Taking vehicle w/o owner's consent

[MiniRose]

My boyfriend is currently in Men's Central Jail, Los Angeles, California.

The vehicle he took belongs to me. We got in an argument on 11/25/01, a couple of things happened, and I ended up getting out of the car, ran to a gas station and called the police. He got arrested that night, but I didn't press any charges against him. The reason he wasn't released was, because he violated his probation.

He awaits trial on 01/14/02 to be sentenced, that's actually the fourth time he goes to court, since the judge keeps posponing his trial. The D.A.'s wants to give him 10 yrs jail time, and his public defender told him to declare himself guilty and take 1 year, but he refused.

What can I do to help him get released, he is inoccent. It was just a stupid fight we had, and at any time he never abused me verbally, or physically. Believe me, we both have learned our lesson, we just want to move on with our lives. Please somebody, help me!

 

[calatty]

It is not up to you to "press charges," it is up to the prosecutor. It is very common for girlfriends to accuse their boyfriends and then recant. Prosecutors these days often go forward anyway. If the case goes to court and you testify that nothing happened, they will get the cops to testify what you told them, and the jury will have to decide what to believe. There is nothing you can do now. They must be charging him with more than taking a vehicle without consent, because a violation of Vehicle Code section 10851 carries a maximum sentence of three years. Maybe they are adding whatever sentence he got in his probation case. If what they are charging him with could get him ten years in prison if convicted after a trial, and they are offering him one year in the county jail, and he is not completely innocent, then he should take the year.