Ask jman220 a question about criminal prosecution

jman220 · #1 03-25-2006, 02:02 AM

Go.

--Nothing in this thread will constitute legal advice.

ImsaKidd · #2 03-25-2006, 02:09 AM

Is it possible to pursue legal action against someone for starting an "Ask ___ about _____" thread?

jman220 · #3 03-25-2006, 02:17 AM

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Is it possible to pursue legal action against someone for starting an "Ask ___ about _____" thread?

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Anything is possible.

You can always "pursue legal action." You can sue almost anyone, at any time, for just about anything. However, if you bring about a frivolous suit (such as one against someone for a posting ono an internet message board), you could be subject to litigation sanctions. However, none of this pertains to criminal prosecution, and is outside my area. The better question is will you be successful. The answer to that is almost certainly no.

warlockjd · #4 03-25-2006, 04:05 PM

A friend of mine got a DUI. Luckily for him, the prosecutor was in the Elk's club, and my friend's boss at work was ranked higher than the prosecutor.

Long story short, it was a slam dunk case but they dropped it thanks to boss. Friend was supposed to make a re election campaign contribution. Friend never did that (said he couldn't morally justify contributing to corrupt officials),

The question: How typical are 'buddy' deals like this if someone knows the prosecutor, etc?

Tron · #5 03-25-2006, 04:14 PM

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Friend never did that (said he couldn't morally justify contributing to corrupt officials)

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Your friend shouldn't have been able to morally justify letting them drop the case.

jman220 · #6 03-25-2006, 04:55 PM

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The question: How typical are 'buddy' deals like this if someone knows the prosecutor, etc?

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Was this in a more rural jurisdiction? In my experience (and I worked in two relatively urban areas), this kind of thing would not fly. The prosecutor's I worked with did everything to avoid even the appearance of impropriety, because they are elected, and they know that scandals like that are what can cost them re-election.

If this was just an assistant prosecuting attorney (like an ADA, ACA, APA, etc.), then I guess stuff like that does happen, but the prosecutor is risking his job, and I never experienced anything like it with the prosecutor's that I worked under.

AvivaSimplex · #7 03-25-2006, 05:21 PM

Would it make things easier or harder for you if police were required to video tape all their interrogations?

warlockjd · #8 03-25-2006, 05:24 PM

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Was this in a more rural jurisdiction?

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yes, good call...it was a college town in IN

italianstang · #9 03-25-2006, 05:46 PM

So what if:

I walk in to my girlfriend's apartment and find her fighting physically with her female roommate. They have been arguing for weeks about stupid [censored] like dishes and taking out the trash. They have started verbally going at it and now apparently physically fighting it out as I arrive. I step in and try to seperate the two of them. This requires a little bit of physical force but not so much to hurt either of them. After they are appropriately seperate the roommate then punches me in the mouth fairly hard.

If I call the police immediately and want to press charges what is the likelihood of her being arrested? What percentage of the time will the cops not even come out? What percentage will they come out and try to talk everyone in to relaxing? What percentage can I get them to take her to jail?

jman220 · #10 03-25-2006, 06:56 PM

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Would it make things easier or harder for you if police were required to video tape all their interrogations?

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Thats a good question. I would think it would make it easier, in that it might cut down on suppression motions, but it could go the other way, and cause an increase in them, and in the length of suppression hearings as tapes of the confessions are offered into evidence and played for the judge. So I guess the answer is, I don't really know.