+PLANT.-a079079644](http://www.thefreelibrary.com/GLENDALE+AND+BURBANK+BRIEFLY+TOURS+TO+BE+HELD+AT+CITY+POWER+PLANT.-a079079644) > > huh - well there’s something out there anyway. I am surprised there is even that record, although, for obvious reasons I never sought it out myself. Thanks for at least confirming that I am not full of what makes the grass grow green. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-the-cops-tried-to-frame-my-best-friend-for-murder/481160.md?page=3) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-the-cops-tried-to-frame-my-best-friend-for-murder/481160.md?page=5)