The position of the Ferguson constabulary is basically that you have certain constitutional rights, until you invoke those rights, at which point you forfeit them. This is similar to the familiar argument that the right to free speech is too precious to be sullied by using it frivolously, and therefore should be taken away from anyone who misuses it.
Anyway, it sounds like there are good guys in this story – that is, the pro-bono lawyers who defend these cases. Naturally, because the police case is transparent bullshit, the defense keeps winning.
But the whole point of extorting from poor people is that they don’t have time to contest the charges – leaving a job for days of court appearances – and usually they will pay the extortion because they can’t afford principles.
