maurile
04-20-2007, 04:51 PM
Tales of a Dallas Poker Raid (http://www.theagitator.com/archives/027726.php)
Excerpt from an email by someone arrested in one of the SWAT raids:
<font color="blue">On June 24, 2006, I was present at an underground poker room that was raided by the Dallas SWAT team, Dallas Sherriff’s Dept., Dallas Police Dept., & Dallas Code Enforcement.
The raid occurred around 7:40 p.m. I was in the kitchen area which was just inside the front door when suddenly there was loud banging from the door. Within seconds, the room was full of Dallas SWAT officers yelling for everyone to put their hands in the air. Behind the Dallas SWAT team came many more law enforcement officers and several camera crews for the A&E reality show, Dallas SWAT. The camera crew’s chests were clearly marked as “A&E Film Crew.”
Bear in mind that, prior to police entering, the place was virtually quiet. There was the sound of poker chips in the air, but not much else. The players were essentially professionals and working stiffs having fun…there were doctors, lawyers, accountants, and other professionals. There was hardly anything “dangerous” about the place at all. In fact, the cops found no weapons in the facility or on anyone there. The show of force and weaponry brought by the cops was simply outrageous and unjustified, given the circumstances, but, then again, are they enforcing the law or making a TV show?
After entering, all players at the ten or so poker tables were made to put their hands on the tables while they were individually processed and released with a Class C misdemeanor gambling ticket. After getting their tickets, the players were accosted by A&E folks trying to get everyone to sign releases allowing the footage to be shown on TV. Some signed, others didn’t. The only folks arrested were game operators, dealers, one player with an outstanding traffic warrant, and me. </font>
Full article here ... (http://www.theagitator.com/archives/027726.php)
Excerpt from an email by someone arrested in one of the SWAT raids:
<font color="blue">On June 24, 2006, I was present at an underground poker room that was raided by the Dallas SWAT team, Dallas Sherriff’s Dept., Dallas Police Dept., & Dallas Code Enforcement.
The raid occurred around 7:40 p.m. I was in the kitchen area which was just inside the front door when suddenly there was loud banging from the door. Within seconds, the room was full of Dallas SWAT officers yelling for everyone to put their hands in the air. Behind the Dallas SWAT team came many more law enforcement officers and several camera crews for the A&E reality show, Dallas SWAT. The camera crew’s chests were clearly marked as “A&E Film Crew.”
Bear in mind that, prior to police entering, the place was virtually quiet. There was the sound of poker chips in the air, but not much else. The players were essentially professionals and working stiffs having fun…there were doctors, lawyers, accountants, and other professionals. There was hardly anything “dangerous” about the place at all. In fact, the cops found no weapons in the facility or on anyone there. The show of force and weaponry brought by the cops was simply outrageous and unjustified, given the circumstances, but, then again, are they enforcing the law or making a TV show?
After entering, all players at the ten or so poker tables were made to put their hands on the tables while they were individually processed and released with a Class C misdemeanor gambling ticket. After getting their tickets, the players were accosted by A&E folks trying to get everyone to sign releases allowing the footage to be shown on TV. Some signed, others didn’t. The only folks arrested were game operators, dealers, one player with an outstanding traffic warrant, and me. </font>
Full article here ... (http://www.theagitator.com/archives/027726.php)