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Harassment charges?

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person1234

Junior Member
This is a tad long, im sorry....just wanted to make sure i included most everything that was relevant. Please help :(

What is the name of your state? Illinois

So i was with this girl on and off for over a year and a half. And long story short we where still seeing eachother but it was very shaky. So we hung up on the phone on night, with the intention of probably hanging out the next day. But when i called she didnt answer. I continued to call over the next 5-6 days, sometimes a few times a day to try and figure out what was going on.

Next thing i know im out drinking with my buddies ((more drunk that i probably should have been)) and i get a call from the police saying i need to stop calling her. Both because of my drunkness and defiance i called her back right then anyway......for all i know that could have been her friend that called and said they were the police ( wouldnt be the first time her friends called me ). The 2 days later i find out from a legal advertisement letter that i have an arrest warrant out for phone harassment, with no warning. So i had to post a hefty bond and now i have to go to court for it.

Meanwhile, the day i got the warrant/ took care of it....i got a letter from her in the mail a page and a half typed in all caps yelling at me. In the letter was also a condom, which was not explained in the letter.....which was creepy to say the least. 2 days after that letter i got another one that was 4 1/2 pages long typed that explained she was going through a tough time, and how she couldnt answer my phone calls because she got panic attacks when i called and almost fell over in the elevator**************.and other such things to suggest she wasnt all there mentally at the time. They were both postmarked about a day before the warrant....

So due to the fact that she never told me taht she didnt want me to call her herself, and the long relationship and everything thrown into the mix**************.is there a good chance i can just get this thrown out in court if i fight it? ...I mean i was still receiving letters from her and stuff, and just never heard from her on the phone randomly....

The thing i am most worried about though, is a message i stupidly left her on night saying, "i really need you to call me back and let me know whats going on i havent heard from you, or im going to come find you....and your not going to like it." .... was not and wasnt meant to be a physical threat (( i would NEVER actually do anything like that)), i just seriously was going to go look for her because i didnt know what happened or if she was ok, and i was going to mad and probably yell at her because i was very upset. That being said, i understand it falls under the "indirect threat" and courts dont look to kindly on that sort of thing**************but in this whole mess thats the only thing i did that i think i have to worry about.

I know its only a criminal misdemeanor, but how serious could it be? ...Do i need a lawyer? Can i fight this one on my own?

I really appreciate any helpful advice
 


FlyingRon

Senior Member
Next thing i know im out drinking with my buddies ((more drunk that i probably should have been)) and i get a call from the police saying i need to stop calling her. Both because of my drunkness and defiance i called her back right then anyway......
You need to sober up. If it was the police, or if it was the ex- or a friend of hers, continuing to call someone who doesn't want to talk to you is HARASSMENT.
Meanwhile, the day i got the warrant/ took care of it....i got a letter from her in the mail a page and a half typed in all caps yelling at me. In the letter was also a condom, which was not explained in the letter.....which was creepy to say the least. 2 days after that letter i got another one that was 4 1/2 pages long typed that explained she was going through a tough time, and how she couldnt answer my phone calls because she got panic attacks when i called and almost fell over in the elevator**************.and other such things to suggest she wasnt all there mentally at the time. They were both postmarked about a day before the warrant....
And this means what?
I know its only a criminal misdemeanor, but how serious could it be? ...Do i need a lawyer? Can i fight this one on my own?

I really appreciate any helpful advice
Yes it is serious. Yes a lawyer would be helpful. I think you're judgment is a bit impaired even if for some reason you are not technically guilty so I would suggest a neutral party like a lawyer to act for you.
 

person1234

Junior Member
You need to sober up. If it was the police, or if it was the ex- or a friend of hers, continuing to call someone who doesn't want to talk to you is HARASSMENT.
But thats the thing, she never told me she didnt want to talk to me, it just randomly happend one day, the first thing i heard was the call from the police.....which for all i knew at the time may or may not have actually been the police.

I didnt know what was going on at that point. I looked up some stuff online, dont i need to be calling with the "intent to harass" to be charged with this? Never once did i call just with the purpose of harassing her.

And this means what?
Means that she was still sending me letters, still communicating. ...but then charges me with harassment when i try and call her? Like i said i dont know much about this stuff, but that just doesnt seem right to me.

Yes it is serious. Yes a lawyer would be helpful. I think you're judgment is a bit impaired even if for some reason you are not technically guilty so I would suggest a neutral party like a lawyer to act for you.
I suppose i will start looking for one then, i was hoping that i wouldnt have to. ...i really dont feel like ive committed a "crime" here.....


but thanks for your reply
 

Zigner

Senior Member, Non-Attorney
But thats the thing, she never told me she didnt want to talk to me, it just randomly happend one day, the first thing i heard was the call from the police.....which for all i knew at the time may or may not have actually been the police.
I guess the 5-6 days of not returning your call wasn't a big enough hint. Let this girl go, champ. If she writes to you, save the letters (preferably unopened) for your legal defense.

But, honestly, you did threaten her. Perhaps you need to work on your anger management issues too.
 

person1234

Junior Member
I guess the 5-6 days of not returning your call wasn't a big enough hint. Let this girl go, champ. If she writes to you, save the letters (preferably unopened) for your legal defense.

But, honestly, you did threaten her. Perhaps you need to work on your anger management issues too.
yeah thanks lol.....shes deff gone now. ....but when you are with someone for over a year and a half, one week of no returned calls isnt exactly a clear cut answer to anything.....

but thanks for the input
 

Zigner

Senior Member, Non-Attorney
yeah thanks lol.....shes deff gone now. ....but when you are with someone for over a year and a half, one week of no returned calls isnt exactly a clear cut answer to anything.....

but thanks for the input
From your original post, I don't think you two were as "together" as you might think you were...

"So i was with this girl on and off for over a year and a half. And long story short we where still seeing eachother but it was very shaky."
 

person1234

Junior Member
So i called a lawyers office for a initial consult, And he informed me that it was the state/county or whatever moving this not her, she is just listed as a witness.

He said that if i plead guilty, it would most likely be nothing more than a minimal fine and court supervision. Since im young and i have no criminal record.

He also stated that i would HAVE to have a lawyer present on my court date, or the judge would just continue the case and say get a lawyer...

....not sure how sound of advice this was, but he seemed to know what he was talking about. Does this sound right for this type of case?
 

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