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What is the name of your state? What is the name of your state? Pennsylvania
I am a college student in Philadelphia and one night two months ago I was walking home with a friend of mine. We had been at a bar earlier that night and had a few drinks. I was planning on stopping by another friends house who lived a block to pick up some notes so he was basicly on the way. Well needless to say I never made it there. Right near the friends appartment who I was walking home I stopped to urinate behind a tree. I'll admit it was a stupid idea. A few seconds later I was accosted by an officer in an unmarked car followed by another police vehicle. The cops began questioning me and basicly informed me that they had seen what I was doing. One cop who took my license and student I.D. sat in the car and began writing up a ticket. I was initially a bit upset and worried that I was going to be slapped with a massive fine which did not have the money for. However, the other cops at the scene told me to calm down and that it would only be a 50 dollar public urination fine. This seemed to put my mind at ease until the cop stepped out of the car with a stack of papers. Immeadiatley the other officers appeared shocked and surprised. I was asked to sign the papers layed down on the hood before me. Trying to be as polite as possible and unconfrontational I asked if it would be possible that I read them first before I signed them. I was told to sign my name on the dotted line and if I did not comply promptly I was to be taken downtown. After I signed I was told that I was also given a citation for underage drinking. I was completely baffled by this. I was NOT holding an alcoholic beverage in my hand and had NOT admitted to drinking. In addition, I was turning 21 in about a month and a half! When I brought this to their attention the cop who had issued the paperwork told me I had thrown a cup of beer out when they had come up to me. When I angerily asked him where the cup was I was told to shut up. This was complete fabrication on their part. The truth was I had been drinking but there was absolutely no proof. I wasnt even issued a breathalizer. And as for the cup - well that was a complete lie.
To make a long story slightly shorter, I had a court appearance where I was given three options: Plead guilty, Plead not guilty, or take a plea bargin which consisted of an alcohol class and a licence suspension. Unfortunatley becasue I had been picked up for underage drinking when I was 16 they informed me I woudl receive a years suspension. Well this was just too much. I was fed up to begin with over what I felt was completely ridiculous charges so I decided my best bet would be to plead not guilty. I decided to chance the 500 dollar fine, permenant record, and year long licence suspension. This friday I go for my court appearnce for underage drinking. I have been 21 years of age for a month now. My question is, do I really have any chance? What is to protect me from these cops completely fabricating a series of events. It seems only logical that the judge will take their word over mine. My friends who have been in similar situations say the officers developed a story to their liking and the judge did not even bat an eye before handing out the fine. I have a very solid internship right now and I'm in a top tier school and all this could be jeoprodized by a loss of license. If I'm guilty then thats the price I'll have to pay. But if not, how do I protect myself? I have no money for a lawyer and my parents are not involved. Any advice would be greatly appreciated.
I am a college student in Philadelphia and one night two months ago I was walking home with a friend of mine. We had been at a bar earlier that night and had a few drinks. I was planning on stopping by another friends house who lived a block to pick up some notes so he was basicly on the way. Well needless to say I never made it there. Right near the friends appartment who I was walking home I stopped to urinate behind a tree. I'll admit it was a stupid idea. A few seconds later I was accosted by an officer in an unmarked car followed by another police vehicle. The cops began questioning me and basicly informed me that they had seen what I was doing. One cop who took my license and student I.D. sat in the car and began writing up a ticket. I was initially a bit upset and worried that I was going to be slapped with a massive fine which did not have the money for. However, the other cops at the scene told me to calm down and that it would only be a 50 dollar public urination fine. This seemed to put my mind at ease until the cop stepped out of the car with a stack of papers. Immeadiatley the other officers appeared shocked and surprised. I was asked to sign the papers layed down on the hood before me. Trying to be as polite as possible and unconfrontational I asked if it would be possible that I read them first before I signed them. I was told to sign my name on the dotted line and if I did not comply promptly I was to be taken downtown. After I signed I was told that I was also given a citation for underage drinking. I was completely baffled by this. I was NOT holding an alcoholic beverage in my hand and had NOT admitted to drinking. In addition, I was turning 21 in about a month and a half! When I brought this to their attention the cop who had issued the paperwork told me I had thrown a cup of beer out when they had come up to me. When I angerily asked him where the cup was I was told to shut up. This was complete fabrication on their part. The truth was I had been drinking but there was absolutely no proof. I wasnt even issued a breathalizer. And as for the cup - well that was a complete lie.
To make a long story slightly shorter, I had a court appearance where I was given three options: Plead guilty, Plead not guilty, or take a plea bargin which consisted of an alcohol class and a licence suspension. Unfortunatley becasue I had been picked up for underage drinking when I was 16 they informed me I woudl receive a years suspension. Well this was just too much. I was fed up to begin with over what I felt was completely ridiculous charges so I decided my best bet would be to plead not guilty. I decided to chance the 500 dollar fine, permenant record, and year long licence suspension. This friday I go for my court appearnce for underage drinking. I have been 21 years of age for a month now. My question is, do I really have any chance? What is to protect me from these cops completely fabricating a series of events. It seems only logical that the judge will take their word over mine. My friends who have been in similar situations say the officers developed a story to their liking and the judge did not even bat an eye before handing out the fine. I have a very solid internship right now and I'm in a top tier school and all this could be jeoprodized by a loss of license. If I'm guilty then thats the price I'll have to pay. But if not, how do I protect myself? I have no money for a lawyer and my parents are not involved. Any advice would be greatly appreciated.