Tweet
Rapper Wise Intelligent is a founding member of the group Poor Righteous Teachers, as well as an MC and a youth organizer. And, is also the co-founder of an outreach organization called Intelligent Seedz (IntelligentSeedz.org), designed to create better opportunities for at-risk youth in New Jersey.
He's all these things, and most recently, he added criminal to that resume. Well, not exactly.
Wise was falsely arrested by New Jersey Police right in front of his home last Wednesday (July 8 ), after they thought they saw him in the act of selling narcotics.
The rapper blogged about the experience on his Myspace page (MySpace.com/WiseIntelligent), calling it "extortion, intimidation and abuse of power in the worse way!"
According to Wise, he was driving home from a long day -- which included an interview with the Superintendent of Trenton Public Schools for kids of his Intelligent Seedz program, and a day in the studio -- when he came across a friend who was jogging near his home. The pair spoke, exchanged handshakes, and Wise continued on his way home. As he pulled in front of his house, police sirens pulled in behind him, and approached his vehicle.
After several questions, he was asked to exit the vehicle and was padded him down while his vehicle and the surrounding areas were searched. Despite not being able to locate any narcotics, things got sticky, as the rapper explains.
"At this point he's patting me down. Then he walks away to search in the driver side of my vehicle," Wise blogged. "His partner is searching in the bushes up the block where I had just driven past and in the bushes I was now parked in front of (my neighbor's yard basically). The male cop comes back and continues patting me down, checking my pockets.
"So, I turn around slightly gazing under my right arm pit, both hands still on my car, and ask 'Am I being arrested?' And this a-hole of an officer says 'Bow you're being arrested for ASSAULT ON AN OFFICER!????' Am I crazy or did he just say I'm being arrested for assault on an officer? Yep, assault on an officer I never touched, disrespected, raised my voice to or challenged in any way," he continued.
He was cuffed, thrown into the backseat, and driven to the station. In the car, he asked the officers the reason for his arrest once more, to which he was told it was for obstructing an investigation.
"When they realized I was not a drug dealer that had somehow out witted them, but a married father of two, a youth organization director and co-founder without any warrants, prior arrests, traffic or parking violations, they felt just a little disappointed," Wise explained.
"This disappointment lead them -- in their arrogance and abuse of power and authority -- to make up all kinds of BS to charge me (an apparently innocent civilian) with some kind of violation."
Wise goes on to call this type of situation an injustice that "minorities" must deal with in the inner-cities of America. He says cops will arrest innocent people on bogus charges because they are aware that most will take plea deals in an effort to avoid court, missing work, and paying for attorneys.
"Get them to plea bargain to the lesser tickets and or summons while dropping other charges. Most people take this 'deal' to avoid court, attorney fees and possibly more fines, even though they're innocent," claims the rapper. "This is extortion, intimidation and abuse of power in the worse way!"
After the incident was all said and done, Wise Intelligent was charged with obstructing an investigation, which he says carries a fine of $1,000 and up to six months in jail.
He's pleaded not guilty.
He's all these things, and most recently, he added criminal to that resume. Well, not exactly.
Wise was falsely arrested by New Jersey Police right in front of his home last Wednesday (July 8 ), after they thought they saw him in the act of selling narcotics.
The rapper blogged about the experience on his Myspace page (MySpace.com/WiseIntelligent), calling it "extortion, intimidation and abuse of power in the worse way!"
According to Wise, he was driving home from a long day -- which included an interview with the Superintendent of Trenton Public Schools for kids of his Intelligent Seedz program, and a day in the studio -- when he came across a friend who was jogging near his home. The pair spoke, exchanged handshakes, and Wise continued on his way home. As he pulled in front of his house, police sirens pulled in behind him, and approached his vehicle.
After several questions, he was asked to exit the vehicle and was padded him down while his vehicle and the surrounding areas were searched. Despite not being able to locate any narcotics, things got sticky, as the rapper explains.
"At this point he's patting me down. Then he walks away to search in the driver side of my vehicle," Wise blogged. "His partner is searching in the bushes up the block where I had just driven past and in the bushes I was now parked in front of (my neighbor's yard basically). The male cop comes back and continues patting me down, checking my pockets.
"So, I turn around slightly gazing under my right arm pit, both hands still on my car, and ask 'Am I being arrested?' And this a-hole of an officer says 'Bow you're being arrested for ASSAULT ON AN OFFICER!????' Am I crazy or did he just say I'm being arrested for assault on an officer? Yep, assault on an officer I never touched, disrespected, raised my voice to or challenged in any way," he continued.
He was cuffed, thrown into the backseat, and driven to the station. In the car, he asked the officers the reason for his arrest once more, to which he was told it was for obstructing an investigation.
"When they realized I was not a drug dealer that had somehow out witted them, but a married father of two, a youth organization director and co-founder without any warrants, prior arrests, traffic or parking violations, they felt just a little disappointed," Wise explained.
"This disappointment lead them -- in their arrogance and abuse of power and authority -- to make up all kinds of BS to charge me (an apparently innocent civilian) with some kind of violation."
Wise goes on to call this type of situation an injustice that "minorities" must deal with in the inner-cities of America. He says cops will arrest innocent people on bogus charges because they are aware that most will take plea deals in an effort to avoid court, missing work, and paying for attorneys.
"Get them to plea bargain to the lesser tickets and or summons while dropping other charges. Most people take this 'deal' to avoid court, attorney fees and possibly more fines, even though they're innocent," claims the rapper. "This is extortion, intimidation and abuse of power in the worse way!"
After the incident was all said and done, Wise Intelligent was charged with obstructing an investigation, which he says carries a fine of $1,000 and up to six months in jail.
He's pleaded not guilty.