Underage alcohol, and controlled substance.

[cyjeff]

Again... you don't need to be drunk to be charged with alcohol possession. You don't need to be high to be charged with weed possession.

Why is this so difficult?

You are not legally allowed to hold them. Even if you haven't DONE any of the substances. You seem to be fixated on whether or not the illegal substances were in your system.

That is NOT what you were charged with.

Why won't "your boys" step up? Seems pretty unfriendly to let a friend take a fall for your weed, right?

 

[AdamLawrence]

Sorry if I offended you by using the word boys. Frankly, the only information I am concerned about getting is how much (ball park of course) an attorney is going to cost. I still believe I have a case simply off the fact that we did nothing wrong in the first place, regardless if a cop has the right to talk to us. He didn't "talk" to us. He harassed us and treated us as if we had done something already. So please, if you can offer any knowledge on the cost of an attorney (from your personal experience/knowledge of course) it'd be greatly appreciated. If not, thanks anyways.

 

[ERAUPIKE]

Sorry if I offended you by using the word boys. Frankly, the only information I am concerned about getting is how much (ball park of course) an attorney is going to cost. I still believe I have a case simply off the fact that we did nothing wrong in the first place, regardless if a cop has the right to talk to us. He didn't "talk" to us. He harassed us and treated us as if we had done something already. So please, if you can offer any knowledge on the cost of an attorney (from your personal experience/knowledge of course) it'd be greatly appreciated. If not, thanks anyways.

So, you're mad that the police officer treated you like you were breaking the law before he actually confirmed you were breaking the law. My guess, for an attorney worth his/her salt you are looking at a figure closer to $5,000, give or take $1,000.

 

[AdamLawrence]

So, you're mad that the police officer treated you like you were breaking the law before he actually confirmed you were breaking the law. My guess, for an attorney worth his/her salt you are looking at a figure closer to $5,000, give or take $1,000.

What was his reasoning for pulling behind us and blocking us in, at a crowded beach at 630 at night? The ENTIRE interaction with this police officer not once did he ever say why he originally stopped us from getting out of the car. Because we had our doors open originally ready to get out and go walk the beach. So yes, I am pissed at that.

 

[CdwJava]

You keep saying you did nothing wrong ... but, you and your friends were apparently in possession of drugs and alcohol when you should not have been.

As a note with regards to marijuana, people who do not use it can smell it quite easily. It stays on clothing, in the upholstery, on the skin and hair, everywhere! The odor is distinctive and pungent. If it had recently been smoked in the car, or anyone in the car was wearing clothing that had been near it being smoked within the past few days, perhaps, then the odor could very easily have been apparent. Even marijuana in a baggy or other non-airtight container can be smelled from outside a vehicle.

Whether the officer can make his case or not, who knows. Clearly something tipped him off to the activity in the car. Unfortunately for you, he does not have to tell you what that was at the time. At trial, you may well find out that he saw you or someone pounding back a beer, or something else.

Yes, you can hire an attorney. Yes, it will be a little pricey.

In the future, you and your boys should consider that it is safer to drink and smoke dope at home. Doing that out in public only increases the chance of a legal encounter.

 

[Isis1]

What was his reasoning for pulling behind us and blocking us in, at a crowded beach at 630 at night? The ENTIRE interaction with this police officer not once did he ever say why he originally stopped us from getting out of the car. Because we had our doors open originally ready to get out and go walk the beach. So yes, I am pissed at that.

your attorney cost for a criminal case involving alcohol AND drugs should start you off with a retainer of $5K. then to go past arraignment, get discovery, and off to trial, you are looking at another $5k.

considering you are the one that knew where the weed was because YOU pulled it out, i suggest you tell your friends to admit to the drugs.

 

[Cali408nia]

I was 19 a few years ago and I also got rolled up on by a cop for no apparent reason in a parking lot of a public park and was charged with possession. I was pretty pissed too. Although it's a hard thing to get over, YOU and your boys were the ones who made some bad decisions. You guys had bags of weed and open containers in the car (which is illegal no matter the age). Those actions were DUMB to do in public. Even if you don't drink or smoke (which I don't really believe because there aren't very many 19 year olds who don't smoke or drink who hang out with 3 other friends who do smoke and drink) you were not acting in your best interest by being in the car. You're absolutely right that cops know when they've found a bunch of teenagers who they can take advantage of and they WILL do it. It's not illegal for them to lie to you or intimidate you. What you need to do, is to learn about all of your rights and exercise them in future encounters with police. Learn how to spot police and if one pulls up on you right after you park, I would be telling everyone to get out of the car and start walking toward the beach and lock the car (and leave anything illegal in the car, hidden of course). And of course as said above, it's best to drink and smoke on your own property and not in public.

If you take some responsibility for being in a car with illegal things in it, then you will gain a little more respect and start to become more of an adult in the eyes of the other people here. It wasn't a smart choice to make to be in that car whether or not the officer had any reason to pull up behind you, because you could've gotten pulled over on the way to the beach for a traffic violation and the same thing would've happened.

Now as for your argument of why he pulled you over, that's your best shot to beat this thing. You will have to fight the charges and get a lawyer (whether it be a lawyer you hire or a public defender that is appointed to you by the courts) in order to reveal the report of the officer as to why he pulled you over. And if there is no legal reason why he pulled you over then your lawyer will have a good case to argue for you.

 

[cyjeff]

Sorry if I offended you by using the word boys.

Because your very good buddies are throwing you under the bus... How good a buddy can they be if they let you pay for a crime you didn't commit?

Therefore, I wonder why you owe THEM any loyalty, either.

 

[HighwayMan]

The beers were in the center part yes, but the lid wasn't closed. But the cop didn't say anything/didn't see them until after my friend in the back gave up his weed...

How do you know WHAT the officer saw and didn't see? You are making some big assumptions and you know what happens when you assume?

Also, yes, it is correct the officer pulled up behind us blocking us in, jumped out and started harassing us. Nothing friendly about it. He approached us as if we had done something wrong already.

Maybe you did and he didn't even mention it before he saw the beer and smelled the weed and saw that he had alot more to deal with.

But I'm getting a drug test done next week to show the judge I am clean and don't smoke, also I am getting letters from around my community from respected people who will vouch for the type of person I am.

So? None of that has anything to do with possession of marijuana.

And the judge can see from the evidence what type of person you are - one that hangs out with people who smoke pot and illegally possess alcohol.

Your attorney can get the officer's arrest report which will articulate the facts and circumstances leading him to stop you.