This article will be an extension of the earlier articles that I have written regarding DUI’s. At the Law office of Gerald Schwab. I represent People not cases the reason I do this job is to help people get through what could possibly be the worse days of there lives. After being arrested you will have many questions you need experienced counsel. I have both prosecuted and defended DUI case in Fresno and severl other couties including Madera, Fresno, Tulare, Merced, Monterey, and many more.
With a DUI case the main thing you are looking at is wether the proper paperwork and procedure was used, for the DUI arrest.
TO GAIN EVIDENCE
To gain evidence, officers are trained to use three questioning tactics while the driver is still behind the wheel. These tactics are:
1. Asking for two things simeltaneously
2. Asking interrupting or distracting questions
3. Asking unusual questions
These tactics are based upon the concept of divided attention. They require the driver to concentrate on two or more things at the same time. When an officer asks for two things simultaneously he might ask the driver to produce both his drivers license and the vehicle registration.
The officer is then trained to look for the following evidence of impairmen
forgets to produce both documents
produces documents other than the ones requested
fails to see the license, registration or both while securing them
fumbles or drops the wallet, purse, license, or registration
is unable to retrieve documents within fingertips.
When an officer asks interrupting or distracting questions he might attempt to divide the drivers attention between searching for the license or registration and answering a new question.
While the driver is responding to the request for license registration or both you ask unrelated questions “What days is it” or “Where are you coming from”
The officer is then trained to look for the following evidence of impairment.
ignoring the question and concentrates only on license or registration search
forgets to resume the search after answering question
supplies a grossly incorrect answer
When an officer asks unusual qeustions it is employed after you have obtained the drivers license and registration
For example while holding the drivers license the officer might ask what is your middle name.
There are many such questions which the driver mormally would be able answer quickly and easily but which might prove difficult if the driver is impaired, simply because they are unusual questions.
For example a driver may respond to the question about the middle name by giving a first name.
NON STANDARDIZED SOBRIETY TEST
There are three non-standardized sobriety test that an officer may ask a driver to perform prior to performing the standardized field sobriety test.
Alphabet the driver is required to recite part of the alphabet. The driver is instructed to begin with a letter other than A and stop at a letter other than Z. This divides the drivers attention becuase he must concentrate to begin at an unusual starting point and remember where to stop.
Count Down
The driver is asked to count out loud 15 or more numbers in reverse sequence. For example, the driver might be told to “count out loud backwards. Starting with the number 68 and ending with the number 53.
Finger Count
The driver is asked to touch the the tip of the thumb to the tip of each finger on the same hand while simeltaneously counting up to one two three four then to reverse the direction on the fingers while simaltaneously counting down four three two one this is another divided attention task
I will continue in my next post on this subject.
