Pot dealer's tragic choice ended in death

[chasedude]

http://abcnews.go.com/video/playerIndex?id=5454035

15 min ABC video about Rachel Hoffman 23, a college student busted with dealing pot. She was given a choice to be an informant or 4 years in prison.
The "deal" she was on went terribly wrong ending in her death.

The Tallahassee police clearly were looking for the bust and were not taking her safety in mind. She was not a professional but was asked to purchase large quantities of drugs and a hand gun. She had no weapons charges but was asked to purchase one. The police blame her because she left the plan that was originally conceived.

The Tallahassee police FAILED horribly in so many ways.

Sorry if repost, I searched!

[Rain Man]

Another drug-related death. When will these young women learn?

[SAUTO]

police dont care about the perp, they care about the glory of the bust. at least in most cases

[sedated]

rats get bats

[rambleonthruthefog]

F the police

[Mecca]

Cause you know pot is the worst thing you can do.

[KcMizzou]

police dont care about the perp, they care about the glory of the bust. at least in most casesEh, who cares. Just another strung out weed junkie.

She was probably stealing bicycles to feed her Doritos habit.

[Cntrygal]

On the positive side, she won't start dealing heavier drugs AND we won't have to pay to support her ass while in prison.

[SAUTO]

Eh, who cares. Just another strung out weed junkie.

She was probably stealing bicycles to feed her Doritos habit.

weed junkie ROFL any who has smoked knows how addicting it really is:spock:

[KcMizzou]

On the positive side, she won't start dealing heavier drugs AND we won't have to pay to support her ass while in prison.For ****'s sake... :banghead:

[KcMizzou]

weed junkie ROFL any who has smoked knows how addicting it really is:spock:Exactly.

[Mecca]

I watched that, that story is ****ed up. I enjoy listening to the Chief make any excuse he can for how it's her own fault.

[chasedude]

police dont care about the perp, they care about the glory of the bust. at least in most cases

That's clearly what was on their minds in this incident.

[QuikSsurfer]

Eh, who cares. Just another strung out weed junkie.

She was probably stealing bicycles to feed her Doritos habit.

Joke post?

[KcMizzou]

Joke post?Heh... yes.

[chasedude]

I watched that, that story is ****ed up. I enjoy listening to the Chief make any excuse he can for how it's her own fault.

They drew her out to be a gangster in the press conference. :shake:

[Chiefnj2]

The Chief should be fired and no pension.

[Skip Towne]

The US is going to smarten up about pot some day. I've been waiting 30 years. They didn't have enough against it to outlaw it when they did it. F the gubment.

[SAUTO]

The US is going to smarten up about pot some day. I've been waiting 30 years. They didn't have enough against it to outlaw it when they did it. F the gubment.

QFT

[Mecca]

They drew her out to be a gangster in the press conference. :shake:

Are you surprised? No matter what it's never the police's fault.

[SAUTO]

tax it, make billions, maybe then oil prices could go down

[QuikSsurfer]

tax it, make billions, maybe then oil prices could go down

"You a pothead, Focker?"

[Midnight_Vulture]

Sigh

Dont any of you idiots know how this crap works? Its the dealers fault for being in that situation in the first place. Maybe if they werent dealing drugs and worked a REAL job instead...they wouldnt be in that situation.

Havent any of you tards seen True Romance???

[FAX]

Tragic. It is completely insane to coop a 23 year-old girl into an armed, undercover operation. This is a total outrage. And what will happen? Nothing. What repercussions will the authorities suffer? None. And when will it end? Never. The war on marijuana will continue unabated. Young lives ruined and lost so that the puritan morality of the unintelligent and uninformed can be assuaged. I'm quite certain that God invented cannabis so that human beings would have another excuse to destroy one another.

FAX

[chasedude]

Sigh

Dont any of you idiots know how this crap works? Its the dealers fault for being in that situation in the first place. Maybe if they werent dealing drugs and worked a REAL job instead...they wouldnt be in that situation.

Havent any of you tards seen True Romance???

It's good to see Hollywood is shaping such bright young minds.

[KcMizzou]

Alright. I'm finally convinced Midnight's a dupe.

[QuikSsurfer]

Sigh

Dont any of you idiots know how this crap works? Its the dealers fault for being in that situation in the first place. Maybe if they werent dealing drugs and worked a REAL job instead...they wouldnt be in that situation.

Havent any of you tards seen True Romance???

Your logic is flawless.












:shake:

[Mecca]

It's good to see Hollywood is shaping such bright young minds.

I don't know about you, but I'm gonna get a bike.

[sedated]

Havent any of you tards seen True Romance???

I keep forgetting movies are real :banghead:

[Bugeater]

tax it, make billions, maybe then oil prices could go down

Of course they will go down, everyone will be staying home and playing video games all day.

[chasedude]

I don't know about you, but I'm gonna get a bike.

I can feel my IQ dropping as I ponder that myself.

[Buck]

I agree with Mecca 100%

Thats some ****ed up shit right there.

[KcMizzou]

She was caught with a 1/4 pound of pot, and 6 extacy pills...

The had her arrange a buy for cocaine, 1,500 extacy pills and a gun. They put the girl in way over her head, and they damn well knew it.

[SAUTO]

"You a pothead, Focker?"

no. you? used to smoke grew out of it. still dont see a problem with it just couldnt let the little ones be around it. loose lips

[Rain Man]

I don't know about you, but I'm gonna get a bike.

I want to check the serial number first.

[SAUTO]

Of course they will go down, everyone will be staying home and playing video games all day.

fo sho

[Mecca]

She was caught with a 1/4 pound of pot, and 6 extacy pills...

The had her arrange a buy for cocaine, 1,500 extacy pills and a gun. They put the girl in way over her head, and they damn well knew it.

And the Chiefs response is essentially "**** her she was a criminal"

[QuikSsurfer]

no. you? used to smoke grew out of it. still dont see a problem with it just couldnt let the little ones be around it. loose lips

It was a movie quote.

But yes, most people here know that I used to be a pothead.

I put it down over a year ago.

Though I'd might toke a little if some really good nuggs or medical strains pass through :)

[chasedude]

And the Chiefs response is essentially "**** her she was a criminal"

I think he's a criminal now, so **** him!

[Skip Towne]

Alright. I'm finally convinced Midnight's a dupe.

Me too. I didn't think so until now. You have to really try to be as ignorant as him.

[chasedude]

She was caught with a 1/4 pound of pot, and 6 extacy pills...

The had her arrange a buy for cocaine, 1,500 extacy pills and a gun. They put the girl in way over her head, and they damn well knew it.

don't forget the pistol she was supposed to buy. It's probably the weapon that killed her.

[sedated]

She was caught with a 1/4 pound of pot, and 6 extacy pills...

shit, that's one fun night in my hood

[SAUTO]

It was a movie quote.

But yes, most people here know that I used to be a pothead.

I put it down over a year ago.

Though I'd might toke a little if some really good nuggs or medical strains pass through :)

i knew it was a quote, still thought i'd respond. same with me if im partying i will toke on tha nugs. see that quite alot round here.

[Simply Red]

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[eazyb81]

She was caught with a 1/4 pound of pot, and 6 extacy pills...



How is that enough to put her away for 4 years? I've known guys that have been busted with much more than that and haven't served any time.

[QuikSsurfer]

Simply Red, have you read American Psycho by Bret Easton Ellis?

If not, I highly recommend it.

[SAUTO]

shouldnt serve one day. if they was from tha hood they'd be back on the street the same day. the cops wanted to scare her into flippin

[KcMizzou]

don't forget the pistol she was supposed to buy. It's probably the weapon that killed her.I mentioned it, and it was.

Anyone who defends the police in this situation, probably didn't watch the video that was linked.

It's tragic, and unforgivable. The girl had no business being put in that position to begin with.

[Simply Red]

Simply Red, have you read American Psycho by Bret Easton Ellis?

If not, I highly recommend it.

Can I have it? I spent 1200 bucks the last three weekends combined. It's been absurd.

[KcMizzou]

How is that enough to put her away for 4 years? I've known guys that have been busted with much more than that and haven't served any time.I'm sure what they say could happen, and what actually happens are very different things. They got hold of a young naive college girl, and tried to take advantage. She simply didn't know any better.

[Simply Red]

Simply Red, have you read American Psycho by Bret Easton Ellis?

If not, I highly recommend it.

I did once pull a McTwist on my Natas at Buddies Bowl in Blue Springs.

[QuikSsurfer]

Can I have it? I spent 1200 bucks the last three weekends combined. It's been absurd.

You pay for shipping and I'll send it to ya

[sedated]

I spent 1200 bucks the last three weekends combined. It's been absurd.

cocaine is a hell of a drug

[eazyb81]

I'm sure what they say could happen, and what actually happens are very different things. They got hold of a young naive college girl, and tried to take advantage. She simply didn't know any better.

That's another problem. Police shouldn't be able to flat-out lie to suspects in order to get them to confess, whether it's saying their friends already narked on them or telling them they'll go to prison for X amount of time when they know they won't.

[Simply Red]

You pay for shipping and I'll send it to ya

sweet, I'll send you a prepaid ups/fedex label. You use AIM?

[SAUTO]

That's another problem. Police shouldn't be able to flat-out lie to suspects in order to get them to confess, whether it's saying their friends already narked on them or telling them they'll go to prison for X amount of time when they know they won't.

thats why you shut up and lawyer up

[Simply Red]

You pay for shipping and I'll send it to ya

I'll send you Swimming Pool. Seen it?

[QuikSsurfer]

sweet, I'll send you a prepaid ups/fedex label. You use AIM?

"bendtosquares526"

[Simply Red]

"bendtosquares526"

sent you mine in rep.

[QuikSsurfer]

I'll send you Swimming Pool. Seen it?
Great movie. I own it.

I have a nice foreign dvd collection. I may have a few you'd enjoy.

[Bugeater]

How is that enough to put her away for 4 years? I've known guys that have been busted with much more than that and haven't served any time.

Laws vary by state. Some have "zero tolerance" policies which means they nail your ass to the wall for anything.

[chasedude]

I mentioned it, and it was.

Anyone who defends the police in this situation, probably didn't watch the video that was linked.

It's tragic, and unforgivable. The girl had no business being put in that position to begin with.

yeah you did mention the gun, missed it. But you're right, a professional should have been doing this deal and she was not one.

[sedated]

Laws vary by state. Some have "zero tolerance" policies which means they nail your ass to the wall for anything.

remind me to avoid those states

[SAUTO]

still think that there are ways around the 0tolerance laws

[Rain Man]

That's another problem. Police shouldn't be able to flat-out lie to suspects in order to get them to confess, whether it's saying their friends already narked on them or telling them they'll go to prison for X amount of time when they know they won't.

"Okay, here's the deal. You help us bring down the drug dealer, and we'll make sure that you don't get 50 hours of community service. Think about it."




Nah. It would never work.

[QuikSsurfer]

How is that enough to put her away for 4 years? I've known guys that have been busted with much more than that and haven't served any time.

Intent to sale.

Individual state laws : http://norml.org/index.cfm?Group_ID=4516

[Bugeater]

still think that there are ways around the 0tolerance laws

Probably. I imagine they look like this:

$$$$$

[SAUTO]

Probably. I imagine they look like this:

$$$$$

YA GOT IT

[chasedude]

Intent to sale.

Individual state laws : http://norml.org/index.cfm?Group_ID=4516

Bingo

[sedated]

if this chick only had ChiefsPlanet's pool of resources, she would still be alive

[jspchief]

Definately a keystone cops moment. It's scary to think idiots like that are in charge of public safety.

That being said, I'm not overly sympathetic to the girl. She got caught dealing drugs once, and was given an opportunity to start over with a clean slate. All she had to do was stay clean for 1 year, but apparently that was asking too much. Then after getting caught a second time, she chose to hide it from her father and her lawyer.

Stupid is as stupid does.

[SAUTO]

just like those fake ass 3 strikes laws. i've got a friend who has 5 felony drug, and 3 felony weapons charges and he did like 5 years and only that because he skipped out on the drug program they put him in

[eazyb81]

Intent to sale.

Individual state laws : http://norml.org/index.cfm?Group_ID=4516

Right, and as I said I've known guys that have been busted with much more, charged w/ intent, and haven't served hard time at all. Of course they did pay out the ass for a top lawyer and got hit hard on probation.

[Demonpenz]

One side of me feels bad, because I am alittle W.T. and could get caught up in shit like this, on the other hand boo ****ing who... two bad choices

[SAUTO]

Right, and as I said I've known guys that have been busted with much more, charged w/ intent, and haven't served hard time at all. Of course they did pay out the ass for a top lawyer and got hit hard on probation.

and dont forget that community service:p

[QuikSsurfer]

Right, and as I said I've known guys that have been busted with much more, charged w/ intent, and haven't served hard time at all. Of course they did pay out the ass for a top lawyer and got hit hard on probation.

I believe it. I've had a couple friends take this route.

[Iowanian]

"A little pot never hurt anyone"

[eazyb81]

I believe it. I've had a couple friends take this route.

Yep, my whole point is that it's crazy to think a QP and 6 pills can get you 4 years in any state. Makes me feel really lucky after getting out scott free in my younger days.

[KcMizzou]

"A little pot never hurt anyone"Heh...

I don't think anyone ever has this kind of situation in mind when they say something like that.

[QuikSsurfer]

Yep, my whole point is that it's crazy to think a QP and 6 pills can get you 4 years in any state. Makes me feel really lucky after getting out scott free in my younger days.

I agree, that does seem really extreme - for what would amount to 2k in drugs.

I was very, very lucky not to get in any serious trouble in the college days.

[SAUTO]

I agree, that does seem really extreme - for what would amount to 2k in drugs.

I was very, very lucky not to get in any serious trouble in the college days.

2K for a qp and 6 pills? WOW i'll get you your fix ANYTIME:thumb:

[QuikSsurfer]

2K for a qp and 6 pills? WOW i'll get you your fix ANYTIME:thumb:

I'm assuming she was slinging kind bud. $60 an 1/8th street price

$25 a gram for the medical strains/headies :)

[SAUTO]

no way i say straight commercial

[QuikSsurfer]

no way i say straight commercial

lol
Not me. I stay away from the dirt.

[SAUTO]

lol
Not me. I stay away from the dirt.

got ya on that but i'm talking about this chick

[SAUTO]

so she coulda had like 200.00 worth of "goods"

[jspchief]

I agree, that does seem really extreme - for what would amount to 2k in drugs.

I was very, very lucky not to get in any serious trouble in the college days.
It's not about dollar amount. About about what they consider usage quantities versus sale quantities. A QP is definately "intent to deliver" quantity. A hell of a lot more than 99% of average pot users will ever have on them. Thats felony.

As for the X, maybe they are hard on it like LSD... dunno.

I'm guessing the "4 years" was probably more like a max sentence thing. If she wasn't such a pothead, she might have been smart enough to find that type of thing out from her lawyer.

[SAUTO]

all this talk makes me wanna... oh shit they were right it is addicting












JK

[KcMizzou]

It's not about dollar amount. About about what they consider usage quantities versus sale quantities. A QP is definately "intent to deliver" quantity. A hell of a lot more than 99% of average pot users will ever have on them. Thats felony.

As for the X, maybe they are hard on it like LSD... dunno.

I'm guessing the "4 years" was probably more like a max sentence thing. If she wasn't such a pothead, she might have been smart enough to find that type of thing out from her lawyer.In any case, she shouldn't have been sent out there to do what they asked her to do. Did you watch the video?

I'm not saying she didn't screw up too.

[jspchief]

In any case, she shouldn't have been sent out there to do what they asked her to do. Did you watch the video?

I'm not saying she didn't screw up too.
Oh indeed. Like I said in my first post... scary that these people are entrusted with public safety.

I just think the story is being played up a bit with the way she is portrayed. Sounds to me like just another dumb drug dealer and I'm not overly concerned about what society is going to miss out on now that's she's dead.

[Chiefnj2]

The sad thing is that since the police never reported her to the court system they were just going to continue to use her even if this bust had gone through.

[KcMizzou]

I'll be honest, I've smoked weed. (shocking, I know) And the person I got it from was very close to me. I'm not the only one who has ever gotten weed from this person, but they've all been close.

So, In my mind, I don't think of them as a "dealer". It's more like, a buddy... sharing. If you were to consider them a dealer, they'd be the smallest of "small time".

I could see this person going down like this girl did... and that's just... ****ed up.

There's no reason for it. It's a vast overreaction.

[PastorMikH]

Tragic. I definately think the police department should be in a lot of trouble over this one. Sounds like they not only didn't train the girl for the job, it sounds like they didn't train the officers involved either.

She did break the law, granted. But, at most she should have been cohersed into telling names of people she had contact with, if she were unwilling, file the charges. To send her out on something of this magnitude is just plain stupid.

As for the drug court, if she had gotten back into using pot, why wasn't it caught there? I have had several people locally I know who have been involved with drug courts. They have to submit themselves to UTs frequently. If they are using, it gets noticed.

[Mr. Flopnuts]

Sigh

Dont any of you idiots know how this crap works? Its the dealers fault for being in that situation in the first place. Maybe if they werent dealing drugs and worked a REAL job instead...they wouldnt be in that situation.

Havent any of you tards seen True Romance???

I missed that flick. I was out stealing a laptop and mackin the bitches on my sweet bike. Chicks dig those you know.

[Mr. Flopnuts]

cocaine is a hell of a drug

LMAO

[MadMax]

I'll be honest, I've smoked weed. (shocking, I know) And the person I got it from was very close to me. I'm not the only one who has ever gotten weed from this person, but they've all been close.

So, In my mind, I don't think of them as a "dealer". It's more like, a buddy... sharing. If you were to consider them a dealer, they'd be the smallest of "small time".

I could see this person going down like this girl did... and that's just... ****ed up.

There's no reason for it. It's a vast overreaction.



Yep and I wish SANE people would realize this and change the laws.

[Mecca]

Yep and I wish SANE people would realize this and change the laws.

Canada did and our country got mad about it.......the war on drugs is retarded but they'll never change those stances because weed smoking hurts the tobacco and alcohol industries...

[MadMax]

I missed that flick. I was out stealing a laptop and mackin the bitches on my sweet bike. Chicks dig those you know.




:eek::eek: When did you get a bike? :p BTW I want my laptop back Mister.:D

[MadMax]

Canada did and our country got mad about it.......the war on drugs is retarded but they'll never change those stances because weed smoking hurts the tobacco and alcohol industries...



I hear ya Mecca, we are hopelessly ****ed by political correctness and elitist assholes who have no fear of the laws they make. :( Nothing really ever changes.

[Mr. Flopnuts]

I hear ya Mecca, we are hopelessly ****ed by political correctness and elitist assholes who have no fear of the laws they make. :( Nothing really ever changes.

I prefer elitist dickheads, but I'm pickin up what you're layin down.

[Mecca]

Did you know weed is listed as a class 1 substance which means according to that list it has less medicinal value than meth?

I'm serious and they won't change it and their excuse is "it sends a bad message"

[MadMax]

I prefer elitist dickheads, but I'm pickin up what you're layin down.



Did you know that in Missouri if you are caught growing more than 3 plants you have the possibility of life without parole?

[kcxiv]

Weed shouldnt be a ****ing crime in the first place. Shit is retarded.

[BigMeatballDave]

That Chief is a douchebag. They really dropped the ball. I think the parents have a case for a wrongful death suit.

[kcxiv]

Also had a friend recently get busted for dealing alot of meth. She was a chick as well. She didnt give anyone up took her 6 years how she's supposed to. You play, you pay.

You just cant open your mouth with shit like that. I would have taken the 4 years as well. 4 years or my life? hmm hard choice.

[BigMeatballDave]

I used to smoke quite a bit. Rarely anymore. I don't drink. I'd rather smoke than drink.

[BigMeatballDave]

You just cant open your mouth with shit like that. I would have taken the 4 years as well. 4 years or my life? hmm hard choice.I bet the cops there lied to her. Probably would not have even gotten a year.

['Hamas' Jenkins]

Sigh

Dont any of you idiots know how this crap works? Its the dealers fault for being in that situation in the first place. Maybe if they werent dealing drugs and worked a REAL job instead...they wouldnt be in that situation.

Havent any of you tards seen True Romance???

Maybe if you worked a real job you wouldn't have risked going to jail on felony theft and then posting about it on an internet forum...alas, you are a dumb motherf*cker, so here we are.

[Mecca]

Maybe if you worked a real job you wouldn't have risked going to jail on felony theft and then posting about it on an internet forum...alas, you are a dumb motherf*cker, so here we are.

Cmon don't you know he gets the bitches and rocks his bike?

['Hamas' Jenkins]

Cmon don't you know he gets the bitches and rocks his bike?

If only my standards for getting bitches involved posing with them in photos...

Most girls are attention whores and will take pictures with anyone...

[POND_OF_RED]

I blame Nancy Botwin for this tragedy.

Seriously though this is some bullshit. If they were going for a big bust they should have just went all the way to the top and arrested themselves.

[Abba-Dabba]

Overzealous and sloppy police work by both the local, state and the DEA. Wanton disregard for their asset. Your tax dollars at work.

[Hammock Parties]

The real tragedy is that she was going to take my v-card.

:crybaby:

[Saulbadguy]

I wonder if she tried to negotiate the price.

[Iowanian]

I wonder if she tried to negotiate the price.

It said her surname was Hoffman, not Goldstein, sauldo.

[Demonpenz]

at the end of the day it's another drug dealer off the street

[Dartgod]

Canada did and our country got mad about it.......the war on drugs is retarded but they'll never change those stances because weed smoking hurts the tobacco and alcohol industries...
What? How so?

[KcMizzou]

What? How so?I assume he means that if pot were legal, many people would do that rather than drink.

[Demonpenz]

I assume he means that if pot were legal, many people would do that rather than drink.

Even if it was legal. I doubt many companies would change drug testing.

[alpha_omega]

She was caught with a 1/4 pound of pot, and 6 extacy pills...

The had her arrange a buy for cocaine, 1,500 extacy pills and a gun. They put the girl in way over her head, and they damn well knew it.

That's what it sounded like to me.

[Dartgod]

I assume he means that if pot were legal, many people would do that rather than drink.
I can't see that happening. Not significantly, anyway.

[Dave Lane]

Maybe if you worked a real job you wouldn't have risked going to jail on felony theft and then posting about it on an internet forum...alas, you are a dumb motherf*cker, so here we are.

BAM!!!!

Dave

[chasedude]

Even if it was legal. I doubt many companies would change drug testing.

I agree, alcohol is legal yet I can't drink on the job. If pot was legal I wouldn't be out tokin one up in my coffee break either. It's still a choice like alcohol. If I decide to drink at home, staying at home, why couldn't it be the same for the other?

[Demonpenz]

I agree, alcohol is legal yet I can't drink on the job. If pot was legal I wouldn't be out tokin one up in my coffee break either. It's still a choice like alcohol. If I decide to drink at home, staying at home, why couldn't it be the same for the other?

because you body can process 1-2 beers an hour. My blood alchohol limit would be 0.0 where as Weed stays with you for awhile. Do you think Insurance companies are going to work with any company if they don't drug test? Too much of a liability issue. Whats the first thing that happens if you slip and fall at work or fall a ladder. Drug test.

[chasedude]

because you body can process 1-2 beers an hour. My blood alchohol limit would be 0.0 where as Weed stays with you for awhile. Do you think Insurance companies are going to work with any company if they don't drug test? Too much of a liability issue. Whats the first thing that happens if you slip and fall at work or fall a ladder. Drug test.

See I think that's where the tests are flawed. THC stays in the system for 30 days or more because it's fat soluble. You are not necessarily "high" during those 30 days either, just the initial few hours after consumption.

[Demonpenz]

I don't know enough about the whole thing to really get in an arguement. I hope we see weed legal in my lifetime. I have tried it, was't a huge deal. I have had really bad panic attacks in the past. Over the last couple years they have gotten out of control to the point where I am debating to go on medicine. I could go on and on about how frightened I get about stuff that didn't even happen. Last week I was moving a buddy and I had a image of me accidently dropping a TV on his kid. It sent me into a two days of anxiety and guilt even though it didn't happen. I would like to try it out and see if it hurts the constant sense of panic I seem to have, instead of giving myself chemical drugs. In the end I don't think it will ever be legal, and even if it is my job probably wouldn't allow it. So I am screwed.

[Demonpenz]

If it were legal they would have to have someway to tell if you were high or I could just see the companies go by the THC level. It isn't really fair but you took the job, you know the rules. Some company's won't hire you if you are certain legal medications. In the long run even if it was legal I don't see many people switching to to weed as their drug of choice. It is alot of work.

[Demonpenz]

Chase dude I certainly am on your side but shit is always ****ed up

[chasedude]

Chase dude I certainly am on your side but shit is always ****ed up
I agree, I'm optimistic though someday these ridiculous criminal laws will change and no one will have to go through what that woman did because of a weed.

[beach tribe]

Decide to snitch, get found in a ditch.

Everybody knows that.

Do the crime, do the time. Or pay for it with your life.

The ****ed up part is that this girl was gonna go to PRISON FOR FOUR YEARS over SOME WEED.

[beach tribe]

How much did they catch her with. I would bet the pigs lied to her about how much time she was facing.

[Duck Dog]

The ****ed up part is that this girl was gonna go to PRISON FOR FOUR YEARS over SOME WEED.


Yep.

[KingPriest2]

http://www.reason.com/blog/show/126475.html
Rachel Hoffman: More Collateral Damage
Radley Balko | May 13, 2008, 8:11am

Earlier this year, police in Tallahassee, Florida raided the home of college student Rachel Hoffman, who friends say was a bit of a hippie-ish free spirit, and concede that she shared and sold small amounts of marijuana and MDMA within her social circle. Hoffman was at the time undergoing state-forced drug treatment after police found 20+ grams of marijuana in her car during a traffic stop. The raid turned up another five ounces of marijuana, plus six ecstasy pills and assorted pot-related paraphernalia.

From this, Tallahassee police apparently threatened Hoffman with prison time, then agreed to let her off easy if she'd become a police informant, and set up a deal with her supplier. They never informed Hoffman's attorney or the state prosecutor of the arrangement. They wired Hoffman, and asked her to arrange to purchase 1,500 ecstasy pills, cocaine, and a gun—a deal that would have run well over ten thousand dollars. Hoffman's friends and family have told me that all three purchases would also have been drastically out of character for her. Which means the dealers she was buying from were almost surely on to her.

Tallahassee police found Hoffman's body last week. The first thing they did was call a press conference in which they blamed Hoffman for her own death, stating that the arrangement she made with the police was consistent with department protocol, and that she agreed to meet with the dealers in a different location than the one previously agreed upon.

After public outrage, the city is now walking that back a bit, and has asked Florida's attorney general to look into the Tallahassee Police Department's procedures for dealing with drug informants.

Chalk it up as collateral damage, and add Hoffman's name to that of Isaac Singletary and Anthony Diotaiuto, three deaths of non-violent, non-threatening Floridians in just the last few years, thanks to the drug war.

[KingPriest2]

timeline
http://tallahassee.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20080509/NEWS01/805090343/0/COMP
Updated: Rachel Hoffman facing multiple felony charges when agreed to help police
By Angeline J. Taylor and Nic Corbett • DEMOCRAT STAFF WRITERS • May 9, 2008

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Updated 6:18 p.m.
When the slain Tallahassee woman Rachel Hoffman agreed to assist police in Wednesday’s buy-bust operation, she was facing multiple felony charges and was in a diversion program for possession of more than 20 grams of marijuana, said Tallahassee Police Chief Dennis Jones in a news conference today.

“It is not unusual to have known drug dealers or users offer to assist police in narcotics investigations,” Jones said. “Rachel was no exception.”

Hoffman was facing charges of possession of ecstasy with intent to sell, possession of controlled substance with intent to sell, maintaining a drug house and possession of drug paraphernalia, he said.

She agreed to buy 1,500 pills of ecstasy, 2 ounces of cocaine or crack cocaine and a gun from two men who are now suspected of kidnapping and robbing her.

“Unfortunately, Rachel chose to ignore precautions established in a previous briefing as well as the direction of her case agent,” Jones said.

Hoffman left the Forestmeadows Park area, where several police officers were watching her, to go meet Andrea J. Green and Deneilo Bradshaw.

Police tried to stop her, but were unsuccessful, said police spokesman Officer David McCranie. It’s not clear how they lost sight of her or where she went.

Murder charges against Green and Bradshaw are pending, officials said.


updated 2:55 p.m.
The best friend of slain Tallahassee woman Rachel Hoffman remembered her as fun-loving and smart.

"She was everything -- smart, incredibly bright and intuitive," said Jessica Weinstock, who went to Florida State University with Hoffman. "She also really loved to have fun."

Hoffman, who was working with the Tallahassee Police Department's vice unit in an investigation, went missing Wednesday night near Forestmeadows Park. Investigators found her body today in rural Taylor County. Two men have been arrested in connection with her disappearance.

Hoffman and Weinstock used to go to the Beta Bar, the Warehouse and other bars and clubs to see live bands. She had two cats, named Jimi Hendrix and Bentley.

"She loved music -- we loved going to shows and festivals, anything that was an excuse to go on a road trip," Weinstock said.

"She was a pool shark," Weinstock said. "She could beat anybody at pool."

Weinstock, who now lives in Miami, last saw her best friend the weekend of April 26, when their friends were graduating from Florida State University. They ate sushi at a local restaurant before Weinstock left for the airport. They decided Hoffman would come down the next time a good band was in Miami.

"I'm just devastated to lose her," Weinstock said.

updated 2:10 p.m.
David McCranie, spokesman for the Tallahassee Police Department, said today that Rachel Hoffman was cooperating with TPD's vice unit in an investigation when she went missing Wednesday.

Hoffman's body was found about 7 a.m. this morning in rural Taylor County.

Two suspects in her death, Andrea J. Green and Deneilo Bradshaw, led investigators to the scene. Authorities are seeking murder charges against them.

"Miss Hoffman is a good person," McCranie said in a news conference this morning. "She was cooperating in an investigation with the Tallahassee Police Department's vice unit.

"We had established protocols in place to ensure her safety," McCranie continued. "At some point during the investigation, she chose not to follow the instructions. She met Green and Bradshaw on her own. That meeting ultimately resulted in her murder."

McCranie said the cause of death isn't yet known. Investigators, including agents with the Florida Department of Law Enforcement, are still processing the crime scene in Taylor County.

Hoffman's family was notified this morning of her death, McCranie said.

"The family's obviously suffering," he said. "They are our primary concern right now. Our hearts go out to them."

Green and Bradshaw are expected to be booked today into the Leon County Jail.

updated 11:55 a.m.
Tallahassee police have confirmed that Rachel Hoffman, a 23-year-old woman who went missing Wednesday, has been found dead in rural Taylor County.

Two suspects in her death, Andrea J. Green and Deneilo Bradshaw, led investigators to the scene, said David McCranie, spokesman for the Tallahassee Police Department.

"They led us to Miss Hoffman's body," McCranie said in a news conference late this morning. "She is deceased."

Hoffman, a Florida State University graduate, disappeared Wednesday night near Forestmeadows Park on North Meridian Road.

She had been working with TPD's narcotics unit in an investigation. However, she went outside TPD safety protocols, McCranie said.

"She met with Green and Bradshaw on her own," McCranie said today. "And that meeting ultimately resulted in her murder."

McCranie described Hoffman as a "good person."

"The family's obviously suffering," he said.

Agents with the Florida Department of Law Enforcement arrested Green and Bradshaw Thursday in Orlando on charges of kidnapping and armed robbery. They were flown to the Tallahassee area this morning.

More charges against them are pending, McCranie said.

Hoffman's body was found about 7 a.m.

Hoffman served three days in Leon County Jail this year, from April 4 to April 6, for failure to appear in court, according to court records.

That sentence stems from her arrest last year on a charge of possessing more than 20 grams of marijuana, a felony.

She was arrested after being pulled over for speeding on Feb. 22, 2007. The arresting officer found 25.7 grams of cannabis in her car, court records show. Hoffman was sentenced to probation, community service, and she was required to attend a drug-rehabilitation program.

Green, of Perry, spent nearly nine months in prison from 2004 to 2005 for selling marijuana and aggravated assault in Taylor County, according to the Florida Department of Corrections.

TPD is expected to have another news conference at 4 p.m. in Tallahassee.

updated 11:45 a.m.
The body of Rachel Hoffman was found this morning in rural Taylor County.

Two suspects in her death led investigators to her body.

updated 10:40 a.m.
A hearse has gone to the scene in rural Taylor County where law-enforcement officers have been searching for missing 23-year-old Rachel Hoffman.

The hearse was from Bevis Funeral Home. There's still no word on whether Hoffman was found.

Willie Meggs, state attorney for the 2nd Judicial District, visited the scene this morning.

Investigators have gathered near Cabbage Grove Road in Taylor County. The area is marked by dirt roads, rolling hills and cow pastures. Members of the media have not been allowed near the search area.

Hoffman, a Florida State University graduate, went missing Wednesday night while assisting Tallahassee police in an investigation.

Two men, Andrea J. Green and Deneilo Bradshaw, were arrested Thursday in Orlando on charges of kidnapping and armed robbery in connection with Hoffman's disappearance. They were arrested by agents with the Florida Department of Law Enforcement.

updated 10 a.m.
Law-enforcement officers have moved from Jefferson County to rural Taylor County as part of their search for missing 23-year-old Rachel Hoffman.

Jefferson County Sheriff David Hobbs said investigators have made a discovery, but he declined to elaborate.

The scene is off County Road 257 about 12-15 miles south of Lamont, Hobbs said.

Check back with Tallahassee.com for more on this breaking story.

Updated 9:24 a.m.
An update by investigators on the search for missing 23-year-old Rachel Hoffman is expected later this morning.

David McCranie, spokesman for the Tallahassee Police Department, said he will be talking with members of the media about 11 a.m. in Jefferson County.

Law-enforcement officers have been searching a rural site near Wacissa for Hoffman, who disappeared Wednesday night while assisting Tallahassee police in an investigation.

There's still no word on whether Hoffman, a Florida State University graduate, has been found.

Two men, Andrea J. Green and Deneilo Bradshaw, were arrested Thursday in Orlando on charges of kidnapping and armed robbery in connection with Hoffman's disappearance. They were arrested by agents with the Florida Department of Law Enforcement.

Updated 8:39 a.m.
The Tallahassee Police Department has blocked off a road in rural Jefferson County where investigators are concentrating their efforts to find a missing 23-year-old woman.

Officers are restricting access to Thomas City Road near Wacissa to law-enforcement and emergency vehicles.

Officers are not letting members of the media near the search scene. There's still no word on whether Rachel Hoffman has been found.

Meanwhile, Hoffman's father said he is offering a $150,000 reward for the safe return of his daughter.

“This is my daughter," said Irv Hoffman of Palm Harbor. "My heart’s broken. We just want Rachel home safely."

Hoffman was at his daughter's apartment in Tallahassee this morning.

Rachel Hoffman, a Florida State University graduate, went missing Wednesday night while assisting Tallahassee police in an investigation.

Two men have been arrested on kidnapping and armed-robbery charges in connection with her disappearance. They are Andrea J. Green and Deneilo Bradshaw. Both were arrested in Orlando by agents with the Florida Department of Law Enforcement.

Updated 7:20 a.m.
Investigators are looking for a 23-year-old missing woman in rural Jefferson County.

They've gathered off a dirt road in the Wacissa area in hopes of finding Rachel Hoffman, who went missing Wednesday while assisting Tallahassee police officers with an operation.

"We're hoping for the best," said Jefferson County Sheriff David Hobbs, who was on his way to the scene this morning.

A reporter and photographer have been sent to the scene.

Check back with Tallahassee.com for more on this breaking story.

morning update
Two men were arrested Thursday afternoon in connection with the kidnapping and armed robbery of a Tallahassee woman who went missing after assisting in a police operation.

Andrea J. Green, 25, and Deneilo Bradshaw were arrested at 5 p.m. by Florida Department of Law Enforcement agents in Orlando, according to the Tallahassee Police Department.

There is no word on 23-year-old Rachel Morningstar Hoffman, who was last seen about 7 p.m. Wednesday near Forestmeadows Park in northeast Tallahassee. She is 5-foot-7, weighs 135 pounds and was last seen wearing a green V-neck shirt, black skirt with multiple colors on the bottom and black flip flops.

"The department continues the investigation in an attempt to determine the exact circumstances of her disappearance," TPD released in a statement.

Police have been using helicopters and other resources to search for her, said Officer David McCranie, TPD spokesman. That search has extended to Taylor County. Agencies assisting in the manhunt include: the Leon County Sheriff's Office, Perry Police Department, the Drug Enforcement Agency, the Florida Department of Law Enforcement, the Jefferson County Sheriff's Office and the Taylor County Sheriff's Office.

"We want her found safe and sound as much as her family does," McCranie said. "We are working all night long. We have officers rotating shifts, commanders rotating shifts and we have thrown a great deal of resources into locating the suspects and Ms. Hoffman."

Authorities found Hoffman's 2005 silver Volvo sedan about midday Thursday at United Welding Services, 606 Industrial Park Drive, in Perry. No one was inside the car.

Police set up a field post at the Meadows Soccer Complex at Elinor Klapp-Phipps Park as part of its search for the missing woman. The complex is next door to Forestmeadows on North Meridian Road. About a dozen police vehicles patrolled the area in hopes of finding Hoffman or her car.

Local residents who work or exercise at the Forestmeadows Park & Athletic Center were shocked Wednesday morning to hear about the missing woman.

Linda Talbot, who works at the front desk at the center said the news made her nervous.

"I was in shock because I see this as a safe place where people play tennis, and children play here," Talbot said.

Talbot said she was considering working the night shift — the athletic facility stays open until 10 p.m. on weekdays — but now she's changed her mind.

"You never know what could happen in any place," she said.

But Tallahassee police said park-goers shouldn't be nervous because it was an "isolated incident."

"There's no reason for the public to be concerned for their general safety in terms of being in public places or parks," McCranie said.

Paul Beckham, who goes to the center almost every day to practice his tennis for the "Golden Boys" senior league, said nothing like this happens in this area.

"Well, I sure hope they come up with something," Beckham said. "People don't go missing often here."

Hoffman graduated from Florida State University last August with a bachelor's degree in psychology. Her hometown is Clearwater, according to her Facebook Web page. She lives on the east side of Tallahassee.

Shaina Hale, a friend of Hoffman's, said Hoffman is planning to attend culinary school in Arizona in the fall.

"Rachel is one of the sweetest girls ever," she said.

Hoffman and the men arrested in Orlando all have criminal records. Hoffman was arrested in February 2007 and entered drug court for possession of more than 20 grams of marijuana and resisting arrest without violence, according to court records. Bradshaw was arrested in April and May 2007 for possession of marijuana.

Green, of Perry, spent nearly nine months in prison from 2004 to 2005 for selling marijuana and aggravated assault in Taylor County, according to the Florida Department of Corrections.

[KingPriest2]

Attorneys for slain Rachel Hoffman issue statement critical of TPD
Democrat staff report • May 10, 2008

http://tallahassee.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20080510/BREAKINGNEWS/80510006/0/COMP
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Tallahassee attorneys Johnny Devine and Danielle Joyner Kelley have issued a news release critical of the Tallahassee Police Department's handling of Rachel Hoffman, who was working as a confidential informant at the time of her disappearance Wednesday.


Her body was found Friday morning in rural Taylor County. Two men are facing charges in her death, authorities have said.

Here's the full news release:

Attorneys for Slain Rachel Hoffman have issued a response to the Press Release held by the Tallahassee Police Department on May 9, 2008 on behalf of the Hoffman Family.

Local Attorneys Johnny Devine with the Law Office of Johnny Devine, P.A., and Danielle Joyner Kelley with the Law Offices of Marie Mattox, P.A. have issued a statement on Saturday, May 10, 2008 responding to the press conference that was held yesterday by the Tallahassee Police Department. Both attorneys and their firms are representing the Hoffman Family. The following is a joint statement by both attorneys:

Today, the community of Tallahassee, Florida mourns the loss of a beautiful girl. Today, those living in Pinellas County and the Clearwater Beach, Florida area mourn the loss of a beautiful citizen. Today, the State of Florida mourns the loss of a vibrant, intelligent, beautiful, and loving young woman.

No one feels this loss more strongly than the family and friends of Rachel Hoffman, whose life was taken in a senseless act of extreme violence. The anger and outrage in the community is great, and many questions are beginning to surface. The family is in the middle of grieving Rachel’s murder. Yesterday, they had only known for a short time that she was killed and would never be coming back. On that very day, a press conference was held by the Tallahassee Police Department regarding the death of Rachel.

From the press conference’s inception, the Tallahassee Police Department took the opportunity to inform the community of the victim’s criminal charges, and made the point, both directly and indirectly, that her death was the result of her breaking protocol during the sting operation. The family and the attorneys for Rachel Hoffman have serious concerns about the statement that Rachel somehow caused her own death.

Rachel Hoffman was a 23-year-old woman, a graduate of Florida State University, and a daughter, beloved family member, and friend. At no time during the press conference was it addressed that Rachel Hoffman was not a trained law enforcement officer, was not on the Tallahassee Police Department Vice Squad Unit, or that she had taken any training classes regarding the Tallahassee Police Department’s “protocol”. It was not addressed why Rachel was placed in this situation in the first instance, other than she had criminal charges pending. However, even with criminal charges pending, the main concern is how Rachel came to this position and what measures were taken in order for her to agree to go there. Her family and attorneys believe it was her involvement in the drug sting that led to Rachel’s death, and not the fact that she allegedly broke any protocol, but rather that she was led to the site in the first place.

At no time was it discussed how police lost sight of her or what precautions they took to prevent her from being lost. At no time was it discussed what safety precautions were taken by police who knew she would be meeting with armed individuals.

At no time during the press conference was it addressed that Rachel Hoffman had no pending or past cocaine or handgun charges in the very county where she was to meet the individuals, yet she was sent into a sting operation to buy cocaine and a handgun. It was never addressed whether her vicious murder was committed with the very handgun she was going to purchase.

At no time during the press conference was it addressed that with regard to her first drug charges for which she was in drug court, a diversionary program, that she had a defense attorney who was representing her. The new charges that led to her agreement to become a confidential informant would have affected her success in drug court. However, her defense attorney, Johnny Devine, was not notified. Mr. Devine’s client was talked to by the police regarding this matter. However, her attorney was not present nor was he notified. No details regarding this meeting were discussed at the press conference, although had Rachel asked to consult with her attorney and been denied that right, it would have been a severe miscarriage of justice. It was not discussed what charges she was told she was facing, or how much time she would spend in jail for them.

Although a concern for the family was expressed at the press conference, it was greatly overshadowed by an immediate shift to the victim’s criminal record and details of how she caused her own death by botching a sting operation. No where was it discussed why a 5 foot 7 inch, 135 pound young woman was sent into an operation to buy items that she herself has never been accused of having in her own possession.

During the press conference, mention of the fact that the Tallahassee Police Department did not know the two men that Rachel was helping to set up in a drug bust that night came immediately to light. However, at no time during that press conference was it addressed whether or not the Tallahassee Police Department has any policy or protocol of whether or not the research the very suspects and review their criminal record before they send in a confidential informant to bust them. At no time was it discussed whether or not Rachel knew how dangerous those individuals truly were. Clearly, the police knew about the individuals by the time they were trying to get Rachel to set them up for arrest. And most definitely, the police were aware of the individuals’ identity in order for them to find them in Orlando, Florida so suddenly and take them into custody.

Bringing to light the victim’s criminal charges, her alleged faults during a sting operation, and repeatedly addressing the fact, in so many different words, that the Tallahassee Police Department is not responsible for the death of Rachel Hoffman did nothing to inform the public about what truly happened the night of the drug sting. It did nothing to inform the public about what is going to happen to the individuals who killed her. It did nothing to inform the public about what policies and procedures are in place to protect a confidential informant before they engage in a police drug sting.

The only purpose this information served was to both attack a woman who has been taken away from society in a ruthless, reckless, and vicious manner, and to allow her family to watch it all on television while they are still reeling from the shock of their loved ones death.

Today, a family is still grieving and a public outcry is being heard. Tomorrow, a mother will spend a Mother’s Day planning a funeral for her daughter. The attorneys for the family of Rachel Hoffman wish that her memory and her family’s well-being stay first and foremost in the minds of everyone who mourns her loss. People will remember Rachel fondly at her funeral and speak well of her. She deserves no less from the very government agency, the Tallahassee Police Department, which she helped to risk and ultimately lost her life trying to help.

[KingPriest2]

Did you know that in Missouri if you are caught growing more than 3 plants you have the possibility of life without parole?



Florida governor Charlie
Comment posted by Anonymous on Fri, 05/16/2008 - 2:10am
Florida governor Charlie Crist expresses sympathy for informant's death... says "Let Attorney General Bill McCollum finish investigating this before we pass judgment."

...as he prepares to sign McCollum's bill into law -- a 3 year mandatory minimum for 25 plants.

[KingPriest2]

I mentioned it, and it was.

Anyone who defends the police in this situation, probably didn't watch the video that was linked.

It's tragic, and unforgivable. The girl had no business being put in that position to begin with.

Lay the blame where it should be
Comment posted by Anonymous on Thu, 07/31/2008 - 11:37am
The TPD is not at fault for Rachel Hoffman's death. Her and her murderers are to blame. Yes, the TPD asked her to be an informant. But they told her not to meet with the suspects on her own and she did it anyway. This is what got her killed. The police are not required to hold the informant's hand at all times or watch over them 24/7. Anyone who thinks that this is their job are really lacking in any common sense. I am very sorry that the parents are going through this right now. I couldn't imagine losing one of my children through any means. But the focus right now needs to be one the men who killed her and not demonizing the people protecting us

found on a webpage

[KingPriest2]

First she should not have been put into that postion at all. Since she was she should have been trained she was not. The TPD probably felt they were helping her out by not reporting it because if they did maybe the deal could not be worked out I don't know I feel they did threaten her and they should not have. So the TPD is at fault

MY question is

Why did she leave and go to the suspects after being told not to leave the park? If that is true if they told her that.

If she was then in a way it was her fault but in a way if she was trained she might have known better.

[38yrsfan]

QFT

Quantum Field Theory? :)

[KingPriest2]

Timeline to Death

Rachel Hoffman Timetable


August 10, 2008
Tallahassee Democrat
Thursday, Feb. 22, 2007: Tallahassee Police Department officer pulls over Rachel Hoffman for speeding on West Tennessee Street. He smells pot. First she says she'd been smoking with friends, then says there's pot in her purse. He arrests her after finding 25.7 grams of pot in a mason jar and $450 cash. She's sentenced to probation and community service and required to be in drug intervention program. She must submit to weekly drug tests, can't use drugs and can't be around people who use them.

Friday-Sunday, April 4-6, 2008: Hoffman taken to Leon County Jail for failure to appear for drug test. Friend later reports, "She tried to make light of it, but she was terrified."

Thursday, April 17: e_S.F.lbT.P.D. officers, acting on tip from confidential informant, raid Hoffman's apartment at Polos on Park and find about a quarter-pound of marijuana and six Ecstasy pills. Police find ledger with 11 names, with amounts next to them. (Grand jury later reports she told T.P.D. she sold 10 to 15 pounds of pot a week; experts and her friends express doubts.) She won't get into trouble for this bust, Investigator Ryan Pender tells her, if she'll work as C.I. for them and help bust other people. T.P.D. should notify State Attorney's Office because she's in drug program, but it doesn't.

Later in April: Someone who'd bought pot from Hoffman before introduces her to brothers-in-law Andrea Green, 25, and Deneilo Bradshaw, 23, who work at Tennessee Street detailing shop where she'd had her 2005 Volvo S40 cleaned. Green spent nearly nine months in prison (2004-05) for selling marijuana and aggravated assault in Taylor County, according to state Department of Corrections. Bradshaw was arrested in April and May 2007 on charges of possession of marijuana in Leon County and pleaded no contest.

Later in April: Police want to wire Hoffman and send her to detailing shop to buy drugs from Green and Bradshaw, but it's called off when the men can't come up with the number of Ecstasy pills she requested.

Monday, May 5: Hoffman goes to police station to plan another bust attempt. Plan is for her to tell Bradshaw and Green she's trying to get cocaine, Ecstasy and handgun for friends coming to town from Miami.

3:30 p.m. Wednesday, May 7: Pender tells Hoffman this is the night.

After 4 p.m.: Hoffman reports for weekly drug test, which she passes by cheating.

6 p.m.: Police listen as Hoffman calls Green. She says she'll pay him $13,000 cash for 1,500 Ecstasy pills, 2 ounces of cocaine and handgun. She's told to meet the men at Forestmeadows Park, 4750 Meridian Road. Plan has been reviewed by investigator, sergeant and captain and approved by lieutenant, deputy chief and chief. Fifteen TPD officers are taking part, plus three D.E.A. agents and one Florida Highway Patrol officer. She's assured she'll be safe.

After 6 p.m.: Hoffman drives toward Forestmeadows. She's not familiar with area. She has $13,000 in recorded bills. Police are monitoring her through listening device in her purse. Her friend Liza also is driving to Forestmeadows; Hoffman wants her to videotape bust.
6:34 p.m.: She messages her boyfriend: "I just got wired up. Wish me luck. I'm on my way."

About 6:40 p.m.: Green calls Hoffman and tells her to forget about Forestmeadows and meet him instead in parking lot of Royalty Plant Nursery, more than a mile north of Forestmeadows.

Time unknown: Hoffman calls Pender and says she's following Green and Bradshaw to Gardner Road, another half-mile away. Pender tells her not to. Call ends. Tree canopy keeps D.E.A. plane from tracking her. Only one officer participating knows where Gardner Road is.

6:41 p.m.: Hoffman messages boyfriend: "It's about to go down."

About 6:45 p.m.: Police lose contact with Hoffman. She doesn't answer phone calls. Listening device in purse isn't working.

Note: Phone-call times in this section come from T.P.D. probable-cause affidavit and grand-jury report. A.T.&T. records for Hoffman's cell phone indicate she made no calls on that phone after 5:28 p.m. May 7. They indicate she answered a call (thought to be from Pender) at 6:28 p.m. and three calls (thought to be from Green) at 6:30, 6:36 and 6:41. They also indicate she checked voice mail at 6:43 and 6:49 p.m. No later calls listed.

6:47 p.m.:e_S.F.lb Liza receives Hoffman's last message, calling off video: "It's far [referring to new location]. I'll call you after."

7:15 p.m.: Liza arrives at Forestmeadows, sees no sign of police or Hoffman, then continues north on Meridian. She never sees police or hears siren.

Time unknown: Investigators go to dead end of Gardner and find black flip-flop, three .25-caliber rounds (one spent, two live) and tire skid marks. No sign of Hoffman, Green, Bradshaw or their cars.

Several hours later: Hoffman's phone found in ditch on Centerville Road near Pisgah Church Road.

Time unknown: Investigators contact Green's relatives in Perry, who say they'd seen the two men later on night of scheduled bust. Relatives say both had lots of cash, later determined to be some of money Hoffman had with her.

2:30 a.m. Thursday, May 8: Two robbery detectives arrive at boyfriend's house. He tells them Hoffman isn't there.

3 a.m.: Police knock on door of house where Liza is staying. She tells them she thought they had Hoffman.

6:30 a.m.: Police announce Hoffman is missing and endangered and foul play is suspected.

Noon: Authorities find Hoffman's Volvo on Industrial Park Drive in Perry.

5 p.m.: F.D.L.E. agents arrest Green and Bradshaw in Orlando.

6 a.m. Friday, May 9: Green and Bradshaw booked into Leon County Jail. Then they lead investigators to Hoffman's body in rural Taylor County.

Monday, May 12: Attorney General's Office agrees to review events leading to Hoffman's death after request from Police Chief Dennis Jones and City Manager Anita Favors Thompson.

Wednesday, June 4: State Attorney's Office officially charges Green and Bradshaw with armed robbery.

Wednesday and Thursday, July 30-31: Leon County grand jury hears testimony.

Friday, Aug. 1: Grand jury indicts Green and Bradshaw on charge of first-degree murder and blasts T.P.D.'s "poor planning and supervision" and "unconscionable" decision" that "handed Ms. Hoffman to Bradshaw and Green to rob and kill her." It recommends T.P.D. "take corrective action immediately... and whatever disciplinary action it deems appropriate."

Monday, Aug. 4: T.P.D. places five officers involved in the Hoffman operation on paid leave until internal-affairs investigation is complete.
Most times are approximate. Sources: Probable-cause affidavit used to charge Andrea Green and Deneilo Bradshaw with armed robbery; April affidavit for search warrant for Hoffman's apartment; T.P.D. arrest report from February 2007; other court records; Tallahassee Democrat interview with Hoffman's friends; Hoffman's cell-phone records; Aug. 1 presentment from grand jury.

[KingPriest2]

Florida Prosecutor Stands Up For Rachel Hoffman, Refuses to Work With DEA
Printer Friendly Version Email this Article Posted in Chronicle Blog by Scott Morgan on Thu, 08/07/2008 - 9:27pm
The fallout following Rachel Hoffman's murder is becoming intense. DEA has refused to allow three agents to testify before a grand jury regarding their involvement in the case, resulting in a surprising backlash from the State Attorney's office:


State Attorney Willie Meggs has told the Tallahassee Democrat that his decision to no longer prosecute cases involving the federal Drug Enforcement Administration is, "probably more symbolic than it is substantive, but I am very serious about it."

He went on to say, "I'm just not going to play that little game with those folks. I don’t need them and if these agencies want to work with them and do their cases with them, that's fine." [Tallahassee Democrat]

Strong words indeed. This sort of vitriol is rarely exchanged between drug warriors and it seems to indicate a drawing of battlelines as we wait to see who'll be held to account for this now-legendary drug war f#%k-up.

Mark R. Trouville, DEA's Special Agent in Charge of the Miami Field Division, predictably blamed his officers' non-compliance on a technicality:


We feel it is important for the public to know that DEA did not refuse to testify before the grand jury in this case. Although notified both verbally and in writing by DEA, the State Attorney’s Office refused to comply with Department of Justice regulations (which have been respected by the Florida Supreme Court) and therefore DEA Agents did not receive authorization to testify before the grand jury. In order to comply, the State Attorney’s Office simply needed to issue a subpoena and provide the local United States Attorney’s Office a summary of the information sought and its relevance to the proceeding.

This is the same guy who once claimed that today's marijuana "will kill you," so he has all the credibility of a drunk frat-boy on April Fool's Day. Thus I lean towards the assumption that DEA is covering its ass, which would explain why State Attorney Meggs is raging pissed.

To be honest though, I'm really not quite sure what the hell is going on here. I don't understand DEA's role in the murder because they won't testify, but in hindsight the fact that Rachel was told to purchase 1,500 pills of ecstasy, 2 ounces of crack cocaine and a gun sure gives the impression that DEA may have been calling the shots. The conspicuously large order Rachel placed had a great deal to do with her cover being blown, so to whatever extent DEA may have been responsible for that, they would be equally responsible for the fatal outcome.

Ultimately, many people made many errors contributing to this horrible event, but we all know that it takes more than a few greedy cops to manufacture a tragedy as compelling and gut-wrenching as this. After the finger-pointing subsides, after a few sacrificial reassignments, re-trainings and procedural revisions, the war that killed Rachel Hoffman will rage on without missing a beat. The culture of threats and manipulation that characterizes modern drug enforcement will remain intact and the mentality that led to Rachel's death will continue to guide police as they take on the drug problem with handcuffs in one hand and a gun in the other.

[KingPriest2]

Details emerge on how woman became informer
By Demorris A. Lee and Jennifer Liberto, Times Staff Writers
In print: Tuesday, May 13, 2008



TALLAHASSEE — Rachel Hoffman sent a text message to her boyfriend soon before going undercover as a confidential informant for the Tallahassee Police Department.

"This is about to go down," he remembers her writing.

Two days later, her body was found in Taylor County. The drug sting had gone bad.

On Monday, Tallahassee police Chief Dennis Jones asked the Florida attorney general to review the events that led to Hoffman's death, including the Police Department's procedures.

"It's such an unusual occurrence, and with the public attention that's been called to it, it called not only for our internal review but also an outside review," Jones told the Tallahassee Democrat. "The AG seemed like a good place to get a second opinion."

Hoffman, 23, a graduate of Countryside High School in Pinellas County and Florida State University, was supposed to meet two men Wednesday to buy 1,500 pills of ecstasy, 2 ounces of cocaine or crack and a gun. She had $12,000 to $15,000 in cash when she met the men, said her boyfriend, Ben Reeves.

At 6:41 p.m., she sent Reeves the last text message.

"She trusted the police," Reeves said. "The cops were supposed to keep her alive. She was a pawn in their game."

On Monday, State Attorney Willie Meggs and Tallahassee Mayor John Marks asked why other agencies weren't alerted about Hoffman's status as an informer and whether an "outside entity" should investigate.

"The Tallahassee community deserves an explanation of what occurred," Marks said. "I feel confident we will achieve that result."

The two men Hoffman had planned to meet — Andrea J. Green, 25, and Deneilo R. Bradshaw, 23 — were arrested in Orlando on charges of robbery and kidnapping. They have not been charged with murder.

New details released Monday shed more light on how Hoffman went from police informer to murder victim.

Hoffman had been twice arrested on charges of underage drinking and gotten three traffic tickets before February 2007.

That's when she was arrested on charges of marijuana possession and resisting arrest. She entered a pretrial drug diversion program to resolve those charges, according to court records.

She checked in regularly with the court but missed a hearing last summer, leading to another arrest, court records showed.

Then on April 17, Tallahassee police served a search warrant at her apartment and found marijuana and ecstasy, according to police records.

She faced "significant jail time" if she had been charged with running a drug house and intending to sell marijuana and ecstasy, Officer David McCranie said. Instead, he said, she agreed to become an informer, and police didn't press their case or book her as a result of the search.

"The police told her if she got guns and some bad drugs off the street, she would only have to do one or two stings," Reeves said. "She was supposed to do the bust and get off scot-free of her charges."
Both the Police Department and Hoffman kept mum about the arrangement.

Hoffman, whose funeral is today, only told her mother, Margie Weiss.

"She told her daughter not to do it," said the family's attorney, Johnny Devine. "When she didn't hear back from her, she assumed she had taken her advice."

The FSU psychology graduate didn't mention a word of her work to her father, Irv Hoffman of Palm Harbor.

"I would have never let her do that," Hoffman said. "This is way out of her league."

Meggs said Monday his agency didn't know about the search in April. Police are supposed to alert him when a defendant has been arrested or has become an informer because "it's a violation of the drug court terms," he said.

"We're supposed to be alerted, but I don't know how many times we've not been alerted," Meggs said.
But the Tallahassee Police Department said its policy is to alert the State Attorney's Office when an offender has violated probation. Hoffman wasn't on probation, McCranie said. She was on "diversion."

"Diversion is significantly different from probation, and such a charge would not hamper her ability to complete the diversion program," McCranie said.

McCranie said Hoffman was advised to the dangers of the job.

"We weren't trying to hide anything here," he said. "Our job is not to ask you or give you legal advice. Ours is to provide you with some options, and then you as an adult, make the informed decision."

Informers do not go through any formal training, but they are advised of police procedure and rules, McCranie said. The agency has maintained that Hoffman "broke protocol," when she agreed to follow Green and Bradshaw to an "off-site" location.

The agency lost track of her until her body turned up.

Hoffman's service is at 11 a.m. today at Temple Ahavat Shalom, 1575 Curlew Road in Palm Harbor.

[KingPriest2]

http://journals.aol.com/rmckin2146/rachel-hoffman/

Coverage of murder trial

[KingPriest2]

Friends provide a glimpse into Hoffman's final night
By Jennifer Portman • DEMOCRAT SENIOR WRITER • July 13, 2008

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Rachel Hoffman wasn't worried. It was she, two of her closest friends say, who reassured them that nothing bad would happen if she helped the Tallahassee Police Department catch a couple of drug dealers.


She wouldn't go to jail for the less than half a pound of marijuana and handful of Ecstasy tabs police had found when they busted her at her apartment in April and asked her to become a confidential informant. She wouldn't get in trouble for violating the terms of her court-ordered drug diversion program. Her parents wouldn't find out.

The 23-year-old Florida State graduate would finally be able to get out of Tallahassee with her psychology degree and go to culinary school, where she could nurture her passion for food.

"The police told her all she had to do was one big deal; that's all she had to do," her boyfriend said, on the condition that his name not be used. "I told her, 'Don't believe everything they tell you.'"

Her boyfriend, 23, and another close friend sat down with the Tallahassee Democrat last week, two months after Hoffman's undercover work got her killed. As questions about police procedure pile up and two defendants wait in jail for a grand jury to consider murder charges, her friends' recollections shed light on her last night and on the path that led to it.

'Police will save me'

The police told her they'd never lost an informant. She'd be wired, she told her friends, and they'd be watching her all the time. When the deal went down, they'd all come pouring out of unmarked cars like the agents in her favorite reality show, "DEA," which follows federal officers fighting drug crime in Detroit.

"She said, 'Don't worry about it — the police are going to swoop in and save me,'" her boyfriend said.

Hoffman wanted to watch her own real-life drama go down. Her friend Liza agreed to be there May 7 to shoot video when the bust happened. Except the planned buy at Forestmeadows Park was derailed and no video was shot.

"She wasn't scared, she wasn't nervous," said Liza, who agreed to the interview provided her last name was withheld. "She was like, 'You guys worry too much.' She said the worst thing (the police) said would happen is they might have to tackle her to the ground."

When officers came looking for Hoffman before dawn May 8, about seven hours after she was to have bought drugs and a handgun from Andrea Green and Deneilo Bradshaw at the park in northern Leon County, both her boyfriend and Liza told them the same thing: "I thought she was with you guys."

Hoffman's boyfriend remembers one of the two officers at his door around 2:30 a.m. replying, "She was, until she went crazy."

The following morning police finally found Hoffman, dead of multiple gunshot wounds, 50 miles away in Taylor County woods.

When it all began

Immediately after Tallahassee police raided her apartment April 17, Hoffman went to her boyfriend's house and told him about the deal she'd cut. Over the next three weeks, she would tell him and Liza all about her work as a confidential informant.

"They wanted her to turn in her friends, and she wouldn't do that," said Liza, a 24-year-old FSU graduate student. "She said she wanted to get some grimy people off the street. She wanted to get bad guys."

At first she agreed to give up a guy she knew who dealt drugs and sometimes bought pot from her, her friends said. But after one controlled call from the police station, she confessed to him she was working for the police and asked him to help her find someone else to turn in.

Her friends said he hooked her up with Bradshaw and Green, who worked at a car detailing shop on Tennessee Street where she'd had her Volvo cleaned. One guy working there had smelled the aroma of pot in her car earlier this year and she'd offered to come back with a joint for a tip, but she never did.

Toward the end of April, she was set to go back to the area of the detailing shop, this time wired by police. Liza was ready with the video camera so Hoffman could see for herself what happened. She was planning to write a book about her life.

But when Bradshaw and Green said they couldn't come up with all the Ecstasy pills she was told to ask for, the bust was called off.

Hoffman liked the officers she was working with. She told Liza that her main contact, Investigator Ryan Pender, was cool. He joked with her; officers playfully teased her for being a hippie. When Pender saw that his real name was listed as a contact in her cell phone, he told her she should change it. He suggested his new handle, her boyfriend said: "Pooh Bear."

The weekend before she was killed, Hoffman hung out with her boyfriend, Liza and other friends at St. George Island and St. Teresa.

"The whole time we were at the beach she was on the phone with Pender," her boyfriend said, working to set up another bust attempt.
She and her boyfriend came back Monday morning. She went to the police station that evening to plan a second try.

Her boyfriend was suspicious of the set-up, the cocaine, the large number of pills, the gun. Hoffman, her friends said, hated guns. She'd told Bradshaw and Green she was trying to get the stuff for friends in Miami, he said. Then he learned she'd have $12,000 to $15,000 in cash.

"I said, 'That sounds so sketchy,'" he said. "I told her she was going to get robbed."

The last day

On Wednesday, May 7, Hoffman dropped her car off to be serviced at the Volvo dealership on West Tennessee so she could drive down to southwest Florida that weekend to see her mom on Mother's Day. The courtesy van took her home, and she slept most of the day. Pender called around 3:30 p.m., her boyfriend said. Tonight was the night.

A little after 4 p.m., Hoffman's boyfriend said he drove her to her usual weekly drug test, which she passed by cheating with the help of The Whizzinator tucked under her skirt. Then he dropped her off at the dealership.

"I drove her to her drug test and I drove her to get her car and that's the last I saw her," he said. "She looked over her shoulder and gave me a wave."

Hoffman, her friends said, sent between 50 and 100 text messages a day. The day of the controlled bust was no different. Her boyfriend and Liza got what may have been her last ones. They help fill in the fragmented timeline offered by police in Bradshaw and Green's arrest affidavit.

At 6:34 p.m., she messaged her boyfriend: "I just got wired up. Wish me luck. I'm on my way."

At about 6:40 p.m. police say, Hoffman got a call from Green telling her to forget the park and instead meet him in the nearby parking lot of Royalty Plant Nursery, just north on Meridian Road. Hoffman then called Pender — the time is not noted in the police affidavit — and said she was following Green. The officer told her not to go, then the call ended.

At 6:41 p.m. Hoffman's boyfriend received his last message from her: "It's about to go down."

At about 6:45 p.m. police say they lost contact with Hoffman.

Then, at 6:47 p.m., Liza received Hoffman's last message, calling off the video her friend was set to make of the SWAT team charging in: "It's far. I'll call you after."

But Liza was almost at Forestmeadows already, so she kept going. She got to the park about 7:15 p.m. People were playing tennis; kids were in the playground. There was no sign of her friend or police. She decided to drive north on Meridian, past the nursery, past Gardner Road — where bullet casings and Hoffman's black flip-flop were later found — all the way to Georgia. She drove with the radio off and windows down, but never saw a cop, never heard a siren.

Neither Hoffman's boyfriend nor Liza was concerned when communication with their friend ended. Liza figured all went well and Hoffman was with her boyfriend. He thought she may have been arrested with Bradshaw and Green as part of the sting.

"I wasn't worried," Liza said. "The outcome that happened never really crossed my mind."

Hoffman's boyfriend messaged her at 9 p.m. but got no reply. He drove by her house around midnight and saw police cars near her apartment, but her car wasn't there. He tried to find out if she had been booked into jail, then fell asleep.

The day after

Police went to his parents' house around 2 a.m., looking for him. Two robbery detectives in dress shirts got to his place about a half-hour later. He did not let them inside but told them Hoffman wasn't there.

At about 3 a.m. police in bulletproof vests knocked on the door of another friend's house where Liza was spending the night. She, too, told them she thought Hoffman was with police.

Even then Liza didn't panic. Maybe her friend had just been robbed and dropped off somewhere. Maybe she was hiding out in the woods.

"She's really, really strong. I've never seen her cry," Liza said. "If she had a chance (to get away), she would have taken it."

When Hoffman's boyfriend woke up around 9 a.m., he checked Tallahassee.com and saw the alert that she was missing.

Liza went to Hoffman's apartment in the morning and the maintenance man let her in to feed her cat Bentley. She saw blue vinyl gloves in the trash; the couch cushions were turned over; Hoffman's bong was gone. It was clear to Liza the police had been there that morning.

Her boyfriend, Liza and other friends gathered at Hoffman's apartment that afternoon. Her parents had arrived. They helped clean up the place, did some dishes, ate leftovers out of the refrigerator and talked about Hoffman in the present tense.

"She was such a fantastic cook," Liza said, remembering Hoffman's gumbo and huge dinner parties where she would feed anyone who was hungry. "We were all trying to stay positive."

The friends left around midnight and her father, mother and stepfather slept at their daughter's place. About 9 a.m. the next day Hoffman's mother called Liza, telling her to call everyone else and come back to the apartment.

"I was the first one there," Liza said. "(Her mother) cried to me, 'She's dead!'"

'We want to know'

Police say Hoffman violated protocols by not listening to them and following the men who are now charged with robbing her and led police to her body.

But her friends say she was vulnerable, had no training and should never have been put in such a dangerous situation.

"No one should have to bury their daughter for a half-pound of marijuana," Liza said. "We want to know what happened, but her parents have a right to know."

Hoffman's boyfriend hopes he finds out what went so wrong after he received his last text from her: "I think everyone in Tallahassee has a right to know."

[Fish]

Little boxes on the hillside,
Little boxes made of ticky tacky,
Little boxes on the hillside,
Little boxes all the same.


There's a green one and a pink one
And a blue one and a yellow one,
And they're all made out of ticky tacky
And they all look just the same.


And the people in the houses
All went to the university,
Where they were put in boxes
And they came out all the same,
And there's doctors and lawyers,
And business executives,
And they're all made out of ticky tacky
And they all look just the same.

[Jewish Rabbi]

A very sad loss for the Jewish community.

[Abba-Dabba]

Lay the blame where it should be
Comment posted by Anonymous on Thu, 07/31/2008 - 11:37am
The TPD is not at fault for Rachel Hoffman's death. Her and her murderers are to blame. Yes, the TPD asked her to be an informant. But they told her not to meet with the suspects on her own and she did it anyway. This is what got her killed. The police are not required to hold the informant's hand at all times or watch over them 24/7. Anyone who thinks that this is their job are really lacking in any common sense.

$13,000 of taxpayer money handed over to an informant is 13,000 reasons to have eye's on at all times while it is in the informants custody. Sloppy police work.

[KC Jones]

The only people who know what the Police said to Rachel Hoffman are the police and Rachel Hoffman. She's dead, and the first thing they did was call a press conference and attempt to cover their asses. Forgive me of being somewhat skeptical of their statement that they told her not to meet with the murderers, because I really doubt anyone would try to do a sting without police. I strongly suspect they just lost her.

[beach tribe]

The war on drugs is the DUMBEST thing ever. It will NEVER be won. One guy goes down, and it opens the opportunity for MORE criminals to take his place. Drugs will ALWAYS be accessible, no matter what these so call law enforcers try to do about.

It's a joke that puts money into the pockets of killers with badges.

[Lzen]

That is a messed up story. Those morons should be removed from their positions and thrown in jail.

[chasedude]

The war on drugs is the DUMBEST thing ever. It will NEVER be won. One guy goes down, and it opens the opportunity for MORE criminals to take his place. Drugs will ALWAYS be accessible, no matter what these so call law enforcers try to do about.

It's a joke that puts money into the pockets of killers with badges.


She was one more life snuffed out in this so called "war" on drugs. I agree with you this war is not working, but bureaucrats must give the illusion they're actually doing good when all it does is pack our prisons with non-violent criminals and cost us tax payers more. It's a vicious cycle that I hope to see the end of before I die.

[MOhillbilly]

The war on drugs is the DUMBEST thing ever. It will NEVER be won. One guy goes down, and it opens the opportunity for MORE criminals to take his place. Drugs will ALWAYS be accessible, no matter what these so call law enforcers try to do about.

It's a joke that puts money into the pockets of killers with badges.


bullshit the war on drugs keeps dealers from selling to kids on playgrounds.

[Demonpenz]

bullshit the war on drugs keeps dealers from selling to kids on playgrounds.

sarcasim or no?

[chasedude]

sarcasim or no?

I hope so because the last time I looked I didn't see any DEA agents posted outside the schools.

[Demonpenz]

The real drug dealers at our schools is pharmicutical companies

[chasedude]

The real drug dealers at our schools is pharmicutical companies

Out of their own parents medicine cabinets

[Demonpenz]

Out of their own parents medicine cabinets

word

[MOhillbilly]

sarcasim or no?


hell no it wasnt sarcasm. i heard it on npr acouple weeks ago.

[eazyb81]

hell no it wasnt sarcasm. i heard it on npr acouple weeks ago.

It also helps potheads from running over little kids in fast food drive-throughs.

[MOhillbilly]

It also helps potheads from running over little kids in fast food drive-throughs.
tragic as it might be.
tru dat.

[stumppy]

Very sad.

Unfortunately hers is just one of too many lives waisted as a direct result of the war on drugs.

[MOhillbilly]

Very sad.

Unfortunately hers is just one of too many lives waisted as a direct result of the war on drugs.
The 'war on drugs' has its place. no sarcasm.

[stumppy]

The 'war on drugs' has its place. no sarcasm.

I agree. However, I have a hard time going along with the program in it's present form.

[MOhillbilly]

I agree. However, I have a hard time going along with the program in it's present form.


yup its definately ****ed. but what part of goverment isnt?

[stumppy]

yup its definately ****ed. but what part of goverment isnt?


I'll tell you what part. The Everton Police Department isn't. The entire police force puts in no more than 20 hours a week and they won't write tickets on any of the locals. ( Because the city can't afford to hire a prosecutor ):D

[KingPriest2]

$13,000 of taxpayer money handed over to an informant is 13,000 reasons to have eye's on at all times while it is in the informants custody. Sloppy police work.


Very true