I've been Subpoened!

[ChipWrecked]

"You're out of order! This whole trial is out of order!"

[Mrs. Utah]

[ QUOTE ]
Also, is there any instance in which the victim can legally refuse to testify? I don't have a problem personally with testifying (other than the fact that I'll have to stick around for about an extra week after my finals) but I can definitely see some instances in which the victim might not want to. It just seems absurd to me that someone could potenially be arrested for refusing to talk about a case in which THEY were they victim of a crime.


[/ QUOTE ]

I testified in a sexual assualt case a while back-I did this girl's medical exam and rape kit-it took me 7 hours to document all of her injuries. When she testified she was ripped apart by the defense(she was young and scared) and unfortunately ended in a mistrial. So, when she was called for a second trial she disappeared-did not tell a sole including her family a she did not want to get anyone in trouble.
She eventually resurfaced and the DA called to give me heads up that I would have to testify again...I am still waiting.

Let the prosecuters office know if you have to leave the area, there always seem to be continuances. I would not want to just hang around until they are ready-they need you to testify and you should given what happened-but you also have a life. If you don't live in the area and they do continue they should work around you to a degree. I always ask for time frames and give them dates I am available- I don't have time to sit around the courthouse all day-its happened-it sucks.

[Schwartzy61]

[ QUOTE ]
and what asshat chose the proper spelling for "supoena?" I want a word with him, the bastard.

[/ QUOTE ]

Well it comes from two latin words.

Sub, meaning under

and

Poena, meaning penalty

So they were really lazy and just added two words together and got subpoena...so it's like any other word that has sub as a prefix. submarine, substandard, etc.

[Iplayboard]

[ QUOTE ]
"I don't cry when the police die cuz they prolly deserved it."

I was outraged when you posted that little ditty last week.

Now I see that at the first sign of trouble, to whom did you run?

I hope that on your court date, you get a flat tire, or the bus breaks down, or the subway derails, or SOMETHING happens that causes your failure to appear. Because if you can somehow piss off a judge, you'll get a great "insider's view" of "our retarded legal system".

[/ QUOTE ]

Because I called our legal system retarded, you hope that I get arrested because the bus breaks down. In other words, you want me be to imprisoned not because I actually did anything wrong, but because I said something you disagreed with. I'm glad you have such a mature and developed sense of justice.

I don't hate individual police officers. I noticed how you didn't quote me when I said "I don't blame the police, cause the people that run em got em on a short lease."

I just don't put them up on a pedestal like everyone else. They aren't noble heroes protecting my freedom. They are just doing their job. Sometimes that leads to them protecting my freedom, like in this instance. Sometimes it leads to them infringing upon my freedom, as is the case with enforcement of underage drinking and drug laws.

In the thread you are referring to I simply argued that my friend shouldn't get arrested for driving with a .025 BAC. I'm not sure how you construed this to mean I thought thugs should be able to commit armed robbery.

[youtalkfunny]

OK then, I hope you willfully decide to blow off the court date. I take great pleasure in imaginging a judge grumbling as he orders the warrant for your arrest to be issued.

[ QUOTE ]
In the thread you are referring to I simply argued that my friend shouldn't get arrested for driving with a .025 BAC. I'm not sure how you construed this to mean I thought thugs should be able to commit armed robbery.

[/ QUOTE ]

I construed it to mean that you're a hypocrite who thinks, "Cops suck, unless I need their help."

[Borodog]

[ QUOTE ]
I construed it to mean that you're a hypocrite who thinks, "Cops suck, unless I need their help."

[/ QUOTE ]

How is this hypocritical given our monopoly "justice" system?

If I need food, and the only place to get it is from the government, am I a hypocrite for saying the food sucks yet still eating it?

[beenben]

+victims cannot drop charges
+they subpoenaed you to make sure that you show and that if you don't show they can get a continuance.
+someone from the prosecutor's office should be in touch with you to discuss the case before you have to go to court. They're proly overworked and haven't had a chance to call yet but you can call them
+the defense attorney may try to present your "drug user after sex defense" but a) give juries some credit. b) so what if they do buy it and acquit? then the guy walks but what's the harm to you?

[heater]

[ QUOTE ]
There is one reason why I am somewhat reluctant to testify.

Although I haven't actually discussed this (or anything) with the prosecutor, I have watched enough Law and Order to guess that the defense attorney might suggest I was not actually robbed but rather met up with the defendent to procure drugs and/or sex.

While I don't pay for sex, I do use drugs. Marijuana habitually and I've done cocaine.

Obviously I will inform the DA of this before I testify and let him make the call as to whether or not I actually should take the stand.

If the defense asked me about drug usage, can I take the Fifth?

If I had to honor honestly I would tell him that yes I do use drugs and that he (and the jury) would have to be [censored] insane to think I would purchase them from ghetto black people when I know like 50 college kids within 10 mintutes of me who sell.

It is such an absurd argument (that I was purchasing drugs from these people) for a rational person to accept. However, I'm not sold that most jurors are rational people. The defense might get them to believe that I was a reckless, desperate drug user (cause everyone knows how addictive marijuana is)who would do anything for a score.

[/ QUOTE ]

You're being overly paranoid. If you have no record, there is no reason for you to mention your drug use to anybody. It won't even come up.