Proving Innocence?? Help!

[Perrycnn]

What is the name of your state (only U.S. law)? Virginia

So this guy i have never met before who works as a paid informant for the local police said he performed a controlled substance buy from me. I absolutely did not do this, yet somehow I was indicted. It turns out that he is a suicidal heroin addict. It also turns out conveniently that the audio and video recording were somehow "corrupted", and when upon asking the DA what happened, he said the police lost it somehow. I obviously plead not guilty and tried to file for dismissal... They said that his testimony and the "drugs" i sold him are enough to convict me...seriously? How can one prove their innocence?? They basically said if its just my testimony vs his, i will lose. How is this even possible??

 

[davew128]

What happened when you spoke to your attorney? I mean did you seriously think the DA would listen to anything you said, innocent or not?

 

[quincy]

What is the name of your state (only U.S. law)? Virginia

So this guy i have never met before who works as a paid informant for the local police said he performed a controlled substance buy from me. I absolutely did not do this, yet somehow I was indicted. It turns out that he is a suicidal heroin addict. It also turns out conveniently that the audio and video recording were somehow "corrupted", and when upon asking the DA what happened, he said the police lost it somehow. I obviously plead not guilty and tried to file for dismissal... They said that his testimony and the "drugs" i sold him are enough to convict me...seriously? How can one prove their innocence?? They basically said if its just my testimony vs his, i will lose. How is this even possible??

Why do you think the paid informant said you sold him drugs? Why you?

You obviously need an attorney to help you with your defense. The attorney will work with you, and with what the prosecutor has in the way of evidence against you, to either get the charges against you dismissed or to prove you are not guilty of the crime.

 

[tranquility]

What is the name of your state (only U.S. law)? Virginia

So this guy i have never met before who works as a paid informant for the local police said he performed a controlled substance buy from me. I absolutely did not do this, yet somehow I was indicted. It turns out that he is a suicidal heroin addict. It also turns out conveniently that the audio and video recording were somehow "corrupted", and when upon asking the DA what happened, he said the police lost it somehow. I obviously plead not guilty and tried to file for dismissal... They said that his testimony and the "drugs" i sold him are enough to convict me...seriously? How can one prove their innocence?? They basically said if its just my testimony vs his, i will lose. How is this even possible??

You cannot "prove" your innocence. The state must prove your guilt. Because of the problem with the recording, it seems like a good attorney could poke many holes in the state's case. The first thing an attorney would do is recognize Virginia is not a great state for state disclosure to the accused. Everything must be demanded in discovery other than a limited required disclosure requirement of exculpatory evidence. Then, there is the attack on the reliability of the informant. Your attorney's goal is to give a reasonable doubt to a juror. Not prove you are innocent.

 

[Eekamouse]

What is the name of your state (only U.S. law)? Virginia

So this guy i have never met before who works as a paid informant for the local police said he performed a controlled substance buy from me. I absolutely did not do this, yet somehow I was indicted. It turns out that he is a suicidal heroin addict. It also turns out conveniently that the audio and video recording were somehow "corrupted", and when upon asking the DA what happened, he said the police lost it somehow. I obviously plead not guilty and tried to file for dismissal... They said that his testimony and the "drugs" i sold him are enough to convict me...seriously? How can one prove their innocence?? They basically said if its just my testimony vs his, i will lose. How is this even possible??

Hmmm.... you don't know this guy yet you know he's a suicidal heroin addict. That's interesting. How would you know this about a guy you've never met before?

 

[Just Blue]

Hmmm.... you don't know this guy yet you know he's a suicidal heroin addict. That's interesting. How would you know this about a guy you've never met before?

Perhaps another CI told OP?

 

[NellieBly]

Hmmm.... you don't know this guy yet you know he's a suicidal heroin addict. That's interesting. How would you know this about a guy you've never met before?

Perhaps the suicidal heroin addict won't live long enough to testify.