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Randy Cassingham's BlogHistorical Details and Author's Notes from This is True®
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Dude! I Got Trashed Last Night!
Another story that isn't really complete without the photos mentioned. Even before I posted them, a couple of readers thought I was too hard on the guy. Let's start with the story, from True's 19 July 2009 issue.
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Another Career Trashed
A man called police in Jeffersonville, Ind., to say that there was a man sleeping on his property -- inside his overturned trash can. It was no street bum: it was his next-door neighbor, Larry Wilder, police say. Wilder was apparently intoxicated, they say, but said no crime had been committed, and officers walked him home. Wilder is a private attorney on contract to represent the city and the local school district at $100 an hour; he has resigned both positions. "I can't tell you what happened. I wish I could," Wilder said later -- the last thing he remembered was celebrating with a client. He thinks he only had "three or four" drinks, and "I take responsibility for my conduct." He is upset that photos of him in the trash can were leaked to the media, and accuses the police of doing it. "I think the police officer who leaked the photos should only apologize to my kids," Wilder said, but "I would defend that police officer if any effort is taken to discipline him." (Jeffersonville News and Tribune) ...For $100 an hour.
And the photos:
He really got trashed at the party. |
Walking him home. Four cops out of service to deal with this (three shown, plus another who took the photo). Photos: Jeffersonville Police |
Reader John in Rhode Island writes, "Based on your story, I think you were hard on Mr. Wilder. He made a mistake and paid the price. And took responsibility for his actions."
Yes, I do have some sympathy for the guy. He's made a statement to the local paper to say he takes responsibility for his actions, and also resigned his positions with the local governments (though will remain on cases that are already being litigated). And it was quite the lucrative contract, too: in 2008 the city paid him $107,000 for services rendered, four times more than the next highest-paid city attorney, the source article notes. And that apparently doesn't include fees from the school district, nor any retainers paid.
In taking responsibility, Wilder said "I've made a mistake. I've embarrassed myself. I've embarrassed my family, and I've embarrassed my clients." He apparently didn't drive drunk, either: "Wilder said he was picked up and dropped off in a limousine, but says he does not remember having more than three or four drinks," the story said. On the other hand, he whines, "I think that those individuals who have chosen to revel in my embarrassment are certainly satisfied with what they've achieved, so they should be pleased."
Wilder is indeed fairly angry, another follow-up story made clear, over the leaked photos. He demands the officer(s) who leaked them to "stand up and take credit for what they did," Wilder said. "They're hiding behind the [Fraternal Order of Police union] like cowards because they think they did something wrong," he said. "Be a man and take responsibility for your conduct."
Thus my sympathy only goes so far. As a public figure -- not only as a prominent citizen, but one who made a significant portion of his living from tax dollars -- Wilder certainly knows that his public actions are subject to public comment. And he's certainly seeing that! The story made national headlines, the Jeffersonville News and Tribune reported.
My sympathy is muted because his anger over the photos is misplaced. It's smart for police to take evidence photos; now there's no dispute that Wilder was in fact inside the trash can. So why shouldn't the police release evidence of trespass by public figures in the town? Seems to me it's public record, just like a mug shot would be. And had his neighbor taken the photos and put them on their own web site, would Wilder have a fit over it? I doubt it.
There's only one person to blame here: Wilder. Someone who has "three or four drinks" over the course of an evening doesn't black out and do stupid things like dump out a neighbor's trash can to take a nap. This is a case of "I take responsibility, but...!" -- which is hardly true acceptance of responsibility for one's actions.
So, Mr. Wilder: "Be a man and take responsibility for your conduct" -- without equivocation. You did wrong, and it's costing you plenty -- probably more than it should, though on the other hand you didn't get arrested, too, as most normal citizens probably would have been. But if you have a drinking problem, get help with it before it costs you everything else. The blame here doesn't lie with the police even if there was political motivation. You gave your opponents the opportunity, so who can blame them for simply showing your public actions to the public? And while I'm not an opponent, I want to make something clear: I don't "revel" in your embarrassment, but I'm happy to use it as yet another example for others of what not to do.
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Most Recent Comments
Posted by Gary, Erie, PA on July 31, 2009:
Considering only the facts in this incident, this individual should be made to do more than face up to his responsibilities. It should be recognized for what it is, irresponsible noncognitive behavior. The people around him have the right to know just how dangerous and unpredictable he may be. He should be watched.
Facing up to what he had done is one thing, but taking steps to insure it will not happen again would be even better.
If this individual has an automobile or firearms he has the potential to be a danger to the people around him.
Personally I believe waking up in the street in a garbage hopper rarely happens to normal, rational people.
Excusing this incident because he had been drinking is irrational.
FYI Those of you believing I do not imbibe are wrong those of you thinking I am inflexable on this point are correct.
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I don't recall anyone "excusing" his behavior at all, let alone because he had been drinking. -rc
Posted by J, Florida on August 24, 2009:
Good points as usual, Randy, but a key element you aren't addressing is the line in the original where the police said "no crime had been committed".
So your subsequent statement about "why shouldn't the police release evidence of trespass by public figures in the town" is where the otherwise fine line of reasoning detours to visit Pet Peeve Circle.
No crime was committed, the police are not the morality enforcers so they have no right and should have not interest in shaming people, public or private.
And the part about "Four cops out of service to deal with this" reeks of faux outrage. I trust the cops know their job and did not apply resources that were critically needed to this call.
It's not "like a mugshot" because there was no crime.
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There is no disconnect between "trespassing" and "no crime was committed" -- he was in fact trespassing on his neighbor's property, but clearly the neighbor didn't wish to press charges, so it's not "criminal trespass". So yes: by definition we end up with a fine line here. I put it out for discussion, and it is being discussed. -rc
Posted by Scott, Portland OR on September 4, 2009:
Out here in the sticks this tale and the comments smells just a tad like ZT.
Stipulated: the guy was stupid drunk.
Stipulated: He's a $@#$!@#$ Lawyer! so he's fair game, right?
Um... HE DIDN'T DRIVE!
Any damage done was limited to litter in a very small radius.
He went a HELL of a lot farther in accepting responsibility for his action than 99.4% of public figures caught in 1/10th to 10x of a similar situation.
I recently had the experience of a bartender pouring me two drinks super extra strong. Perhaps she was flirting, I dunno. Those two drinks were the total of that day's consumption. I knew I was hammered had to hand my keys to someone else to drive. That's consumption of regular stuff, in surprise quantity.
We are not told anything about Mr. Wilder's drinks other than his memory of a quantity that should have left him able to navigate home. Was he taking meds? Was he catching something? Did someone boost his dose? Too many unanswered questions to trash the man in the court of blog opinion.
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I didn't trash him, Scott: he trashed himself. That was the point of this entire page. I also said I have "some" sympathy for him. But I do disagree with the police, who claimed "no crime had been committed." Yet public intoxication is a crime, and so is trespassing. It would have been more accurate to say that the neighbor chose not to press charges. Still, as far as I understand it, those crimes had been committed. Yet no one has ever said anything about him driving, so I'm unclear why you're defensive about that. Meanwhile, while you expect people to read your comment, you clearly didn't read the ones already here: you covered things that have already been discussed, and completely ignore the real victims here: Mr. Wilder's children, about whom he professes such concern. That's no "small radius." -rc