The Justice system is rigged. More innocent people sign plea deals to avoid the uncertainty of a trial.
August 4th, 2015 Bounty Hunters knock Chief’s door
On August 4th, 2015, bounty hunters were purposefully given the wrong address to locate a suspect wanted out of Oklahoma.
Mugshot of Aaron Michael Bray
For an unknown reason, Aaron Michael Bray sent a text message giving the address of Phoenix Police Chief Joseph Yahner’s house as the location to locate the wanted suspect. The text said the suspect would only be at the residence for two hours, limiting the time the bounty hunters would have to investigate. Bray was also employed as a Bounty Hunter in Mesa.
Former Phoenix Police Chief Joseph Yahner
Before knocking the door, Phoenix PD was given the exact address they were going to knock. At 9:30pm, the Bounty Hunters surrounded Joseph Yahner’s house and knocked the door. In a matter of seconds, he answered the door holding his police baton standing in his underwear.
Yahner’s girlfriend called 911
Joseph Yahner exited his house screaming and cursing. It was the Bounty Hunters who attempted to de-escalate the situation. While Yahner screamed, his girlfriend called 911. John Hook from the local Fox 10 News stated that Yahner was having an affair. His wife was out of town and his girlfriend was staying at his house for the night.
Several Agents surround Yahner’s House
While a total of nine bounty hunters surrounded Joseph Yahner’s residence, only one was arrested and taken in for questioning. Brent Farley was being charged with Aggravated Assault and Criminal Trespassing.
Brent Farley was charged with two misdemeanors
The Phoenix Police department tried their hardest to file an aggravated assault charge against Brent Farley. But due to the video that documented the events that night, they were unable to file those charges. Instead, they filed two misdemeanor counts. Criminal Trespassing and Disorderly Conduct.
Phoenix PIO Sergeant Trent Crump
While Brent Farley was facing false accusations, the Phoenix Police Department went into full protective mode. Sergeant Trent Crump held a press conference where he lied about several of the facts. He lied about the number of people involved. And he lied about a young girl walking around with a toy gun, among other things.
Brent Farley speaks with the media while incarcerated
Brent Farley agreed to speak with the media while incarcerated. His main point in the interview wasn’t what happened that night. It was who the man was who answered the door, the Chief of Police of the Phoenix Police Department.
Maricopa County Judge Sherry Stephens
The case remained open for over a year as Brent Farley and his team of attorneys were preparing for trial. Brent Farley believed he was innocent, but knew if he was found guilty, he would be facing two years in state prison.
Photo from Aaron Michael Bray’s Facebook Page
While Brent Farley was preparing his own defense, the FBI and Mesa Police Department arrested Aaron Michael Bray. He was charged with computer tampering. He plead guilty and was given probation. He is the man who sent the bounty hunters to the wrong address, on purpose.
Maricopa Attorney Bill Montgomery
Brent Farley’s prosecutor was not trusted to handle the case. Although he remained active in the case, he was not allowed to make any decisions without the prior approval of his direct supervisor.
Bounty Hunters discuss a fugitive with Mesa PD
The other bounty hunters who were charged all received one misdemeanor charge and three months probation. Believing he was innocent, Brent Farley continued to prepare for trial.
Cells inside the Arizona Department of Corrections
The prosecutors office offered Brent Farley a deal. If he decided to want a trial, they would file two more felony charges against him. This would start the entire process over. And they followed it up with a threat. If found guilty at trial, they would stack the charges. Meaning each charge would be handled as a separate crime. Instead of two years in prison, he would serve 20 years. For knocking a door.
Brent Farley at Alcatraz- Before His Arrest
Brent Farley has been married over twenty years and has two daughters. Spending twenty years in prison for a non-violent crime (really no crime at all) was out of the question. He advised his attorneys to work on a plea deal.
Brent Farley speaks with the media after accepting a plea arrangement
Brent Farley, although believing in his innocence 100% accepted a plea deal. He was sentenced to two years of probation. He was ordered to pay $65.00 a month in probation fines and no probation. He accepted the plea deal to avoid spending a possible 20 years in prison.
Remember the old game show, “Let’s Make a Deal”?
Our justice system has turned its head away from finding justice and has become more of the game show “Let’s Make a Deal”. More and more innocent people are avoiding the unknowns of a trial and accepting a plea agreement.
More court cases are ending in Plea Deals
According to a 2012 article written in the New York Times, 97% of federal cases and 94% of state cases end up with plea deals being signed by the defendants.
Radio host and Author Tammy Bruce
When Brent Farley was finally allowed to speak in the court room, he ended his written speech with a quote from radio host Tammy Bruce. She said, “Trials are no longer about freeing the innocent, punishing the guilty, and making restitution to the injured. They have devolved into a contest over who will win.”
On the day Brent Farley agreed to a plea deal, justice did not win.