Thought it was over

[ruffianonaita]

What is the name of your state? Missouri

I need some help please. In July 03 my niece made an assault charge against me with the local police. Nothing happened, but she made the accusation anyhow. I was reported to the Department of Family Services. They found the accusation to be substantiated. I asked them to reinvestigate, because nothing happened. They still decided that I was guilty of the charges. I appealed and I had to appear before a Child Abuse and Neglect panel to testify on behalf of myself. The panel decided that the allegation was unsubstantiated and the record of the incident was to be destroyed. Meanwhile, here in March of 06, I get pulled over for no license plate on the front of my truck, the officer ran my license and found that I had an outstanding warrant from July 03, yet I had never been charged or received any letters or notices to appear. Where did this come from? Can they just decide to create a warrant for my arrest without telling me? When I went to court for the arraignment, they said that I was send the charges in the mail, and since it wasn't returned, I must have received them. I then was handed a copy of the charges signed by the judge, and it had attached a probable cause statement from the local police officer, but it made no mention of an investigation, or any statements about the incident that I made to the officer at that time. He did come to my home and ask me about the incident, used some of the information in the report, but against me (without reading me my miranda rights). I have read that if he was the one that requested the warrant, it was his responisibility to follow up with it. I went through hell for six months trying to make this all go away, thought it did, and now it is back to bite me in the backside. I can't get a public defender cause I won't do any time, yet I can't afford an attorney. This should have gone away, but now it's back. I don't know how to handle this, because I will probably end up handling this pro per. I was arrested with no miranda and no phone call. There was a $250 cash bond, and cause I could not pay it, the judge was ready to let me stay in the jail for two weeks until he had an opening in his docket. I have never been in any trouble before, and this was a serious emotional experience seeing that I am already physically and emotionally disabled, I am much worse off now than I was before. Any info or suggestions would be greatly appreciated. Thank you so much.