Harassment by communication

[sunnivar]

I live in PA and have had charges filed against me for Harassment by Communication - 46 counts. This involves my making phonecalls from my cell phone to a friend who lives with another woman. This woman is allegedly "difficult" so my friend told me that when I called their house, to hang up if I didn't get my friend. I did this many times - often in a row if I was trying to get my friend urgently. But my intent was to speak to my friend - not hurt or harass anyone. Complicating this is the fact that the woman filing charges is an attorney. I have never in my long life had any charges filed against me for anything and I am terrified. What is the worst that can happen to me? If I am found guilty, will I go to jail?

 

[dsut]

We're in the same boat, Sunnivar. Well, kinda. I just got a ticket today for telephone harassment. Totally stupid since I ain't done it. And if the folks whining about it had told me not to call them (it's a local business), I would have done just that. And all I did was complain abotu customer service. Go figure.

I'm getting me a lawyer, and I'm gonna fight this tooth and nail. Sunnivar, you should as well, cause if you are innocent there is no reason to take this crap.


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I ain't a lawyer. I ain't a copper. I'm a true blue American that believes in Freedom for all. Provided they ain't criminals.

 

[Tracey]

Sunnivar, you get to raise the defense of consent -- you were acting with the consent & at the direction of one of the residents at that number. Don't talk to the cops without a lawyer.

dsut, your defense is that a business should expect to receive a certain number of repeat calls for customer service complaints. Unless they told you not to call anymore or your calls were so numerous & abusive that any moron would have known s/he was harrassing the business, they had a duty to tell you not to call anymore. Time to start picketing or handing out leaflets about the store's lousy customer service record. Make sure you stick to the absolute truth with no embellishments & stay on the public sidewalks.

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This is not legal advice and you are not my client. Double check everything with your own attorney and your state's laws.

 

[dsut]

Tracey, I have complained to them mostly in person. It is a fastfood joint inside a conveiniance store. Had I been told not to call them? Yes and no. I was woke up yesterday morning by a cop pounding on my door. After giving me a lecture on bothering people, I guess he must have told me not to call the corporate offices. I don't recall. Hell, he woke me up.

Well, the jist of it is that the business did not tell me not to come back, nor did they tell me not to call. That would have been simple enough, I figure. The corporate offices are in another state hundreds of miles away.

The cop might have told me, I don't recall. He said he did. All I remember him saying is don't call the local offices, which I have no desire to do. And now I have a ticket that's a class b misdemenor. Yee haw.


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I ain't a lawyer. I ain't a copper. I'm a true blue American that believes in Freedom for all. Provided they ain't criminals.

 

[sunnivar]

Tracey: Thanks, I will retain a lawyer because I'm so uncognizant of anything legal! What is likely to happen to me if I am found guilty?


<BLOCKQUOTE><font size="1" face="Verdana, Arial">quote:</font><HR>Originally posted by Tracey:
Sunnivar, you get to raise the defense of consent -- you were acting with the consent & at the direction of one of the residents at that number. Don't talk to the cops without a lawyer.

dsut, your defense is that a business should expect to receive a certain number of repeat calls for customer service complaints. Unless they told you not to call anymore or your calls were so numerous & abusive that any moron would have known s/he was harrassing the business, they had a duty to tell you not to call anymore. Time to start picketing or handing out leaflets about the store's lousy customer service record. Make sure you stick to the absolute truth with no embellishments & stay on the public sidewalks.
<HR></BLOCKQUOTE>



[This message has been edited by sunnivar (edited July 12, 2000).]