Pat Dollard

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17 News discovered a youtube video of Kern County Sheriff’s Deputies and a bail bonds enforcement officer entering a local woman’s home after she told them they couldn’t…

KGET:

17 News discovered a youtube video of Kern County Sheriff’s Deputies and a bail bonds enforcement officer entering a local woman’s home after she told them they couldn’t come in without a warrant and her consent. With the evidence she caught on tape, the law seems to be on her side.

“I don’t need a warrant,” the bondsman said as he appeared to enter on his own into the home from a back door on the youtube video.

There were also sheriff’s deputies at the front door. Deputies and bail bond enforcement officials have different laws but a local bail bondsman not affiliate with this case said what happened in this case was against the law.

“If you see the person go in, you can go in,” Glenn Pierce, the owner of Gotta Go Bail Bonds said. “But you just can’t go in randomly.”

The woman who lived at the home told 17 News her name is Star. She said she is in hiding because threats were made against her. She also said deputies and the bail bondsman violated her rights by forcing entry into her home after she stated she was the only one there.

Attorney H.A. Sala says based on the video evidence, the Sheriff’s Department could have a lawsuit on its hands because of the way they forced into the home without any knowledge of the wanted person being in the home. “They have to knock, state a purpose, say they have a warrant and give time for the person to surrender,” Sala said.

Authorities were looking for Joseph Baker who was arrested for battery on a peace officer in September. They were also looking for a man named Alan Gjurovich because he co-signed on Baker’s bail bond which Baker forfeited by not showing up in court. Gjurovich is in hiding but spoke to 17 News by phone. He said the sheriff’s department is trying to stop him from filing a lawsuit against the county that could damage county judge and clerks’ credibility.

“They’re trying to scare us out of town and out of the county,” Gjurovich said. “The message I was getting, they were giving us a 48 hour ultimatum–give them what they want on Joe Baker or they will personally come down and arrest me.”

Sheriff Donny Youngblood confirmed the deputies in the video are from the Kern County Sheriff’s Department, but he said he can’t comment because an internal affairs investigation is being launched.

KGET:

A local woman said the Kern County Sheriff’s Department and a local bail bondsman violated her civil rights by forcing entry into her home, and she caught it all on tape. A local bail bondsman and attorney who are not affiliated with this case says it was illegal.

“The bail enforcement agent came from behind her like he may have went through a window which is against the law,” Glenn Pierce of Gotta Go Bail Bonds said. “He basically broke into her house.”

Pierce has worked in the business for thirteen years and was stunned by the youtube video of sheriff’s deputies and a bail bonds enforcement official forcing their way into a local woman’s home. He says bondsmen don’t need a warrant, but they can only enter a home if they are chasing the person of interest and see them run into a building or home.

Pierce also says it’s against policy for the sheriff’s department to team up with bail bonds enforcement, but more troubling, he says is the way this woman was treated. Attorney H.A. Sala also viewed the video and believes laws were broken

“They have to knock, state a purpose, say they have a warrant and give time for the person to surrender,” Sala said. Sala says authorities were already in the home, before telling the woman why they were there. In the video, authorities were asking for Joseph Baker who was arrested for battery on a peace officer in September. Baker was not found in the home which Sala says could give more grounds for a lawsuit against he Kern County Sheriff’s Department.

Sala says there must be a search warrant issued to enter a home, but authorities don’t have to show it to civilians. He says this is usually not an issue because officers and deputies explain why they are at someone’s home. Sala believes the conduct in this case was out of line.

Sheriff Donny Youngblood said he can’t comment because an internal affairs investigation is being launched.

Woman’s Statement On YouTube:

Sheriff’s busted into my private home at approx 6 am on Tuesday March 30, 2010. They banged on the door and yelled “Open up… Kern County Sheriff” etc.. for about 4-5 minutes.. I was alone and they were looking for Joe, the man they beat up on the roadside a few months ago in Bakersfield, California. (see video “Joe Police Brutality on my channel” They said they had a warrant but when I demanded to see it, they then retracted their statement and said “We don’t NEED a warrant!!” They threatened to arrest me.. and tried to ORDER ME in my private home to “{back off” of them. See for yourself if I backed off… I do not follow orders of color of law nazi military agents.. they have NO AUTHORITY and NO JURISDICTION. They unlawfully entered and terrorized me. Then they went to my friend Alan’s dad’s house where he was and approached him with guns at his head and threatened to “RIG” a drug test on him to frame him for something. They also said they would kill Joe if they find him. They refused to identify themselves and when I asked one if he was a robot.. he replied “YES”!