By Matt Agorist
An innocent couple exonerated themselves after secretly recording a Clayton County cop trying to shake them down.
Earlier this year, Mike and Michelle Pierce, who run a thrift and salvage business in Griffin, decided to buy a car from an auction; a decision that would later haunt them. It turned out that the car was stolen.
The Pierces had no clue the car they just purchased was stolen, but as soon as they found out it was, they called 9-1-1 and handed the car over. However, after they turned the car over, police gave it back and then arrested them for having it.
“They arrested us in our store in the middle of the day,” said Michael Pierce.
“We didn’t know why. They just threw the cuffs on me and put me in the back of the car,” Michelle Pierce cried as she told WSB-TV her story. “That was the worst thing.”
The gross police incompetence that led to the innocent couple be locked up was only the beginning of their legal debacle with Clayton County police, however.
After being thrown in a cage for a crime they did not commit, the couple learned that an officer, not related at all to their case, Grant Kidd, wanted to talk to them.
“We didn’t want to talk to him because he was a Clayton County officer and we’ve already been arrested for no reason,” Michael Pierce said. “We were scared to (and) scared not to, so we talked about it at the kitchen table with my kids, and my kids said we’d go meet and talk to him, but they were going to film it…to cover our butts in case we got arrested again.”
The decision to record their conversation with officer Kidd would prove to be crucial, as it would have been their word against his otherwise. As the conversation begins, Kidd claims he has someone on the inside of the DA’s office who can get their case thrown out — for a price.
“We ain’t had nothing yet that didn’t go away. If it don’t go away, if it go into the grand jury (inaudible) you get your money back,” said Kidd. “You’ll never see him. He (inaudible) actually works with the DA in the office.”
Mr. Pierce then asked, “And we won’t get in trouble for bribing?
“No,” Kidd replied. “You ain’t never going to talk to him.”
“It’s unbelievable,” said attorney Lee Sexton who represented the Pierces in their criminal case.
After the recording, the charges were dismissed. That’s when the FBI launched their investigation into Kidd.
Of course, Clayton County District Attorney Tracy Lawson denies that Kidd had any contacts within the office. But in the conversation, it sounded like this was a frequent practice for this corrupt cop.
“Any conceivable reason he could be saying that?” WSB-TV reporter asked Clayton County Police Chief Michael Register. “No,” said the chief. “It certainly is a conversation from my standpoint that just turns your stomach.”
“Instances such as this undermine public trust and confidence in our judicial system,” said attorney Darryl Scott. “Their sense of security has been violated, and they did exactly what they were supposed to do by contacting law enforcement, and it backfired.”
To say that this instance undermines the trust is accurate and the reason for so much of the divide in America today. Law enforcement in this country, we are told, is composed of heroic men and women who put their lives on the line every single day to maintain order. However, this case, and many more like it, sends this fantastical facade crumbling to the ground.
In an interview with WSB-TV, Chief Register summed it up perfectly by stating that this is “another reason people feel the way they do about law enforcement.”
Matt Agorist is the co-founder of TheFreeThoughtProject.com, where this article first appeared. He is an honorably discharged veteran of the USMC and former intelligence operator directly tasked by the NSA. This prior experience gives him unique insight into the world of government corruption and the American police state. Agorist has been an independent journalist for over a decade and has been featured on mainstream networks around the world. Follow @MattAgorist
What state is this? It does not say.
it might as well say, every state..
It does not matter
You: “Basic information does not matter.”
Georgia, I think
Just terrible. Is Agorist rebelling against the rules of sensible journalism?
Georgia
Are the ‘good cops’ just as guilty as the corrupt cops for knowing this is going on and doing nothing about it? Actions like Grant Kidd’s tarnishes the entire police force, including officers who do nothing about it.
More than one pig involved in this. The car got sent back to them? More than one pig involved in this. The rest that knew & didn’t do anything about it should take a dive too. There are NO good cops.
The DA’s office too.
The only way the shakedown works, is if the DA charges – or threatens to charge – them with possession of stolen property.
They may try to put this all on this one piece of crap cop, but there are likely several other parties involved, and hopefully the FBI doesn’t stop with the quick and simple win.
If the so called good cops know about it, and go along to get along, they would be co conspirators and accomplices.
they should, since its a crime and they should be forced to act upon it.
Totally agree! I lost the highest paying job I ever had for not participating in fraud. The price of honesty I guess.
Cops are worse than useless.
They’re criminals.
Most are good….it’s the Mayor and the police cheif’s fault when this goes on because cops should be allowed to whistleblow…not just allowed but encouraged.
If they were ‘civilians’ their silence (allowed or not allowed) would be considered criminal conspiracy. Which is what it is.
Then explain why most police forces when caught with their pants down immeadiatly state that whatever the cop did was within police police and later follow things up with “We have investigated ourselves and found we never have done anything wrong”.
The only time that you see cops and the legal system jump into action like these officials did is when there is strong evidence that they can’t get around…and this is only happening as of late.
If the cops and the system can save their tails by destroying innocent people, the cops will do it in a heartbeat……
If most were good, they would arrest their fellow officers when they break the law. I’ve seen dozens of videos of police misconduct and I have never once seen that happen, the “good” cops are always standing by watching the misconduct.
Proving yet again the only good cop has its brains spalttered across the front seat of its cop car.
Yup
Roger that.
They always try to paint these crooks as “one off” rather than the majority. Incidents like this are common place, and those who think that there are good cops ought to ask themselves where they are. How many of these ” good cops” have come forward to denounce and arrest these criminals in their ranks? BY participating in they cover up they are accessories after the fact and just as guilty of the crime as the original perpetrator (that is the law), so again, where are all these alleged “good cops” ?
Officer Friendly died in the 50’s and was replaced by a sanctioned uniformed crime syndicate being passed off as “police” .
I agree for the most part but how do you defend the good cops who try to unroot the bad cops? Have seen it unfold in local cops that were ‘inlaws’ who didn’t report for fear of losing their pensions a couple of years shy of retiring.
Think about that, play it straight and lose your retirement? It would take a very brave and devoted cop to throw their retirement into the garbage bin. Would you? Really, think about that.
On three separate occasions during my life (now 61), I walked away from every thing I owned because the situation required it. It’s simple really: you either own your stuff, or your stuff owns you.
They can’t…it’s like Serpico.
Mayor and Police Chief should be fired immediately
Before you get to the Mayor, you must get the DA. The shakedown only works with their threat.
Yes – shakedowns, a one off – shootings, a one off – racism, a one off – brutality, a one off – incompetence, a one off. Somehow, with all the corruption, and systemic abuse of power, it’s only the occasional bad apple that is responsible.
One bad apple spoils the barrel!
If anyone at this late date says they trust a pig – RUN as fast as you can away from them before they call one.
Only if it has lipstick on.
But I thought it was white cops doing black people wrong.
Don’t Black Cop Lives Matter?
And of course, the reverse never happens? Do white lives matter? Really? In the ghetto? The blade called racism is sharp on both edges.
The system is called Capitalism, paying for the services to remove a criminal complaint could be through the court house employee or a law office. Both are grand theft.
Wrong. It’s called Crony Capitalism. Not all Capitalism is on the same model.
Another top down thug agency that would extract all that you or I have.
Hopefully this cop will be busted and even spend jail time.
Or, get an extended paid vacation, be put on parole, and have to 200 hours community service at a Hooters. Alowed to resign and get another police position with the next town over. After all, when the police have a bad cop, it becomes a personell problem no mater how it effects the public….
DEAD COPS CAN DO NO HARM!!!!!!!!!!!
This corrupt officer is only one part of this injustice. What happened to those police authorities who threw the couple in jail in the first place? They should be cited for gross negligence or wilful misfeasance.
Is this the first time that “corrupt cop Kidd” tried to pull the shakedown? – dont think so.
Corrupt cop Kidd is the only “cop” in Clayton County who knows about this shakedown procedure?- dont think so.
“Corrupt cop Kidd” spontaneously tried the procedure on the Pierces? – dont think so.
The chief and the County District Attorney Tracy Lawson knew nothing about the procedure ? The FBI findings will be interesting.
The entire procedure with the stolen car smacks of insider corruption within Clayton County.
Obviously not. How else would he know the DA would take care of it?
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FBI should wiretap the whole D.A.s office and then move any trials to another state. This happens all the time I’ll bet.
I found out an amazing fact, Matt: THERE ARE ACTUALLY THESE THINGS CALLED “STATES”!!!
Griffin WHAT? Clayton County WHAT? This lousy style of reporting (yours) is horribly prevalent now. And there’s no excuse for it.
Learn the “inverted pyramid” style of news writing if they no longer teach it in journalism school. Learn the 5 Ws of reporting – WHO, WHAT, WHERE, WHEN and WHY, and use them. Get them in as early in the story as possible, because a lot of people read on the bus, subway or carpool to work, and they don’t have time to read all the way to the end to get vital facts that should have been early in the article.
TERRIBLE writing, Matt. D MINUS.
The citizens might lose faith in the US Justice system? Recently I was called to serve in some jury, and they showed a little film about the importance of what we were doing, etc. What was emblazoned on my mind is: “What standard of justice do you want us to use, in this jury? The one for the Clintons, Bush’s, and Obama, Chaney, Kissinger, etc., or the one for us common folk?”
Exactly.
They have created a hysteria over cops assaulting and killing black people, but I constantly see videos of Black Cops victimizing, beating and killing Black people.
Funny how their is never any outrage when a Black Cop victimizes, beats, or kills a white person.
Look at this over eating piss poor excuse for a LEO, a pig like this give other officers a bad name, they will find most of this to be true.
Griffin in Clayton County is in Georgia
the top sets the tone for the whole shebang. the mayor knows something and is keeping mum.
Thanks to Activist Post for using the post as a guest feature as it alone makes Discus user friendly (for some).
That cop dindu nuffin.
He just wanted to get safely in to the arms of a loved one at the end of his shift.
Same As The Rest Of Management – Above The Law – Just Like Their Too Big Too Jail Corporations, CEO’s, Wall Street & The Banksters Who Cheated Everyone In Their High Speed Computer Rigged Stock Market.
“Instances such as this undermine public trust and confidence in our judicial system,” said attorney Darryl Scott.
Cops/lawyers/judges are all there to protect the state’s interests…not the public’s.
If these folks had not taped this conversation they would have not had proof. Another reason to make sure you have a dashcam in your car and that you record any conversations with law enforcement.
What’s all the fuss? Law enforcement brazenly takes money from law abiding people every day through a legal scam known as asset forfeiture. BILLIONS yearly. Without even bothering with the secrecy this fellow employs. It’s just CAPITALISM folks. Financial opportunities abound for the enterprising who notice and take action. Ask the Clintons.
this would be innevitable, unless police is voluntary and formed by citizens in a rotation, or police is required to videotape evrything they do, but even this last one will have problems if they do this outside workhous, and know they will be protected.
When caps do something wrong, they never have the guts, the bravery to admit their mistake. They always run to their union or hide behind the ‘policemans bill of rights’ while their police chief, without even knowing what happened, immeadiatly pronounce that his officer’s actions were within police policy. A paid vacation for the errant officer usually follows and within a short amount of time, the chief announces that”We have investigated ourselves and found that we never do anything wrong” or”it was the victims fault”…
Then a video shows up showing that everything the bad cop stated was completely false. Another investigation only this time, the officer will be put on probation [?], and have to do 200 hours of community service at a local Hooters bar, then the officer will get a raise in rank and his/her recod will cleared..
Police have it so awfull, they can beat or kill any person that they want. Apply false charges and destroy any person and family they want… No wonder these people became police officers…….
Fat pigs. If you or anyone else thinks this is an isolated incident, I have some oceanfront property in Arizona I could get you a real good deal on.