Need some urgent advice

[RebelOne]

My son is slated to go to court tomorrow. Here are the charges and I will explain why. First charge is burglary. Second charge is aggravated assault. Third charge is kidnapping. Fourth charge is false imprisonment and last charge is simple battery.

OK, here is the story. He and his girl friend had an argument and she went to a former boyfriend's house. My son knew where she went. He went to this guy's house and went into it through an open window, hence the burglary charge, though he did not steal anything. Unfortunately, he had gun, so that is the reckless conduct charge. He then forced his girl friend to go with him, which is the kidnapping and false imprisonment charge. But then he hit the other guy, which is the simple battery charge. This is one total mess.

But the day after this all happened, he came by my house with his girl friend and everything was all honky-dory and they acted as though nothing had happened.

Then he was arrested because this ex-boyfriend filed charges. My son was in the Gordon County, GA jail for 3 months until I could raise the $7,500 bail to get him out. He has to go to court tomorrow and his lawyer said it looks like he may do some jail time.

My son asked me to call his girl friend's ex-boy friend and ask him to not testify against him in court.

What should I do? I don't whether I should call this person. Does anyone have any advice?

[Kamika]

1. cant he call him?

why should you call him?

Oh and will your sons gf testify?

[RebelOne]

6. Girl friend will testify in his behalf.

He has called him and my son said he is being an a**hole. Well, I can hardly blame him since my sone sent him to the hospital.

[Kamika]

8. so what would you calling him fix?

just curious.

Heres my advice..

If you KNOW you can really act.. sob etc etc.. call him and really crawl..

[wryter2000]

2. That's serious

What your son did was serious and violent. It wasn't just a disagreement with his girlfriend. It doesn't matter that they made up afterwards. That's the sort of behavior that ends up with murder/suicides.

I advise you to stay out of it and let your son learn a lesson. Do nothing to enable that sort of behavior.

[RebelOne]

7. I know it is serious. And the lawyer even said that.

But my son is going to do some really serious jail time. And I don't want that.

[Gysgt213]

3. I wouldn't call him because it is possible you could be charged

with obstruction of justice or witness tampering by the DA. Some times depending on the circumtances once charges are filed it's no longer up to the individual who filed them to proceed to court. Yiur best bet in my opinion although I'm not a lawyer would be try to find some character witnesses for your son.

[Nikia]

4. That is serious

Does he have a good lawyer? Is the girl friend going to testify on his behalf? I think this would be a good idea if she did.
I don't think that calling this man will do any good. He will say what he will. This call could even be used against your son.
Yeah, he probably is looking at jail time. His lawyer's job is to get him as little jail time.

[RebelOne]

10. Unfortunately, he has a court-appointed lawyer.

And you know what little help they are. Yes, the girl friend is going to testify on his behalf. No, I don't think I will call this guy, though my son will have shit fits because I didn't. But you are right as it could go against my son. He said that when he goes to court tomorrow that he is going to request a jury trial, but if the jury finds him guilty, that he could do heavy-duty jail time.

[nini]

5. I wouldn't get involved..

but the girlfriend may want to try.

Is she worth all this?

tough lesson for your son.

[RebelOne]

11. As far as my son is concerned, she is worth this.

As far as I am concerned, no.

[nini]

13. hopefully..

if he hasn't been in trouble before and the circumstances are heard he'll get off with time served and probation.

I'll keep my fingers crossed for him and sneak in a prayer or two for him

Hang in there.. unfortunatey, I too know how these sons can just about kill us.

[WWW]

9. It's between the girlfriend and the ex-boyfriend now

She knows what to do. Only she can call the ex-boyfriend and ask him to drop the charges. A very hard lesson learned for your son. If the girlfriend is willing to talk to the ex-boyfriend then she has feelings for your son. If not, he is best without her. A lesson learned. If you are pressed to call anyone, I would call the girlfriend and ask her what she can do to rectify the situation.

[RebelOne]

12. Only problem is that it is now the state against my son.

Nobody can drop charges, not even the ex-boyfriend.

[WWW]

14. But both can be witnesses

and testify for the defense? right?

[DuctapeFatwa]

15. Get your son into some kind of counselling program, and document it

If at all possible, get him a private criminal attorney, the best you can find.

Have your son go into court as a well-dressed, upper middle class in socio if not economic, white if possible, contrite young person for whom this incident has been a wake up call, and who is currently receiving treatment and is an active patient of a psychiatrist.


Investigate the possibilities of having your son serve his time in a mental health facility if the ones in your area are any better than the prisons, and try to get time served to count against the sentence.

You should not contact anyone who might be called by the state as a witness, nor should your son, nor any other family members or friends.

Depending on the laws in your area, having the ex boyfriend drop charges might help, or it might not. Some localities take it and run with it either way.

Of course, if both the gf and ex bf refuse to testify, that would not help the state's case, but no one associated with your son in any way can take the chance of contacting them at all.

[RebelOne]

16. Thanks so much for your advice.

I will pass it along to my son who may or may not heed it because he is a stubborn person. I have done all I could for him when I bailed him out of jail at an out-of-pocket cost to me of $7,500. So now he is on his own. And I thank all you DUers for your advice.