In Defense of Police Officer Troy Estree

[XLFD]

... and All Others Arrested and Presumed Guilty on Flimsy Evidence

As reported in various news outlets over the last day, An Emmett Township (just south of Battle Creek) public safety officer for about ten years, Troy Estree, 45,  is being held in jail after his arrest Wednesday on first-degree criminal sexual conduct charges.  He was arrested Wednesday by Michigan State Police detectives from the Coldwater post.

Michigan State Police Lt. Chuck Christensen said Estree is being held in the Branch County jail and is expected to be arraigned Thursday in Calhoun County District Court on two charges of first-degree criminal sexual conduct, a penetration offense punishable on conviction of up to a life sentence in prison.

Investigators have alleged Estree sexually assaulted a girl under the age of 16 and related to him twice in separate incidents about a month ago at the officer’s home in Emmett Township while he was off-duty.

Emmett Township Department of Public Safety Chief Mike Olson said the matter was being investigated by state police and his department was cooperating fully, while Estree was on paid leave. "We're hurting, and that's probably the best description I can give you," Olson said about the department's response. "This is never a pleasant experience for anybody. We hurt for the family, we hurt for our police family, and it's just never a good situation."

Estree’s wife is a detective with the Battle Creek Police Department and BCPD Chief Jim Blocker said officers are attempting to provide support for her.

“At this point there is nothing that makes us believe she had any knowledge about this,” Blocker said. “Police work can be a family business and having family members in different departments is not unusual, but what is unusual is when something like this happens.”

http://www.battlecreekenquirer.com/article/20140813/NEWS01/30813003...

http://www.wwmt.com/news/features/top-stories/stories/Emmett-Twp-po...

The above snippet was cut and represents the typical response from readers of WOOD TV's story on Facebook concerning Troy Estree, which contained roughly the same information as other news sources.  The one below is from a FOX 17 story regarding Officer Estree, where they didn't show his picture.

It always saddens me when I see media organizations going on a feeding frenzy with stories like this.  All media sources seem to claim that the evidence against Officer Estree hinges on the accusations of a young lady about a terrible act done to her by him.  The investigating agency, the Michigan State Police, offers no more than that allegation.

So seemingly on the basis of a young teenager's words and the MSP investigator's belief in those words, we have trotted a ten year veteran of a police force out onto the public stage for shame and ridicule, and plastered his face and name all over the internet so almost all you can find about him is solely on this charge.  And because a venerable agency like the Michigan State Police has made the charge, a prosecutor is taking it up, and the media reports their spin on it, the majority of the public who tunes in assumes guilt and hurtles stones at the officer.

Let us not forget, that every year, people come forward accusing others of molestation and CSC, oft times many years after the fact.  Often the proof can be specious, the victim may recant their testimony or contradict itself under cross-examination, the accused has an airtight alibi, or something else makes these claims prove false.  Sometimes their falsity isn't determined until well after a conviction is achieved

We have seen false allegations  happen locally with Todd Lane Johnson, who was tried and convicted by Mason County Sheriff Kim Cole in the local newspaper, until the victim and sole witness told the courtroom and a stunned prosecutor that her alleged years of sexual involvement with Johnson was just a lie.  Fortunately, he was saved by the truth at the last minute.

Others, like Frederick Lewis, were tried and convicted on provable falsehoods in an ever-changing story and the usual heavy-handed and questionable tactics of the Michigan State Police and our local criminal justice system.  

While it is extremely vexing to let the monsters that actually sexually assault children run loose in our society, let's hope that the truth wins out in the end of Officer Troy Estree's case and for everyone else who accuses or is accused of similar crimes.  And let's avoid media circuses created by the prosecution and police to enhance their position.

[Willy]

Good article X. I agree with your analysis. There are many young ladies under 16 who can get into bars because they look much older than their age. The officer may not have realized how old she was and may have been told by the girl that she was 18 or older. The report does not say the girl was raped so was the encounter a mutual arraignment? 

[XLFD]

There is a need to aggressively pursue those monsters who would attack our kids, but there is probably a bigger need for police and prosecutors to use more discretion and fairness in these situations when a young woman or man comes to them and makes claims.  They aren't always the victim.

Troy Estree was arraigned earlier today on the two counts, but the only thing released to the press about it was that a court official said Estree plans to hire his own attorney for the preliminary hearing.  From the lack of any other information or any compelling evidence, I would have to believe that this will evolve into a "she said/he said" situation between his daughter/niece and him, and that he plans to fight it.