Taunting Police Online
When a person is a fugitive from law enforcement, it’s a good idea to lay low. Stay inside. Watch Netflix. Order Pizza.
It’s also good not to taunt the people pursuing you on Facebook and tell them where you’ve been.
Not so with Derek Lee Helms, 28, of Stanly County, recently arrested. Helms was wanted in connection with an alleged rape and kidnapping in Cabarrus County. The County’s sheriff’s department put his warrant and photograph on their Facebook page. Helms then responded to the Facebook posting, making fun of the officers and accusing law enforcement of being “croked” [sic], according to reports from the Charlotte Observer.
Helms allegedly went on to maintain his innocence on postings and then imply that his pursuers were inept by noting all of the places he’d recently been in the community.
Helms first reply, approximately six hours after the first posting, was eloquent enough: “Truth coming out bfor long vindictive and spitfullness and some croked cops.” [sic]
We personally hate it whenever anyone is spitful. No one likes a spitful person, let alone a croked one.
Ignoring Helms’s grammatical and syntactical errors, law enforcement replied with “Derek Helms[,] you need to turn yourself in.”
According to the Charlotte Observer, the situation earned national media coverage – mostly likely for the strange gutsiness on the part of a fugitive. Notably, in addition to garnering national media attention, it also spawned supporters of Helms. A user or users created a Facebook group called “Justice for Derek Helms,” which according to the Independent Tribune of Cabarrus County, had more than 100 members sign up. The group noted that it was “not going to stand by and let an innocent man’s life get destroyed by evil.”
But the caper came to an end when Cabarrus County Sheriff’s Deputies caught up with Helms and put him into custody.
Should’ve stayed in, watched Netflix and ordered pizza….. And stayed off of Facebook.
- Continuing Legal Education Instructor of the Year, North Carolina Bar Association
- Former President, Greensboro Criminal Defense Lawyers Association
- Board Member, Criminal Justice Section, North Carolina Bar Association
Talk to a Greensboro traffic and DWI lawyer today
Bring the citation, any DMV letter and your court date.
Garrett, Walker, Aycoth & Olson, Attorneys at Law
317 South Greene St, Greensboro, NC 27401
(336) 379-0539
This article explains North Carolina law in general terms. It is not legal advice about your case, and laws, penalties and court procedures change. Contact an attorney about your specific situation.