Judges are finally starting to recognize credibility issues in Trooper Steed's work. Judge Cutler in a this written opinion takes note that the Trooper's testimony lacked credibility in three significant areas. www.utahduilawblog.com/uploads/file/Steed Cutler ruling.pdf
First, the judge did not believe that the trooper was just on "traffic enforcement." She was staking out the place trying to catch the sale of alcohol to underage drinkers.
Second, he did not believe the trooper in her description of the road construction in the area.
Third, the judge did not believe the trooper's description of a technical driving pattern that would constitute the reason for the pull over.
Further, Judge Page in Davis County two years ago dismissed a case where Trooper Steed's video was destroyed.
According to Trooper Steed's own testimony, she made 400 arrests in 2009 for DUI. This is reported as being the most in Utah, and reporters believe the most in the nation. The next closest arrests made by a trooper in Utah was 168. She is quoted as saying this is a numbers game. Pull over as many people as you can and at least 1 out of every 10 will be impaired. It is the same as the tuna fisherman that cast a huge net and sometimes innocent dolphins get caught in the net. Are the innocent just a casualty of war against DUI? Many people's lives are ruined by false arrests. It costs them money, embarrassment, sleepless nights, and even their jobs.
This case is very disturbing. The trooper arrested a man with a disability claiming he was DUI. In 2009, Trooper Lisa Steed reports she made 400 DUI arrests, more than any other trooper in the nation. The story states that at first, the Trooper's Captain supporter this arrest. However, the UHP Captain called the reporter, Chris Jones, back for a second interview and admitted that this was a mistake and the man would not be prosecuted.
She has been a member of the UHP for 8 years, and in that time she has arrested nearly 800 people for DUI, 2009 was her bellwether year, with 400 DUI arrests, no one in the state, or the country for that matter comes even close.
Two weeks ago 2 News recieved an Email from Mike Tilt's daughter. Courtney told us her father, who suffers from Cerebal Palsy, Epilepsy, and other disabilities, was arrested and charged with DUI after failing a field sobriety and, when asked if he took medication for his Epilepsy, was arrested for DUI.
Tilt, whose left leg is shorter than his other told Steed he would fail the test requring him to put one foot in front of the other, and he did. Steed then asked him for his driver's licence, when Tilt told her he didn't have one because he suffers from seizures, Steed placed him in cuffs, "what, are you arresting me?" Tilt asked, "yeah, for DUI," Steed responded.
Initially Steed's UHP bosses defended her, telling 2 News that unfortunantly many people do drive under the influence of prescribed medications, and they believed that Mike Tilt was no exception.
We began to look into the background of Trooper Steed, although she has indeed been lauded for her work pulling drunk and impaired drivers off the road, she has also been chastised. Judge Robert Faust said of her alleged disregard for some UHP policy,that is was "especially troubling." Judge L.G. Cutler said of her testimony in a case before him that Steed's words, "lacked credibility." Defense attorney Glen Neeley has represented many of the people pulled over by Steed, "she has policy that she is required to follow, and she doesn't follow them," says Neeley.
Neeley says in his cases, Steed often fails to conduct field sobriety test in front of the dash cam video that is mounted in her car. That is a UHP policy, it is designed, Neeley says, to protect Steed and the person being questioned. He also says Steed has a goal of pulling over as many people as possible with the goal of making DUI arrests. Neeley is concerned that when you "cast that wide of a net," you are bound to make arrests of people who are not guilty.
After 2 News began this investigation, the UHP started their own inquiry, and in a remarkable turn of events, called us and asked for a second interview, "is this in line with our overall goal of DUI enforcement? Probably not," says Capt. Mike Rapich, of the UHP, Rapich says after further review they will not ask for charges against Mike.
when asked, what would happen if they went back and reviewed other DUI arrest by Steed, Rapich said they would find good DUI arrests that conform to prescribed procedure and the law.
Attorney Neeley says he isn't sure that is the case, and is concerned that Steed over steps the power she has been granted, "if she's supposed to protect us from the dregs of society, who is going to protect us from her," asks Neeley.
