North Carolina - Marijuana possession under 1/2 oz

[matt88]

I was pulled over in my vehicle in a high drug neighborhood. I was pulled over by a city police officer. He asked me where I was going, I told him I had made a wrong turn. (I really had just bought some marijuana). He told me to step out of the vehicle, and he patted me down and felt 2 grams of marijuana in my pocket. He then put me in cuffs and took me to jail.

When we go to the jail the officer told the magistrate that "we witnessed the mr. x circling this neighborhood".

I feel like some of my rights were violated. What do you experts think?

I didn't violate any traffic violations. The officer had no real good reason to pull my vehicle over.

I want to get an attorney and plead NOT GUILTY on the grounds of my rights were violated?


I was charged with: Possession of marijuana under 1/2 oz.

I live in North Carolina.

First time I have ever been in trouble with law enforcement.


Any advice please??? I am really losing sleep over this whole ordeal.

 

[You Are Guilty]

I feel like some of my rights were violated. What do you experts think?

I think you watch too much TV.

The officer had no real good reason to pull my vehicle over.

Really?

I was pulled over in my vehicle in a high drug neighborhood. I was pulled over by a city police officer. He asked me where I was going, I told him I had made a wrong turn. (I really had just bought some marijuana...When we go to the jail the officer told the magistrate that "we witnessed the mr. x circling this neighborhood".

Seems like he had a great reason.

I want to get an attorney and plead NOT GUILTY on the grounds of my rights were violated?

You have every right to plead not guilty, however, "my rights were violated" is probably not going to be successful as a defense. Get said attorney and see what they think.

Any advice please??? I am really losing sleep over this whole ordeal.

First time offense for weed + attorney at your side = no reason to lose sleep. You're likely going to get offered some sort of deferred prosecution.

 

[The Occultist]

Something you should keep in mind: police don't just randomly pull people over and hope to score a drug bust. The only people who seem to disagree with this are the people who were "randomly" stopped and caught with drugs. I can't say I recall anybody coming onto this board and posting, "I was pulled over for no reason, they searched my car, found nothing, and let me go! What can I do about this?!" You see the point I'm making? 'Cause the courts gonna follow the same line of reasoning.

Based on what you've posted, you've not a whole lot as far as a defense goes. YAG is likely correct on what you're facing, and it really is nothing to lose sleep over.

 

[vabapesta]

dont they need probable cause to search??? and next time stash the weed before u get pulled. they def. need probable casue to search ur vehicle

 

[PJ Weber]

I was pulled over in my vehicle in a high drug neighborhood

(I really had just bought some marijuana)

When we go to the jail the officer told the magistrate that "we witnessed the mr. x circling this neighborhood"

That's Probable Cause in itself

 

[Peligroso27]

dont they need probable cause to search??? and next time stash the weed before u get pulled. they def. need probable casue to search ur vehicle

Tread carefully, advice like this can get you in trouble.

 

[The Occultist]

dont they need probable cause to search??? and next time stash the weed before u get pulled. they def. need probable casue to search ur vehicle

A "pat" is not a search. It is a valid right the officers can exercise to ensure their safety (i.e. check for weapons). In the process of such, the officers found the illicit goods. Once the goods were found,

The OP never mentioned anything about the police searching his vehicle, so your post is both misinformed as well as irrelevant. But, since I feel to respond, I will say this much: once the arrest is made, any search after that (including the person and the vehicle) is perfectly legal.

Now, I am not a true legal guru and I may also be misinformed, and I will gladly acknowledge such when a more informed person that I corrects any statements I have made.

 

[ReformedMan]

Wow vaba... what other horrible, illegal advice will you dole out next?


Get out of my state!! I'll pay your moving costs, just LEAVE! (Some of us illiterate, uneducated young adults... your words... make MORE than 45K based on a REAL college education and not managing an electronics store in a strip mall and can afford to remove low-life influences from our vicinity. Feel free to use dictionary.com for any words you don't understand)

 

[HomeGuru]

dont they need probable cause to search??? and next time stash the weed before u get pulled. they def. need probable casue to search ur vehicle

**A: is there a defect in your keyboard?

 

[ReformedMan]

**A: is there a defect in your keyboard?

I think the defect lies somewhere within the cranial area....

It is just manifested through the keyboard.

 

[HomeGuru]

I think the defect lies somewhere within the cranial area....

It is just manifested through the keyboard.

**A: good one. I was simply being polite.

 

[ReformedMan]

**A: good one. I was simply being polite.

I spend all day being polite on sales calls. It wears thin when dealing with idiots

 

[InsaneJane]

If you are asked if it's alright to search your car, Always say No.
I usually just look them in the eye and say "no, my life is too short." A lot of officers are trained to ask and are under orders that if the driver says yes, then they have to search.

They can look in all the windows and if they see something that gives them probable cause then so be it. They can always find a tire iron in the trunk and take you in for burglary tools. So just say no!

 

[njjean]

dont they need probable cause to search??? and next time stash the weed before u get pulled. they def. need probable casue to search ur vehicle

I would like to respond to your post privately. In order to do so, you need to click on "User CP", "Settings & Options", "Edit Your Options". Then click on "Enable Private Messaging". Thanks

 

[laneyhat]

first offence marijuana possesion is not that big of a deal in north carolina. if you plead not guilty you are going to look bad. ask the d a for the 90-96 program and if you comply your record will be expunged. if not it is a first class misdemeanor and a 10 dollar fine and court costs.