Should Son get Lawyer ?

[mamadi]

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

My son is 17. He was in the woods down the road with some friends. Two cops came up to them and questioned the boys about who the pot belonged to**************.. None of the boys had the marijuana on them. They put what they were smoking inside of a pipe as they saw the cops coming.

Nobody answered, so the cops told them all that if they didn't say anything they were taking them all to jail. My son being naive told the cops some of it was his -- but none of it actually was his !!! Then one of the other boys (who was the true owner of the pot) said the rest was his. Needless to say my son got a ticket and has a court date in March.

Does he need to talk to a lawyer ? The marijuana did not belong to him at all. He was just frightened that he was going to get arrested.

Thanks for your help.

 

[Zigner]

Yes, get him a lawyer.

And, stop minimizing his behavior.

 

[mamadi]

Thanks for the advice. What exactly can / will a lawyer do for him ? Sorry, if I seem a little ignorant, but we've never been in this situation.

 

[cyjeff]

The attorney may be able to persuade the court to give your son a sentence that won't show up on his permanent criminal record once he completes probation.

Oh, and I don't buy the "I am so scared of being arrested that I will confess to a crime" line either. No one confesses to drug possession to get OUT of an arrest.