It all began last night when 3 of my friends and I decided to leave a party we were at, at like 3 in the morning. I had nothing on me and as far as I was aware neither did my friends. Everything was going great and we were headed back to one of my friends houses that I was staying at for the remainder of the night. We were going down this one road and I saw cop lights ahead. Turns out that there was an accident and the power company was fixing a telphone poll which some poor soul crashed into. The driver went to go drive around them, but the cops flagged us down and told the driver to turn off the car. So they take the driver out start questioning him and then they take my two other friends and I out of the car one at a time. They searched me and like I said I had nothing on me so it turned up no results. None of my friends had anything on them either. Well supposedly the cops said they smelled marijuana and then said they had probable cause to search the car. In the process of searching the car they came up with two seeds and cigar leaf, which I had no clue were there. So they take us back to the station and I wait handcuffed to a holding cell for 3hrs+. Turns out the driver was drinking also and they breathlised(sp?) him. So for some unknown reason they charge all of us with possesion of marijuana, even though I had no clue it was in the car nor did I even have anything on me. So my courtdate is coming next week, and I was just wondering what all of you guys would think is waiting for me, in terms of punishment. Thanks for all input.
Thanks for the link, but damn possible incarceration? For two seeds that weren't even mine? I thought I was just looking at possible probabtion.....
probably just a 3 or 400 dollar fine if ya got no priors. better than a lot of states,,still stupid for 2 seeds between 3 people..
Jesus, thats rediculous about the roach, poor woman. Hopefully I'm just looking at a fine, I have no prior history so maybe that'll do something for me.
If you have the money it's worth it to get a lawyer and keep your record clean. Haveing a misdemenor won't prevent you getting most jobs, but can bite you on the ass later if you get poped again, or want to work in certin fields, like banking. Can also fuck up student loans.
i know people who have been busted in NJ. it wont be a fine, it will most likely be probation and a misdemeanor on his record unless he lawyers up.
norml says nothing about probation.. just a fine.its only community service gettin caught in a school zone. so id say either norml is wrong or you are misinfomed... http://www.norml.org/index.cfm?wtm_view=&Group_ID=4552 Possession of 50 grams or less of marijuana or being under the influence of marijuana is a disorderly persons offense, punishable by up to six months in jail and a fine of up to $1,000. Any possession within 1,000 feet of a school adds an additional 100 hours or more of community service to the sentence.
yes it says "up to" jail time and a fine. first time offenders often get probation especially if they plead guilty. my friend chad is on probation in NJ right now for possession of MJ and paraphernalia. no fine, no comunity service, no jail time. but the DA is different in every county, so who knows what they may charge the OP with.
wow sounds like a shitty situation. wish i had some quality advice but nothing beyond what everyone else says. you should definitely consider paying for a lawyer though, it might be worth getting it wiped off your record completely. given the the fact that it was only 2 seeds in car that wasn't your's, and you have a clean record, it seems really plausible that lawyer can get it all cleared up for you.
That sucks dude... I guess here in Ontario, Canada, they are more lenientwith their posession laws...
Thanks for all the input guys. Sorry it took a while to respond I've been crowded with lots of work and on top of work dealing with this situation. I did hire a lawyer and he said all charges could be dropped if the driver accepts responsibility for the weed. The driver is a good and honest friend of mine and he supposedly went to sign a written statement on Saturday claiming all the weed was his(two seeds..lol). So I'm hoping these charges do get dropped, I do not wish to go on probation nor get any fine. The lawyer cost is already cleaning me out of money as it is. The court date isn't until December 21(great way to spend the holidays) so I've got alot of time to prepare myself. It's amazing how I was arrested for doing absolutely nothing wrong! I didn't have anything on me and was polite to the cops. I would've liked to tell the cops off, but I think that only would have made my predicament worse. This whole situation just makes me happier that I'm leaving the USA and its bullshit laws next year. Thanks again for all replies.
