OT: Busted for weed and I'm not a lawyer

[LOCO1]

Friday night I got busted for smoking grass in my dorm room. If I would have known my rights better I would not have given up my shit. The dude tricked me by saying "you don't want to get the police involved" at which point I decide to give up my stuff. THen he tells me the police will be coming up!!
I got cited for possession and paraphenalia. Possession doesn't seem like it will be that bad but the paraphenalia will fetch 2 years probation, 3 days in jail with 27 suspended, a fine, and a suspended license for 6 months. Apparently everyone in this county gets the maximum for paraphenalia.

What do you guys think I should do? The above punishment is if I plead no contest. I was told to plead not guilty and ask for a public defender. That way I could get the charges knocked down or plea bargain.

This is all really shitty and I probably would've been able to get out of it because no one had a search warrant or evidence. They just said they smelled something-which is bullshit. Just goes to show that you need to KNOW YOUR RIGHTS!!!!!!

Any help is very much appreciated.

 

[nautica]

Damn bro. Sorry to hear that.

This is a good post for the newbies.

Get you an attorney, not a public defender.

 

[amaritto]

What is your record like?? If it is clean, then a public defender or lawyer will get you out with minimal problems. You will still be paying fines, but probably not get anything else.

Atleast that is what happend to me.

 

[BigAndy69]

I'm sorry to hear what happened to you and I'm glad I live in Canada. That sounds really rough. I've never been in this situation and I'm not a lawyer so I cannot give you legal advise.

This sould be a lesson to everone here, always DENY and never say shit to the police. Unless you commit a terrible crime like murder or rape, the police are lazy and will try to get a confession out of you to save them some work. They will never help you like they tell you. Don't call them any names and never make it personnal, if so you get fucked over.

Again, I'm sorry, and hopefully someone here can help you.

 

[tzan]

That really sucks bro. If your record is clean, like amaritto said you'll be OK. My advice is not fight it, even though you think you might win because they didn't have probable cause, warrant, etc.., the fact is you'll never win against the police unless you do get a lawyer and do take them to trial, but that is very expensive for something as small as possesion of weed and parapanelia. Just go to court talk to a public defender who will knock it down to shit like hours and be more careful in the future. I've also learne dthis lesson a few times.

 

[sterol]

The usual deal is that they drop all charges except possesion, to which you plead guilty, and the sentence is differed to a probation instead of jail.


If you can afford one, get an expensive out of town criminal defendant.

 

[LOCO1]

Thanks for the advice guys but it has become clear to me by speaking with people who go to school here that I definitely want to plead not guilty. Not to get it dropped but to get the punishment lessened. If I plead no contest I am looking at probation, a fine, some jail time and loss of my license. I really don't want to lose my license for 6 months especially because I wasn't even driving.

 

[Audio8]

That's the oldest trick in the book man..."do you want me to bring the cops into this?". That's exactly what they say to scare you into coughing up your shit.

By the way, I'm assuming you're over 18 here, so can't you just use your one time, get out of jail free card? AKA; Accelerated Rehab.

 

[LOCO1]

yeah the motherfucker duped me into cooperating. Accelerated rehab is the type of thing I'm looking for. Can you elaborate on exactly what that is. I've been looking up Ohio's marijuana laws and possession of <28 grams is $100 fine. Paraphenilia is $250 fine, 0-30 days jail, 6mnths-5yrs suspended license.

Give me some rehab and a fine is what I'm talking about.

 

[wilson6]

Glad I went to college in the late 70's.

W6